Editing Richmond Park (section)

==History==

===Stuart origins===
In 1625 [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] brought his court to [[Richmond Palace]] to escape an outbreak of plague in London<ref name="Landscape History">{{cite web | url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/about-richmond-park/landscape-history | title=Richmond Park: Landscape History | publisher=[[The Royal Parks]] | access-date=7 October 2012 | archive-date=6 May 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506134616/https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/about-richmond-park/landscape-history }}</ref> and turned the area on the hill above Richmond into a park for the hunting of red and fallow deer.<ref name="Landscape History"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frp.org.uk/history/|title= About the Park: History|publisher= [[The Friends of Richmond Park]]|access-date= 13 December 2020}}</ref> It was originally referred to as the king's "New Park"<ref name= Eyre>{{cite book | url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4048674|title= Surrey: Richmond. Plan of New Park (now Richmond Park) as in 1754. Scale: 1 inch to...|access-date = 4 January 2022| publisher=[[The National Archives (UK)]]}}</ref> to distinguish it from the existing park in Richmond, which is now known as [[Old Deer Park]]. In 1637 he appointed [[Jerome Weston, 2nd Earl of Portland]] as keeper of the new park for life, with a fee of 12 [[Penny (British pre-decimal coin)|(old) pence]] a day, pasture for four horses, and the use of the brushwood<ref name="Calendar 1644">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924091770309#page/n289/mode/2up|title=Calendar of State Papers, Domestic series, of the reign of Charles I, 1644, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office | publisher=[[HMSO]] | editor=William Douglas Hamilton | year=1888 | location=London | page=234}}</ref>&nbsp;– later holders of that office were known as [[List of keepers and rangers of Richmond Park|"Ranger"]]. Charles's decision, also in 1637, to [[enclosure|enclose]] the land{{refn|group="nb"|An [[Ordnance Survey]] map, published in 1949 and now held at [[The National Archives (UK)]], shows contemporary features in Richmond Park alongside the place names and field boundaries that existed prior to the [[Enclosure#Parliamentary inclosure acts|1637 Enclosure Act]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1864821 |title=Richmond Park: field boundaries before Enclosure Act 1637|work= ZOS 5/5  |date=1949 |publisher=[[The National Archives (UK)]] |access-date=31 July 2023}}</ref>}} was not popular with the local residents, but he did allow pedestrians the right of way.<ref name="Malden">{{cite web | url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/surrey/vol3/pp533-546#n95 | title=A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3 | publisher=British History Online | work=[[Victoria County History]] | year=1911 | access-date=8 February 2025 | author=H E Malden | pages=533–546| author-link=Henry Elliot Malden }}</ref> To this day the walls remain, although they have been partially rebuilt and reinforced. Following [[Charles I of England#Execution|Charles I's execution]], custodianship of the park passed to the [[Corporation of the City of London]]. It was returned to the restored monarch, [[Charles II of England|Charles II]], on his return to London in 1660.<ref>McDowall, p. 51</ref>

===Georgian alterations===
In 1719, [[Caroline of Ansbach]] and her husband, the future [[George II of Great Britain]], bought [[Richmond Lodge]] as a country residence. This building had first been built as a hunting lodge for [[James I of England|James I]] in 1619 and had also been occupied by [[William III of Great Britain|William III]].<ref name="Groom 26–40">{{cite book | publisher=Merrell Publishers | title=Kew Palace: The Official Illustrated History | date=2006 | author=[[Susanne Groom]] and Lee Prosser | isbn= 978-1-85894-323-7| pages=26–40}}</ref> As shown in a map of 1734, Richmond Park and Richmond Gardens then formed a single unit – the latter was merged with [[Kew Gardens]] by George III in the early 19th century.<ref name="RCT Rocque">{{cite web | url=https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/702999/plan-of-the-house-gardens-park-hermitage-of-their-majesties-at-richmond | title=Plan of the House, Gardens, Park & Hermitage of their Majesties, at Richmond 1734 | publisher=[[Royal Collection Trust]] | access-date=21 July 2016 | author=John Rocque| author-link=John Rocque }}</ref> In 1736 the Queen's Ride was cut through existing woodland to create a grand avenue through the park<ref name="FRP Guide97">{{cite book | title=''"Buildings" in'' Guide to Richmond Park | author=Michael Davison |publisher=[[#Friends of Richmond Park|Friends of Richmond Park]] | year=2011 | page=97|isbn=978-0-9567469-0-0}}</ref> and Bog Gate or Queen's Gate was opened as a private entrance for Caroline to enter the park on her journeys between White Lodge and Richmond Lodge. The same map shows Pen Ponds, a lake divided in two by a [[causeway]], dug in 1746 and initially referred to as the Canals, which is now a good place to see water birds.<ref name= "Landscape History"/><ref>Baxter Brown, p. 51</ref> Richmond Lodge fell out of use on Caroline's death in 1737 but was brought back into use by her grandson [[George III of the United Kingdom|George III]] as his summer residence from 1764 to 1772, when he switched his summer residence to [[Kew Palace]] and had Richmond Lodge demolished.<ref name="Groom 72–81">{{cite book | publisher=Merrell Publishers | title=Kew Palace: The Official Illustrated History | date=2006 | author=[[Susanne Groom]] and Lee Prosser | isbn= 978-1-85894-323-7 | pages=72–81}}</ref>

[[File:John Lewis 1713-1792 Richmond brewer who secured public rights of access to the park in 1758.jpg|thumb|upright|Plaque outside Sheen Gate to John Lewis, the Richmond brewer who secured public rights of access to the park in 1758]]
In 1751, Caroline's daughter [[Princess Amelia of Great Britain|Princess Amelia]] became ranger of Richmond Park after the death of [[Robert Walpole]]. Immediately afterwards, the Princess caused major public uproar by closing the park to the public, only allowing a few close friends and those with special permits to enter.<ref>{{cite book|title= Historical Dictionary of the British Monarchy|author= Kenneth J. Panton |publisher= [[Rowman & Littlefield|Scarecrow Press, Inc]]|isbn= 978-0-8108-5779-7|year=2011}} p. 45</ref> This continued until 1758, when a local brewer, John Lewis, took the gatekeeper, who had stopped him from entering the park, to court.<ref name= "Pollard and Crompton 38">Pollard and Crompton, p. 38</ref> The court ruled in favour of Lewis, citing the fact that, when Charles I enclosed the park in the 17th century, he allowed the public right of way in the park. Princess Amelia was forced to lift the restrictions.<ref name="Milestone">{{cite web | url=https://www.frp.org.uk/?s=A+park+milestone+celebrated | title=A Park Milestone Celebrated | publisher=[[#Friends of Richmond Park|Friends of Richmond Park]] | date=27 May 2008 | access-date=19 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.richmond.gov.uk/media/6311/john_lewis_brief_open.pdf|title=John Lewis' re-establishment of pedestrian access to Richmond Park|author= Max Lankester, [[#Friends of Richmond Park|Friends of Richmond Park]] | publisher= [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]|date= September 2009|access-date = 15 July 2023}}</ref>

===19th century===
Full right of public access to the park was confirmed by [[Act of Parliament]] in 1872.<ref name="FRP Guide88">{{cite book | title=''"History" in'' Guide to Richmond Park | publisher=[[#Friends of Richmond Park|Friends of Richmond Park]] | author=Max Lankester|year=2011 | page=88|isbn= 978-0-9567469-0-0}}</ref> However, people were no longer given the right to remove firewood; this is still the case and helps in preserving the park.<ref name= "Landscape History"/>

[[File:White Lodge, Richmond Park, Richmond - geograph.org.uk - 1304585.jpg|thumb|[[White Lodge, Richmond Park|White Lodge]] from the air]]
Between 1833 and 1842 the Petersham Lodge estate, and then part of [[Sudbrook Park, Petersham|Sudbrook Park]], were incorporated into Richmond Park. Terrace Walk was created from Richmond Gate to Pembroke Lodge.<ref name = "Cloake 190">Cloake, p. 190</ref> The Russell School was built near Petersham Gate in 1851.<ref name="FRP Guide89">{{cite book | title=''"History" in'' Guide to Richmond Park | author=Max Lankester| publisher=[[Friends of Richmond Park]] | year=2011 | page=89|isbn= 978-0-9567469-0-0}}</ref> Between 1855 and 1861, new drainage improvements were constructed, including drinking points for deer.<ref name = "Cloake 196">Cloake, p. 196</ref> In 1867 and 1876 fallow deer from the park were sent to New Zealand to help build up stocks – the first fallow deer introduced to that country.<ref name="Ungulates">{{cite journal | url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bio14Tuat02-t1-body-d3.html | title=Introduced ungulates in New Zealand&nbsp;– (D) Fallow deer | journal=Tuatara | volume= 14|issue =2|date=July 1966 | access-date=15 July 2023 |author1=A H C Christie |author2=J R H Andrews |name-list-style=amp | page=84}}</ref><ref>Baxter Brown, p. 118</ref> In or around 1870, the [[Inns of Court Regiment#History|Inns of Court Rifle Volunteers]] were using an area near Bog Gate as a drill ground.<ref name = "Cloake 196"/> [[Giuseppe Garibaldi]], Italian general and politician, visited Lord [[John Russell, 1st Earl Russell|John Russell]] at Pembroke Lodge in 1864,<ref name= "Cloake 192"/> as did the Shah of [[Persia]], [[Naser al-Din Shah Qajar]] in 1873. He was the first modern Iranian monarch to visit Europe.<ref name= "Cloake 192">Cloake, p. 192</ref>

===Early 20th century===
[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]] developed the park as a public amenity by opening up almost all the previously fenced woods and making public those gates that were previously private.<ref name="McDowall 90">McDowall, p. 90</ref> From 1915 level areas of the park were marked out for football and cricket pitches.<ref name="McDowall 90"/> A golf course was developed on the former "Great Paddock" of Richmond Park, an area used for feeding deer for the royal hunt. The tree belt in this part of the park was supplemented by additional planting in 1936.<ref>McDowall, pp. 121–126</ref> The public golf course was opened in 1923 by Edward, Prince of Wales<ref>Baxter Brown, p. 150</ref> (who was to become [[King Edward VIII]] and, after his [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdication]], Duke of Windsor). The future king had been born in the park, at White Lodge, in 1894.<ref name="PFJ 36">{{cite book | title=Richmond Park: Portrait of a Royal Playground | author=Pamela Fletcher Jones | publisher= [[The History Press|Phillimore & Co Ltd]] |year=1972 | page=36|isbn= 978-0-85033-497-5}}</ref>  In 1925, a second public 18-hole course was laid out to the south of the first (towards Robin Hood Gate); it was opened by the Duke of York ([[George VI]]). In honour of their respective openers, [[Richmond Park Golf Course]]'s two courses are named the "Prince's" and the "Duke's".

The park played an important role during World War I and was used for [[cavalry]] training.<ref name="Pollard and Wood">{{cite web| url=https://www.frp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/21c_Richmond_Park_and_the_First_World_War_-_Summer_2014.pdf| title=Richmond Park and the First World War| publisher=[[Friends of Richmond Park]]| work=Friends of Richmond Park Newsletter| date=17 November 2014| access-date=30 September 2023| author1=Mary Pollard| author2=Robert Wood| name-list-style=amp}}</ref> On 7 December 1915 English inventor [[Harry Grindell Matthews]] demonstrated, in a secret test on Pen Ponds, how [[selenium]] cells would work in a remotely controlled prototype weapon for use against German [[Zeppelins]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.harrygrindellmatthews.com/earlywireless.asp | title=Remote Controlled Boat | publisher=Jonathan Foster | work=The Death Ray: The Secret Life of Harry Grindell Matthews | date=2008 | access-date=6 February 2015 | author=Jonathan Foster | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122053357/http://harrygrindellmatthews.com/earlywireless.asp | archive-date=22 January 2016 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Reporting on this story several years later, in April 1924, ''[[Daily Chronicle (United Kingdom)|The Daily Chronicle]]'' said that the test had been carried out in the presence of [[Arthur Balfour]], [[Lord Fisher]] and a staff of experts. Its success led to Matthews receiving a payment of £25,000 from the Government the very next morning. Despite this large sum changing hands, the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]]] never used the invention.<ref name="Foster">{{cite book | title=The Death Ray: The Secret Life of Harry Grindell Matthews | publisher=Inventive Publishing | author=Jonathan Foster | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-9561348-0-6}}</ref> Between 1916 and 1925 the park housed a South African military war hospital, which was built between Bishop's Pond and Conduit Wood.<ref>McDowall, pp. 95–96</ref><ref name="Lost">{{cite web | url=http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/southafrican.html | title=South African Military Hospital | publisher=Lost Hospitals of London | access-date=17 December 2013}}</ref> The hospital closed in 1921 and was demolished in 1925.<ref name="Hearsum WWI"/> [[Richmond Cemetery]], just outside the park, contains a section of war graves commemorating 39 soldiers who died at the hospital; the section is marked by a [[Cross of Sacrifice]] and a Grade II listed<ref name="Cenotaph listed">{{National Heritage List for England |num=1409475 |desc=South African War Memorial|date = 24 July 2012|access-date= 19 October 2016}}</ref> [[South African War Memorial, Richmond Cemetery|cenotaph]] designed by [[Sir Edwin Lutyens]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031yvl9|title=Richmond Park, London: The South African Military Hospital|work= World War One At Home|date=6 November 2015 |publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=30 September 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Salim Ali Salam with King Faisal I of Iraq in Richmond Park in London in 1925, along with Salim's son Saeb and daughters Anbara and Rasha..jpg|thumb|Salim Ali Salam with [[King Faisal I of Iraq]] in Richmond Park in London in 1925, along with Salim's son [[Saeb Salam]] and daughters Anbara and Rasha. [[Anbara Salam Khalidy|Anbara]]  can be seen wearing an elegant cloche hat and a mid-calf skirt, contrary to prevailing social conventions in Beirut at the time.]]

[[Faisal I of Iraq]] and [[Lebanese people|Lebanese]] politician [[Salim Ali Salam]] were photographed visiting the park in 1925.

=== World War II and its aftermath===
An army camp was established in 1938. It covered {{convert|45|acres|ha}} to the south and east of Thatched House Lodge, extending to the area south of Dann's Pond.<ref name="FRP Guide91">{{cite book | title=''"History" in'' Guide to Richmond Park | author=Max Lankester|publisher=[[Friends of Richmond Park]] | year=2011 | page=91|isbn= 978-0-9567469-0-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite map |title=Kingston Gate Camp|url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.899706808074292&lat=51.42620&lon=-0.28030&layers=170&b=1|date=1959|scale=1:1,250–1:2,500|series=National Grid maps, 1940s-1960s|publisher=[[Ordnance Survey]]|location=Richmond Park|access-date =28 October 2020}}</ref> It became known as Kingston Gate Camp and expanded the capacity of the [[East Surrey Regiment]]'s [[The Barracks, Kingston upon Thames|regimental depot]] Infantry Training Centre (ITC). As a result, the ITC was better able to meet the demands of training new recruits and called-up militia between early 1940 and August 1941 when the ITC transferred to a facility in [[Canterbury]] shared with [[Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)|the Buffs]].<ref>{{cite book|author=David Scott Daniell|year=1957|title=The History of the East Surrey Regiment|volume=IV 1920–1952|location=London|publisher=[[Ernest Benn Limited]]|pages=115–116|oclc=492800784}}</ref> The camp was subsequently used as a military convalescent depot for up to 2,500 persons after which it continued as a base for the [[Auxiliary Territorial Service]] (ATS) until after the war.<ref name="Rabbitts 145">{{harvnb|Rabbitts|2014|p=145}}</ref>

During World War II Pembroke Lodge was used as the base for "Phantom" (the [[GHQ Liaison Regiment]]).<ref name="FRP Guide91"/> The Pen Ponds were drained, in order to disguise them as a landmark,<ref>McDowall, p. 91</ref> and an experimental bomb disposal centre was set up at Killcat Corner, which is between Robin Hood Gate and Roehampton Gate.<ref name="Osborne">{{cite book | title=Defending London: A Military History from Conquest to Cold War | publisher=[[The History Press]] | author=Mike Osborne | year=2012 | location=[[Stroud, Gloucestershire]] | isbn=978-07524-7930-9}}</ref>

An [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft gun]] site was inside Sheen Gate for the duration of the war. The Prime Minister, [[Winston Churchill]], visited it on 10 November 1940<ref>{{Cite web |author=Simon Fowler |author-link = Simon Fowler |date=October 2020 |title=Winston Churchill in Richmond  |url=https://www.richmondhistory.org.uk/wordpress/history-of-richmond/richmond-at-war/winston-churchill-in-richmond/ |access-date=24 April 2021|website=Richmond Local History Society}}</ref> and it was featured in a photograph published in ''[[Picture Post]]'' on 13 December 1941.<ref name= "Photographs151">{{cite book | title=Richmond in Old Photographs | publisher=[[Alan Sutton|Alan Sutton Publishing]] |editor=[[John Cloake]] |author=Compiled by members of the [[Richmond, London#Societies|Richmond Local History Society]] | year=1990 | page=151 | isbn=978-0-86299-855-4}}</ref>

Associated with the gun site was the research site of the [[Army Operational Research Group]] (AORG), located on the [[polo]] field beside Sheen Cross, where [[James Stanley Hey|Stanley Hey]] researched improvements to the operation of anti-aircraft gun-laying radar. During the war, Hey discovered that the [[Sun]] is a radio source<ref name = "Baker">{{Cite journal |last=Timothy M M Baker |publisher= [[Richmond Local History Society]]|date=October 2021 |title=Richmond Park, radio astronomy's birthplace |journal=Richmond History |volume=42 |pages=22–27 |issn=0263-0958}}</ref> and he investigated radio reflections from [[Meteor shower|meteor]] trails, and radio noise from cosmic sources. In 1946 Hey's group discovered [[Cygnus A]], later shown to be the first [[radio galaxy]]. The Richmond Park installation thus became the first radio observatory in Britain.<ref name = "Baker"/>

In addition to use of the park for military purposes, approximately {{convert|500|acres|ha}} of the park was converted to agricultural use during the war.<ref name="Hansard_19500703">{{hansard |url=1950/jul/03/richmond-park-closed-area|title=Richmond Park (Closed Area) |access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref>

The Russell School (then located within the park's boundary) was destroyed by enemy action in 1943<ref>McDowall, p. 97</ref> and Sheen Cottage a year later.<ref>McDowall, p. 95</ref><ref name = "WoodSC">{{Cite journal |last=Robert Wood|publisher= [[Richmond Local History Society]]|date=June 2019 |title=A house through time |journal=Richmond History |volume=40 |pages=34–42 |issn=0263-0958}}</ref>

[[John Boyd-Carpenter, Baron Boyd-Carpenter|John Boyd-Carpenter]], MP for [[Kingston-upon-Thames (UK Parliament constituency)|Kingston-upon-Thames]], proposed using the Kingston Gate Camp to help alleviate the local post-war housing shortage but the [[Ministry of Works (United Kingdom)|Minister of Works]], [[Charles Key]], was opposed, preferring that the site be eventually returned to its former parkland use.<ref>{{Hansard|url=1947/nov/06/richmond-park-camp-use |title=Richmond Park Camp (Use)|access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref> Key's department refurbished and repurposed the camp as an [[Olympic Village]] for the [[1948 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="Cloake 201">Cloake, p. 201</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/news--olympic-town-at-richmond-park/z74y2sg |title= Olympic Town at Richmond Park|date= 4 June 1948|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001861/19480731/022/0018|title=The XIVth Olympiad| newspaper=[[The Sphere (newspaper)|The Sphere]]|date=31 July 1948|publisher=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=limited}}</ref> The [[Olympic Village]] was opened by [[Olympic gold medalist|Olympic gold medallist]] [[David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter|Lord Burghley]], with Key making the announcement, in July 1948.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA354L6FHKU412LLQ9JN7WB90IO-OPENING-OF-OLYMPIC-CENTRE-IN-LONDON|title=Opening Of Olympic Centre In London 1948|date=5 July 1948|publisher=[[Reuters]]|series=Gaumont British Newsreel|type=Motion picture, black and white|id=film id:VLVA354L6FHKU412LLQ9JN7WB90IO|access-date = 20 May 2021}}</ref> After the Olympics, the camp was used by units of the [[Royal Corps of Signals]] and then by the [[Women's Royal Army Corps]] following their formation in 1949 as successor to the wartime ATS. Although it had been hoped to clear the camp during the 1950s, it remained in military use and was used to house service families repatriated following the [[Suez Crisis]] in 1956. It was not until 1965 that the camp was eventually demolished; it was reintegrated into the park during the following year.<ref name="Rabbitts 145" /><ref name="Hansard_19500703" /><ref>{{cite web |author= Michael Davison |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12756326|title=When the Olympics Came to Richmond Park|publisher= [[The National Archives (UK)]]|date=July 2005 |pages=11–12|access-date = 12 May 2023}}</ref>

===Late 20th century – present===
In 1953 [[Josip Broz Tito|President Tito]] of [[Yugoslavia]] stayed at White Lodge during a [[state visit]] to Britain.<ref name="FRP Guide130">{{cite book | title=Guide to Richmond Park | publisher=[[#Friends of Richmond Park|Friends of Richmond Park]] | year=2011 | page=130|isbn=978-0-9567469-0-0}}</ref>

The [[Petersham Hole]] was a [[sink hole]] caused by subsidence of a sewer which forced the total closure of the [[A307 road]] in Petersham in 1979–80. As the hole and subsequent repair work had forced a total closure of this main road between Richmond and Kingston, traffic was diverted through the park and the Richmond, Ham, and Kingston gates remained open throughout the day and night. The park road was widened at Ham Cross near Ham Gate to accommodate temporary traffic lights. About 10 deer a month were killed by traffic while the diversion was in operation.<ref name="Pollard and Crompton 11-12">Pollard and Crompton, pp.11–12</ref>

When the present London Borough of Richmond upon Thames was created in 1965, it included the majority, but not the whole, of the park. The eastern tip, including Roehampton Gate, belonged to the [[London Borough of Wandsworth]], and the southern tip was in the [[Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames]]. Following a series of [[List of Greater London boundary changes|borough boundary changes]] in 1994 and 1995, these anomalies were corrected and the whole park became part of Richmond upon Thames.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1993/1208/contents/made|title=The Greater London and Surrey (County and London Borough Boundaries) (No. 2) Order 1993|publisher=legislation.gov.uk|access-date=15 July 2023}}</ref>

In the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] the men's and the women's [[Cycling at the 2012 Summer Olympics|cycling road races]] went through the park.<ref name="Women's race">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jul/29/olympic-road-race-womens-cycling-live | title=Olympic road race: women's cycling&nbsp;– as it happened | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=29 July 2012 | access-date=15 November 2012 | author=Barry Glendenning | location=London| author-link=Barry Glendenning }}</ref>