Southwark Park
Encyclopedia
Southwark Park is located in Rotherhithe
, in central South East London, and is managed by the London Borough of Southwark
. It first opened in 1869 by the Metropolitan Board of Works
as one of its first parks. It was designed by Alexander McKenzie and covers 63 acres (254,952.2 m²).http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/ParksSection/AZParks/southwarkparkhistory.html
It received £2.5 million from the National Lottery's Heritage Lottery Fund
in 1998 which enabled large parts of the park to be refurbished.
The bandstand dates from 1884 and was originally sited in the Royal Horticultural Society
grounds at South Kensington
. It has a sister in Peckham Rye Park.
The Old English Cottage Garden was designed by Col. J.J. Sexby, Parks Superintendent for the London County Council
. The idea for the rose garden came from Dr Alfred Salter
, Member of Parliament for West Bermondsey. It was opened in 1936 and was named after Ada Salter when she died in 1943.http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/ParksSection/AZParks/southwarkparkfacilities.html
Other facilities include a cafe, a wildlife garden, a boating lake and an art gallery.
Sports facilities include an athletics track run by Fusion, a bowling green, football pitches and tennis courts.
There is a Friends of Southwark Park group and a Young Friends of Southwark Park group to enable the community to get involved in the management of their park. The Friends of Southwark Park is a non-party-political community organisation, recognised by the London Borough of Southwark. Its primary role is to liaise with, and encourage the Council to look after the parks in the interests of the people who use them.
However, the park is also rich in trees less common in London. Opposite the entrance to the art gallery is a Walnut tree (Juglans regia) and a series of three or four Silver Maples (Acer saccharinum). There is as also a Red Oak (Quercus rubra) close to these maples. Next to the duck pond and the garden area there are three Swamp Cypresses (Taxodium distichum
), although without the distinctive wooden 'knees' which sometimes surround trees of this variety.
stations (formerly on the London Underground
network's East London Line
) and two London Underground stations (One sharing with the London Overground) located near the edges of Southwark Park. In clockwise order starting from the west, they are:
Local buses 47, 188, 381, C10 and P12 buses serve the park at the Jamaica Road entrance. At night the park is served by N47 and N381 buses, while the 188 bus runs a 24 hour service.
Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
, in central South East London, and is managed by the London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
. It first opened in 1869 by the Metropolitan Board of Works
Metropolitan Board of Works
The Metropolitan Board of Works was the principal instrument of London-wide government from 1855 until the establishment of the London County Council in 1889. Its principal responsibility was to provide infrastructure to cope with London's rapid growth, which it successfully accomplished. The MBW...
as one of its first parks. It was designed by Alexander McKenzie and covers 63 acres (254,952.2 m²).http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/ParksSection/AZParks/southwarkparkhistory.html
It received £2.5 million from the National Lottery's Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
in 1998 which enabled large parts of the park to be refurbished.
Facilities
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
grounds at South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
. It has a sister in Peckham Rye Park.
The Old English Cottage Garden was designed by Col. J.J. Sexby, Parks Superintendent for the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
. The idea for the rose garden came from Dr Alfred Salter
Alfred Salter
Dr Alfred Salter was a British medical practitioner and Labour Party politician.Southwark Council has offered £1000 reward for anyone who recovers the statue stolen on 18 November. -Early life:...
, Member of Parliament for West Bermondsey. It was opened in 1936 and was named after Ada Salter when she died in 1943.http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/ParksSection/AZParks/southwarkparkfacilities.html
Other facilities include a cafe, a wildlife garden, a boating lake and an art gallery.
Sports facilities include an athletics track run by Fusion, a bowling green, football pitches and tennis courts.
There is a Friends of Southwark Park group and a Young Friends of Southwark Park group to enable the community to get involved in the management of their park. The Friends of Southwark Park is a non-party-political community organisation, recognised by the London Borough of Southwark. Its primary role is to liaise with, and encourage the Council to look after the parks in the interests of the people who use them.
Trees in Southwark Park
As with many spaces within London, the Plane tree (Platanus x hispanica) is dominant within Southwark park particularly the northern most section around the bandstand, which runs next to Jamaica Road.However, the park is also rich in trees less common in London. Opposite the entrance to the art gallery is a Walnut tree (Juglans regia) and a series of three or four Silver Maples (Acer saccharinum). There is as also a Red Oak (Quercus rubra) close to these maples. Next to the duck pond and the garden area there are three Swamp Cypresses (Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum is a species of conifer native to the southeastern United States.-Characteristics:...
), although without the distinctive wooden 'knees' which sometimes surround trees of this variety.
Transport
There are three London OvergroundLondon Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
stations (formerly on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
network's East London Line
East London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
) and two London Underground stations (One sharing with the London Overground) located near the edges of Southwark Park. In clockwise order starting from the west, they are:
- BermondseyBermondsey tube stationBermondsey tube station is a London Underground station. It is situated in the eastern part of Bermondsey in the London Borough of Southwark, and so also serves the western part of Rotherhithe....
(Jubilee LineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
) - RotherhitheRotherhithe tube stationRotherhithe railway station is a railway station on the southern bank of the river Thames at Rotherhithe, London, England. It is on London Overground's East London Line, between and , and is in Zone 2...
(London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
) - Canada WaterCanada Water tube stationCanada Water station is a London Underground and London Overground station in Rotherhithe, in south London, UK. It takes its name from Canada Water, a lake which was created from a former dock in the London Docklands....
(London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
and Jubilee LineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
) - Surrey QuaysSurrey Quays tube stationSurrey Quays railway station is a railway station in Rotherhithe near Southwark Park. It is in Zone 2, on the East London Line. The next station to the north is , and to the south it splits into branches to and...
(London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
)
Local buses 47, 188, 381, C10 and P12 buses serve the park at the Jamaica Road entrance. At night the park is served by N47 and N381 buses, while the 188 bus runs a 24 hour service.