Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Gallery, in the west wing, features a Van Dyck self-portrait, a portrait of Elizabeth
Dysart and six “Court Beauties” by
Peter Lely
.
The gardens
Ham House's formal seventeenth-century
gardens
have been beautifully restored to
something like their former glory. To the east of the house lies the Cherry Garden, laid
out with a pungent lavender parterre, and surrounded by yew hedges and pleached
hornbeam arbours. On the south terrace, the Lauderdales would display their citrus
trees, considered the height of luxury at the time, while across the lawn lies the
“Wildernesse” of hornbeam hedges and maple trees. Finally, to the west, you'll find the
partially resurrected kitchen garden, overlooked by the Orangery - the oldest in Britain
- which serves as a tearoom.
22
Richmond Hill
If you're still wondering what's so special about Richmond, take a hike up
Richmond
Hill
. To get there, head up Hill Rise from the top of Bridge Street, passing between the
eighteenth-century antique shops and tearooms on your left, and the small sloping
green on your right. Eventually you come to the
Terrace Gardens
, celebrated for the
view up the thickly wooded Thames valley. Turner, Reynolds, Kokoschka and countless
other artists have painted this view, which remains relatively unchanged and takes in
six counties from Windsor to the North Downs. Richmond's wealthiest inhabitants
have flocked to the hill's commanding heights over the centuries. The future George IV
is alleged to have spent his secret honeymoon at
3 The Terrace
, after marrying Mrs
Fitzherbert; twice divorced and a Catholic to boot, she was never likely to be Queen,
though she bore the prince ten children.
Further along, on the opposite side of the street, William Chambers built
Wick House
in 1772 as a summer residence for the enormously successful Joshua
Reynolds. The building currently houses the nurses who work at the nearby
Royal
Star & Garter Home
, a rest home for war veterans built shortly after World War I,
and now the dominant feature of the hillside. Disabled war veterans are also among
the workforce at Richmond's
Poppy Factory
(
W
poppyfactory.org), who produce the
thousands of poppies, petals and wreaths used during the build-up to Remembrance
Day in November; the factory welcomes visitors and conducts regular ninety-
minute guided tours.
Richmond Park
Daily March-Sept 7am-dusk; Oct-Feb 7.30am-dusk • Free •
T
0300 061 2200,
W
royalparks.org.uk • Bus #371 from
!
Richmond to
Richmond Gate or #65 from
!
Richmond to Petersham Gate
Richmond's greatest attraction is the enormous
Richmond Park
,
at the top of Richmond
Hill - 2500 acres of undulating grassland and bracken, dotted with coppiced woodland
and as wild as anything in London. Royal hunting ground since the thirteenth century
(when it was known as Shene Chase), this is Europe's largest city park - eight miles
across at its widest point. It's famous for its red and fallow deer, which roam freely
- and breed so successfully, they have to be culled twice a year - and for its ancient
oaks. Though for the most part untamed, there are a couple of deliberately landscaped
plantations which feature splendid springtime azaleas and rhododendrons.
From Richmond Gate, at the top of Richmond Hill, it's a short walk south along
the crest of the hill to
Pembroke Lodge
(originally known as The Molecatcher's), the
childhood home of the philosopher Bertrand Russell. Set in its own lovely garden,
the house is now a tearoom with outdoor seating and more spectacular views up the
Thames valley. Close by, to the north, is the highest point in the park, known as
King
Henry VIII's Mount
, where tradition has it the king waited for the flare launched from
the Tower of London, which signalled the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn,
though historians believe he was in Wiltshire at the time.
