Wednesday 12 August 2020

Charles I’s park. And a mini-campaign

Evening walk in Richmond Park clocking up the steps in my Fight the Flab campaign and I came across a display outside Pembroke Lodge* giving the history of the park.

Plan of various schemes to enclose the park for Charles I.

Mid-18th century map

'Sire the locals are revolting.' 'Zat iss Surrey volk for you Pel-ham.'  Scene from a few years before the previous map. The locals didn't take too kindly from being locked out. Eventually the right to roam the park was confirmed.

I think I may have mentioned before that some ideas for a counter-historical mini-campaign for the ECW are swirling around my mind. They include: Kingston with the first bridge crossing of the Thames above the City of London; a large walled enclosure (with plenty of fresh meat in it); the Hogsmill river with its powder mills; a large country house on the River Thames (Ham House); freshwater springs on surrounding hills. Plenty to interest wandering armies of the 17th century.

* the gardens of Pembroke Lodge are beautiful and it is situated on a precipitous hill overlooking the Thames valley. The grounds also contain King Henry's Mound which has one of the protected views over London, and the Ian Dury Bench. On it's own this part of Richmond Park is worth a trip from London.

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/richmond-park-attractions/king-henrys-mound





4 comments:

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    1. So am I! They’re reminding me of why I settled in this area in the 90s.

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  2. Fascinating signage. I do like the picture of the breach in the wall. A splendid garden too. I am enjoying the accounts, both visual and written, of your walks. Keep up the good work on all fronts.

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    1. I can see the picture being up your street. Hope we can look forward to it providing some inspiration for one of your vignettes with your fabulous collection of 54s.

      My pictures do not do justice to the garden. That part is a riot of colours and shapes. The very definition of fecundity. There’s always something to see.

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