Richmond Park

About Richmond Park

Royal Park in London, England, UK

Richmond Park is the largest of London's Royal Parks and the largest open space in the city, covering about 955 hectares (2,500 acres) in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in the south-west, and it is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. Created by Charles I in the 17th century as a deer park and enclosed by a wall that still stands, it is now a national nature reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation, listed at Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens; its landscapes have inspired many famous artists and it has been a location for several films and television series. Around 400 wild red and fallow deer roam freely among the grassland and ancient trees, along with a huge array of birds and insects. The park contains the Isabella Plantation, an enclosed woodland garden ablaze with azaleas and rhododendrons in spring, and buildings of historic interest: the Grade I-listed White Lodge, a former royal residence now home to the Royal Ballet School seen in the film Billy Elliot; Pembroke Lodge, the home of the 19th-century prime minister Lord John Russell and his grandson, the philosopher Bertrand Russell, now a cafe with gardens; and King Henry's Mound, possibly a prehistoric burial mound, with a protected view to St Paul's Cathedral 16 km away. The park includes a golf club with two courses and other sports facilities, and it played a role in both world wars and in the 1948 and 2012 Olympic Games. Wikivoyage notes that it is popular with cyclists, both on the perimeter road circuit and the off-road trails, with several car parks for walkers and picnickers.

Where:

London, United Kingdom