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If the world has a better urban park than St James's, I haven't seen it. And if the
world has a more influential urban park than St James's, I don't know of it.
St James's Park was the project which launched the London open space system, the Paris open
space system, the Boston open space system and the International Greenways Movement.
So let's have a look at its history, Henry VIII bought the land from Eton College,
in 1532. He used it for Whitehall Palace and for a deer park.
Charles II kept the deer but, after 1660, re-designed the hunting forest as a baroque
pleasure ground. Whitehall Palace burned to the ground in 1691
and, in 1705, the focus of St James park shifted from east to west - to Buckingham House , which
became Buckingham Palace In 1811 John Nash made a picturesque scenic
route which linked St James Park to Green Park and to Regent's Park which was then on
the north fringe of London. Nash also changed the design of the park from the baroque style
to the romantic style After 1900, The Mall, became a processional
route focussed on the Victoria Memorial and Buckingham Palace.
Today, St James's Park is beautiful and popular. One minute, you can commune with nature. Next
minute, you can be part of a busy throng. It is a prime example of Rus in Urbe (the
country - in the city).
The water body was designed as a canal. Then, it was re-designed as a serpentine lake in
the early nineteenth century. The park has exotic plants. And it also has
native plants. The Mall was designed for playing a form of
croquet. The it became a carriage road - and then a ceremonial route.
The Blue Bridge in the centre of the park provides two of the best views in Central
London: of Buckingham Palace and of the Horseguards Buildings
Duck Island Cottage was built in 1841 - and now has the best cottage garden in Central
London The spaces around the park are used for for
state occasions and for military displays on an almost daily basis
If the dice had rolled a different way, and Hitler had won the war, then Churchill's last
stand might have been in the Admiralty Citadel. Instead, it became London's best example of
a green wall. Oh, just one more thing. If you want to make
a better public park than St James's, drop me an email - I can help you to brief your
planners and your designers.