5 Interesting Things About Richmond Park, London
Richmond Park, also known as Richmond Green, owes its creation to Charles I. Coming to life in the 17th century in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, it was originally a deer park. The largest of London’s Royal Parks, Richmond is spread over 2,500 acres of land. Today, this place is not just a park. It is a wildlife conservation site of national and international importance. The place is listed at Grade I, on Gardens of special historic interest in England and Historic England’s Register of Historic Parks. Let us discover some interesting things about this picturesque location in London.
Architectural Heritage
Apart from artistic landscapes, Richmond Park is home to a number of buildings of historic interest. Known as the Royal Ballet School building at present, the White Lodge was earlier a place for the Royals to reside. Another prominent building is the Pembroke Lodge, the residence of British Prime Minister in the 19th century, Lord John Russell. Richmond Green also accommodates a golf course, a host of sport and recreation facilities and some of the best restaurants in London.
Size Does Matter
Richmond Park is not just the largest of London’s Royal Parks. It also happens to be the second-largest park in London, coming next only to the 10,000 acre Lee Valley Park. The park is Britain’s second-largest urban walled park too, the first one being Sutton Park in Birmingham. It measures huge 3.69 square miles and is almost thrice the size of Central Park in New York. Just to give you an idea, how big the park is, there is a free bus service running here that stops at the main vehicle parking points and the gate at Isabella Plantation.
Exotic Flora and Fauna
Richmond Park has been declared to be the largest Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve in London, because of some special reasons. Apart from offering a natural habitat for deer and a big variety of wildlife, the park is known for its diverse deadwood beetle fauna, mainly associated with the ancient trees that can be found all over the parkland. This park also has the most widespread area of dry acid grassland in Greater London. An interesting thing to note here is that Richmond Park was originally created by Charles I for the hunting of red and fallow deer.
Sports and Recreation Facilities
Activities that are available in this park include cycling, fishing, and horse riding. You can take a cycle on rent from Roehampton Gate and near Pembroke Lodge. There is a completely car-free lane, known as Tamsin Trail, which is shared between pedestrians and cyclists. This trail is 11.6 km long and is very popular with runners. For children there are playgrounds at Kingston Gate and Petersham Gate. One can also play golf at the Richmond Park Golf Course located near Chohole Gate. During winter a part of the grassland near Roehampton Gate gets reserved for rugby, exclusively for Rosslyn Park Rugby Football Club.
Panoramic Viewpoints
You can have a protected view of St Paul’s Cathedral through the naked eye from the King Henry’s Mound in Richmond Park. One can also do the same with the help of a telescope that has been installed on the Mound. A view of the Thames Valley can be had to the west of King Henry’s Mound. From Sawyer’s Hill, a view of central London featuring London Eye, Natwest Tower and “The Gherkin” is available.
Don’t Miss Having Lunch at Thai Square
During your quest to explore wildlife and historical charm in the Richmond Park, when you need to refuel yourself, just drop in at Thai Square, one of the best restaurants in London. This award-winning Thai restaurant is simply the finest among Richmond restaurants, when it comes to having authentic Thai delicacies in truly Thai-influenced settings. Visit there and feel the difference yourself.
Summary
This article is all about some interesting things about Richmond Park, London. It also talks in brief about one of the best Richmond restaurants.