Old Deer Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Deer Park |
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One of the two obelisks facing the River Thames in Old Deer Park, used to align
Kew Observatory telescopes |
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| Type | public |
| Location | Richmond, London |
| Area | 147 hectares (360 acres) |
| Created | 1603 |
Old Deer Park is a large open space in Richmond, London. It is owned by the Crown Estate, which manages land for the British monarch. The park is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England.
It covers about 147 hectares (360 acres). A big part of this area, about 90.4 hectares (223 acres), is rented out for sports. You'll find fields for rugby, golf, and cricket here. Even though it's called "Deer Park," there are no deer living in the park today.
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Where is Old Deer Park?
Old Deer Park sits next to the River Thames on its western side. To the north, you'll find Kew Gardens. A main road, the A316 road, separates the park from the busy areas of Richmond town to the east and south.
This park is part of a bigger, historic landscape. It includes parts of Richmond, Kew, and Isleworth. The lower areas of the park near the river help prevent floods. They act as storage areas for extra water around Richmond Lock.
A Look Back at History
In the mid-1500s, Richmond Palace was a favorite home for Queen Elizabeth I. In 1574, she gave some land, then called "the Newe Parke of Richmonde," to Edward Bacon.
Queen Elizabeth passed away at Richmond in 1603. Later that year, King James I of England took over. He made the park much bigger by adding land from old monasteries. This created a large hunting park of about 370 acres (1.5 km²). It was known as The New Park of Richmond.
The name "Old Deer Park" came about after 1637. That's when King Charles I of England created the even larger Richmond Park on the other side of town. In the 1700s, Richmond Lodge was in the park. It was the summer home for George, Prince of Wales (who later became King George II of Great Britain), and his wife Princess Caroline.
Today, most of the park is used by the Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club. This has been the case since 1892. Inside the golf club, there are two 18-hole courses. You can also find the King's Observatory here, which King George III of Great Britain built in 1769. This building is very important and is a Grade I listed building.
Underneath the 14th hole of the golf course, you can find the old foundations of Sheen Priory. This priory was a type of monastery founded by Henry V of England in 1414.
In 1847, a railway line was built from Richmond Station. This made it harder to get from Richmond Green to Old Deer Park. Only one narrow bridge connected them. Later, in 1933, a new main road (the "Great Chertsey Road") and a new bridge over the Thames (Twickenham Bridge) were built. These also cut across the park, making it feel even more separate from the town.
Special Obelisks
Next to the River Thames in the park, there are two stone obelisks. These tall, pointed pillars were built in 1769. They were used to help align telescopes at the King's Observatory. Scientists used these telescopes to watch the planet Venus pass across the Sun that year.
Events and Gatherings
Old Deer Park has hosted many events over the years. In 1920, it was used for the 1st World Scout Jamboree. About 5,000 Scouts camped there! Today, the open parts of the park are sometimes used for circuses, funfairs, and other community events.
Cricket Ground
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The park has been a place for cricket since 1864. The Richmond Cricket Club plays its games here. They have even played against international teams visiting the country.
Even though the park is in Surrey, the cricket ground has hosted some games for Middlesex County Cricket Club. This includes some professional matches between 2000 and 2019.
Rugby Ground
The rugby ground at Old Deer Park is the home of London Welsh Amateur RFC. It used to be the home of the professional London Welsh RFC team for many years.
The rugby ground can hold up to 5,850 people, with 1,000 seats for fans.
What You Can Find in the Park
You can get to different parts of the park from the A316 road or the A307 road.
- From the A316 road, you can find:
- An informal sports area with open spaces for recreation.
- Fields for football, rugby, and other sports.
- The Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club courses.
- The King's Observatory.
- Richmond Athletic Ground, where the Richmond rugby club plays.
- Richmond Swimming Pool & Lido, now called Pools on the Park.
- A public car park and some other buildings.
- From the A307 road, you can find:
- A sports ground with facilities for rugby, cricket, tennis, archery, and bowls.
