| Richmond Park | |
|---|---|
 Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park | |
 Interactive map of Richmond Park | |
| Area | 2,360 acres (955 hectares)[1] |
| Created | 17th century |
| Operated by | The Royal Parks |
| Status | Open 24 hours year round except during the deer cull |
| Website | https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park |
| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Richmond Park |
| Designated | 1 October 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1000828 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Location | Richmond upon Thames,Greater London, England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TQ2073 |
| Interest | Biological, historical |
| Notification | 1992 |
Richmond Park, in theLondon Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is the largest ofLondon's Royal Parks and is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. It was created byCharles I in the 17th century[2] as adeer park. It is now anational nature reserve, aSite of Special Scientific Interest and aSpecial Area of Conservation and is included, at Grade I, onHistoric England'sRegister of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England. Its landscapes have inspired many famous artists and it has been a location for several films and TV series.
Richmond Park includes many buildings of architectural or historic interest. TheGrade I-listedWhite Lodge wasformerly a royal residence and is now home to theRoyal Ballet School. The park's boundary walls and ten other buildings are listed at Grade II, includingPembroke Lodge, the home of 19th-century British Prime Minister LordJohn Russell and his grandson, the philosopherBertrand Russell. In 2020, Historic England also listed two other features in the park – King Henry's Mound, which is possibly around barrow,[3] and another (unnamed) mound which could be along barrow.[4][5][6]
Historically the preserve of themonarch, the park is now open for all to use and includes agolf club, with two courses, and other facilities for sport and recreation. It played an important role in bothworld wars and in the1948 and2012 Summer Olympics.
Richmond Park is the largest of London's Royal Parks.[7] It is the second-largest park in London (after the 10,000 acres (4,000 ha)Lee Valley Park, whose linear-shaped area extends beyond theM25 intoHertfordshire andEssex) and is Britain's second-largest urban walled park afterSutton Park,[1]Birmingham.
| Name of park | City | Area | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hectares | Acres | ||
| Yangmingshan National Park | Taipei andNew Taipei City | 11,338 | 28,016[8] |
| Casa de Campo | Madrid | 1,750 | 4,324[9] |
| Pelham Bay Park | New York City | 1,122 | 2,772[nb 1] |
| Bois de Vincennes | Paris | 995 | 2,458[12] |
| Sutton Park | Birmingham, West Midlands | 971 | 2,400[13] |
| Richmond Park | London | 955 | 2,360[1] |
| Phoenix Park | Dublin | 707 | 1,750[14] |
| Central Park | New York City | 341 | 843[15] |
Of national and international importance for wildlife conservation, most of Richmond Park (856 hectares; 2,120 acres) is a National Nature Reserve (NNR),[16] a Special Area of Conservation (SAC),[17][18] and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).[19][20] The park, excluding the area of the golf course, Pembroke Lodge Gardens and the Gate Gardens,[18] was designated as an SSSI in 1992 and is the largest in London.[20] In its citation,Natural England said: "Richmond Park has been managed as a royal deer park since the seventeenth century, producing a range of habitats of value to wildlife. In particular, Richmond Park is of importance for its diverse deadwood beetle fauna associated with the ancient trees found throughout the parkland. In addition the park supports the most extensive area of dry acid grassland in Greater London."[20]
The park was designated as an SAC in 2005 because it has "a large number of ancient trees with decaying timber. It is at the heart of the south London centre of distribution forstag beetleLucanus cervus, and is a site of national importance for the conservation of the fauna of invertebrates associated with the decaying timber of ancient trees".[17]
Since 1987 the park has also been included, at Grade I, on theRegister of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, being described inHistoric England's listing as "A royal deer park with pre C15 origins, imparked by Charles I and improved by subsequent monarchs. A public open space since the mid C19".[21]
Richmond Park is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is close toRichmond,Ham,Petersham,Kingston upon Thames,Wimbledon,Roehampton andEast Sheen.[1]
Destinations from Richmond Park | |
|---|---|
TheSecretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport manages Richmond Park and the otherRoyal Parks of London under powers set out in theCrown Lands Act 1851, which transferred management of the parks from the monarch to the government. Day-to-day management of the Royal Parks has been delegated toThe Royal Parks, an executive agency of theDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The Royal Parks' Board sets the strategic direction for the agency. Appointments to the Board are made by theMayor of London.[22]
The Friends of Richmond Park and the Friends ofBushy Park co-chair the Richmond and Bushy Parks Forum, comprising 38 local groups of local stakeholder organisations.[23] The forum was formed in September 2010 to consider proposals to bring Richmond Park and Bushy Park – and London's other royal parks – under the control of the Mayor of London through a new Royal Parks Board[23][24] and to make a joint response. Although welcoming the principles of the new governance arrangements, the forum (in 2011) and the Friends of Richmond Park (in 2012) expressed concerns about the composition of the new board.[23][25][26]
Richmond Park is the most visited royal park outside central London, with 4.4 million visits in 2014.[27] The park is enclosed by a high wall with several gates. The gates either allow pedestrian and bicycle access only, or allow bicycle, pedestrian and other vehicle access. The gates for motor vehicle access are open only during daylight hours; the speed limit is 20 mph (32 km/h). The gates for pedestrians and cyclists are open 24 hours a day except during the deer culls in February and November, when the pedestrian gates are closed between 8:00 pm and 7:30 am.[28] However, since 2020, there has been restricted through traffic in Richmond Park, for example restricted traffic between Richmond Gate and Roehampton Gate at weekends.[29] Apart from taxis, nocommercial vehicles are allowed unless they are being used to transact business with residents of the park.[30]
From March to November, a free bus service, calling nearMortlake railway station, runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, stopping at the main car parks and the gate at Isabella Plantation nearest Peg's Pond.[31][32][33]
The gates open to motor traffic are: Sheen Gate, Richmond Gate, Ham Gate, Kingston Gate, Roehampton Gate and (for access toRichmond Park Golf Course only) Chohole Gate.[34][35] The park has designatedbridleways andcycle paths. These are shown on maps and noticeboards displayed near the main entrances, along with other regulations that govern use of the park.[34] The bridleways are special in that they are for horses (and their riders) only and, unlike normal bridleways, are not open to cyclists.
TheBeverley Brook Walk runs through the park between Roehampton Gate and Robin Hood Gate.[36] TheCapital Ring walking route passes through the park from Robin Hood Gate to Petersham Gate.
Cycling is allowed only on main roads, onNational Cycle Route 4 through the centre of the park and on the Tamsin Trail (the shared-use pedestrian–cycle path that runs close to the park's perimeter).[37][38]National Cycle Route 4 crosses the park between Ham Gate in the west and Roehampton Gate in the east, skirting Pen Ponds and White Lodge. It interlinks with theThames Cycle Route and forms part of theLondon Cycle Network.[39] The speed limit on this route through the centre of the park, where it is off the main road, is 10 mph (16 km/h).[18]
As the park is a national nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, all dog owners are required to keep their dogs under control while in the park. This includes not allowing their dog to disturb other park users or disrupt wildlife. In 2009, after some incidents leading to the death of wildfowl, the park's dogs-on-leads policy was extended. Park users are said to believe that the deer are feeling increasingly threatened by the growing number of dogs using the park[40] and The Royal Parks advises against walking dogs in the park during the deer's birthing season.[41]
Amugging at gunpoint in 1854 reputedly led to the establishment of a park police force.[42] Until 2005 the park was policed by the separateRoyal Parks Constabulary, but that was subsumed into theRoyal Parks Operational Command Unit of theMetropolitan Police.[43] Themounted police have been replaced by a patrol team in afour-wheel drive vehicle. In 2015 the Friends of Richmond Park expressed concern about plans to cut the numbers of police in the park to half their level ten years previously, despite an increase in visitor numbers and in incidents of crime.[44]
In July 2012 it was reported that police had been given the power to issue£50 on-the-spot fines for littering, cycling outside designated areas and dog fouling offences.[45] In August 2012 a dog owner was ordered to pay £315 after allowing five dogs to chase ducks in the park.[46] Since 2013 commercial dog-walkers have been required to apply for licences to walk dogs in the park, and are allowed to walk only four dogs at a time.[47] In 2013 a cyclist was successfully prosecuted for speeding at 37 mph in the park.[48] In 2015 acycling club member was fined for speeding at 41 mph and faced disciplinary action from his cycling club, which uses the park for training.[49] In 2014 and 2015 two men were prosecuted for picking mushrooms in the park.[50][51]
Then-Conservative MPDanny Kruger was fined after his puppy, during a family walk, caused astampede when it chased a 200-strong herd of deer in the park in March 2021.[52] Kruger apologised and said he would be more careful in future.[53]
Cycling: Cycles are available for hire near Roehampton Gate and, at peak times, near Pembroke Lodge.[54] The Tamsin Trail (shared between pedestrians and cyclists) provides a circuit of the park and is almost entirely car-free.[38]
Fishing is allowed, bypaid permit, on Pen Ponds from mid-June to mid-March.[54]
Golf is played atRichmond Park Golf Course, a public facility opened in 1923 by the Prince of Wales (later KingEdward VIII).[55] It has two 18-hole golf courses and practice facilities and is accessed from Chohole Gate.
Horse riding: Horses from localstables are ridden in the park.[54]
Rugby: A section of the grassland to the north of the Roehampton Gate is maintained and laid out during the winter months forrugby; there are three pitches. At weekends, this area is hired extensively to therugby union clubRosslyn Park F.C.. Visiting teams are transferred by bus to and from the park pitches from the club's nearby clubhouse and changing rooms.[54]
Running: The Tamsin Trail is a 7.2 miles (11.6 km) trail around the park which is popular with runners. Members of Barnes Runners complete at least one circumnavigation of it on the first and third Sunday of every month. Richmond Parkparkrun, a five-kilometre organised run, takes place every Saturday morning on a single-lap circular course which starts near Bishop's Gate.[56]
There is a children's playground at Petersham Gate.[54]
 | |
 | |
| Abbreviation | FRP |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1961 |
| Registration no. | 1133201 |
| Legal status | registered charity |
| Purpose | To conserve and protect Richmond Park and its peace and natural beauty for the benefit of the public and future generations, and to advance public education about the park |
| Headquarters | Richmond, London |
| Location |
|
| Membership | 3,700 |
Key people | Roger Hillyer, Chairman |
Main organ | Park Life (printed magazine, published twice a year) |
| Staff | None |
| Volunteers | 300 |
| Website | www |
TheFriends of Richmond Park (FRP) was founded in 1961 to protect the park. In 1960 thespeed limit in the park had been raised from 20 to 30miles an hour and there were concerns that the roads in the park would be assigned to the main highway system as had recently happened in parts ofHyde Park.[57] In 1969, plans by the thenGreater London Council to assign the park's roads to the national highway were revealed by the Friends and subsequently withdrawn.[58] The speed limit was reduced to 20 miles an hour in 2004.[59]
In 2011, the Friends successfully campaigned for the withdrawal of plans for open-air screenings of films in the park.[60][61] In 2012, the Friends contributed towards the cost of a new Jubilee Pond, and launched a public appeal for a Ponds and Streams Conservation Programme in which the Friends, the Richmond Park Wildlife Group andHealthy Planet have been working with staff from The Royal Parks to restore some of the streams and ponds in the park.[62][63]
The Friends run a visitor centre near Pembroke Lodge, organise a programme of walks and education activities for young people, and produce a quarterly newsletter. The Friends have published two books,A Guide to Richmond Park andFamily Trails in Richmond Park; profits from the books' sales contribute towards the Friends' conservation work.[64]
The Friends of Richmond Park has been acharitable organisation since 2009.[65] It has 3,700 members, is run by approximately 300 volunteers[66] and has no staff.[65] Broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, former Richmond Park MP BaronessSusan Kramer, broadcasterClare Balding and radio and TV presenter and former professional tennis playerAnnabel Croft are patrons of FRP.[67][68] The chairman, since April 2021, is Roger Hillyer.[69]
In 1625Charles I brought his court toRichmond Palace to escape an outbreak of plague in London[70] and turned the area on the hill above Richmond into a park for the hunting of red and fallow deer.[70][71] It was originally referred to as the king's "New Park"[72] to distinguish it from the existing park in Richmond, which is now known asOld Deer Park. In 1637 he appointedJerome Weston, 2nd Earl of Portland as keeper of the new park for life, with a fee of 12(old) pence a day, pasture for four horses, and the use of the brushwood[73] – later holders of that office were known as"Ranger". Charles's decision, also in 1637, toenclose the land[nb 2] was not popular with the local residents, but he did allow pedestrians the right of way.[75] To this day the walls remain, although they have been partially rebuilt and reinforced. FollowingCharles I's execution, custodianship of the park passed to theCorporation of the City of London. It was returned to the restored monarch,Charles II, on his return to London in 1660.[76]
In 1719,Caroline of Ansbach and her husband, the futureGeorge II of Great Britain, boughtRichmond Lodge as a country residence. This building had first been built as a hunting lodge forJames I in 1619 and had also been occupied byWilliam III.[77] As shown in a map of 1734, Richmond Park and Richmond Gardens then formed a single unit – the latter was merged withKew Gardens by George III in the early 19th century.[78] In 1736 the Queen's Ride was cut through existing woodland to create a grand avenue through the park[79] and Bog Gate or Queen's Gate was opened as a private entrance for Caroline to enter the park on her journeys between White Lodge and Richmond Lodge. The same map shows Pen Ponds, a lake divided in two by acauseway, dug in 1746 and initially referred to as the Canals, which is now a good place to see water birds.[70][80] Richmond Lodge fell out of use on Caroline's death in 1737 but was brought back into use by her grandsonGeorge III as his summer residence from 1764 to 1772, when he switched his summer residence toKew Palace and had Richmond Lodge demolished.[81]
In 1751, Caroline's daughterPrincess Amelia became ranger of Richmond Park after the death ofRobert Walpole. Immediately afterwards, the Princess caused major public uproar by closing the park to the public, only allowing a few close friends and those with special permits to enter.[82] This continued until 1758, when a local brewer, John Lewis, took the gatekeeper, who had stopped him from entering the park, to court.[83] The court ruled in favour of Lewis, citing the fact that, when Charles I enclosed the park in the 17th century, he allowed the public right of way in the park. Princess Amelia was forced to lift the restrictions.[84][85]
Full right of public access to the park was confirmed byAct of Parliament in 1872.[86] However, people were no longer given the right to remove firewood; this is still the case and helps in preserving the park.[70]
Between 1833 and 1842 the Petersham Lodge estate, and then part ofSudbrook Park, were incorporated into Richmond Park. Terrace Walk was created from Richmond Gate to Pembroke Lodge.[87] The Russell School was built near Petersham Gate in 1851.[88] Between 1855 and 1861, new drainage improvements were constructed, including drinking points for deer.[89] In 1867 and 1876 fallow deer from the park were sent to New Zealand to help build up stocks – the first fallow deer introduced to that country.[90][91] In or around 1870, theInns of Court Rifle Volunteers were using an area near Bog Gate as a drill ground.[89]Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian general and politician, visited LordJohn Russell at Pembroke Lodge in 1864,[92] as did the Shah ofPersia,Naser al-Din Shah Qajar in 1873. He was the first modern Iranian monarch to visit Europe.[92]
King Edward VII developed the park as a public amenity by opening up almost all the previously fenced woods and making public those gates that were previously private.[93] From 1915 level areas of the park were marked out for football and cricket pitches.[93] A golf course was developed on the former "Great Paddock" of Richmond Park, an area used for feeding deer for the royal hunt. The tree belt in this part of the park was supplemented by additional planting in 1936.[94] The public golf course was opened in 1923 by Edward, Prince of Wales[95] (who was to becomeKing Edward VIII and, after hisabdication, Duke of Windsor). The future king had been born in the park, at White Lodge, in 1894.[96] In 1925, a second public 18-hole course was laid out to the south of the first (towards Robin Hood Gate); it was opened by the Duke of York (George VI). In honour of their respective openers,Richmond Park Golf Course's two courses are named the "Prince's" and the "Duke's".
The park played an important role during World War I and was used forcavalry training.[97] On 7 December 1915 English inventorHarry Grindell Matthews demonstrated, in a secret test on Pen Ponds, howselenium cells would work in a remotely controlled prototype weapon for use against GermanZeppelins.[98] Reporting on this story several years later, in April 1924,The Daily Chronicle said that the test had been carried out in the presence ofArthur Balfour,Lord Fisher and a staff of experts. Its success led to Matthews receiving a payment of £25,000 from the Government the very next morning. Despite this large sum changing hands, theAdmiralty never used the invention.[99] Between 1916 and 1925 the park housed a South African military war hospital, which was built between Bishop's Pond and Conduit Wood.[100][101] The hospital closed in 1921 and was demolished in 1925.[102]Richmond Cemetery, just outside the park, contains a section of war graves commemorating 39 soldiers who died at the hospital; the section is marked by aCross of Sacrifice and a Grade II listed[103]cenotaph designed bySir Edwin Lutyens.[104]
King Faisal I of Iraq andLebanese politicianSalim Ali Salam were photographed visiting the park in 1925.
An army camp was established in 1938. It covered 45 acres (18 ha) to the south and east of Thatched House Lodge, extending to the area south of Dann's Pond.[105][106] It became known as Kingston Gate Camp and expanded the capacity of theEast Surrey Regiment'sregimental depot Infantry Training Centre (ITC). As a result, the ITC was better able to meet the demands of training new recruits and called-up militia between early 1940 and August 1941 when the ITC transferred to a facility inCanterbury shared withthe Buffs.[107] The camp was subsequently used as a military convalescent depot for up to 2,500 persons after which it continued as a base for theAuxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) until after the war.[108]
During World War II Pembroke Lodge was used as the base for "Phantom" (theGHQ Liaison Regiment).[105] The Pen Ponds were drained, in order to disguise them as a landmark,[109] and an experimental bomb disposal centre was set up at Killcat Corner, which is between Robin Hood Gate and Roehampton Gate.[110]
Ananti-aircraft gun site was inside Sheen Gate for the duration of the war. The Prime Minister,Winston Churchill, visited it on 10 November 1940[111] and it was featured in a photograph published inPicture Post on 13 December 1941.[112]
Associated with the gun site was the research site of theArmy Operational Research Group (AORG), located on thepolo field beside Sheen Cross, whereStanley Hey researched improvements to the operation of anti-aircraft gun-laying radar. During the war, Hey discovered that theSun is a radio source[113] and he investigated radio reflections frommeteor trails, and radio noise from cosmic sources. In 1946 Hey's group discoveredCygnus A, later shown to be the firstradio galaxy. The Richmond Park installation thus became the first radio observatory in Britain.[113]
In addition to use of the park for military purposes, approximately 500 acres (200 ha) of the park was converted to agricultural use during the war.[114]
The Russell School (then located within the park's boundary) was destroyed by enemy action in 1943[115] and Sheen Cottage a year later.[116][117]
John Boyd-Carpenter, MP forKingston-upon-Thames, proposed using the Kingston Gate Camp to help alleviate the local post-war housing shortage but theMinister of Works,Charles Key, was opposed, preferring that the site be eventually returned to its former parkland use.[118] Key's department refurbished and repurposed the camp as anOlympic Village for the1948 Summer Olympics.[119][120][121] TheOlympic Village was opened byOlympic gold medallistLord Burghley, with Key making the announcement, in July 1948.[122] After the Olympics, the camp was used by units of theRoyal Corps of Signals and then by theWomen's Royal Army Corps following their formation in 1949 as successor to the wartime ATS. Although it had been hoped to clear the camp during the 1950s, it remained in military use and was used to house service families repatriated following theSuez Crisis in 1956. It was not until 1965 that the camp was eventually demolished; it was reintegrated into the park during the following year.[108][114][123]
In 1953President Tito ofYugoslavia stayed at White Lodge during astate visit to Britain.[124]
ThePetersham Hole was asink hole caused by subsidence of a sewer which forced the total closure of theA307 road in Petersham in 1979–80. As the hole and subsequent repair work had forced a total closure of this main road between Richmond and Kingston, traffic was diverted through the park and the Richmond, Ham, and Kingston gates remained open throughout the day and night. The park road was widened at Ham Cross near Ham Gate to accommodate temporary traffic lights. About 10 deer a month were killed by traffic while the diversion was in operation.[125]
When the present London Borough of Richmond upon Thames was created in 1965, it included the majority, but not the whole, of the park. The eastern tip, including Roehampton Gate, belonged to theLondon Borough of Wandsworth, and the southern tip was in theRoyal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. Following a series ofborough boundary changes in 1994 and 1995, these anomalies were corrected and the whole park became part of Richmond upon Thames.[126]
In the2012 Summer Olympics the men's and the women'scycling road races went through the park.[127]
ActorJoseph A. Bennett died by suicide in the park on 13 April 2015, reportedly found hanged from a tree.[128][129]
The brick wall enclosing Richmond Park is eight miles (13 km) long and up to 9 ft (2.7 m) high.[130] Much of the wall is designated byHistoric England as a Grade II listed building.[131]
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When the park was enclosed in 1637 there were six gates in the boundary wall: Coombe Gate, Ham Gate, Richmond Gate, Robin Hood Gate, Roehampton Gate and Sheen Gate. Of these, Richmond Gate has the heaviest traffic. The present gates were designed bySir John Soane[132][133] and were widened in 1896.[134] Sheen Gate was where the brewer John Lewis asserted pedestrian right of entry in 1755 afterPrincess Amelia had denied it. The present double gates date from 1926.[134] Coombe Gate (later known as Ladderstile Gate) provided access to the park for the parishioners ofCoombe, with both a gate and astepladder. The gate was locked in the early 1700s and bricked up in about 1735. The stepladder was reinstated after John Lewis's case in 1758 and remained in place until about 1884. The present gate dates from 1901.[134] The presentwrought iron gates of Roehampton Gate were installed in 1899.[134] Ham Gate was widened in 1921, when the present wrought iron gates were installed. One of the wrought iron gates was replaced in 2024 after a car crashed into it. Thechinoiserie lantern lights over the gate were installed in 1825.[134]
Robin Hood Gate takes its name from the nearby Robin Hood Inn (demolished in 2001) and is close to what is called[135] the Robin Hood roundabout on theA3. Widened in 1907,[134] it has been closed to motorised vehicles since a 2003 traffic reduction trial.[136] Alterations commenced in 2013 to make the gates more suitable for pedestrian use and return some of the hard surface to parkland.[137]
Chohole Gate served the farm that stood within the park on the site of the present Kings Farm Plantation. It is first mentioned in 1680.[134] The gate now provides access toRichmond Park Golf Course.
Kingston Gate dates from about 1750. The existing gates date from 1898.[134]
Bog Gate, or Queen's Gate, which connects the park withEast Sheen Common, was built in 1736. Public access to the park via this gate, 24 hours a day, was granted in 1894 and the present "cradle" gate was installed.[138]
Petersham Gate served the Russell School, replacing the more ornate gates to Petersham Lodge. A disused carriage gate further up the hill was probably a tradesman's entrance to the school or to the Lodge stables.[134]
Bishop's Gate in Chisholm Road, previously known as the Cattle Gate, was for use bylivestock allowed to pasture in the nineteenth century. It was opened for public use in 1896.[134]
Kitchen Garden Gate, hidden behind Teck Plantation, is probably a nineteenth-century gate. It has never been open to the public.[138]
Cambrian Gate or Cambrian Road Gate[134] was constructed during World War I for access to the newly built South African Military Hospital.[101][102][139] When the hospital was demolished in 1925, the entrance was made permanent, with public access, as a pedestrian gate.[134]
The park includes a Grade Ilisted building, White Lodge. The park's boundary wall, and ten other buildings, are also Grade II listed:[18][140] Ham Gate Lodge, built in 1742;[141] Holly Lodge (formerly known as Bog Lodge) and thegame larder in its courtyard, built in 1735;[18][140] Pembroke Lodge; Richmond Gate and Richmond Gate Lodge, dated 1798 and designed by Sir John Soane;[142][132][143] Thatched House Lodge; and White Ash Lodge and its barns and stables, built in the 1730s or 1740s.[18][140][144][145]
The freebord or "deer leap" is a strip of land 5 metres (16 feet 5 inches) wide, running around most of the perimeter of the park. Owned by the Crown, it allows access to the outside of the boundary wall for inspection and repairs. Householders whose property backs on to the park can use this land by paying an annual fee.[146][147]
 | |
| |
| Formation | 1994[148] |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Registered charity[149] |
| Headquarters | Holly Lodge |
| Location |
|
Region served | Greater London andSurrey[149] |
Chair | James Middlehurst |
Centre Manager | Jaime Walsh/Alex Sharp |
Main organ | Stepping Stones (quarterly newsletter) |
| Budget | £121,168[149] |
| Staff | 6[150] |
| Volunteers | >80[151] |
| Website | www |
In 1735, a new lodge, Cooper's Lodge, was built on the site of Hill Farm.[152] It was renamed Lucas's Lodge in 1771 and Bog Lodge in the 1790s.[153] Bog Lodge was renamed Holly Lodge in 1993[154] and now contains a visitors' centre (bookings only), the park's administrative headquarters and a base for theMetropolitan Police.
Holly Lodge also includes theHolly Lodge Centre, a registered charity[149] which provides an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy and learn from a series of hands-on experiences, focusing particularly on the environment and in theVictorian history and heritage of Richmond Park. The centre, which iswheelchair-accessible throughout,[155] was opened in 1994.[148] It was founded by Mike Fitt,[148][156] who was then The Royal Parks' Superintendent of Richmond Park and later became Deputy Chief Executive of London's Royal Parks. The Holly Lodge Centre received theQueen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2005.
Princess Alexandra has been Holly Lodge Centre's Royal Patron since 2007.[156] In 2011 she opened the centre's Victorian-themed pharmacy,Mr Palmer's Chymist. This includes the original interior, artefacts and dispensing records dating from 1865, from achemist's shop inMortlake, and is used for educational activities. The centre also includes a replica Victorian schoolroom, and akitchen garden planted with varieties of vegetables used in Victorian times andherbs cultivated for their medicinal properties.[155]
Pembroke Lodge and some associated houses stand in their own garden within the park. In 1847 Pembroke Lodge became the home of the thenPrime Minister,Lord John Russell,[157] and from 1876 to 1890 was the childhood home of his grandson,Bertrand Russell.[158][159] It is now a popular restaurant with views across theThames Valley.
Thatched House Lodge was the London home of United States GeneralDwight D. Eisenhower during the Second World War.[160] Since 1963 it has been the residence ofPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy.[161][162] It was originally built as two houses in 1673 for two Richmond Park Keepers, as Aldridge Lodge, and was enlarged in 1727, possibly byWilliam Kent, as a home forSir Robert Walpole. The two houses were joined and renamed Thatched House Lodge in 1771 by Sir John Soane. The gardens include an 18th-century two-roomthatched summer house which gave the main house its name.
Built as ahunting lodge forGeorge II by the architectRoger Morris,White Lodge was completed in 1730. Its many famous residents have included members of the Royal Family. The future kingEdward VIII was born at White Lodge in 1894;[163] his brotherPrince Albert, Duke of York (the future George VI) andthe Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) lived there in the 1920s.[164] TheRoyal Ballet School (formerly Sadler's Wells Ballet) has been based since 1955[119] at White Lodge, where younger ballet students continue to be trained.
Bishop's Gate Lodge takes its name from agamekeeper who was on the staff in the first half of the 19th century. A reference dated 1854 said that the keeper had had access to the lodge for the past fifty years. The lodge is not shown on the 1813 plan of the park, but appears on the plans of 1850, and its layout seems to have changed little from that time. It forms part of a view over the park, and beyond, that is much favoured by amateur painters.
Oak Lodge, near Sidmouth Wood, was built in about 1852 as a home for the parkbailiff, who was responsible for repair and maintenance in the park.[165] It is used by The Royal Parks as its base for a similar function today.[165]
There are also gate lodges at Chohole Gate, Kingston Gate, Robin Hood Gate, Roehampton Gate[166] and at Sheen Gate, which also has abungalow (Sheen Gate Bungalow).[167] Ladderstile Cottage, at Ladderstile Gate, was built in the 1780s.[168]
A map by John Eyre, "Plan of His Majesty's New Park", shows asummer house near Richmond Gate.[72]
Several buildings already existed within the park when it was created. One of these was a manor house at Petersham which was renamed Petersham Lodge. During theCommonwealth period it became accommodation for one of the park's deputy keepers,Lodowick Carlell (or Carlile), who was also a renownedplaywright in his day,[169] and his wife,Joan Carlile, one of the first English women to practise painting professionally.[170]
Elizabeth,Countess of Dysart, and her husbandSir Lionel Tollemache took over Petersham Lodge when they became joint keepers of Richmond Park. After Tollemache's death the Lodge and its surrounding land were leased in 1686 toLaurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, whose sisterAnne was married to the new king,James II. It became a private park and was subsequently landscaped. By 1692 Rochester had demolished the Lodge and replaced it with a splendid new mansion in his "New Park". In 1732, a new Petersham Lodge was built to replace it after a fire.[171] This Petersham Lodge was demolished in 1835.[87]
ProfessorSir Richard Owen, the first Director of theNatural History Museum, lived at Sheen Cottage until his death in 1892.[117][172] The cottage was destroyed by enemy action in 1944.[117][173] The remains of the cottage can be seen in patches and irregularities in the wall 220 metres from Sheen Gate.[117][168]
Abandstand, similar to one inKensington Gardens, was erected near Richmond Gate in 1931. In 1975, after many years of disuse, it was moved toRegent's Park.[174]
There is aprotected view ofSt Paul's Cathedral from King Henry's Mound, and also from Sawyer's Hill a view of central London in which theLondon Eye,Tower 42 (formerly the NatWest Tower) and30 St Mary Axe ("The Gherkin") appear to be close to one another.[175]
King Henry's Mound, which may have been aNeolithic burial barrow,[176][177] was listed in 2020 by Historic England[3] along with another (unnamed) mound in the park which could be along barrow.[4][5][6] King Henry's Mound is located within the public gardens of Pembroke Lodge. At various times the mound's name has been connected with Henry VIII or with his father Henry VII.[176] However, there is no evidence to support the legend that Henry VIII stood on the mound to watch for a sign from St Paul's thatAnne Boleyn had been executed at theTower of London and that he was then free to marryJane Seymour.[176][178]
To the west of King Henry's Mound is apanorama of theThames Valley.[175]St Paul's Cathedral, over 10 miles (16 km) to the east, can be seen through the naked eye or via atelescope that has been installed on the Mound. This vista, created soon after the cathedral was completed in 1710,[179] is protected by a "dome and a half" width of sky on either side. In 2005 the then Mayor of London,Ken Livingstone, sought to overturn this protection and reduce it to "half a dome". In 2009 his successor,Boris Johnson, promised to reinstate the wider view, though also approving a development atVictoria Station which, when completed, will obscure its right-hand corner.[180] New gates − "The Way" − which can be viewed through the King Henry's Mound telescope, were installed in 2012 on the edge of Sidmouth Wood to mark the 300th anniversary of St Paul's.[181]
In December 2016, it was reported thatManhattan Loft Gardens, a 42-storey 135m-tall apartment building under construction inStratford, an area of London not covered by these planning restrictions, had "destroyed" the view from the park as it can now be seen behind the framed view of the cathedral's dome. The developers said that "Despite going through the correct planning processes in a public and transparent manner, at no point was the subject of visual impact to St Paul's ever raised" by theOlympic Delivery Authority or theGreater London Authority and that they were looking into the issues raised by the development.[182]
In November 2017, the Friends of Richmond Park reported that their campaigning on the issue had resulted in the Mayor of London,Sadiq Khan, instructing London planners to consult theGreater London Authority on planning requests for high-rise buildings which, if built, could affect the visibility of St Paul's from established viewpoints. His instruction has now been incorporated into planning procedures across Greater London.[183]
The park's open slopes and woods are based on lowlandacid soils. The grassland is mostly managed by grazing. The park contains numerous woods and copses, some created with donations from members of the public.
Between 1819 and 1835,Lord Sidmouth, Deputy Ranger, established several new plantations and enclosures, including Sidmouth Wood and the ornamentalIsabella Plantation, both of which are fenced to keep the deer out.[70][89] After World War II the existing woodland at Isabella Plantation was transformed into a woodland garden, and is organically run, resulting in a rich flora and fauna. Opened to the public in 1953,[184] it is now a major visitor attraction in its own right. It is best known for the flowering, in April and May, of itsevergreenazaleas andcamellias, which have been planted next to its ponds and streams. There are also many rare and unusual trees and shrubs.[185]
The Jubilee Plantation was created in 1887 to commemorate theGolden Jubilee of Queen Victoria.[186] Prince Charles' Spinney was planted out in 1951[187] with trees protected from the deer by fences, to preserve a natural habitat. Thebluebell glade is managed to encourage native British bluebells. Teck Plantation, established in 1905,[188] commemorates the Duke and Duchess of Teck, who lived at White Lodge. Their daughter Mary marriedGeorge V.[138] Tercentenary Plantation, in 1937,[188] marked the 300th anniversary of the enclosure of the park. Victory Plantation was established in 1946[188] to mark the end of the Second World War. Queen Mother's Copse, a small triangular enclosure on the woodland hill halfway between Robin Hood Gate and Ham Gate, was established in 1980[188] to commemorate the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
The park lost over 1000 mature trees during theGreat Storm of 1987 and theBurns' Day Storm of 1990. The subsequent replanting included a new plantation, Two Storms Wood, a short distance into the park from Sheen Gate. Some extremely old trees can also be seen inside this enclosure.[21]
Bone Copse, which was named in 2005, was started by the Bone family in 1988 by purchasing and planting a tree from the park authorities in memory of Bessie Bone who died in that year. Trees have been added annually, and in 1994 her husband Frederick Bone also died. The annual planting has been continued by their children.
The park's Platinum Jubilee Woodland, marking thePlatinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, was opened by Sir David Attenborough in 2023.[189]
Poet's Corner, an area at the north end of Pembroke Lodge Gardens, commemorates the poetJames Thomson (1700–1748), who was living in Richmond at the time of his death. A curved metal bench inscribed with lines by Thomson and known asPoet's Seat is located there. Sculpted by Richard Farrington, it was based on an idea by Jane Fowles.[190][191]
A wooden memorial plaque with anode to Thomson by the writer and historianJohn Heneage Jesse was formerly located near Pembroke Lodge stables, where it was installed in 1851. The plaque was replaced by theSelborne Society in 1895.[191]
In 2014 Poet's Corner was re-sited to the other side of the main path and the ode, on a re-gilded board, was installed in a completely new oak frame. The new Poet's Corner, funded by the Friends of Richmond Park and the Visitor Centre at Pembroke Lodge, and by a donation in memory of Wendy Vachell, also includes three curved benches made from reclaimedteak. The benches are inscribed with a couplet by the Welsh poetW. H. Davies, "A poor life this, if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare".[192]
Benches, also sculpted by Richard Farrrington,[190] at King Henry's Mound are inscribed with a few lines fromThomson's poemThe Seasons.[191]
Poet's Corner is linked to King Henry's Mound by the John Beer Laburnum Arch, named after one of Pembroke Lodge Gardens' former charge-hands. Thearch has a display of yellowlaburnum flowers in May.[193]
In 2002 a "musical bench", designed by Mil Stricevic,[194] was placed in a favoured viewing spot of rock singer and lyricistIan Dury (1942–2000) near Poet's Corner. On the back of the bench are the words "Reasons to be cheerful", the title of one of Dury's songs.[191] Thesolar-powered seat was intended to allow visitors to plug in and listen to eight of his songs as well as an interview, but was subjected to repeatedvandalism.[195] In 2015 the bench was refurbished and theMP3 players and solar panels were replaced with metal plates on which aQR code can be scanned via asmartphone. Visitors can access nineIan Dury and the Blockheads songs and hear Dury'sDesert Island Discs interview withSue Lawley, first broadcast onBBC Radio 4 on 15 December 1996.[196]
Originally created for deer hunting, Richmond Park now has 630red andfallow deer[197] that roam freely within much of the park. A cull takes place each November and February to ensure numbers can be sustained;[198] about 200 deer are culled annually and the meat is sold to licensed game dealers.[199][200] Some deer are also killed in road accidents, through ingesting litter such as small items of plastic, or by dogs.
The park is an important refuge for other wildlife, includingwoodpeckers,squirrels,rabbits,snakes,frogs,toads,stag beetles and many otherinsects plus numerous ancient trees and varieties offungi. It is particularly notable for its rare beetles.[16]
Richmond Park supports a large population ofring-necked parakeets. These bred from birds that escaped or were freed from captivity.[201]
There are about 30 ponds in the park. Some – including Barn Wood Pond, Bishop's Pond, Gallows Pond, Leg of Mutton Pond, Martin's Pond and White Ash Pond – have been created to drain the land or to provide water for livestock. The Pen Ponds (which in the past were used to rearcarp for food)[202] date from 1746.[70] They were formed when a trench was dug in the early 17th century to drain a boggy area; later in that century this was widened and deepened by the extraction ofgravel for local building. The Ponds now take in water from streams flowing from the higher ground around them and release it toBeverley Brook. Beverley Brook and the two Pen Ponds are most visible areas of water in the park.[203]
Beverley Brook rises at Cuddington Recreation Ground inWorcester Park[204] and enters the park (where it is followed by the Tamsin Trail and Beverley Walk) at Robin Hood Gate, creating a water feature used by deer, smaller animals and water grasses and somewater lilies. Its name is derived from the former presence in the river of theEuropean beaver (Castor fiber),[205] a species extinct in Britain since the 16th century.[206]
Most of the streams in the park drain into Beverley Brook but a spring above Dann's Pond flows to joinSudbrook (from "South brook") on the park boundary. Sudbrook flows through a small valley known as Ham Dip and has been dammed and enlarged in two places to form Ham Dip Pond and Ham Gate Pond, first mapped in 1861 and 1754 respectively. These were created for the watering of deer.[207] Both ponds underwent restoration work includingde-silting, which was completed in 2013.[208] Sudbrook drains the westernescarpment of the hill that, to the east, forms part of thecatchment of Beverley Brook and, to the south, theHogsmill River. Sudbrook is joined by theLatchmere stream just beyond Ham Gate Pond. Sudbrook then flows intoSudbrook Park, Petersham. Another stream rises north of Sidmouth Wood and goes through Conduit Wood towards the park boundary near Bog Gate.[203]
A separate water system for Isabella Plantation was developed in the 1950s. Water from the upper Pen Pond is pumped to Still Pond, Thomson's Pond and Peg's Pond.[203]
The park's newest pond is Attenborough Pond, opened by and named after the broadcaster and naturalistSir David Attenborough in July 2014.[209] It was created as part of the park'sPonds and Streams Conservation Programme.[210]
 | |
| |
| Formation | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Daniel Hearsum (1958–2021)[211] |
| Registration no. | 1153010 |
| Legal status | Registered charity |
| Headquarters | Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park |
| Location |
|
Chair | Jane Hearsum |
Curator | Sue Barber |
| Budget | <£11,000[212] |
| Website | hearsumcollection |
The Hearsum Collection is a registered charity[nb 3] that collects and preserves the heritage of Richmond Park. It has a collection, which was started by Daniel Hearsum (1958–2021) in 1997,[214] of heritage material covering the last four centuries, with over 5000 items including antique prints, paintings,[215] maps, postcards, photographs, documents, books and press cuttings. Volunteers from the Friends of Richmond Park have been cataloguing them.[215] The Collection, which as of 2025 continues to be stored in unsatisfactory accommodation in Pembroke Lodge,[216] is overseen by volunteers and part-time staff. The trustees announced in 2014 plans for a new purpose-builtheritage centre to provide full public access to the Collection.[216][217][218]
In April 2017 the Collection, in collaboration with The Royal Parks and Ireland'sOffice of Public Works, mounted an exhibition atDublin'sPhoenix Park entitledParks, Our Shared Heritage: The Phoenix Park, Dublin & The Royal Parks, London, demonstrating the historical links between Richmond Park (and other Royal Parks in London) and Phoenix Park.[219] The exhibition was also displayed at London'sMall Galleries in July and August 2017.[220]
George MacDonald's novelThe Marquis of Lossie (published in London in 1877 byHurst and Blackett)[221] has a chapter entitled "Richmond Park".[222]
InGeorgette Heyer'sRegency romanceSylvester, or the Wicked Uncle (1957) there is an expedition to Richmond Park.[223]
Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park is the scene of apicnic and a child's disappearance inChris Cleave's 2008 novelThe Other Hand.[224] Richmond Park features inJacqueline Wilson's novelLily Alone (2010) and in the poetry anthology she edited,Green Glass Beads (2011).[225]
NovelistShena Mackay was commissioned by The Royal Parks to write a short story about Richmond Park namedThe Running of the Deer which was published in 2009.[226][227]
Anthony Horowitz's 2014 novelMoriarty, aboutArthur Conan Doyle's character in hisSherlock Holmes stories, includes a scene set in Richmond Park.[228]
Joseph Coelho's 2017 poetry anthologyOverheard in a Tower Block includes a poem for children, "Richmond Park".[229]
A Hind in Richmond Park byWilliam Henry Hudson, published in 1922 and republished in 2006, is an extendednatural history essay. It includes an account of his visits to Richmond Park and a particular occasion when a young girl was struck by a red deer when she tried to feed it an acorn.[230]
Lamport Hall inNorthamptonshire holdsThe Carlile Family with Sir Justinian Isham in Richmond Park,[231] anoil painting byJoan Carlile (1600–1679) who lived at Petersham Lodge.[170]
_-_View_in_Richmond_Park%2c_A_Small_Bridge_to_the_Right_-_ABDAG007603_-_Aberdeen_City_Council_(Archives%2c_Gallery_and_Museums_Collection).jpg)
A portrait by T Stewart (a pupil ofSir Joshua Reynolds) in 1758 ofJohn Lewis, Brewer of Richmond, Surrey, whose legal action forced Princess Amelia to reinstate pedestrian access to the park, is in the Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection. It is on display in Richmond Reference Library.[232]
Joseph Allen'sSir Robert Walpole (1676–1745), 1st Earl of Orford, KG, as Ranger of Richmond Park (after Jonathan Richardson the Elder) is in the collection of theNational Trust, and is held atErddig,Wrexham.[233] The painting is based on a portrait with a similar title, byJonathan Richardson the Elder andJohn Wootton, which is held at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery.[234]
Artist andcaricaturistThomas Rowlandson (1756–1827)'s undated drawingRichmond Park andJames Smetham'sLovers in Richmond Park, painted in 1864, are held at theYale Center for British Art inNew Haven, Connecticut.[235][236]
The Earl of Dysart's Family in Richmond Park byWilliam Frederick Witherington (1785–1865) is in The Hearsum Collection at Pembroke Lodge.[237]
Landscape: View in Richmond Park was painted in 1850 by the English Romantic painterJohn Martin. It is held at theFitzwilliam Museum inCambridge.[238]
William Bennett'swatercolourIn Richmond Park, painted in 1852, is held byTate Britain. It can be viewed, by appointment, at its Prints and Drawings Rooms.[239]
The oil paintingIn Richmond Park (1856) by the Victorian painterHenry Moore is in the collection of theYork Museums Trust.[240][241]
Landscape with Deer, Richmond Park (1875) by Alfred Dawson is in theReading Museum's collection.[242]
John Buxton Knight'sWhite Lodge, Richmond Park, painted in 1898, is in the collection ofLeeds Museums and Galleries.[243]
Andrew Geddes'View of Richmond Park, a Fountain on the Left (pre 1844), andView in Richmond Park, A Small Bridge to the Right (c.1826), are in the collection ofAberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums.[244][245]
The oil paintingRichmond Park (1913) by Arthur George Bell is in the collection of theLondon Transport Museum.[246]
Spencer Gore's paintingRichmond Park, thought to have been painted in the autumn of 1913 or shortly before the artist's death in March 1914, was exhibited at thePaterson and Carfax Gallery[247] in 1920. In 1939 it was exhibited inWarsaw,Helsinki andStockholm by theBritish Council asGroup of Trees.[248] It is now in the collection of theTate Gallery under its original title but is not currently on display.[248] The painting is one of a series of landscapes painted in Richmond Park during the last months of Gore's life.[249] According to Tate curator Helena Bonett, Gore's early death frompneumonia, two months before what would have been his 36th birthday, was brought on by his painting outdoors in Richmond Park in the cold and wet winter months.[250] It is not certain where in the park the picture was made but a row of trees close to the pond near Cambrian Gate has a very close resemblance to those in the painting.[251] Another Gore painting, with the same title (Richmond Park), painted in 1914, is at theAshmolean Museum. His paintingWood in Richmond Park is in theBirmingham Art Gallery's collection.[252]
The oil paintingAutumn, Richmond Park byAlfred James Munnings is at theSir Alfred Munnings Art Museum inColchester.[253]
Chinese artistChiang Yee wrote and illustrated several books while living in Britain.Deer in Richmond Park is Plate V in his bookThe Silent Traveller in London, published in 1938.[254]
Trees, Richmond Park, Surrey, painted in 1938 byFrancis Ferdinand Maurice Cook, is in theManchester Art Gallery's collection.[255]
Richmond Park No 2 by the English Impressionist painterLaura Knight is at theRoyal Academy of Arts.[256]
In Richmond Park (1962) by James Andrew Wykeham Simons is at theUCL Art Museum atUniversity College London.[257]
Kenneth Armitage (1916–2002) made a series of sculptures and drawings of oak trees in Richmond Park between 1975 and 1986.[258] His collage and etchingRichmond Park: Tall Figure with Jerky Arms (1981) is in the British Government Art Collection and is on display at theBritish Embassy in Prague.[259] The Government Art Collection also holds Armitage'sRichmond Park: Two Trees with White Trunks (1975),[260] andRichmond Park: Five Trees, Grey Sky (1979).[261] His bronze sculptureRichmond Oak (1985–86) is displayed at the British Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil.[262]
Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton holdsRichmond Park Morning, London (2004) by Bob Rankin[263] andRichmond Park, London (2005–06), a panel of five oil paintings by Yvonne Fletcher.[264]
TheUnderground Electric Railways Company published, in 1911, a poster,Richmond Park, designed by Charles Sharland. This is at the London Transport Museum,[265] which also has: aDistrict line poster from 1908,Richmond Park for pleasure and fresh air, by an unknown artist;[266]Richmond Park, by an unknown artist (1910);[267]Richmond by Underground by Alfred France (1910);[268]Richmond Park by Arthur G Bell (1913);[269]Richmond Park; humours no. 10 by German American puppeteer and illustratorTony Sarg (1913);[270]Richmond Park by tram by Charles Sharland (1913);[271]Richmond Park by Harold L Oakley (1914);[272]Natural history of London; no. 3, herons at Richmond Park by Edwin Noble (1916);[273]Richmond Park by Emilio Camilio Leopoldo Tafani (1920);[274]Rambles in Richmond Park byFreda Lingstrom (1924);[275]Richmond Park byCharles Paine (1925);[276] andRichmond Park, a poster commissioned byLondon Transport in 1938 and illustrated by the artist Dame Laura Knight.[277]
Richmond Park has been a location for several films and TV series:
As well as a location for films, Richmond Park is regularly featured in television programmes, corporate videos and fashion shoots. It has made an appearance onBlue Peter,Inside Out (the BBC regional current affairs programme) andSpringwatch (the BBC natural history series).[279] In 2014 it was featured in a video commissioned byThe Hearsum Collection.[216] It was also the subject of nature documentaryRichmond Park – National Nature Reserve, presented by Sir David Attenborough and produced by the Friends of Richmond Park, which won the best "Longform" film in the 2018 nationalCharity Film Awards.[287][288]
The "Richmond Park" in Germany is named after the park in Britain and was created in 1768 in Brunswick forPrincess Augusta, sister of George III. She was married to theDuke of Brunswick and was feeling homesick, so an English-style park was designed byLancelot "Capability" Brown and a palace built for her, both with the name "Richmond".[289][290]
In 1935, the palace including the entire estate was purchased bythe City of Braunschweig. One condition for the purchase was that no structural changes ever be made and the park not be built on. The palace, which was rebuilt after the Second World War and reconstructed in 1987 to the historic original design, is now used for public events.[290] The nearly four-hectare (10-acre) park has been open to the public since 1964.
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