Gardens -- England -- London; London (England) -- Description and travel; Parks -- England -- London
When, in 1715, the fear of a general Jacobite rising induced the Whigs
to take serious precautions, Hyde Park became a camp from July till
November. During a similar scare in 1722 troops were again quartered
there, and the camp became the centre of popular attraction; gaiety
and frivolity were the order of the day, rather than business or
watchfulness. The Park was also used as a camp for six regiments of
militia at the time of the Gordon Riots in 1780. All through George
III.’s long reign reviews were frequent, and one of the most popular
was that held by the Prince Regent before the allied sovereigns, the
Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia, in June 1814. Blücher was the
popular hero on the occasion, and when he afterwards appeared in the
Park he was so mobbed by the crowd, enthusiastic to see something of
“Forwärts,” as he was familiarly named, that he had to defend himself
against their rough treatment.
When the Park was again in the King’s hands after the Restoration,
a Keeper was once more appointed, who was responsible for its
maintenance. From the time of Henry VIII. various well-known people had
filled the office of Keeper. The first in Henry VIII.’s time was George
Roper, succeeded in 1553 by Francis Nevill, and in 1574 by Henry Carey,
first Lord Hunsdon, while in 1607 Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, was
appointed, and Sir Walter Cope held the office conjointly with him
from 1610. The name of the first Keeper after the Restoration, James
Hamilton, is well remembered by the site of his house and ground,
which are still known as Hamilton Place and Gardens. He was allowed to
enclose 55 acres of park, and to use it as an orchard on the condition
that he sent a certain quantity of the cider produced from it to the
King. In his time a brick wall was built round the Park, and it was
re-stocked with deer. The wall was rebuilt in 1726, and not replaced by
railings until a hundred years later. These iron railings were pulled
down by the mob in 1866, after which the present ones were set up.
The deer, which formerly ranged all over the Park, were in course of
time confined to a small area on the north-west side, called Buckdean
Hill. They were kept for sport during the first half of the eighteenth
century, and the last time royalty took part in killing deer in the
Park was probably in 1768. The exact date of the disappearance of all
the deer is difficult to ascertain. They are remembered by some who saw
them towards the end of the thirties, but by 1840 or soon after they
were done away with.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account