London’s Other Rivers - Central & East London

Nouormand: Pliaque à Londres (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The third part of this article introduces two more rivers which empty into the Thames from the north. The first could be seen to be the most important river, the River Thames aside, in the capital’s history, the River Walbrook. The other is a river which still flows as London’s second river and which has fallen into the spotlight again in 2012, the River Lea.

Walbrook
To the east of the Fleet, running through the City of London, the River Walbrook is one of London’s most influential lost rivers, arguably the most influential. In times passed, it would have risen in modern-day Finsbury (or possibly even further north in Shoreditch) and flowed through the city of London (under the city walls - one possible root of its name) and into the Thames near what is now Cannon Street Railway Bridge.

Like the Fleet, it can trace a history of settlement back to at least the Roman era and the Roman settlement formed where the two rivers would have met, 150 metres inland from the modern bank of the Thames, would have included a strategic port, temples (e.g., the temple of Mithras whose remains can still be seen nearby - although not in their original location) and government buildings. This important strategic town went by the name of Londinium and so, in other words, the settlement that was the origin of the capital city that we know today. The future global city grew up either side if the brook on the north bank of the Thames, up the slopes of what is now Ludgate (to the west) and Cornhill (to the east).

Being at the heart of Londinium, the river has therefore witnessed many significant episodes in the history of the capital and the country as a whole, but, as a smaller watercourse, it was always susceptible to development. Having deteriorating to an open sewer in the middle ages, the river was first covered in the mid 15th century and within a hundred years or so the entire stretch of the river within the city had been built upon. The modern river has been incorporated into the sewerage system since its construction in the mid 19th century.

Lea/Lee
London’s second river, the River Lea is perhaps the first of London’s other rivers that would come to mind for many, owing largely to the fact that the Olympic Park for the 2012 London Olympics was located in the lower Lea valley in Stratford, East London. The river itself, which flows from its source near Luton, through Hertfordshire and North London into the Thames at Bow Creek, is modest in comparison with the capital’s main artery however it still has a significant imprint on the London landscape. The old river has carved out a valley which cuts through the north east of London and although now drained, is responsible for a number of marsh areas such as those at Hackney and Tottenham. Unlike many of the other rivers mentioned so far, the Lea, owing to its greater size and position, has been harnessed by man for industry rather than being lost to sewers and development. As a result it still flows through East London in the man-made channels which would have serviced local mills for hundred of years.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
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London’s Other Rivers - South London

English: Vauxhall Bridge, London. View of the downstream side (north east) of the bridge from Millbank on the north bank of the Thames river. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The third instalment in this series of articles focussing on the past and present rivers of the city of London looks at two form the south bank of the Thames; one of which is still prominent along it’s course, the Wandle; the other now lost underground to development, the Effra.

Effra
The River Effra is arguably the best known of South London’s lost rivers due to a campaign by a group called the Effra Redevelopment Agency to unearth its course in the early 1990s. The source of its name is still disputed cannot be traced back in the history books beyond the mid 19th century when much ‘burying’ of the river took place. The course of the river runs underground through culverts as well as sewers which were constructed in the 19th century to utilise the natural contours and flows of the river as suburbs were developed upon it.

The primary route would have taken the river’s waters through the borough of Lambeth, from Upper Norwood (which would have been woods), through Crystal Palace, Dulwich, Herne Hill, Brixton (which was a small village before its urbanisation) and Kennington (where criminals were hanged on the adjacent common) before emptying into the Thames at Vauxhall (near Vauxhall Bridge). Its course can still be traced through sewers along much of this route but these sewers now take some of the flow across to South East London and into treatment works. One more obvious hint to the former course of the river is the naming of Effra Road in Brixton, under which the river still flows within the sewer. This stretch also provides one of the two access points to the former river, the other being under the crypts of St Luke’s Church in West Norwood.

In truth, the river would have been more like a collection of streams congregating (particularly around what’s now Herne Hill) before flowing into the River Thames and the primary course of the underground river is still fed by a number of tributaries coming from across south Lambeth, from the areas in and around the Dulwiches, the Norwoods and Crystal Palace.

Wandle
The River Wandle is the largest river flowing northwards through London into the Thames. Capturing water running off of the North Downs, the river flows for 9 miles from Wandle Park in Croydon, through districts such as Sutton, Merton and Wimbledon, arriving at the Thames at Wandsworth from which it is thought to take its name. Akin to many of the lost rivers in the capital, it has been heavily managed due the urbanisation of the areas through which it flows, ever since the first settlements of the Romans. In particular, the textiles and tobacco industries have flourished on its banks in later centuries by harnessing the energy of the river. As a consequence, certain stretches of the river have been re-routed or buried but much of the course still runs above the surface through south London.

Like most of London’s ancient rivers, the flows of the River Wandle would have weaved in and out of many streams feeding and being fed by the main artery as it found its way across what would have been wetlands. Until recently this characteristic was still apparent on the river’s course through Croydon as it split into a number of streams through the town, but the spreading of disease and a need for better sanitation demanded that these waterways be filled in.

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London’s Other Rivers - The Fleet

Blackfriars Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral behind (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The second part of this article introduces the largest of London’s lost rivers and one which can be considered to be integral to the growth and success of the ancient capital, the Fleet; a river which has been subsumed by the development of central London on the northern banks of the River Thames into which it would have emptied.

River Fleet
Perhaps also the best known of London’s lost rivers, the River Fleet has had a lasting impact on some of London’s most familiar areas and landmarks. As with it’s two cousins to the west, the Tyburn and the Westbourne, the Fleet would have risen from the higher ground of Hampstead where the two ponds of Hampstead and Highgate can still be seen today. On its course it would have flowed through the area we know as Kentish Town, Camden, King’s Cross and Farringdon, following the route of Farringdon Road and New Bridge Street to the site of Blackfriars Bridge.

The river has a rich and long history, from significant Roman settlements, including what is thought to be the oldest tidal mill in the world, to the numerous Anglo-Saxon wells that lined its banks (so much so that the river became known as the river of wells). It was on a bridge over the river near modern King’s Cross that Boudica is even meant to have finally met her end in battle.

However, subsequent centuries of industrial and urban development, due its proximity to the centre of London, led to a degradation in the areas along the river’s banks causing the waterway to become an open sewer. By the end of the 17th century the river had been converted into the New Canal in an attempt to revive it, but, as this failed, its southern reaches were gradually culverted in the mid 18th century due to a lack of use, before Blackfriars bridge was eventually built at the river’s old mouth. The middle section of the New Canal was superseded by the Regent’s Canal in the early 19th century and the uppermost stretches were covered in the late 19th by development of the Hampstead suburbs. Despite all this, the buried river can still be seen emptying into the Thames at Blackfriars and can even be heard through grates just off of Farringdon Road.

Just like many of London’s other lost rivers the Fleet’s presence can be traced back through place names which live on. Many of the streets in the vicinity carry a reference to the river itself or the wells and mills that would have existed along it; most notably of course, Fleet Street, the historical home of the newsprint industry, which approaches the old river valley from the west. The area of Holborn, also just to the west of the river is so named after the bourne (or one of its tributaries), with “Hol” being a derivation of either “old” or “hollow” referring to its valley. Meanwhile, Clerkenwell, on its eastern banks is a noticeable reference back to the river’s old wells. The name of the river itself refers to the Anglo-Saxon term for a tidal inlet, as it would have been, leading off from the tidal Thames.

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London’s Other Rivers - The West End

English: WORK 16/376; is an illustration, said to be from about 1680, of the permanent gallows at Tyburn, which stood where Marble Arch now stands. This necessitated a three-mile cart ride in public from Newgate prison to the gallows. Huge crowds collected on the way and followed the accused to Tyburn. They were used as the gallows for London offenders from the 16th century until 1759." (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

London is one of the most famous river cities in the world with the River Thames being its lifeblood down the centuries and key to its success as the hub of the biggest empire ever seen. However, if you ask people to name any other rivers running through the UK’s capital they may struggle. Before being built upon, numerous rivers coursed the low lying wetlands that once occupied the site of the Thames basin where London’s modern metropolis stands. Many smaller tributaries have disappeared with the development of the city and a good few streams and rivers became buried in culverts and sewerage systems, with just a handful maintaining their presence above the surface. this article looks at some of the more notable.

Tyburn/Tybourne
One long lost river which has a lasting legacy in spawning a significant area of settlement, despite its small size, is the Tybourne, or Tyburn. This stream would have risen in South Hampstead and meandered down to the Thames, splitting into two (possibly even three) before reaching the great river. In the process it would have created an island, Thorney Island, where Westminster Abbey was built and the Palace of Westminster also now stands. On its route it would have flowed through what we would recognise as Hampstead, St John’s Wood, Regent’s Park, Marylebone, Mayfair, and Westminster. The area of Marylebone is one in particular that can trace its name back to the ancient stream, named as it is after the church of St Mary on the banks of the bourne.

Through West London the river would have passed along or near many of what are, these days, the capital’s most familiar streets and landmarks: passed Primrose HIll, through Regent’s Park itself, along Baker Street, across Oxford Street and Bond Street tube station, across Piccadilly, through Green Park, through St James’s park, passed the front of where Westbourne
The River Tyburn should not be confused with the Tyburn Brook which in turn is a tributary of the next lost river, the River Westbourne. This river would have run just to the west of the Tyburn, but, akin to its near neighbour would have also originated from the Hampstead hills. On its route to the Thames in Chelsea (in the grounds of the Royal Hospital), it would have passed through wetlands and meadows that are now some of the most exclusive residential districts in the world, including Knightsbridge and Belgravia. Earlier in its course, it would have flowed through Kilburn, where a number of its tributaries met, Maida Vale, Bayswater and then Hyde Park.

The river has one of the most obvious legacies in the names of the surrounding areas of the West End. It was once named the Kilburn (royal river), particularly upstream, and was referred to as Bayswater further down its length, hence the modern names of two of the districts on its banks. What’s more, the stretch that passed through Hyde Park had been known as the Serpentine River and an echo of it can still be seen in the ornamental lake that forms the Serpentine and Long Water in the modern Kensington Gardens/Hyde Park (created by damming the river in the 18th century). Even Knightsbridge takes its name from a long lost bridge over the Westbourne - a spot where Empress Matilda once confronted the capital’s citizens during the 12th century’s Anarchy. The river also lends its name to many nearby streets such as Westbourne Park and the adjacent tube station.

In the 15th century the rivers waters from Bayswater were diverted to provide clean water for the city of London, however, as the surrounding West End developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, the waters became unclean and were buried to form sewers and culverts under the new residences. The underground river’s course can still be seen in pipes running through Sloane Square tube station.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
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London’s Royal Parks - St James's & Greenwich

English: St. James’s Park in London Deutsch: St. James’s Park in London (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the preceding parts of this tetralogy of articles looking at the Royal Parks of London, the focus has moved across London covering the parks of Bushy, Richmond, Kensington, Hyde, Regent’s and Green Park. The last two green spaces up for consideration take us from the centre of London with St James’s Park and out towards the south east with Greenwich Park.

St James’s Park

• Location: St James’s Park sits in front of Buckingham Palace, framed by the palace to the west, Green Park to the north west, Horseguards Parade to the east and Birdcage Walk to the south. It can be considered to form the eastern edge of a near contiguous green swathe across central London, flowing into Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens to the west.
• Character: Although compact, the park is marginally larger than its neighbour Green Park at 57 acres. It consists of semi classic formal parkland criss-crossed with paths and is dominated by a lake which splits the park in two. The Mall runs through its northern edge and effectively serves as its boundary with Green Park
• Attractions: Whilst the park is surrounded by attractions such as the aforementioned Buckingham Palace, The Mall (the ceremonial route to the palace) and Horseguards Parade its does also offer a horticultural haven within its boundaries. Visitors can enjoy the flower beds of the Memorial Gardens just outside Buckingham Palace, stunning views of the palace from numerous vantage points and St James’s Park lake with its wildfowl including pelicans
• History: The park was established by Henry VIII on the marshy banks of the now defunct River Tyburn, which flowed down from Hampstead through the area now known as Marylebone (after St Mary by the Bourne), to the west of what was referred to as York Place (now Whitehall), with the intention of creating gardens for a new royal palace there. Following a similar evolution to many of London’s Royal Parks, the lands were subsequently drained and landscaped under the reign of James I who, more unusually, kept exotic animals on them. They were then landscaped and formalised further by Charles II, taking influences from French Royal Gardens of he time, with linear features such as a new central canal. Early in 19th century however, the Prince Regent, later George IV, commissioned John Nash to once again re-landscape the park, this time removing these linear aspects from Charles II’s plans and, in the contemporary styles of the age, introduce more organic, romantic and winding features, turning the canal into a lake for example, whilst creating the The Mall as a stately approach to Buckingham Palace.

Greenwich Park

• Location: Located in Greenwich, South East London, the park is surrounded on its southern edges by the open grassland space of Blackheath. To the north is the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Naval College housing the University of Greenwich, and the River Thames beyond. The park is famously situated on the Prime Meridian at 0 degrees longitude.
• Character: Covering 180 acres it is a major constituent of the Maritime Greenwich world heritage site. The park itself is on split levels on a hill side which slopes down to the Thames, providing views down onto central and eastern London. Within the park can be found formal herb and rose gardens, orchards, a deer park and lakes.
• Attractions: At the heart of Greenwich Park is the historical and scientific hub of the Royal Observatory which is the most notably the origin of the Prime Meridian (which runs through the park) as well as being a branch of the Maritime Museum. Visitors can also glimpse deer, visit the parks famous sundial, view Roman ruins, or make use of the park’s tennis courts and boating lake.
• History: Dating from 1433 Greenwich is the oldest of the Royal Parks as well as being the first to be enclosed. It came into the possession of the monarchy with Henry VI in the 15th century but it was Charles II who later created the Royal Observatory (with the help of Sir Christopher Wren) on the site of the derelict Greenwich Castle (originally built by Duke of Gloucester). The buildings known as the Royal Naval college today originated as Greenwich hospital and were built on the site of the Tudor Palace of Placentia (birthplace and home to Tudor monarchs) in the late 17th century. The area was turned into a deer park by Henry VIII, who was born in the adjoining palace, and subsequently enclosed by James I when they were formally landscaped in the 17th century. As with many of the other London parks Greenwich has been more recently in the spotlight as a venue for the London 2012 Olympics, hosting its equestrian elements.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
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London’s Royal Parks - Regent’s & Green

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 26: Visitors relax on Primrose Hill, on July 26, 2012 in London, England. The South of England continues to enjoy fine weather as the Olympic Games begin this weekend. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Having introduced the Royal Parks of west London in the first two parts of this article, running through Bushy, Richmond, Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, the third installment heads further into central London with Green Park, via Regent’s Park to the north.

Regent’s Park

• Location: This larger city park is located within the boundaries of the City of Westminster and the borough of Camden. To the south and west it neighbours the exclusive residences of Marylebone and to the north and west the equally exclusive St John’s Wood. Continuing clockwise it is surrounded by the Primrose Hill and Regents Parks areas to the north and east with Camden and Somers Town beyond.
• Character: The park consists of 410 acres of landscaped parkland which stretches up the slope of Primrose Hill on its northern edge, and is a diverse mixture of grassland, tree-lined avenues and formal gardens. The park below Primrose Hill is enclosed by an Outer Circle ring road whilst planted gardens to the south of the park are contained by an additional small Inner Circle road. The park is characterised by the presence of numerous impressive buildings/grounds, both new and old, between these circles. They include a few impressive Georgian villas dotted around its edges, particularly focused around the north western reaches of the park and the inner circle. Just beyond the Outer Circle to the north, the lower park is separated from the grassy slopes of Primrose hill by the Regent’s Canal which continues from the Grand Union Canal into the Thames. The south west corner of the park is dominated by a boating lake whilst the south eastern corner of the park contains further formal gardens split by an avenue, The Broadwalk, which stretches up in a straight line to the park’s northern edge.
• Attractions: Perhaps the most famous attraction in Regent’s Park is London Zoo which sits entirely within the park, however the park is also noted for its Open Air Theatre which stages productions throughout the summer. For the more active, the park includes a tennis centre, a sports centre at The Hub, a boating lake and playgrounds. Primrose Hill is popular as a spot to take in the panoramic views of central London, but, visitors to the park below can also enjoy the planted formal gardens such as Queen Mary’s Rose Garden in the Inner Circle or the organic Wildlife Garden just outside. Although not open to the public, the park’s buildings include the US Ambassador’s Residence (with the second largest private garden in London) and Regent’s College (which includes a number of higher education colleges).
• History: The park initially came into the ownership of the crown when Henry VIII dissolved the abbey at Barking which previously owned the land of Tyburn Manor, named after the eponymous river which flowed through from Hampstead to the Thames. As Marylebone Park, it was first a deer park and then leased farmland until the Prince Regent (later George IV) commissioned John Nash to re-designed the park and the surrounding area, down to St James’s, to form a neighbourhood of palaces and grand Georgian terraces fit for the Prince and his court. Some of the work was never completed but in 1811 the park was landscaped with the Regent’s Canal, the lake, avenues and villas. The terraces that were built around the park and down Regent’s Street towards central London spawned a Georgian building boom in the area creating the highly prized residences of Marylebone, Mayfair and St James’s which remain exclusive to this day.

Green Park

• Location: Green Park is situated on the western edges of central London, between Hyde Park and St James’s Park. It is separated from St James’s Park to the east by The Mall and from Hyde Park to the north west by the junction of Hyde Park Corner. To the south it borders the gardens of Buckingham Palace with Constitution Hill providing the boundary, whilst to the north are the exclusive residences of Mayfair by Piccadilly.
• Character: Despite being the smallest of the Royal Parks at just 47 acres, it almost conjoins with St James’s Park and those to the west, including Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, to form a belt of green space which winds from Notting hill all the way through to Charing Cross. In itself it mostly consists of trees and grassland and is the only park not to have any buildings or water features.
• Attractions: Although it lacks much formal flower planting the park is renowned for an impressive Spring daffodil display. The park is first and foremost a green space however and so is best appreciated as a refuge from the hubbub of the surrounding city. It therefore has very few features with the Canada Memorial (to Canadian soldiers of the world wars) the only notable monument.
• History: Along with St James’s Park, Green Park is the second of London’s green spaces to have a connection with the former St James’s leper hospital which lends it name to the surrounding area, acting as the burial ground for its patients. Charles II took possession of the lands in the late 17th century and enclosed the park as Upper St James’s Park. Subsequently it was another of the Royal Parks to receive the John Nash treatment in 1820 when he remodelled it alongside neighbouring St James’s park for George IV. Over the centuries it became popular as an outdoor entertainment space, which had a significant effect on the simplistic landscape of the park today. Although now bereft of any buildings the park had been home to a number of buildings including two temples both destroyed by firework displays.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
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London’s Royal Parks - Kensington Gardens & Hyde Park

The Kensington Gardens in London are 1 km 2 . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the first part of this series of articles looking at the Royal Parks of London, the spotlight was on the two largest parks, both located in the South West of London, Bushy Park and Richmond Park. Continuing the progression eastwards across the capital, the next two parks for consideration are the contiguous Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.

Kensington Gardens

• Location: Straddling the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster, Kensington Gardens borders Hyde Park to the east to form one large green space in west central London. The park is surrounded to the west and south by the area of London with which it shares its name while the streets of Paddington and Notting Hill sit to the north.
• Character: The 270 acres of gardens follow a more formal layout than neighbouring Hyde Park due to their purpose as the gardens for Kensington Palace. At its centre is the large Round Pond, whilst to the north the ornamental Italian Gardens sit at the head of the stretch of water known as the Long Water, which itself separates the two parks before continuing into Hyde Park under the name the Serpentine.
• Attractions: The formal gardens are home to a good number of cultural, artistic and fun attractions including the Princess Diana Memorial Playground with its Peter Pan inspired Pirate Ship, the ornate gothic Albert Memorial, the quirky Elfin Oak, the carved stone and water features of the elegant Italianate Gardens, a Peter Pan sculpture, Henry Moore’s The Arch sculpture and the renowned Serpentine Gallery
• History: The gardens were established by reclaiming a portion of Hyde Park as formal gardens for the palace at Kensington in the 18th century. At this time, the River Westbourne, which previously flowed through Hyde Park was damned to form the Long Water/Serpentine. The park has a strong association with JM Barrie and his Peter Pan character after his book Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens was set in the location.

Hyde Park

• Location: Forming the eastern half the aforementioned green space in West London with Kensington Gardens, the parks are enclosed by some of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in the UK with Knightsbridge to the south, Mayfair to the east and Marylebone and Paddington to the north.
• Character: Hyde Park covers around 350 acres and is almost split in two by the Serpentine which sweeps down from the Long Water in Kensington Gardens and under the West Carriage Drive which separates the two parks. It incorporates expanses of lawn, punctuated by mature trees, as well as formal rose gardens and wilder meadows.
• Attractions: The park is known as a venue for being heard and remembering the past. In terms of the former, it is home to Speakers Corner, where all-comers can voice their opinions to an audience, and often plays host to large open air concerts; notably the Rolling Stones in 1969 and Blur during the closing of the 2012 Olympics. For the latter, the relatively recent feature, the Diana, Princess of Wales, Fountain can be found just beside the Serpentine whilst the even more recent memorial to the victims of the 7/7 bombings across London is located in the east of the park.
• History: Having originally been the possession of Westminster Abbey, the park, like many others, came into the ownership of Henry VIII as a deer park. James I subsequently allowed the public in, however, and the park we recognise today began to take shape in the mid 18th century when it was landscaped as part of the changes that spawned its more formal neighbour, Kensington Gardens. As mentioned above, parks strongest feature, the Serpentine was formed at this time by damning the River Westbourne, which previously flowed through the park from Hampstead Heath as a tributary to the Thames (giving its various names along the route to areas of London such as Kilburn and Bayswater). The park went on to stage many significant public gatherings down the centuries with perhaps the Great Exhibition of 1851 being the most notable with the construction of the grand Crystal Palace. Most recently the park has had a key role in the London 2012 Olympics as the venue for the Triathlon and the 10k swimming as well as showing the rest of the games on large outdoor screens.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012

London’s Royal Parks - Bushy & Richmond

Richmond Park (Photo credit: henry…)

Although being one of the largest and most populous urban spaces in the world, London’s sprawl is renowned for being punctuated by plentiful green spaces; some famous, others less so. These green spaces act as the city’s lung, literally improving the environmental healthy of the city but also providing somewhere for its residents and visitors to relax, play sport and generally escape the hustle and bustle of urban life.

Whilst there are many green squares and council parks in the center of London, not to mention expanses of protected common land slightly further out, a significant proportion of this green space is locked up in what are known as the Royal Parks; parks owned by the Crown as royal hunting parks or simply as gardens for their royal palaces. These days they are protected spaces open to the public by Crown decree and managed by the Royal Parks Agency.

There are eight Royal Parks in total within London and the following trio of articles provide an introduction to them all. Starting in the West and heading East

Bushy Park

• Location: In the borough of Richmond in the south west of London. The park sits behind the former royal residence of Hampton Court in a bend of the River Thames, bordered to the north by Teddington
• Character: The second largest of the Royal Parks at 1,100 acres, it consists of a mix of formal landscaping, woodland, grassland, streams and ponds, with the Water Gardens and grand Chestnut Avenue forming significant features. It is also dotted with sports pitches providing the homes of four local cricket clubs, a hockey club and a rugby club, as well as allotments and playgrounds.
• Attractions: Perhaps the most famous feature in Bushy Park is the Diana Fountain at the southern end of Chestnut Avenue named with an imposing golden statue of a figure thought actually to represent Arethusa, a Greek nymph. The park is still home to plenty of wildlife including herds of red and fallow deer.
• History: Originally created as a deer park by Henry VIII when he took control of Hampton Court as his royal residence, the park has subsequently evolved under successive monarchs. For example, Charles I added the Longford River Canal, whilst Chestnut Avenue and the Diana Fountain were later added, from designs by Sir Christopher Wren, to form a grand entrance to Hampton Court. The history of the park also saw it play host to the pre-World War II folk tradition of Chestnut Sunday which was resurrected in 1993, a World War I Canadian military hospital and Eisenhower’s military camp from which he planned D-Day.

Richmond Park

• Location: Also to be found within the borough of Richmond in the south west of London. The park occupies an expanse of land just south of the River Thames in between the town of Richmond itself, neighbouring Kingston Upon Thames to the South and Wimbledon and Wimbledon Common to the West.
• Character: The largest of Royal Parks at 2,500 acres, it is the largest park in London, the second largest walled park in the UK and is over twice the size of its nearest neighbour at Bushy. The park is heavily protected as a designated National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest with an informal landscape of grassland and woodland covering gentle hills and surrounding ponds at its centre. It has the sense of a country park but within the boundaries of London. More formal woodland can be found in the Isabella Plantation
• Attractions: Richmond Park is particularly noted for its wildlife including the famous Fallow and Red deer and even the more recent colonising Parakeets. It is criss-crossed with bridleways and cycle paths for those looking to explore the area on horse back or by pedal power. The park also contains a number of structures including the historic childhood home of Bertrand Russell, Pembroke Lodge, now a restaurant but complete with its own public gardens. Many will visit the park however for its opens spaces and it views of central London, the best of which perhaps can be glimpsed from King Henry’s Mound within the gardens of Pembroke Lodge
• History: The enclosed park was created initially by Charles I as a refuge from the threat of the plague. With walls that remain to this day he enclosed the extensive area of land in spite of opposition from locals, although by allowing them right of way he ensured public access down the centuries despite attempts to keep them out. Dating from the 1750s, perhaps the most notable building in the park, Pembroke Lodge has a colourful history as the home of the once Prime Minister Lord Russell, his grandson Bertrand and a military HQ during World War II

© Stuart Mitchell 2012

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Knightsbridge in Profile

English: Knightsbridge, SW1 (2) Taken at the junction of Brompton Road, and looking towards Hyde Park Corner. The usual heavy traffic is evident here -- this is the A4, a major route out of Central London to the west. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The area of London known as Knightsbridge is a well renowned as a exclusive residential district of London and as home to some of the most famous shops in the UK. The following article provides an overview of this compact, yet significant district of London.

Where It Is
The district of Knightsbridge is located in West London, spanning the edges of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It has a prime location on the southern edge of Hyde Park, surrounded by Brompton and South Kensington to the west, Belgravia to the east and south with Buckingham Palace just beyond. The area is in fact named after the Knightsbridge Road which roughly forms its northern border, on the edge of Hyde Park. To the east it is approximately separated from Kensington by Exhibition Road and to the west Sloane Street forms its border with Belgravia, although the boundaries of the area are in truth very blurred.

Knightsbridge Road itself is one of the most famous sections of the traditional route to the West of England and Wales, the A4, the Great West Road. As an extension of the Brompton Road it runs towards the centre of London into Hyde Park Corner and ultimately continues past some of London’s most recognisable landmarks. It carries on into Piccadilly, down the northern extent of Buckingham Palace, through Piccadilly Circus, Haymarket and Charing Cross and along The Strand and Fleet Street.

The district sits within Zone 1 of the local transport network in London and is served by Knightsbridge tube station on the Piccadilly line, although Hyde Park Corner tube station is also on the edge of the area.

What’s There
Knightsbridge is world famous for two things, shopping and exclusive homes. In terms of its residential credentials it is up alongside its illustrious neighbours such as Mayfair and Belgravia as home to some of the most expensive and sought after real estate in the UK if not the world. In fact it has been judged that 14 of the UKs 200 most expensive streets are within the small district. What’s more in 2007, the most expensive apartment property on the planet at that time was sold in Knightsbridge for a staggering £100,000,000. Perhaps the most prominent residence in Knightsbridge, however, is actually the towering apartment block of the Hyde Park Barracks, home for the members of the household cavalry.

The district boasts some of the most exclusive designer and retail outlets in the capital too and is home to arguably the two most famous flagship department stores in the UK, Harrods (since 1849) and, just up the road, Harvey Nichols (since 1880). Indeed Knightsbridge has been designated as one of only two international shopping centres in the capital alongside the West End (which includes Oxford Street).

History
The settlement that we now think of as comprising the Knightsbridge area grew from a small settlement founded around a bridge on the River Westbourne, a tributary of the Thames, between the larger villages of Chelsea and Kensington. The river, which is now is now hidden underground in sewage pipes, also shared its name at various stages of its course with areas of London such as Kilburn, Bayswater and Serpentine (in Hyde Park).

The most notable event in the history of the the bridge at Knightsbridge is the fateful meeting between Empress Matilda and the residents of the capital 1141. Matilda was in dispute with her cousin King Stephen for the right to succeed her father, his uncle, Henry I as the ruler of England in a conflict latterly known as The Anarchy. She arrived to claim the throne having captured and deposed Stephen but was ultimately turned away by the Londoners having failed to show enough humility and coalesce on their demands for lower taxes.

For such as small area of London is certainly has a big reputation. Despite being dwarfed for much of its existence by more illustrious neighbours it has now become an internationally renowned hot spot in London for all things associated with an high-end exclusive lifestyle.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
If you want to find out more about living in Knightsbridge then visit Estate Agents Knightsbridge.

The History of the Old Bailey - Expansion

Old Bailey (P1000292) (Photo credit: swh)

Having been resurrected after the Great Fire of London, the Old Bailey court buildings saw significant developments throughout the Georgian period alongside its neighbour, Newgate gaol, until it was completely rebuilt at the start of the 20th century. The second instalment of this article tells this story, arriving at the Old Bailey we know today.

Georgian Developments
The newly rebuilt Old Bailey courts were open to the elements until 1734 to reduce the prevalence of diseases and with good reason it seems. After they were enclosed to improve privacy, typhus became a common problem, accounting for 60 souls in one outbreak alone, the Lord Mayor amongst them. The buildings saw further developments between 1774 and 1824 when a new court was added. Following the fire and up until 1834, the courts had had a limited remit as the court for London’s shire county of Middlesex but, in 1834, the Old Bailey took on responsibility for hearing cases from across England as it became officially recognised as the Central Criminal Court for the first time.

In its role from the time of the Great Fire of London to its designation as the official central court for England & Wales, the Old Bailey was also responsible for hearing all death penalty cases in the capital due the the presence of the neighbouring Newgate prison. Newgate became the holding gaol and the final destination for those awaiting the ultimate punishment and indeed the hangings of convicted prisoners were performed just outside of the gaol and court buildings right up until 1868. The gaol and the courts of the Old Bailey were connected by a passage known as Dead Man’s Walk where crowds of spectators would gather to admonish the guilty party on their short trip to the gallows. The popularity of this spectacle grew to the extent that the court authorities were forced to build an underground passage for the condemned after one single crushing incident in 1807 which killed 28.

20th Century Development
Up until the twentieth century the Old Bailey and its courtrooms were annexed to its much larger next-door neighbour, Newgate prison. In 1902 however the last of the ancient and infamous gaol was finally demolished and in its place the modern Old Bailey was constructed and extended to form the buildings that are much more recognisable to us today.

This new Old Bailey was built in an Edwardian Baroque style by the architect Edward Mountford, the man who was also behind the town halls in Sheffield and Lancaster. It was complete with a ceremonial entrance, still only deemed fit for the Lord Mayor and royalty, as well as the famous dome with its iconic and unmistakable Lady Justice figure stood upon it. The Lady Justice herself (a derivation from the classical goddesses of justice, e.g., the Roman Justitia) was created by the sculptor Frederick Pomeroy with the sword in her right hand and scales in her left to signify the weighing-up of evidence and the application of justice respectively. The new grand Old Bailey finally had its official opening by the reigning Edward VII in 1907.

However, a third of a century later the building suffered extensive damage from German bombing during the London blitz and the building wasn’t fully restored to its former glory until some years into the 50s. The interior of the Great Hall beneath the dome, for example wasn’t completed until 1952 although it was updated to include paintings which reflected its turbulent recent war history, the older history of the city of London as well as key figures in the history of law and justice (and of course royalty). The Blitz wasn’t the last trauma to hit the buildings of the Old Bailey though as they were also damaged by a strategically placed IRA car bomb in 1973 - perhaps a perverse testament to the role that the courts play and their importance in criminal law proceedings in the UK. Visitors to the courts can still see a shard of glass which became embedded in the wall above the main staircase as a result of the explosion.

The final or most recent stage in the development of the Old Bailey complex came the year previous in 1972 when it was extended with the construction of the new South Block boosting its capacity and taking its court count to 19 - a long way from its original incarnation as a single courtroom annexed to the long gone Newgate gaol.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
If you want to find out more legal services in the capital then you can visit Solicitors London.

The History of the Old Bailey - Background & Origins

English: Plaque Old Bailey Plaque on the wall of the Old Bailey courthouse commemerating the site where the old Newgate prison used to stand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Old Bailey is one of the most famous institutions relating to law and crime in the UK and perhaps beyond. The building and courtrooms of the Old Bailey have been the stage for many of the country’s highest profile criminal cases down the centuries and so the name, as well as the building with its domed roof and gold statue of Lady Justice, have become symbolic of the judicial system and the courts of London and the UK.

Background
The name the ‘Old Bailey’ is used to refer to what is more accurately the Central Criminal Court for England and Wales (Scotland & Northern Ireland have their own) and the buildings that make up the court complex. The courts are to be found on the edge of the City of London on the corner of the Old Bailey road and Newgate Street.

In its role as a crown court, the Old Bailey has and does witness the most significant and serious criminal cases from around the capital as well as a few, when their specific circumstances warrant it, from elsewhere across England and Wales. As a result it has the highest profile of any criminal court in the country and so it is referred to extensively in popular British culture. The iconic Lady Justice statue atop the domed roof symbolises British justice whilst the functional entrance to the courts in south of Old Bailey has become very familiar to us all from countless news reports down the years.

Early History
The common-use name for the courts is actually taken from the name of the street on which it is found. The name of the street in turn refers to the fact that it was historically the site of the western segment of the old wall, or bailey, surrounding the city of London. The wall originally dated from the Roman occupation and a small portion of it can still be seen in the basement of the Old Bailey court buildings.

The site immediately to the north of the Old Bailey was the location of a gate within these walls which could also trace its origins back to the Roman era and which sat across the old Silchester to Londinium Roman road. The imposing gate buildings, which became known as Newgate, were appropriated to house criminals entering or leaving the city and in 1188 the first incarnation of the infamous Newgate prison was constructed at the gate on the orders of Henry II.

The Old Bailey courthouses evolved as an addition to the Newgate prison whilst the prison complex was developed and improved in the 16th century using funding from the late Sir Richard Whittington (the inspiration behind Dick Whittington). The first record of the actual law court dates back to 1585 although that, along with the rest of the prison complex were destroyed in the 1666 Great Fire of London and whilst the prison was rebuilt in 1672, the courts were not reestablished for a further two years.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
If you want to find out more legal services in the capital then you can visit Solicitors London.

Mayfair - A Potted History

English: Shepherd Market, Mayfair, London W1J (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For many the name Mayfair is instantly recognisable as the most expensive property on a UK monopoly board and, to a large extent as a result of that association, it is considered one of, if not the, most prestigious areas of London. In reality, it does a good job of living up to that billing and is home to some of the wealthiest commercial and private inhabitants in London, but how did it all come about.

The May Fair

The area of London that we now know as Mayfair, was until the late 16th century farmland on the banks of the old River Tyburn, on the fringes of the city. As may seem obvious, the name of the area was derived from a fair that was held on the site every May and which ran for almost a hundred years from the late 17th century onwards. The fortnightly fair began life in Shepherd Market as a livestock market but later evolved into a broader proposition with a variety of trade stalls and entertainments such as jugglers and theatre.

However, as it grew it attracted more and more ‘undesirables’ whilst, at the same time, the area surrounding the fair was increasingly being built upon and gentrified as a result of its position on the outskirts of the city as well as its proximity to the royal estates. The fair and the area’s new Georgian residents therefore made uneasy bedfellows and in 1764 the fair was moved to Fair Fields in Bow following complaints from the locals.

The Urbanisation of Mayfair

Consequently, the transition of Mayfair from a rural area to an urban district coincided with the decline in fortunes for the fair. From the mid 17th to 18th centuries the streets replaced the fields with the names of many still harking back their original uses - the most obvious example being Shepherd Market where it all began. The urbanisation was driven by local and wealthy land owners such as the Grosvenor family (later to become the Dukes of Westminster) as well as the Royal family (indeed much of the area has in fact remained in crown possession to this day) and so the new streets were filled with sumptuous Georgian mansions and townhouses which were sought after by London’s elite.

Mayfair’s streets spread to fill some of London’s prime real estate; leading off the grand Regents Street to the east and filling the space between the royal parks and estates of Hyde Park to the west and Green and St James parks to the south with their royal palaces. The area became part of the traditional parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields - a parish of central and west London, encompassing the city of Westminster - and with that location, combined with the its fashionable buildings and architecture, its allure was guaranteed to the present day.

Modern Mayfair

Mayfair is now synonymous with elite London, home to the rich and the powerful and it has gained this reputation for good reason - not just due to its prime location on a monopoly board! Situated within the city of Westminster and surrounded by the royal estates to the south and west, it is also bordered by the up-market Marylebone to the north and the commercial and entertainment hearts of London, Oxford Street, the west end and Soho just to the east, making it an incredibly convenient as well as prestigious place within the capital to live.

However, most of the area is actually non-residential. It is home to a good proportion of London’s high-end commercial premises with some of the most exclusive shopping in the world. Savile Row, the world famous street of bespoke tailors is found to the east of Mayfair as is the most definitive street of high-end fashion shops (clothing, jewellery and art etc) in the country, Bond Street, with its unrivalled portfolio of designer brands.

In addition, Mayfair is the location of high profile foreign embassy offices, with the most obvious example being the US embassy in Grosvenor Square, as well as cultural hots spots such as the Royal Academy of Arts. Due perhaps to its location, architecture, fashion and cultural offerings and prestige the area also contains most of the top hotels in the capital with names such as the Dorchester and Claridges.

With all these delights on offer, the brand of Mayfair has never been stronger and it continues to be known all over the world. From humble beginnings it is now one of most desirable places to live not just in the UK, but Europe and beyond.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012
If you are keen to find out more about living in West London then visit Estate Agents Mayfair.

A History of Harley Street

Harley street is world renowned as the home to London’s private medical services. In this article I want to touch on how the street and the surrounding area of London became so intrinsically linked with the medical profession.

The term Harley Street is itself synonymous with high class private medical care and many medical establishments rely on the prestige of the address to denote a certain quality in their service. As a result the street is now home to over 3,000 people employed in around 1,500 organisations covering the full spectrum of health care establishments ranging from general practices, clinics and cosmetic surgeons to dental practices; even private hospitals. Patients come from around the country and the world due to the reputation the small area of London has built up and it is estimated that the services provided in the area contribute a sizable £300 million to the county’s economy every year.

The land around Harley Street originally belonged to the Dukes of Newcastle, forming part of their Marylebone Estate, before the passing down of the female side of the family through the late 17th and early 18th centuries, ending up in the hands of Henrietta Cavendish Harley, wife of Edward Harley. The connection to the Harley family lent the most famous street in the area its name, but Edward Harley was also responsible for the initial development of the area having built Cavendish Square in 1715.

In 1741 when Edward died the estate passed to his daughter Margaret Cavendish Harley who was already married to William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland and so the area became know as Portland, passing through the Portland family until 1879 when the childless 5th Duke of Portland died. The estate was divided between the duke’s sisters and cousin and when the last sister, the widow of Lord Howard de Walden, died it passed to her husband’s family in which it is still held, constituting part of the de Walden estate.

Due to the extensive growth and prosperity of the area during the 18th and 19th centuries, under the Harley and Portland families, the area around Harley Street became home to some of London’s best examples of Georgian architecture. It is believed that the primary reason that the area attracted so many medical organisations from the 19th century onwards was that these buildings were so suitable in size, layout and location for the development of medical establishments with high levels of comfort and patient care. The area is close to some of London’s major transport hubs too, including the stations at Paddington and Kings Cross, making it the ideal location for the gentry of the Victorian era to commute by using the nation’s burgeoning rail network.

Harley Street can not only boast a rich medical history and reputation but can also lay claim to being the residential address of some repute in the Victorian era with residents such as the four time Prime Minister William Gladstone and perhaps the biggest name in art from that period, J. M. W. Turner. Whilst in more recent times the street has become more famous as the home to leading lights in the medical arena and was notably the residence of Lionel Logue - the Australian who treated George VI for his stutter in the episode that was recently the subject of the Oscar winning film The King’s Speech. The street is further renowned as the home of the girl’s school dating from 1848 , Queen’s College - one of the oldest in the country.

The architecture of Harley Street is testament to the wealth that was flowing through some sections of Georgian Society and laid the perfect foundation for the area’s industry that was to follow. However it was the prosperity of the Victorian era, the desire for medical care and the leaps in science and medicine witnessed by that age that helped establish the area as the hub of medical care that it is today - a primary location for Medical Chambers London.