Top 15 Facts about Hyde Park in London

By Punx – Wikimedia

Top 15 Facts about Hyde Park in London

This park is a popular tourist attraction and backdrop to many pictures. It is connected to Kensington Gardens and both are in Central London.

Hyde Park is 350 acres of lush green English shrubbery and is one of the largest Royal Parks, out of the four, in London.

It is famous for its Speakers’ Corner.

The park is divided in two by the Serpentine Lake. This park was the site of The Great Exhibition of 1851, for which the Crystal Palace was designed.

Hyde Park has become a traditional meeting point for mass rallies. Back in 1982, four soldiers were killed in a PIRA bombing.

Both Royals and members of the public have for centuries escaped to the park from the bustling city streets.

Being one of the most famous parks in London, it attracts millions of tourists every year.

Here are the top 15 facts about Hyde Park that you did not know.

1. Hyde Park used to be hunting ground for King Henry VIII

By Hans Holbein – Wikimedia

This land was originally owned by the monks of Westminster Abbey in the 16^th century. They formed the Church of England.

King Henry VIII then bought the land from them and turned it into a hunting reserve. It was private and remained close to the public.

The King, together with his lords, would practice their hunting skills at the park.

It was in 1637 that the land was turned into a public park by King Charles I.

2. King Henry VIII grabbed the land from Monks

The land that is now Hyde Park had been used for many years by the Monks of Westminster.

They used the land to grow plants and vegetables as well as a place of worship. Before they knew it, King Henry bought the land and forced them out with nowhere to go.

He used the land as a hunting preserve for deer.

King Henry was considered to be controversial; he reformed the entire Church of England to divorce his fourth wife. He married six women during his reign. 

3. There is a pet cemetery at the Park

Hyde Park has been used as the final resting place for beloved pets over the years.

The first pet to be buried here was a Maltese terrier named Cherry who died in 1881 of old age.

His owner was friends with the lodge-keeper who gave the go-ahead for Cherry to be buried on the grounds.

Mr Winbridge, who was the gatekeeper at Victoria Lodge, donated space in the garden to pet owners. Soon, more people went and buried their pets at Hyde Park.

There are over 300 pet graves in the Park today, although it is not open to the public.

The cemetery was shut in 1903. There are occasional tours of the cemetery.

4. The Park has several memorials and monuments

By Carlos Delgado-Wikimedia

There are several monuments in Hyde Park, with the famous one being the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.

It pays homage to her life and her love for children, it is south of the Serpentine lake. Genuine Cornish granite was used to build it, at least 545 pieces were used.

The fountain was designed using advanced computer design software.

Another memorial at the park is fifty-two stainless steel pillars, they are dedicated to the victims of the 7 July tube bombings in 2005.

Other notable statues at the Park include the statue of the giant jelly baby family by Mauro Perucchetti, the Still Water by Nic Fiddian-Green, this is a giant horse’s head balancing on its tongue

The other statue is Vroom Vroom by Lorenzo Quinn, it features a four-metre tall model of a child’s hand grabbing a vintage Ford car.

One of the oldest monuments at the Park is the Wellington also known as Achilles monument.

It was built by King George III as a tribute to the Duke of Wellington for his victories in the peninsular wars and Napoleonic wars.

5. There are over 4000 trees in Hyde Park

There are over 4,000 trees in the Park, as well as over 100 types of roses for visitors to savour and delight in at the rose garden.

The Weeping Beech, known as the crying tree, is an incredible tree which looks as if it was grown upside down.

its branches hang low, brushing the ground, and even start new roots once they’re there.

Hyde Park is home to some of the most beautiful species of songbirds like the robins and dunnocks.

6. Queen Caroline commissioned Lake Serpentine in 1830

It may not be obvious that the Serpentine isn’t a natural lake.

Queen Caroline, King George’s II wife, wanted the park to have an open pool of water that looked natural.

Her brilliant idea was copied by many people who ensured that other parks had artificial lakes.

The lake attracts a lot of songbirds to the park, such as robins, long-tailed tits and dunnocks, making it a hotspot for birdwatching.

Egyptian geese or black swans can be spotted occasionally on the lake too.

The lake has been used for leisure activities such as swimming, fishing and boating by the locals for years.

7. There is a bandstand at the Park

By Dave Bushe- Wikimedia

Hyde Park has a beautiful antique bandstand that is still used by performers and buskers from all over the world.

This particular bandstand is one of the oldest in London, it was built in 1869.

It was originally placed in Kensington Gardens before being relocated to Hyde Park in 1886.

The unique octagonal roof is known to produce enhanced sound quality.

8. Rotten Row was the first street in London to get street lighting

Rotten Row is a wide track stretching for about 1,384 metres along the south side of Hyde Park in London.

It starts from Hyde Park Corner and ends at Serpentine Road.

The track was popular with the upper-class Londoners who rode their horses in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

It is still used for riding lessons and letting horses for hire. The Household Cavalry also keeps their horses stabled nearby and use Rotten Row for exercise.

9. Hyde Park has a grand marble gate

By Punx – Wikimedia

There is a beautiful Marble Arch on the northeastern corner of Hyde Park. The arch served as the state entrance to Buckingham Palace.

It was designed by John Nash in the year 1827. The arch was moved from the Palace in 1847 when Queen Victoria renovated the palace.

The arch housed a tiny police station and can still be spotted today.

10. Hyde Park is famous for the Speaker’s corner

This is an open space for public speaking, debates, and demonstrations in London.

It is located on the North-east edge of Hyde Park near the Marble Arch and Oxford Street.

The general public gather here to express their views and opinions on anything.

Since the 18^th century, people have used the Speaker’s Corner to exercise their right to freedom of speech.

11. It has an interesting tree that looks upside down

Ptelea, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hyde Park is a natural home for a variety of plant and animal species. Some of the most beautiful songbird species, including robins and dunnocks, call it home. The Weeping Beech, an amazing tree that looks as if it has grown upside down, is one of the most fascinating sights to see.

12. There’s a famous competition that takes place here every year

The well-known Peter Pan Cup is another Christmas morning custom in London. In order to collect the cup, a group of swimmers brave the icy waters of Serpentine Lake. The author of Peter Pan, JM Barrie, who belonged to the swimming club and had taken part in the yearly tournament, gave the contest its name in 1903.

13. It has a tennis and sports centre

Will to Win Ltd. is in charge of running the Hyde Park Tennis and Sports Facility. They have been in business since 2003 and offer a pay-and-play sports complex that is accessible to people of all ages. They are located on the corner of South Carriage and West Carriage Drives. They offer six newly renovated floodlit tennis courts, a lawn bowling green with six lanes, a nine-hole putting green, a multi-use games area, and a padel court, in addition to an excellent cafe and first-rate changing rooms.

14. There are many restaurants here

Along with taking in some mouthwatering meals, visitors can stroll through Hyde Park and take in its beauty. Within the boundaries of Hyde Park, there are a variety of cafes, restaurants, and kiosks that serve everything from light fares like snacks and drinks to substantial meals with three courses.

15. During winter you can find an ice skating rink

The city of London is really stunning in the winter with its streets and buildings covered in snow. As part of its Winter Wonderland Celebration, Hyde Park also provides visitors and residents with an ice skating rink, a circus, an ice palace, and a lot more from November through January. Both adults and children should attend this festival.

If you happen to be in London between November and January, visit Hyde Park’s winter wonderland for fun activities such as ice skating, a circus, a Ferris wheel, and an ice palace as part of its Winter Wonderland celebration.

There’s even an ice bar for adults to enjoy some cool cocktails.