Catriona Olivia Moore: 111539677
There is an abundance of public parks in London city today, but the most famous and most celebrated parks are Hyde Park and St. James’s Park.
-Schmollingers 1833 map of Hyde Park.(English.illinoisstate.edu, 2014)
Hyde Park was opened to the general public in 1637 by King Charles I. The Park had originally served as a hunting ground for King Henry VIII where he and his court would be seen hunting for wild deer in the area.
Near the end of the 17th century, King William III had 300 oil lamps installed for the walkway from Kensington Palace to St.James as he feared the walk was too dangerous. This is an example of how illumination was seen by many as a deterrant to crime for the city.
-An aerial view of Hyde Park, as it appears today.(Climatecars.com, 2014)
St.James’s Park in London is the oldest of the Royal Parks, surrounded by Westminster, St.James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace.
-Schmollingers map from 1833 depicting Green Park and St.James’s Park.(Wikipedia, 2014)
Charles II laid the park out in a formal french style during the 17th century, mirroring that of the gardens in Versailles. The long narrow lake that can now be seen was contructed during that time. The park was redesigned during his reign, with boulevards and avenues of trees. The boulevard was a typical area where you would find the court to the king, strolling along, self-representing themselves.
-St.James’s Palace to the left, with the boulevard to the right.(English.illinoisstate.edu, 2014)
These parks were in historic times, places where people of nobility would portray their elegance and their wealth to others. They were a place for all to enjoy, where people could celebrate and gather, and where the first signs of modernisation was beginning to occur.
(Accessed on the 14/10/2014)
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English.illinoisstate.edu, (2014). Allison Muri – Digital Natives or Digital Strangers?. [online] Available at: http://english.illinoisstate.edu/digitaldefoe/archive/spring10/teaching/muri3.html [Accessed 4 Dec. 2014].
Ermengem, K. (2014). Hyde Park, London. [online] Aviewoncities.com. Available at: http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/hydepark.htm [Accessed 4 Dec. 2014].
Ermengem, K. (2014). St. James’s Park, London. [online] Aviewoncities.com. Available at: http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/stjamespark.htm [Accessed 4 Dec. 2014].
Royalparks.org.uk, (2014). History and Architecture – St James Park – The Royal Parks. [online] Available at: https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/st-jamess-park/about-st-jamess-park/history-and-architecture [Accessed 4 Dec. 2014].
Royalparks.org.uk, (2014). Home – The Royal Parks. [online] Available at: http://www.royalparks.org.uk/ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2014].