Gardens -- England -- London; London (England) -- Description and travel; Parks -- England -- London
No further alterations were made, except that, in 1681, Charles
effected an exchange of land with the Earl of Arlington, on which,
a few years later, Arlington Street was built. The path which runs
parallel with the backs of these houses was Queen Caroline’s idea,
and she used it frequently herself, and it became known as the
“Queen’s Walk.” The houses overlooking the Park went up in value as
the occupants could enjoy the sight of the Queen and the Princesses
taking their daily walk. The line of this path is no longer the same,
as a piece was cut off the Park in 1795 and leased to the Duke of
Bridgewater to add to the garden of his house. The Queen also built
a pavilion known as the Queen’s Library in the Park, where she spent
some time after her morning promenades. Although Queen Caroline took
to the Upper Park, the world of fashion did not follow at once, and it
was not until about 1786 that the Green Park for some reason suddenly
became the rage. The only incident of historic interest between this
date and the making of the road was the celebration of the end of the
War of Succession in the spring following the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle.
A great pavilion like a Doric temple, 410 feet long and 114 feet high,
was erected near the wall separating the Green Park from St. James’s,
and on the 27th of April a grand display of fireworks was arranged.
A fire, however, broke out just as the performance was beginning,
when a grand overture composed by Handel had been performed, and the
King and dense crowds were watching the illuminations. The flames
were got under, but not before much of the temporary building had
been destroyed, and the greater part of the fireworks perished in the
flames, and several fatal and serious accidents further marred the
entertainment.
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