sˈæmjuːl pˈɛpiz vˈɪzɪɾᵻd ðɪ ˈɛɹiə ˌɔn nˈuːmɚɹəs əkˈeɪʒənz, ˈɔfən stˈeɪɪŋ ɪn nɪɹbˈaɪ "jˈaʊɛl" jˈuːɛl, ænd dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ðə pˈɑːɹk æz hˈævɪŋ "ɐ ɡɹˈeɪt wˈɔːk əvən ˈɛlmi ænd ɐ wˈɔlnʌt sˈɛt wˈʌn ˈæftɚɹ ɐnˈʌðɚɹ ɪn ˈɔːɹdɚ."
Samuel Pepys visited the area on numerous occasions, often staying in nearby "Yowell" (Ewell), and described the park as having "A great walk of an elme and a walnutt set one after another in order."