Waterlow Park
Waterlow Park is a 26-acre (11 ha) park in the south east of Highgate Village, in north London. It was given to the public (i.e. the London County Council[1]) by Sir Sydney Waterlow, as "a garden for the gardenless" in 1889.
Description
The park is set on a hillside and offers views across the City of London. It has three ponds all fed by natural springs.[2] The land has been laid out as gardens since the seventeenth century and contains many mature trees.
Lauderdale House which is at the edge of the park, is used as a tea room and for functions and arts events and is surrounded by formal gardens. It is a much modified very old timber framed house, dating back to the sixteenth century. None of the interior remains in its original state. It was the home of the notorious Earl (later Duke) of Lauderdale in the 17th century. There is a local tradition that Nell Gwyn, the mistress of King Charles II lived there at a later date.[2]
The poet Andrew Marvell lived in another nearby house which was once within the bounds of the park. One of his poems is displayed on a bronze plaque in the park.[2] Another house once within the park was the home of the architect Sir James Pennethorne.
It suffered years of neglect and vandalism but was restored with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It reopened in 2005 and is now managed by the London Borough of Camden.
Cultural references
It was referenced by Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople in their song "Waterlow", from the 1971 album "Wildlife".
References
- ^ "Waterlow, Sir Philip Hickson". Who's Who: 2684. 1920.
- ^ a b c "Waterlow Park - History". www.waterlowpark.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-08.
- The Buildings of England London 4: North. Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner. ISBN 0-300-09653-4.
- Waterlow Park, a garden for the gardenless' by Pam Cooper ISBN 0-9554400-0-9
External links
- http://www.waterlowpark.org.uk Friends of Waterlow Park
- Photos: Bryan James
51°34′08″N 0°08′42″W / 51.569°N 0.145°W
