Bushy Park

About Bushy Park

Royal Park of London

Bushy Park is the second largest of London's Royal Parks after Richmond Park, covering 445 hectares in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south-west London, immediately north of Hampton Court Palace and its park and a few minutes' walk from the west side of Kingston Bridge, surrounded by Teddington, Hampton, Hampton Hill and Hampton Wick. Its history is inextricably linked to the palace, yet it has always kept its own distinct rural character; in September 2014 most of it was designated a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest together with Hampton Court Park, and it is listed at Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Herds of wild red and fallow deer roam the park and are usually safe provided visitors do not approach too closely or come between a hind and her calf. The park is divided by Chestnut Avenue, Christopher Wren's grand approach to Hampton Court Palace running from Teddington Gate to Hampton Court Gate, with the gilded Diana Fountain near the palace end, seen as the finish line of cycling events at the 2012 Olympics. Near the Hampton Hill gate lie the partially restored early 18th-century baroque water gardens. The park also has a military history: from the Teddington side, through the SHAEF gate, an information board and a flagpole mark the spot where General Eisenhower had his office at Camp Griffiss, where the D-Day landings were planned, with bronze markers bearing the British, Canadian and US flags at the corners of its main buildings.

Where:

London, United Kingdom