{"id":5491,"date":"2022-02-23T19:59:32","date_gmt":"2022-02-23T19:59:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/?p=5491"},"modified":"2023-10-05T08:24:35","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T07:24:35","slug":"bushy-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/londonducklings.co.uk\/bushy-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Bushy Park – things to explore in Henry VIII’s old hunting grounds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Located in leafy Hampton, Bushy Park was originally set up for deer hunting by Henry VIII. Today you’ll be able to enjoy a well-preserved landscape consisting of waterways, gardens, ancient woodland and roaming herds of wild deer.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Deer in Bushy Park. The Royal Parks’ guideline is to keep at least 50 meters distance and avoid any attempt to feed the animals. Over the years they have grown so used to being fed that they might charge if coming close. Take extra care if you’re bringing children. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Bushy Park History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Originally, three different parks were enclosed to separate them from the surrounding agricultural land. They were Bushy Park, Middle Park and Hare Warren plus Home Park at Hampton Court Palace<\/a>. In 1529, when Henry VIII obtained Hampton Court from Cardinal Wolsey, he modified the parks, turning Home Park and Bushy Park into a deer park in which he hunted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A magnificent avenue lined with lime trees was established in 1622. Later in the 20th century, it was renamed in the form of Chestnut Avenue when a row of chestnuts was added. Its length is more than a mile. Sir Christopher Wren thought the avenue to be an elegant route towards William and Mary’s home at Hampton Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Henry VIII turned Bushy Park into royal hunting grounds, a status that kept it protected through the centuries.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Charles I, who loved water features, built the waterway referred to by the name of Longford River. It is 19-kilometres of canal constructed manually in 1639 and lasted nine months, at the cost of a whopping PS4,000. It is referred to as ‘the King’s gigantic hose pipe that flows through the ground, the water runs along its gentle route through open meadows and grasslands starting from the Diana fountain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it was recently attributed to one master of the 17th-century bronzes, Hubert Le Sueur, the fountain was initially named Arethusa, named after the nymph from Ovid’s Metamorphoses’ poem, Diana saved. Charles, I had the fountain created for his queen, Henrietta Maria. But it wasn’t until 1713 when it was put in its current place on a highly worn-out plinth designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It was the central feature of Wren’s elaborate park plan and is accessible from the magnificent Chestnut Avenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1713, the distinction between the different parks ended, and the whole area in the northern part of Hampton Court became Bushy Park as we know it today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today Bushy Park is the second largest of London\u2019s famous royal parks (after Richmond Park<\/a>), covering 450 hectares.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bushy Park\u2019s highlights <\/h2>\n\n\n\n