Long Water, Home Park, Hampton Court Palace

In medieval times, this area was open grazing land. It is likely that it was Cardinal Wolsey in the early 16 th century who first enclosed the land that we now know as Home Park. Henry VIII walled the road from Kingston to Hampton, creating a clear division with emparked areas to the north, which eventually combined to become Bushy Park.

From around 1530 to the 1650s, Home Park was in two sections. The more southerly was the House Park, which contained fallow deer. Towards the north was the Course, providing a mile-long course for the racing of dogs in pursuit of deer. The Park was originally mainly planted with oaks, but these were largely stripped by speculators during the period of the Commonwealth in the mid-17th century.

In the 1660s, after Charles II was restored to the throne, the great canal, now known as the Long Water, was dug, and its avenue of 550 lime trees first planted. After William III’s accession in 1689, the extra diagonal avenues were added, as well as a cross avenue linking their far ends. The 600 metre terrace overlooking the Thames (now part of the formal gardens) was added in 1701: It ended in a bowling green, around which four substantial pavilions were built in 1702.

Information from the Friends of Bushey and Home Park