Number One London

NATIONAL PICNIC WEEK

by Guest Blogger Ahmed Al-Ansari

From the 13^th to the 21^st June 2015 the nation celebrates National Picnic Week! For those busy working or who live in one of the many high rise apartments in the city we have compiled a list of the top green spaces that you can enjoy while on a lunch break, day out or simply a stroll.

We have even gone to the trouble of listing the closest tube station to show how easy it is to reach these fantastic communal parks.

Image Source: www.royalparks.org.uk

The Green Park

Closest Tube Station: Green Park or Hyde Park Corner

Green Park is one of the smallest royal parks in the city centre with just 40 acres. It lies next to Buckingham Palace and is a popular location for picnics.

This park opened to the public in 1826, previous to then it was an enclosed area used as a hunting ground by King Charles II.

Although the area is smaller and has just one kiosk for refreshments the location is so central it is perfect for those wanting to take part in the ‘Picnic Week’ during a lunch hour with use of some very British striped deck chairs for hire.

Image Source: www.hampsteadheath.org.uk

Hampstead Heath

Closest Tube Station: Golders Green, Hampstead Heath or Kentish Town

‘The Heath’ as it is known is one of the oldest areas of common land in London dating back to 986 and it is even mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086.

This open space, although much smaller than back in the 9^thCentury, encompasses 790 acres of land, with a zoo, athletics track, education centre, and three free swimming pools and a Lido!

If you are not the sporty type the park offers one of the best views of London standing at one of the highest points in the city.

The Heath also has a recognised status as one of London’s best places for wildlife.

Image Source: www.qpark.org.uk

Queens Park

Closest Tube Station: Queen’s Park

Queens Park, named after Queen Victoria in 1887, is also a registered charity.

The 12 hectares of space, although far smaller than the likes of Hampstead Heath, provide a green space in one of London’s most densely populated areas.

The park includes a tennis court, pitch and putt course, ornamental garden, paddling pool, small zoo and café.

Image source: www.gardenvisit.com

St Dunstan in the East

Closest Tube Station: Monument or Tower Hill

This popular space was opened as a garden in the 1970’s, one of the more recent additions to London’s green spaces. Originally the Church of St Dunstan stood on the area but after damage from the Great Fire of London and the Blitz in 1941 the church went into disrepair and in 1967 it was decided that the ruins would be used as a garden area.

Those with green fingers will really appreciate this green space, rich with flowers webbing through the ruins.

Image Source: www.royalparks.org.uk

Hyde Park

Closest Tube Station: Lancaster Gate and Marble Arch

This is London’s biggest royal park at 350 acres which equates to approx. 1.5 miles long and 1 mile wide. The park once owed by King Henry VIII was opened to the public in the 1600’s but during that time only very high class members of society were allowed to enter the parks enclosures.

It is the home to landmarks including Serpentine Lake, Speakers Corner and Diana, Princes of Wakes Memorial Fountain, but what it is perhaps best known for in recent times is as a popular location for mass demonstrations, the Christmas Winter Wonderland and live music events.

The park also offers a volunteer run electric buggy service. ‘Liberty Drives’ are small sightseeing buggies driven by volunteers around the parks which do not charge a fare, but ask for a donation.

National Picnic Week runs from Saturday the 13^th June to Sunday 21^st June you can find out more here www.nationalpicnicweek.co.uk.

Author Bio: Ahmed Al-Ansari, Media Manager at Morgan Pryce, commercial property agents in London

PLANT A PIECE OF BRITISH HISTORY TO CELEBRATE WATERLOO

The Wellington Oak

Combermere Abbey Estate will host a series of Open Garden Afternoon events this summer; a rare chance to enter the gates of this privately-owned historic estate and explore its horticultural splendour.

In celebration of the Bi-Centennial of The Battle of Waterloo this June, and the estate’s link with the Duke of Wellington, there will also be the unique opportunity to purchase a commemorative oak sapling, cultivated from a hearty oak, originally planted by the Duke on his visit to Combermere in 1820.

Wellington visited that year as he was to be godfather to the son of Stapleton Cotton, Viscount Combermere, and his second wife, Caroline – the christening of Wellington Henry, took place on Christmas Day. At the time Wellington was the most famous man in England following his famous victory, and a visitor of such notoriety caused a huge fuss both on the estate and in the local area. So much so, that the Viscount decided to re-model the Abbey and a new Wing was added, with a Ballroom and Dining Room, to impress his military hero and personal friend. The Duke in return, planted a commemorative oak tree to mark his visit. From this tree, 200 oak saplings have been cultivated to celebrate the bi-centennial of Wellington’s victory at The Battle of Waterloo on June 18^th.

The Open Garden Afternoons will take on June 17^th, July 22^nd, August 26^thand September 23^rd. Some proceeds from the June event will go to support the charity, Friends of Whitchurch Hospital and their ‘Baby Pod’ appeal. Monies raised from the event will be matched by the charity with the aim of raising funds for the pod, which will transport very ill babies to specialist care at Telford Hospital. The July event will support St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice.

Visitors to the events will enjoy the rare opportunity to explore around 10 acres of the C12th estate’s gardens, it’s beautiful Victorian Walled Gardens and Glasshouse, The Pleasure Garden and The Garden Wood, leading down to the lake, with enchanting views over the water and countryside beyond.

The magnificently restored Glasshouse, designed by Messenger, sits within the Abbey’s fruit tree maze. The only one of its kind in the world, it is an espaliered labyrinth of redcurrants, gooseberries and over 25 varieties of apple and pear trees, and will provide a wonderful place to enjoy the refreshments including home-made cakes on offer, whilst taking in the sights and sounds of the gardens.

The Abbey’s team of gardeners will be on hand to answer any garden queries and share their tips and anecdotes at these delightfully informal events. A history and map of the gardens, including plants list will be available.

There will be a Plant and Produce Stall too, with the Duke’s two year old potted oak saplings for sale at £10, lovely home-grown plants, home-made fresh fruit juices and preserves, as well as books about the history of the Estate.

Tickets are priced at £5 each. Gates will open at 1pm and the events will close at 5pm (last entry is at 4pm). There are a limited number of saplings available at each event. Kindly note dogs and picnics are not permitted at these events.

Parking is free of charge.

www.combermereabbey.co.uk

estate@combermereabbey.co.uk

01948 662880

Combermere Abbey, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 4 AJ

A WATERLOO ROUND UP

To mark the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, we’ve rounded up various ways to commemorate the day.

Watch the 50 minute Battlefield Detectives documentary that breaks down the Battle of Waterloo using cutting edge technology, expert research, historic documents and even weather reports. Fascinating stuff filmed on location.

Alternately, if you’ve only five minutes or so, you can watch All You Need to Know About Waterloo here – not bad despite the fact that they say in the introduction that the Battle took place on July 18.

Please sign the petition to save the Waterloo Battlefield located in the left hand sidebar of this blog.

Read a prior post on the harrowing experience Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby endured at the Battle of Waterloo: he was shot, stabbed, run over by charging cavalry horses, robbed and left for dead. Amazingly, he was rescued by a French officer and nursed back to health in Brussels by his mother, Lady Bessborough, who arrived shortly after the Battle with Freddy’s sister, Lady Caroline Lamb. Incredible.

Read the story of Copenhagen, the horse ridden by the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo, here.

Visit the Waterloo200 website – the organization was formed to organize and coordinate events associated with the 200th anniversary of the Battle. Their sponsor is the current Duke of Wellington. Lot’s of fab info, including the events planned around the re-enactment of Percy’s Delivery of the Waterloo Despatch.

If you’re on Twitter, search #waterloo1815 throughout the day for real time Battle updates.

Read the story behind “Waterloo Teeth” here – not for the squeamish.

Read the story of Wellington’s “Waterloo Breeches” here – quite amusing.

WHAT WE SAW AT WATERLOO 2010

In the run up to the Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, Number One London will be deviating from our usual publishing schedule in order to bring you all things Waterloo, beginning today. We hope you’ll enjoy revisiting some of these posts as much as we have. Huzzah!

This post was originally posted here in 2010 and in 2013.

In 2010, on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, Victoria and I toured the battlefield and I stayed on for the Battle re-enactment. In a lead up to this year’s anniversary of the Battle, below are but a few of our favorite photos from that visit.