London in Spring

Springtime seems to announce itself suddenly in London as the city casts off its winter coat and suddenly everything appears to be happening en plein air! So concerts, events, music, street theatre all come out of hiding and onto the streets and parks. One sure sign of spring is the great street celebration known as the London Marathon which 36,500 runners took part in on Sunday. The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and is one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981.



The other great sign of spring are the wonderful floral displays in London’s Parks, no more so than in my personal favourite St. James Park with its vistas of Buckingham Palace and Horseguards Parade over the entrancing lake bustling with wildfowl and a community of Pelicans, introduced by a Russian Ambassador in 1664.


London Eye from St James's Park

So after work the weather is just too dreamy to head straight home and it is time to get out again and walk to Green Park Station through the wonderful enclave of Queen Anne’s Gate, St. James Park, up the Mall to Buckingham Palace to view preparations for “The Wedding” and then along Queens Walk at the side of Green Park passing by some of the (few) remaining great houses of the aristocracy including Spencer House, the former townhouse of Lady Diana’s family.



Old Queen Street and adjacent Queen Anne’s Gate are set in the Birdcage Walk Conservation Area and contain some of London’s most striking William and Mary, Queen Anne and Georgian architecture.




Birdcage Walk


Queens Walk - Green Park





The Royal Parks which stretch from Kensington Palace to the Palace of Westminster owe their existence to the Restoration of the Monarchy after Cromwell’s Republic In 1660. At this time, England had a new King, Charles II. He wanted to be able to walk all the way from Hyde Park to St James's without leaving royal soil. With its royal, political and literary associations, St James's Park is at the very heart of London and covers 23 hectares (58 acres). With a lake harbouring ducks, geese and pelicans, St James's is also home to the Mall, the setting for many ceremonial parades and events of national celebration.





http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2009/04/st-jamess-park-london.html

The Green Park covers 40 acres and is an important link between St James's Park and Hyde Park in forming a chain of open spaces that contribute so much to life in the capital. Although situated so close to St James's Park, The Green Park is quite different in character. It is more peaceful with mature trees and grassland and is surrounded by Constitution Hill, Piccadilly and the Broad Walk.





In 2010, British and Chinese artists have created designs based on a 'seed theme'. Their deckchairs will be on display in the Royal Parks and the Shanghai Botanical Garden during the summer. The adventure also incorporates an educational programme in London and Shanghai - helping school children, plus a group of older people, explore the natural world and its portrayal through art. Their designs will also be reproduced as deckchairs in the Parks.









Since 2006, an eclectic mix of 70 visionary artists, cartoonists, fashion and interior designers, thespians, celebrity chefs, singers and taxidermists, children from nine schools and members of the Household Cavalry have helped to make Deckchair Dreams a reality. Together they have designed 81 original deckchairs that celebrate the trees, wildlife, and other rare and wonderful things of London's eight Royal Parks. They bring joy to the Parks and allow visitors to relax on works of art.
This is one of the great Joys of London; Art is always around whether it is in the wonderful collections in the National or Tate Galleries or in street displays like Cow Parade or the Elephants last year.

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2010/05/elephants-of-old-london-town.html

In front of Buckingham Palace preparations are afoot the wedding on the 29th April of Prince William and Kate Middleton including the building of a Press Centre facing the Palace which will carry broadcasts of the “Great Event.” One is constrained from commenting further for One is Invited!





http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2011/03/one-is-invited.html










Time then to head back along the great ceremonial avenue The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace where over 600,000 people are expected to congregate next Friday. Outside Buckingham Palace is the Queen Victoria Memorial, which celebrates the days of the British Empire. The memorial includes not only the marble statue of Victoria and the glittering figures of Victory, Courage and Constancy, but also the ornamental gates given by the Dominions. These are the Australia Gate, South Africa Gate and Canada Gate. On the North side of the Mall are some of the great aristocratic houses still extant in London, Marlborough House, Lancaster House, The Palace of St. James and last but not least Clarence House.


Lancaster House

Clarence House is the official residence of The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry. Designed by prolific architect John Nash, it was the home of The Queen and The Queen Mother between 1953 and 2001 and is attached to St. James’s Palace. By the side of Green Park is Queen’s Walk, laid out in 1730 for George III’s wife, Caroline of Brunswick-Stretlitz who gave her name to the Bird of paradise flower, in Latin Stretlitzia.


Clarence House

Along here some of the aristocratic houses survive most notably the glorious edifice of Spencer House restored by Lord Rothschild who is also the guiding force behind Waddesdon Manor.

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2007/11/waddesdon-manor-buckinghamshire.html

From its conception, Spencer House was recognised as one of the most ambitious aristocratic town houses ever built in London and is, today, the city's only great eighteenth-century private palace to survive intact. Spencer House was built in 1756-66 for John, first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-97). Situated in the heart of St James's, Spencer House is a short distance from St James's Palace, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster, and has a splendid terrace and garden with magnificent views of The Green Park.


Spencer House


John Spencer initially employed the Palladian architect John Vardy, a pupil of William Kent. Vardy was responsible for the external elevations of Spencer House and the design of the ground floor rooms including some of the furniture. James 'Athenian' Stuart, then newly returned from Greece, superseded Vardy as Lord Spencer's architect in 1758. As a result, the House became the first example in London of the application of accurate Greek detail to interior decoration, making it one of the pioneer examples of neo-classical architecture.

At the top of Queen’s Walk you come to Green Park Tube Station which is currently in the throes of redevelopment to provide disabled access before the 2012 Olympics. As part of London Underground's upgrade works to improve the accessibility and operation of Green Park tube station, a number of improvements are being made to The Green Park including:



Improved views both into and out from the Park. Improved appearance of the area around the Ritz Corner on Piccadilly. An opportunity to enhance the horticultural and ecological value of the area, with improved landscaping. A new entrance to the station, direct from the Park, including improved access for people with restricted or reduced mobility.



Coming out onto Piccadilly by Green Park station it is hard to believe this traffic clogged artery was once one of London’s most fashionable streets lined by more huge houses of the aristocracy. Foremost amongst these on the North side of Piccadilly was the house depicted in the movie about Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire depicted in the movie “Duchess” starring Keira Knightly. Devonshire House in Piccadilly was the London residence of the Dukes of Devonshire in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was built for William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire in the Palladian style, to designs by William Kent. Completed circa 1740, empty after World War I, it was demolished in 1924.

Before the early 20th century, many of Britain's peers maintained large London houses which carried their name, As a ducal house (only in mainland Europe were such houses referred to as palaces) Devonshire House was one of the largest and grandest, ranking alongside Burlington House, Montague House, Lansdowne House, Londonderry House, Northumberland House and Norfolk House. All of these, like most of the great London free-standing houses are now long demolished, apart from Lansdowne House, which is substantially altered by a road in front of it.


The former gates of Devonshire House incorporated into Green Park




Devonshire House - Past and present

Today, the site is occupied by offices, known as Devonshire House which incorporates the Northern entrance to Green Park Tube.

As we head towards London 2012 the Olympic Games in London next year these Royal Parks will play an important role in London’s hosting of the event. The Royal Parks will host some of the key venues for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and planning permission has now been secured for each venue:

Greenwich Park - Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events; and elements of the Modern Pentathlon;
Horse Guards Parade Ground - Beach Volleyball;
Hyde Park - Triathlon and Marathon Swimming.

In addition to this a number of events will incorporate roads in the Royal Parks - including:

The Mall in St James's Park - will host the start/finish of Road Cycling; the Olympic and Paralympic Marathon and Race Walk;

Bushy Park - will be used for part of the Road Race Cycling route. The outbound route will enter the park at the north and then head south down Chestnut Avenue, and around the Diana Fountain. The course will not pass through Bushy Park on the return leg. The men's Time Trial cycling race will be held on 1 August 2012 and it will take in Chestnut Avenue and the Diana Fountain in Bushy Park along the route;



Richmond Park - will be used for part of the Road Race Cycling route. The outbound course for the road race will enter Richmond Park through Roehampton Gate, and then head west to leave the park through Richmond Gate. The return route will enter the park at Kingston Gate, and then head north to Richmond Gate where it will then head east to leave the park at Roehampton Gate.

The Royal Parks is also working with the Greater London Authority over plans for Hyde Park to host a Festival Live Site during the Olympic Games, providing Games coverage as well as cultural programmes.