The Water Gardens, Bushy Park

Image: © Marathon Taken: 11 Dec 2014

Bushy was one of the three parks enclosed by Cardinal Wolsey in the early 16th century as part of his Hampton Court estate which was built from 1515 and given to Henry VIII along with the palace in 1525. In 1638-9 Charles I had a tributary of the River Colne diverted through Bushy Park to form the Longford River, bringing water right into the grounds of Hampton Court Palace. This provided a water supply for the numerous water features in the parks. Numerous smaller ponds and other water features in Bushy Park have been added at various times since the 16th century. Charles Montagu, Earl of Halifax was Ranger of Bushy Park. In 1710 he rebuilt his official residence, Upper Lodge, and set about improving the grounds. Halifax exploited three different sources of water to create his Water Gardens. He straightened the route of the Longford River from its entry into the park, leading into the newly-formed Octagonal Basin and over the five-tier cascade into the lower pool, returning the water to the Longford River for the necessary onward water supply to Hampton Court Palace. The shape of the lower pool is unusual and copies one at Boughton House in Northamptonshire, constructed a few years earlier by Halifax’s uncle, John Montagu. Restoration of the Water Garden was completed by the Royal Parks in 2009. A close up of the information board can be seen at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4283413 For a photograph of Upper Lodge and more information about its later use see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3886107

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