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Claybury Park was once part of the Claybury estate, held by Barking Abbey from the 12th century. It contains Claybury and Hospital Hill Woods, remnants of the ancient woodland of Hainault Forest. Claybury was developed into a fine gentleman's estate from 1786 by James Hatch, who built a new mansion, expanded the estate and commissioned Humphry Repton to advise on landscaping the parkland. In 1887 the estate was sold and Claybury Asylum was built by 1893 on the brow of a hill, the first mental hospital built by the new London County Council. From 1893 to 1918 it was called Claybury Asylum, from 1918 to 1937 Claybury Mental Hospital, and from 1937 to its closure in 1995 Claybury Hospital