Pyrgo Park is a park at Havering-atte-Bower in the London Borough of Havering, in North East London, England. It is the site of the former Pirgo Palace, built before 1540 and demolished by 1814; and of Pyrgo House, built 1852, which lasted less than a century. Pyrgo is one of three large parklands in Havering-atte-Bower, the others being Bedfords Park and Havering Country Park. Toponymy Purgore is first recorded in 1490 and probably means 'triangular plot of land where pear trees grow'. It is formed from Old English (peartree) and 'gāra' (a triangular piece of land). Pergore Park is first recorded in 1544 but Portegore and Portegoo were also used in the 16th century. The modern form was recognisable as Pergo Park in 1805, but Pirgo, Purgo and Pyrgo are all variants found. Ordnance Survey maps have shown Pyrgo for at least the last 100 years. Pirgo Palace Pirgo, spelt Portegore by Henry VIII's officials, was a royal residence of King Henry VIII, from 1541, situated nearby the royal palace of Havering in the liberty of Havering-atte-Bower. Providing a pleasing position on a gentle ridge barely twenty easy miles from London with wide views westwards, the Havering area had more than six centuries of association with royalty. King Edward the Confessor (1003-1066) is said to have been disturbed there at his devotions by nightingales and prayed successfully for their banishment from Havering Park, this legend being first recorded by William Camden in his Remaines. Havering Palace continued to be used by successive monarchs until 1638 and Havering Park remained with the Crown until 1828. King Henry VIII and Pirgo In 1537 the King's Steward, Sir Brian Tuke, constructed a park with of open land and of woods at Pirgo, north-east of Havering village and the King made it his personal property. The Steward was allowed to continue living at Pirgo until about 1541 after which Henry VIII had the mansion repaired and completed the enclosure of Pirgo. The King summoned his estranged daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, to his new country house at Pirgo in 1542, and being pleased with them he made the decision to restore them to the succession to the Throne. Owners and residents after Henry VIII Neither Edward VI or Mary visited Pyrgo after their accession to the throne and on 24 April 1559, only a few months into her reign, Queen Elizabeth gave the manor with