Greenwich Park Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Greenwich Park
View of Queens House and Canary Wharf from Greenwich Park
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Type	Public park
Location	London, SE10
Area	74.5 hectares (184 acres)
Operated by	The Royal Parks
Public transit access	Maze Hill Greenwich
Website	Official website: https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich-park

Greenwich Park is a famous park in Greenwich, south-east London. It used to be a place for hunting. It is one of the biggest green spaces in this part of London.

Greenwich Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It was the first one to be fenced off, back in 1433. The park covers about 74 hectares (183 acres). It is also part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. From the park, you can see amazing views of the River Thames. You can also see the Isle of Dogs and the City of London.

The park is open all year round. It is a very important historical park. In 2020, it received money to fix its old features. This money also helped build a learning center. It improved the park's nature and made it easier for people with disabilities to visit.

History of Greenwich Park
Park Layout and Views
Royal Observatory
Fun Things to Do in the Park
Sports in Greenwich Park
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

History of Greenwich Park

London from Greenwich Park, in 1809, by William Turner

Queen Caroline's Bath, Greenwich Park

The land for the park was once owned by a church in Belgium. In 1427, it became property of the King. King Henry VI gave it to his uncle, Duke Humphrey.

Duke Humphrey built a house by the river called Bella Court. He also built a small castle on the hill. This castle was later replaced by the Royal Observatory. The house by the river became the Queen's House and Greenwich Hospital.

In the 1400s, the park was mostly open land. People probably used it for hawking (hunting with birds). In the 1500s, King Henry VIII brought deer to the park for hunting. Today, you can still see a small group of deer in a special area.

King James I built a tall brick wall around the park. It was 3 kilometers (2 miles) long. Much of this wall still stands today. It marks the park's edge. A small part of the wall was once part of Montagu House. This house belonged to Queen Caroline. Her bath from 1806 is still in the park.

In the 1600s, the park was designed with beautiful landscapes. The public was first allowed into the park in the 1700s. People used to roll down the big hill on holidays.

In the 1830s, there was a plan to build a railway through the park. Local people strongly opposed it. Later, a railway tunnel was built underground. It connected Greenwich and Maze Hill stations in 1878.

A train station called Greenwich Park station opened in 1888. But it was not very popular. Most people used the older Greenwich station. So, Greenwich Park station closed in 1917.

Greenwich Park has also been used in movies. It appeared in the 2009 film The Young Victoria. It was used to show a street called Constitution Hill.

Park Layout and Views

The park is shaped like a rectangle. It is about 1000 meters long and 750 meters wide. It has two main levels. The lower part is closer to the river. The upper part is a flat area like Blackheath.

A panorama of the view of London from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park.

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich is on top of the hill. At the northern edge of the park are the National Maritime Museum and Queen's House. Beyond them is the Old Royal Naval College. To the east, you can see Vanbrugh Castle. To the south is Blackheath. In the southwest, you'll find the Ranger's House.

Royal Observatory

The Royal Observatory

The Royal Observatory sits on the highest point of the park. Next to it is a statue of General James Wolfe. From this spot, you get amazing views. You can see the Old Royal Naval College. You can also see the tall buildings of Canary Wharf. The City of London and the Millennium Dome are also visible.

Fun Things to Do in the Park

Greenwich Park gates

In the lower part of the park, there is a great children's playground. It is in the north-east corner. There is also a boating lake nearby. You can also find a herb garden close to the Greenwich town center entrance.

On the upper level, there is a large flower garden. It has a big duck pond and a beautiful rose garden. You can also find a cricket pitch there. Many old sweet chestnut trees with twisted trunks grow here. There are tennis courts and a bandstand. You can also see old Roman remains.

One very old tree is called Queen Elizabeth's Oak. People say Queen Elizabeth I used to sit under it. There is also an area called 'The Wilderness'. It is home to some wild deer.

Behind the Observatory is the garden of the old Astronomer Royal. It is a quiet place for picnics. Sometimes, theater groups perform plays there. There is a café called the Park Café. Another smaller café is by the north-west gate. A snack bar is in the children's playground.

You can park your car in certain areas (you have to pay). You can also cycle through the park. Many people enjoy running, roller-blading, and walking their dogs here.

Sports in Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park was a special place during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. It hosted the Olympic equestrian events. These include horse riding and jumping. It also hosted parts of the modern pentathlon. This event combines running, swimming, fencing, shooting, and horse riding. The park also held the Paralympic equestrian events.

Some local people were worried about using the park for the Olympics. A group called NOGOE thought the park was not suitable. They started a petition to move the events. They gathered over 12,000 signatures, but the events still happened in the park.

The park also hosted the start of the final race of the 2006 Tour of Britain cycle race. One of the starting points for the London Marathon is in Greenwich Park. This is called the 'red start'. The London Half-Marathon, called Run to the Beat, also went through the park for several years.