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Green Park

Green Park was created by Charles the Second after his return from exile in 1660. Charles enjoyed parks, and quickly ordered the laying out of a huge French style formal garden in St James's Park. He wished to walk through royal parks all the way from Hyde Park to St James's. So land was purchased lying between the two, and this became "Upper St James's Park.". Charles would take his "constitutional" walks here, a regular event which is now remembered in the name of Constitution Hill which runs past Buckingham Palace. The name of Green Park, which was adopted in 1746, may recall Charles the Second's way with the ladies. He had many mistresses, and there is a story that on finding Charles had picked flowers for one of them in Green Park, the Queen, Catherine of Braganza, ordered that all flowers be removed from the park and no more planted. This story sounds unlikely: early on in their marriage Charles made it perfectly clear that he would have mistresses if he wished to, and once Catherine accepted that he was as pleasant and sunny with her as ever. Nevertheless Green Park still has no formal flower beds, in memory perhaps of what Catherine would have liked to do, if not what she did.

The official renaming of Green Park coincided with its use as a place of national celebration by the Hanoverian monarchs. There was a party here in 1746 to celebrate victory at the Battle of Culloden. This marked an end to the threat represented by the deposed Stuarts to the Hanoverian monarchy. There was another party in 1814 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Hanoverian royal family. On both occasions ceremonial buildings were burnt to the ground. In the 1746 event 10 000 fireworks exploded in the fire, and three people were killed.

By the 1820s the Industrial Revolution had created the need for idealised patches of countryside in the new industrial towns and cities. John Nash remodelled Green Park as part of a bigger project in which the formal St James's Park was recreated as fanciful countryside. As part of this development all buildings within the park gradually disappeared. Public opening took place in 1826. Green Park, in common with the other great public parks, continues in this role of an idealised refuge, a dream perhaps of a rural world that never really existed.

There are refreshment points at Ritz Corner and Canada Gate, and toilets are located close to Green Park Underground station.

Opening Times: There are no limitations on opening.

Directions: Green Park is on Constitution Hill, close to Buckingham Palace. The nearest Underground stations are Green Park and Hyde Park Corner. Click here for an interactive map centred on Green Park.

Access: There is no car parking in the park. A drop off point is provided at Canada Gate. The park does not have steep gradients,and there are many well maintained paths. Staff at the park have disability awareness training.

Contact: The Store Yard, Horse Guards Road, London

phone: 0207 9301793

web site: http://www.royalparks.org.uk/display_images/green_park/title_top.gif