Bushy Park, London |
| Bushy Park, London London attractions - what to see and do in London, England, tourism and travel information. |
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Bushy ParkThe double-row of enormous 274 chestnut trees planted by Christopher Wren strike the only formal note in the otherwise delightfully informal Bushy Park, located just to the north of Hampton Court Palace. Bushy Park is the second largest of the royal parks, after Richmond Park, and covers almost 1100 acres (450 hectares). The site was settled as early as the Bronze Age, and Cardinal Wolsey enclosed the park when he built Hampton Court Palace, but it was left to Charles I to make the most of this site. Hampton Court Palace suffered from a chronic ;lack of water, and Charles was inspired to suggest that that an artificial river in the park might make a suitable catchment for water to supply the palace. Nicholas Lane took on the task of creating the artificial river (1633-1639), which stretches for over 19 km. Longford River took 9 months to create, and was built entirely by hand at a total cost of over £4000. We've mentioned Wren's chestnut avenue; this mile long row of trees provides a formal approach to William and Mary's palace at Hampton Court. The single row of chestnuts are bounded by four rows of lime trees. The war at Bushy Park Near the Woodland Gardens are extensive traces of medieval field systems, some of the finest remains in this region. Wildlife abound in Bushy Park. Commonly seen species include red and fallow deer; sandpipers, herons; woodpeckers; warblers, finches, tits, redwing thrushes; frogs, and toads. Bushy Park maintains a History Room, staffed by volunteers, where visitors can investigate the long history of the park. Contact
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