Nonsuch Park, Cheam, Surrey

Almost one and a half square miles of parkland between Cheam and Ewell, Nonsuch Park is a pastoral idyll, particularly the sweeping grassland stretching south west from Nonsuch Mansion towards some scrappy woodland. The mock Tudor Gothic mansion itself is a poor replacement for the spectacular palace of Henry VIII that once stood on this site. A somewhat bland early 19th century building, the mansion now doubles as a refreshment kiosk and a wedding venue. North of the park is a recreation ground with an array of swings, slides and equipment for kids, offering very distant views of London's handful of skyscrapers. 6/10