Hyde Park is one of London's
finest landscapes and covers 140 hectares (350 acres). Hyde
Park provides facilities for many different leisure activities
and sports as well as being the focal point for public events
of all sizes.
Henry VIII acquired Hyde Park from the monks of Westminster
Abbey in 1536; he and his court were often to be seen
on thundering steeds in the hunt for deer. It remained
a private hunting ground until James I came to the throne
and permitted limited access. The King appointed a ranger,
or keeper, to take charge of the park. It was Charles
I who changed the nature of the park completely. He
| Hyde Park, London |
had the Ring (north of the present Serpentine
boathouses) created and in 1637 opened the park to the
general public.
In 1665, the year of the Great Plague, many citizens of
London
fled the City to camp on Hyde Park, in the hope of escaping
the disease.
Towards the end of the 17th century William III moved his court
to Kensington
Palace. He found that his walk to St James's was very dangerous,
so he had 300 oil lamps installed, creating the first artificially
lit highway in the country. This route later became known as
Rotten Row, which is a corruption of the French 'Route de Roi'
or King's Road.
Queen Caroline, wife of George II, had extensive renovations
carried out and in the 1730s had The Serpentine, a lake of
some 11.34 hectares, created.
Hyde Park became a venue for national celebrations. In 1814
the Prince Regent organised fireworks to mark the end of the
Napoleonic Wars, in 1851 (during Queen Victoria's reign) the
Great Exhibition was held and in 1977 a Silver Jubilee Exhibition
was held in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's 25 years on the
throne.
In 1866 Edmund Beales' Reform League marched on Hyde Park
where great scuffles broke out between the League and the
police. Eventually the Prime Minister allowed the meetings
to continue unchallenged and since 1872, people have been
allowed to speak at Speaker's Corner on any subject they want
to.
The Lido was set up by George Lansbury, the first Commissioner
of Works, in 1930 and in warm weather is used for sunbathing
and swimming.
Opening Timings
Daily: 05:00 - 00:00
Directions
By Tube: Lancaster Gate, Marble Arch,
Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge
