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Coordinates: 51°28′09″N 0°18′38″W / 51.4692°N 0.31068°W / 51.4692; -0.31068
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{{Short description|Open space in Richmond, London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
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| photo = Richmond Deer Park Obelisk.jpg
| photo = Richmond Deer Park Obelisk.jpg
| photo_width =
| photo_width =
| photo_caption = One of the two [[obelisks]] facing the [[River Thames]] in Old Deer Park
| photo_caption = One of the two [[obelisks]] facing the [[River Thames]] in Old Deer Park, used to align<br>[[Kew Observatory]] telescopes
| photo_alt =
| photo_alt =
| map = Greater London
| map = Greater London
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<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:King's Observatory.jpg|thumb|right|333px|''Kew Observatory'' built by King George III. The obelisk in the foreground signifies the orientation North.]] -->
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:King's Observatory.jpg|thumb|right|333px|''Kew Observatory'' built by King George III. The obelisk in the foreground signifies the orientation North.]] -->
'''Old Deer Park''' is an area of open space within [[Richmond, London|Richmond]], in the [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]], [[England]]. It covers {{convert|147|ha|acre}} of which {{convert|90.4|ha|acre|-1}} is not in public ownership, largely sports grounds for the sports of rugby and golf.<ref name="Wilkie">{{cite web |url=http://www.kimwilkie.com/pages/projects/lon/lon_odp.html |title=Old Deer Park Landscape Strategy |year=2000 |first=Kim |last=Wilkie}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.richmond.gov.uk/str_kew.pdf |title=Kew |publisher=[[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]] |accessdate=26 December 2010}}</ref>
'''Old Deer Park''' is an area of open space within [[Richmond, London|Richmond]], owned by the [[Crown Estate]], in the [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]], [[England]]. It covers {{convert|147|ha|acre}} of which {{convert|90.4|ha|acre|-1}} are leased as sports grounds for sports, particularly rugby and golf.<ref name="Wilkie">{{cite web |url=http://www.kimwilkie.com/pages/projects/lon/lon_odp.html |title=Old Deer Park Landscape Strategy |year=2000 |first=Kim |last=Wilkie |access-date=15 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060311064955/http://www.kimwilkie.com/pages/projects/lon/lon_odp.html |archive-date=11 March 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.richmond.gov.uk/str_kew.pdf |title=Kew |publisher=[[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]] |access-date=26 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517075344/http://www.richmond.gov.uk/str_kew.pdf |archive-date=17 May 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Despite the name, there are now no deer in the park.


==Location==
==Location==
The park is bounded generally by the [[River Thames|Thames]] to the west, [[Kew Gardens]] to the north, and across [[A316 road|a trunk road]] urban areas of [[Richmond, London|Richmond town]] to the east and south. Owned by the [[Crown Estate]], the park forms part of a larger retained historic and biodiverse landscape incorporating part of Richmond, [[Kew]] and [[Isleworth]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/urban/our-portfolio/regional/regional-assets/|title=Our Portfolio|publisher=[[Crown Estate]]|accessdate=19 October 2012}}</ref> The lowest, western parts of the park constitute [[flood-meadow|flood storage areas]], which provide emergency flood relief around [[Richmond Lock and Footbridge|Richmond semi-tidally submerged Lock]].
The park is bounded generally by the [[River Thames]] to the west, [[Kew Gardens]] to the north and, across [[A316 road|a trunk road]], urban areas of Richmond town to the east and south. Owned by the Crown Estate, the park forms part of a larger retained historic and biodiverse landscape incorporating part of Richmond, [[Kew]] and [[Isleworth]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/urban/our-portfolio/regional/regional-assets/|title=Our Portfolio|publisher=[[Crown Estate]]|access-date=19 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018064647/http://thecrownestate.co.uk/urban/our-portfolio/regional/regional-assets/|archive-date=18 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The lowest, western parts of the park constitute [[flood-meadow|flood storage areas]], which provide emergency flood relief around [[Richmond Lock and Footbridge|Richmond semi-tidally submerged Lock]].


Old Deer Park's heritage as a historic royal landscape in a favoured riverside location has become compromised over recent decades by instances of inappropriate recreational and parking development, general neglect, and insufficient control of tree planting. A long-term strategy is now being implemented to arrest and reverse this decline.<ref name="Wilkie"/>
Old Deer Park's heritage as a historic royal landscape in a favoured riverside location has become compromised over recent decades by instances of inappropriate recreational and parking development, general neglect, and insufficient control of tree planting. A long-term strategy is now being implemented to arrest and reverse this decline.<ref name="Wilkie"/>


==History==
==History==
In the mid-16th century, [[Richmond Palace]] was a favourite residence of [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth I]] and in 1574 she granted "Our park of Isleworth otherwise called the Newe Parke of Richmonde" to [[Edward Bacon (died 1618)|Edward Bacon]]. This statement was made even though [[Isleworth]] parish and manor lay on the Middlesex bank opposite the Surrey bank of Richmond &mdash; the [[Syon Abbey|Abbey of Syon]] in Isleworth was tied to that [[Sheen Priory|of Sheen]] on the other respective bank, which had jointly for centuries owned the estate.
In the mid-16th century, [[Richmond Palace]] was a favourite residence of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] and in 1574 she granted "Our park of Isleworth otherwise called the Newe Parke of Richmonde" to [[Edward Bacon (died 1618)|Edward Bacon]]. This statement was made even though Isleworth parish and manor lay on the [[Middlesex]] bank opposite the [[Surrey]] bank of Richmond &mdash; the [[Syon Abbey|Abbey of Syon]] in Isleworth was tied to that [[Sheen Priory|of Sheen]] on the other respective bank, which had jointly for centuries owned the estate.


In the year of the [[Elizabeth I of England#Death|death of Elizabeth]] at Richmond, 1603, a hunting park was established by [[King James I of England|King James I]] by adding monastic land to the existing park and creating an enlarged area of {{convert|370|acre|km2}}. This then became known as The New Park of Richmond. The present name "Old Deer Park" was adopted after 1637 upon the establishment by [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]] of the much larger [[Richmond Park]] on the other side of the town.
Queen Elizabeth died at Richmond in 1603. Later that year her successor, King [[James I of England]], established a hunting park by adding monastic land to the existing park and creating an enlarged area of {{convert|370|acre|km2}}. This then became known as The New Park of Richmond. The present name "Old Deer Park" was adopted after 1637 when James's son King [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] established the much larger [[Richmond Park]] on the other side of the town. During the eighteenth century [[Richmond Lodge]] was located in the Park, which served as the summer home of [[George II of Great Britain|George, Prince of Wales]] (the future George II) and his wife [[Caroline of Ansbach|Princess Caroline]] following their dispute with his father [[George I of Great Britain|George I]].


The majority of park is now occupied by the [[Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club]], and this has been so since 1892.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rmsgc.co.uk/club/history/|title=History |publisher=[[Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club]] |accessdate=19 October 2012}}</ref> Within the club's boundaries are two 18-hole courses, plus a separate area within which lies the Grade I [[listed building|listed]] [[King's Observatory]],<ref name="KO listing">{{National Heritage List for England |num=1357729 |desc=Kew Observatory|accessdate=11 April 2016}}</ref> established by King [[George III of Great Britain|George III]] in 1769. To the south-west of the Observatory, under the fairway of the 14th hole of the outer golf course, lie the foundations of the former Carthusian [[Sheen Priory]], founded by [[Henry V of England|Henry V]] in 1414.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cloake |first=John |authorlink=John Cloake |title=Richmond's Great Monastery, The Charterhouse of Jesus of Bethlehem of Shene |publisher=[[Richmond, London#Societies|Richmond Local History Society]] |volume=6, |date=November 1990 |page=51 | isbn=978-0950819860| postscript=. (diagram).}}</ref>
The majority of park is now occupied by the [[Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club]], and this has been so since 1892.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rmsgc.co.uk/heritage|title=Heritage |publisher=[[Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club]] |access-date=26 April 2021}}</ref> Within the club's boundaries are two 18-hole courses, plus a separate area within which lies the Grade I [[listed building|listed]] [[King's Observatory]],<ref name="KO listing">{{National Heritage List for England |num=1357729 |desc=Kew Observatory|date = 10 January 1950|access-date=11 April 2016}}</ref> established by King [[George III of Great Britain|George III]] in 1769. To the south-west of the Observatory, under the fairway of the 14th hole of the outer golf course, lie the foundations of the former Carthusian [[Sheen Priory]], founded by [[Henry V of England|Henry V]] in 1414.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cloake |first=John |author-link=John Cloake |title=Richmond's Great Monastery, The Charterhouse of Jesus of Bethlehem of Shene |publisher=[[Richmond, London#Societies|Richmond Local History Society]] |volume=6 |date=November 1990 |page=51 (diagram) | isbn=978-0950819860}}</ref>


Construction of the railway line westwards from [[Richmond station (London)|Richmond Station]] in 1847/8 restricted the access from [[Richmond Green]] to Old Deer Park, except for one narrow bridge. Eighty-five years later a new arterial road (the [[A316 road|"Great Chertsey Road"]]), complete with a high ramped approach to a new bridge over the Thames ([[Twickenham Bridge]]&nbsp;– built in 1933), was also constructed across the southern end of the park, close to and roughly parallel with the railway. This heightened the sense of separation between town and park&nbsp;– alleviating this problem is also part of the new strategy.<ref name="Wilkie"/>
Construction of the railway line westwards from [[Richmond station (London)|Richmond Station]] in 1847/8 restricted the access from [[Richmond Green]] to Old Deer Park, except for one narrow bridge. Eighty-five years later a new arterial road (the [[A316 road|"Great Chertsey Road"]]), complete with a high ramped approach to a new bridge over the Thames ([[Twickenham Bridge]]&nbsp;– built in 1933), was also constructed across the southern end of the park, close to and roughly parallel with the railway. This heightened the sense of separation between town and park&nbsp;– alleviating this problem is also part of the new strategy.<ref name="Wilkie"/>


Beside the River Thames in the park are a pair of stone [[obelisks]]. They were built in 1769 and were originally used by the King's Observatory to observe the [[transit of Venus]] across the Sun that year. However, a legend says that they were erected in the 18th century as memorials to two men who lost their lives in a [[duel]] over a woman, who drowned herself in the river.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stmgrts.org.uk/archives/2011/11/the_obelisks.html|title=The Obelisks|publisher=St Margaret's Community site|accessdate=20 October 2014}}</ref>
Beside the River Thames in the park are a pair of stone [[obelisks]]. They were built in 1769, and were originally installed to align telescopes used by the King's Observatory to observe the [[transit of Venus]] across the Sun that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stmgrts.org.uk/archives/2011/11/the_obelisks.html|title=The Obelisks|publisher=St Margaret's Community site|date = 3 November 2011|access-date=3 October 2020}}</ref>


The park was used to accommodate 5,000 of the 8,000 [[Boy Scout|Scouts]] attending the [[1st World Scout Jamboree]] in 1920. The public open spaces are occasionally used for [[circus]]es, [[funfair]]s and other events.
The park was used to accommodate 5,000 of the 8,000 [[Boy Scout|Scouts]] attending the [[1st World Scout Jamboree]] in 1920. The public open spaces are occasionally used for [[circus]]es, [[funfair]]s and other events.
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| county club =
| county club =
| established = by 1867 season
| established = by 1867 season
| seating_capacity = 3,000<ref>{{cite web |title=Old Deer Park |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/ground/57545.html |website=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref>
| last used =
| last used =
}}
}}
[[File:Old Deer Park sports grounds, view south from Kew Gardens pagoda - geograph.org.uk - 226902.jpg|thumb|View of sports facilities at Old Deer Park]]
[[File:Old Deer Park sports grounds, view south from Kew Gardens pagoda - geograph.org.uk - 226902.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|View of sports facilities at Old Deer Park]]
[[File: Pools in the Park, Richmond - geograph.org.uk - 1618785.jpg |thumb|Main entrance and forecourt to [[Pools on the Park]]]]
[[File: Pools in the Park, Richmond - geograph.org.uk - 1618785.jpg |thumb|upright=1.4|Main entrance and forecourt to [[Pools on the Park]]]]
The Old Deer Park has been used a venue for [[cricket]] since at least 1867, when Richmond played a [[United South of England Eleven]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_misc.html |title=Other matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=Cricket Archive |accessdate=29 August 2010 }}</ref> During its history, the ground has played host to a number of [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex Second XI]] and [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey Second XI]] matches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_minc.html |title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=Cricket Archive |accessdate=29 August 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_sec.html |title=Second XI Championship Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=Cricket Archive |accessdate=29 August 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_set.html |title=Second XI Trophy Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=Cricket Archive |accessdate=29 August 2010 }}</ref>
Old Deer Park has been used a venue for [[cricket]] since at least 1867, when Richmond played a [[United South of England Eleven]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_misc.html |title=Other matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=[[CricketArchive]] |access-date=29 August 2010 }}</ref> During its history, the ground has played host to a number of [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex Second XI]] and [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey Second XI]] matches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_minc.html |title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=[[CricketArchive]] |access-date=29 August 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_sec.html |title=Second XI Championship Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=29 August 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_set.html |title=Second XI Trophy Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=[[CricketArchive]] |access-date=29 August 2010 }}</ref>


Despite historically being within Surrey, the ground has played host to [[List-A cricket|List-A]] matches involving [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]], the first of which saw them [[Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club|Nottinghamshire]] in the 2000 Norwich Union National League. In 2001 the [[Middlesex Cricket Board]] played their only List-A match at the ground in the [[2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy]] against [[Berkshire County Cricket Club|Berkshire]]. From 2000 to 2004, the ground held 5 List-A matches, the last of which saw Middlesex play [[Scotland national cricket team|Scotland]] in the 2004 [[totesport League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_a.html |title=List-A Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=Cricket Archive |accessdate=29 August 2010 }}</ref>
Despite historically being within Surrey, the ground has played host to [[List-A cricket|List-A]] matches involving [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]], the first of which saw them [[Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club|Nottinghamshire]] in the 2000 Norwich Union National League. In 2001 the [[Middlesex Cricket Board]] played their only List-A match at the ground in the [[2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy]] against [[Berkshire County Cricket Club|Berkshire]]. From 2000 to 2004, the ground held 5 List-A matches, the last of which saw Middlesex play [[Scotland national cricket team|Scotland]] in the 2004 [[totesport League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_a.html |title=List-A Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=[[CricketArchive]] |access-date=29 August 2010 }}</ref>


Starting in the [[2003 Twenty20 Cup]] against [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]], Middlesex have used the ground for six [[Twenty20]] matches to date.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_tt.html |title=Twenty20 Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=Cricket Archive |accessdate=29 August 2010 }}</ref>
Starting in the [[2003 Twenty20 Cup]] against [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]], Middlesex have used the ground for six [[Twenty20]] matches to date.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/709_tt.html |title=Twenty20 Matches played on Old Deer Park | publisher=[[CricketArchive]] |access-date=29 August 2010 }}</ref>


In local domestic cricket, the ground is the home venue of [[Richmond Cricket Club (1862)|Richmond Cricket Club]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://richmond.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp? |title=Richmond Cricket Club |accessdate=29 August 2010}}</ref>
In local domestic cricket, the ground is the home venue of [[Richmond Cricket Club (1862)|Richmond Cricket Club]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.richmondcricketclub.com/|title=Richmond Cricket Club|access-date=29 August 2010}}</ref>


==Main elements of the park==
==Main elements of the park==
Accessed from the [[A316 road|A316]]:
Accessed from the [[A316 road|A316]]:
*Recreation Ground, with open recreation areas, football, rugby and other pitches
*Informal sport area, with open recreation areas, football, rugby and other pitches
*[[Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club]] courses
*[[Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club]] courses
*[[Kew Observatory|King's Observatory]] compound
*[[Kew Observatory|King's Observatory]]
*Richmond Athletic Ground, also home to [[London Scottish F.C.|London Scottish]] and [[Richmond F.C.|Richmond]] rugby clubs
*Richmond Athletic Ground, home to [[Richmond F.C.|Richmond]] rugby club
*Richmond Swimming Pool & Lido, now called [[Pools on the Park]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.springhealth.net/richmond/index.html |title=Pools on the Park |publisher=Springhealth Leisure|accessdate=16 November 2009}}</ref>
*Richmond Swimming Pool & Lido, now called [[Pools on the Park]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/sports/our_sports_and_fitness_centres/pools_on_the_park|title = Pools on the Park|publisher=[[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]|access-date=26 April 2021}}</ref>
*Public car park and miscellaneous commercial buildings
*Public car park and miscellaneous commercial buildings
Accessed from the [[A307 road|A307]]:
Accessed from the [[A307 road|A307]]:
*Sports Ground with rugby ([[London Welsh RFC|London Welsh]]), cricket, tennis and bowls<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olddeerpark.co.uk/sitePages.asp?step=4&navID=8&contentID=7 |title=Old Deer Park |accessdate=19 October 2012}}</ref>
*Sports Ground with rugby, cricket, tennis, archery and bowls<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olddeerpark.co.uk/sitePages.asp?step=4&navID=8&contentID=7 |title=Old Deer Park |publisher = Old Deer Park Sports Ground|access-date=26 April 2021}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.richmond.gov.uk/home/services/parks_and_open_spaces/find_a_park/park_details.htm?parkId=218 London Borough of Richmond upon Thames: Old Deer Park]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160815181428/http://www.richmond.gov.uk/home/services/parks_and_open_spaces/find_a_park/park_details.htm?parkId=218 London Borough of Richmond upon Thames: Old Deer Park]
{{Green London}}
{{Green London}}
{{LB Richmond}}
{{LB Richmond}}
{{Middlesex CCC}}
{{Cricket in Richmond upon Thames}}
{{Cricket in Richmond upon Thames}}
{{RFU Championship Venues}}
{{RFU Championship Venues}}
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[[Category:Deer hunting]]
[[Category:Deer hunting]]
[[Category:Obelisks in England]]
[[Category:Obelisks in England]]
[[Category:Old Deer Park|Old Deer Park]]

[[Category:Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:Richmond, London]]
[[Category:Rugby union stadiums in London]]
[[Category:Rugby union stadiums in London]]
[[Category:Sport in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:Sport in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]

Revision as of 09:40, 16 April 2024

Old Deer Park
One of the two obelisks facing the River Thames in Old Deer Park, used to align
Kew Observatory telescopes
Old Deer Park is located in Greater London
Old Deer Park
Typepublic
LocationRichmond, London
Coordinates51°27′51.79″N 0°18′21.67″W / 51.4643861°N 0.3060194°W / 51.4643861; -0.3060194
Area147 hectares (360 acres)

Old Deer Park is an area of open space within Richmond, owned by the Crown Estate, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. It covers 147 hectares (360 acres) of which 90.4 hectares (220 acres) are leased as sports grounds for sports, particularly rugby and golf.[1][2] Despite the name, there are now no deer in the park.

Location

The park is bounded generally by the River Thames to the west, Kew Gardens to the north and, across a trunk road, urban areas of Richmond town to the east and south. Owned by the Crown Estate, the park forms part of a larger retained historic and biodiverse landscape incorporating part of Richmond, Kew and Isleworth.[3] The lowest, western parts of the park constitute flood storage areas, which provide emergency flood relief around Richmond semi-tidally submerged Lock.

Old Deer Park's heritage as a historic royal landscape in a favoured riverside location has become compromised over recent decades by instances of inappropriate recreational and parking development, general neglect, and insufficient control of tree planting. A long-term strategy is now being implemented to arrest and reverse this decline.[1]

History

In the mid-16th century, Richmond Palace was a favourite residence of Queen Elizabeth I and in 1574 she granted "Our park of Isleworth otherwise called the Newe Parke of Richmonde" to Edward Bacon. This statement was made even though Isleworth parish and manor lay on the Middlesex bank opposite the Surrey bank of Richmond — the Abbey of Syon in Isleworth was tied to that of Sheen on the other respective bank, which had jointly for centuries owned the estate.

Queen Elizabeth died at Richmond in 1603. Later that year her successor, King James I of England, established a hunting park by adding monastic land to the existing park and creating an enlarged area of 370 acres (1.5 km2). This then became known as The New Park of Richmond. The present name "Old Deer Park" was adopted after 1637 when James's son King Charles I established the much larger Richmond Park on the other side of the town. During the eighteenth century Richmond Lodge was located in the Park, which served as the summer home of George, Prince of Wales (the future George II) and his wife Princess Caroline following their dispute with his father George I.

The majority of park is now occupied by the Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, and this has been so since 1892.[4] Within the club's boundaries are two 18-hole courses, plus a separate area within which lies the Grade I listed King's Observatory,[5] established by King George III in 1769. To the south-west of the Observatory, under the fairway of the 14th hole of the outer golf course, lie the foundations of the former Carthusian Sheen Priory, founded by Henry V in 1414.[6]

Construction of the railway line westwards from Richmond Station in 1847/8 restricted the access from Richmond Green to Old Deer Park, except for one narrow bridge. Eighty-five years later a new arterial road (the "Great Chertsey Road"), complete with a high ramped approach to a new bridge over the Thames (Twickenham Bridge – built in 1933), was also constructed across the southern end of the park, close to and roughly parallel with the railway. This heightened the sense of separation between town and park – alleviating this problem is also part of the new strategy.[1]

Beside the River Thames in the park are a pair of stone obelisks. They were built in 1769, and were originally installed to align telescopes used by the King's Observatory to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun that year.[7]

The park was used to accommodate 5,000 of the 8,000 Scouts attending the 1st World Scout Jamboree in 1920. The public open spaces are occasionally used for circuses, funfairs and other events.

Cricket ground

Old Deer Park cricket ground
LocationRichmond, London (in Surrey until 1965)
Home clubRichmond Cricket Club
Establishmentby 1867 season
Capacity3,000[8]
View of sports facilities at Old Deer Park
Main entrance and forecourt to Pools on the Park

Old Deer Park has been used a venue for cricket since at least 1867, when Richmond played a United South of England Eleven.[9] During its history, the ground has played host to a number of Middlesex Second XI and Surrey Second XI matches.[10][11][12]

Despite historically being within Surrey, the ground has played host to List-A matches involving Middlesex, the first of which saw them Nottinghamshire in the 2000 Norwich Union National League. In 2001 the Middlesex Cricket Board played their only List-A match at the ground in the 2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy against Berkshire. From 2000 to 2004, the ground held 5 List-A matches, the last of which saw Middlesex play Scotland in the 2004 totesport League.[13]

Starting in the 2003 Twenty20 Cup against Kent, Middlesex have used the ground for six Twenty20 matches to date.[14]

In local domestic cricket, the ground is the home venue of Richmond Cricket Club.[15]

Main elements of the park

Accessed from the A316:

Accessed from the A307:

  • Sports Ground with rugby, cricket, tennis, archery and bowls[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wilkie, Kim (2000). "Old Deer Park Landscape Strategy". Archived from the original on 11 March 2006. Retrieved 15 February 2006.
  2. ^ "Kew" (PDF). London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Our Portfolio". Crown Estate. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Heritage". Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  5. ^ Historic England (10 January 1950). "Kew Observatory (1357729)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  6. ^ Cloake, John (November 1990). Richmond's Great Monastery, The Charterhouse of Jesus of Bethlehem of Shene. Vol. 6. Richmond Local History Society. p. 51 (diagram). ISBN 978-0950819860.
  7. ^ "The Obelisks". St Margaret's Community site. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Old Deer Park". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Other matches played on Old Deer Park". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  10. ^ "Minor Counties Championship Matches played on Old Deer Park". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  11. ^ "Second XI Championship Matches played on Old Deer Park". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  12. ^ "Second XI Trophy Matches played on Old Deer Park". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  13. ^ "List-A Matches played on Old Deer Park". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  14. ^ "Twenty20 Matches played on Old Deer Park". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  15. ^ "Richmond Cricket Club". Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  16. ^ "Pools on the Park". London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Old Deer Park". Old Deer Park Sports Ground. Retrieved 26 April 2021.

51°28′09″N 0°18′38″W / 51.4692°N 0.31068°W / 51.4692; -0.31068

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