London held a variety of popular parks during the Regency era. Let us explore a few of them. 

St James’s Park is a Royal Park, named after a once isolated medieval hospital dedicated to St James the Less, now the site of St James’s Palace. It is the most easterly of a near-continuous chain of public parks, which includes (moving westward) Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. 

It meets Green Park at Queen’s Garden, opposite the entrance to Buckingham Palace. 

It contains a small lake, St James’s Park Lake, with two islands, West Island and Duck Island with the lake. 

Originally it was an enclosed deer park for the use of King Henry VIII in the 1530s. Henry purchased the area from Eton College. It was a marshland through which the River Tyburn flowed. It set west of York Palace, which was subsequently renamed Whitehall. St James Palace was meant to serve as a “hunting lodge” for the king.

James I had the park drained and landscaped in 1603, and it housed exotic animals, including crocodiles, an elephant, camels, exotic birds, etc.

Charles II had the park redesigned in a more formal style. A 775-metre by 38-metre ornamental canal was added. During this time the park had a reputation as a meeting place for acts of lechery. Charles II was said to have entertained guests and mistresses in the park.

In the late 1600s and early 1700s, a person might purchase fresh milk at the “Lactarian,” for cows grazed in the park. 

Further changes occurred in the 18th century with the purchase of Buckingham House (now Buckingham Palace) for the use of Queen Charlotte in 1761. 

The Prince Regent (later King George IV) commissioned further remodeling in 1826-27. Architect John Nash converted the canal into a more natural shaped lake and formal pathways were added. Buckingham House was expanded to create the palace. Marble Arch was built at its entrance to the cour d’honneur of Buckingham Palace. 

Hyde Park’s name comes from the Manor of Hyde, which was the northeast sub-division of the manor of Eia and appears in the Domesday Book. The name was of Saxon origin. “Hide” was a unit of land appropriate to support a single family. It was the property of Westminster Abbey in the Middle Ages. 

Hyde Park was created for hunting purposes in the 1530s when Henry VIII received the manor of Hyde from the Abbey. It remained a hunting ground until the reign of James I, who permitted others access to the area and appointed a ranger to oversee it. 

Charles I created the Ring (north of the present day Serpentine boathouses) and opened the area to the public in 1637.

A series of fortifications were built along the east side of the park at the start of the English Civil War in 1642. 

During the Interregnum [the period between the execution of Charles I on 30 January 1649 and the arrival of his son Charles II in London on 29 May 1660 which marked the start of the Restoration] Parliament sold the then 620-acre park for “ready money,” earning £17000 + an additional £765 6s 2d for the deer living there. 

Charles II retook ownership of the park in 1660 and enclosed it with a brick wall. 

Hyde Park was used as a military encampment during the Great Plague of Lonon in 1665. 

William III moved his residence to Kensington Palace in 1689 and installed a private road on the southern edge of the park, particularly for his use only. It is now known at Rotten Row. The row was used by the wealthy for riding in the early 19th century. 

In late January through May, the “fashionable” people rode out during the Season. 4:30 to 7:30 P.M.

Hyde Park is one of London’s finest landscapes. It covers 142 hectares (350) acres.

The Ladies’ Mile was a more sedate bridle path than was the Row.

The Ring was where the fashionable drove their pleasure carriages to see and be seen.

The Serpentine was a shallow, man-made stream that wound its way through a section of the park.

The Regent’s Park occupies 410 acres of high ground in what is now the northwest part of inner London. 

It is split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden 

The land was part of the manor of Tyburn during the Middle Ages, having been acquired by Barking Abbey. 

With the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry VIII appropriated it under the statutory forfeiture with minor compensation affairs of the time.

The park was named after the Prince Regent. 

The Regent’s Park, as well as other properties built for the Prince Regent, include John Nash, James Burton, and Decimus Burton as the architects and builders. 

Along with the park, Regent Street and Carlton House Terrace became a grand sweep of town planning stretching from St James’s Park to Primrose Hill. 

Green Park, royal park in the borough of Westminster, London. Located north of Buckingham Palace, east of Hyde Park, and west of the neighbourhood of St. James, it covers about 53 acres (21 hectares) of land.

During the Medieval era, the park was a swampy burial ground for lepers from the hospital at St James. 

The Poulteney family was the first to enclose it in the 16th century. 

It was partly excavated for the sand found within to be used to make bricks and stone. 

Like the others above, the park was enclosed in the 16th century, and it was later designated a royal park by Charles II (reigned 1660–85). In the 18th century it was an isolated location that often concealed highwaymen and served as the meeting place for duels, but it was also used for fireworks displays and balloon ascents. Green Park is the least stylized and ornamented of London’s royal parks.

Charles II took the land from the Poulteneys and ordered it developed into a Royal Park and enclosed with a brick wall. It was to be called Upper St James’s Park.

He even ordered an icehouse built to supply his family with ice for the summer months. 

It was officially renamed Green Park in 1746. 

Paul Rabbitts (15 June 2017). London’s Royal Parks The Postcard Collection. Amberley Publishing suggests that the Queen Consort, Catherine of Braganza, had all the flowers removed from the parkland, for she believed King Charles II gave some of the flowers to another woman. 

The Queen’s Basin came about when King George II had “The Queen’s Walk” laid out for his wife Queen Caroline. The walk led to a reservoir that held drinking water. 

During the late 18th century and early 19th century, it was a popular place for balloon attempts and fireworks. 

Because it was somewhat “rural,” it was also known to have its fair share of highwaymen and thieves/ 

In 1730, William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, and John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol held a duel upon the grounds. Other duels were reported, but no one so famous as these two. 

In the present, in contrast with its neighbouring parks, Green Park has no lakes, no buildings, no playgrounds and three, early yet distinctive post-war-era public monuments.

BOOK BLURB…

LADY CORA TAKES SOCIETY BY STORM . . .

Lady Cora Midland, a highly-spirited country beauty, offers no pretensions, which win her many admirers, despite her lack of knowledge on how to manage the beau monde. However, Matthew Harrington believes she is taking advantage of his elderly grandmother, and he means to put a stop to the girl.

LORD MATTHEW LINDMORE IS IN DENIAL . . . 

Lindmore reluctantly assists his grandmother in bringing Lady Cora out in Society. Yet, what appeared to be a daunting task becomes a transformation the earl does not expect. He finds the woman as delightful as do others in the haut ton. Yet… When Lady Cora is on the the verge of marrying another, Lindmore fears time will expire before he can speak his own proposal. 

Excerpt from Chapter Seven of Loving Lord Lindmore

Lord Truist had called at noon, claiming he had business with Lindmore, but Cora thought it odd, for she considered the pair “friendly enemies.” She did not necessarily believe in happenstance, especially when it came to these two particular gentlemen, but there was little she could do to deter them. Even so, she made a mental note to watch and listen, for they were up to something.

Therefore, when Jordan and the Petersens appeared at twenty past one, it did not surprise Cora that the two lords “finished their business” about the same time and joined her and Lady Lindmore as they entertained her friends. “Lord Truist,” she said. “Hopefully, you recall Mr. Holt and Mr. Petersen. They often attended the hunts at Franklin Place with their fathers. All you young gentlemen were quite a tight group, each of you attempting to best the other, if I recall correctly.” 

“Though I should have, I admit, I would not have immediately recognized Petersen,” his lordship admitted with a smile, “but Holt favors his father enough I might have introduced him to Lindmore by the elder Holt’s title.” He returned the bow the men presented him. “And the lady . . .” he hinted. 

Cora smiled, for she noted Truist’s appreciation for the pretty blonde. The thing with Truist was, he always “appreciated,” but never took any young lady seriously. Therefore, Cora slid a protective arm about Miranda’s waist. “This is Mr. Petersen’s youngest sister, Miss Miranda.” 

Again, Truist bowed, but, this time, he shifted his weight to present a pretty leg and a sweep of his hand as he did so. Cora thought him a terrible flirt. “I fear I do not recall Miss Miranda. I do remember a Miss Petersen and a Miss Alice.” 

Cora laughed easily. She could not believe women tolerated Truist’s foolishness; yet, she had viewed for herself how more than one young lady longed for just a bit of his lordship’s attention. “Such is because Miranda was barely old enough not to holding onto her mother’s skirt tails, upon occasion, while the rest of us chased after the hunting dogs.” 

“Why do we not all sit?” the countess suggested. “Cora, my dear, might you pour tea for your friends?”

As they all found seats, Cora was surprised when it was Lindmore who claimed her hand to seat her by him on the settee. During each of the evening entertainments she had experienced this last week, he rarely reached a hand for her beyond serving as her partner during one of the dance sets. His eyes met hers, and Cora stumbled, but his arm caught her before she could tumble over. “Thank you kindly, my lord. I am not often so foul-footed.” 

“My pleasure, my lady,” he said in a tone she could not quite identify. Was it criticism or something more pleasant?

Seated at last, she lifted the pot to serve the countess first. “I fear I did not finish my introductions.” She poured the milk and the tea for the first cup. “For her ladyship,” she instructed the waiting footman softly. “Mr. Petersen. Miss Miranda, it gives me great pleasure to make you acquainted with my extended family. Lady Lindmore has been excessively kind to take me on, for you three are aware I would never have had the nerve to claim a London Season without her. I can never repay the kindness she has shown me.” 

While she spoke, she poured a like cup of tea and passed it to the man on her left. “Her ladyship and I are extremely grateful Lord Lindmore has agreed to escort us upon the Town, and I am proud to enter each event upon his arm and under his protection.” Cora knew her speech too flowery, but she wished the Lindmores to know something of her honest gratitude. The countess had been excessively kind to her, and, though not being her mother, or even her grandmother, her ladyship’s gentle hand upon Cora’s shoulder had removed some of the sting of loneliness chasing Cora about over the last few years. As to Lord Lindmore, she had begun to think upon him as the standard for all others she met. 

When she held up a sugar pat, Lord Truist waved off the offer. “And what will you say of me, my dear?” he asked with that taunting grin which was so much a part of his personality. She suspected the woman who finally tamed Lord Truist would never know a sad day in her life. 

“Lady Lindmore has cautioned me on how some of my opinions might not always be welcomed,” she said with a lift of her brows. Cora liked Truist and thought any woman who claimed his loyalty would earn a true defender, but she was not that woman. Therefore, she would simply tease and test him.

While Truist laughed and good-naturedly warned her that her sassiness was not required before company, he said, “I understand from Lindmore you and your friends hope to ride out together. Where will you ride?”

Jordan Holt responded, “Miss Miranda wishes to view Hyde Park. This is her first visit to London.” 

Truist continued to speak for him and Lindmore. “You are welcome to join me and the earl. We planned to ride together tomorrow. That is, if you hold no objections, Lady Cora.” 

“Lady Lindmore has yet to extend her permission for my riding with friends,” Cora responded dutifully. 

The countess gently nodded her approval of Cora’s response. “If Lindmore means to be in attendance, no objection will be spoken. He understands my expectations for Lady Cora and how they reflect on this family.” 

“It would do both Truist and me well to have such enjoyable company,” Lindmore said. “Should I see to an appropriate mount for you, my lady? Are you well trained or a casual rider?”

“Not too calm,” Jordan said with a grin. “Lady Cora is quite the horsewoman, my lord. You will not be disappointed in her seat or her handling of the reins.” 

Loving Lord Lindmore will be released on February 21, 2024. Purchase links are below.

Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTFSRB7R?ref_=pe_93986420_775043100

Upon Release Available to Read on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTLY847C?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Other Resources:

London Parks: A Regency Primer

Top 10 Parks in London