The original Pleasure Gardens were laid out in the 1600’s. though it wasn’t until 1729 when a man named Jonathan Tyers saw the potential of the gardens for entertainment that they came into their own.
It cost a shilling to enter, quite a sum back then. The idea was to keep the riff-raff out! Despite this, princes entertained prostitutes and drukenness was common. The gardens were a backdrop to several novels, including Vanity Fair by William Thackery. Inside you could get a meal, be entertained by an orchestra, enjoy a firework display, through a lantern lit tree lined secluded garden and hear works by George Frideric Handel (he was a sort of composer-in-residence). However, the gardens became known as a place where the seamier side of the wealthy was on display!
The gardens finally closed in 1859. Do read the excellent article on the Museum of London website. It has a short history, pictures and a layout of the gardens.
I have become quite fascinated by the gardens over the years. These days the gardens are surrounded by housing estates. The gardens have play areas and a city farm, which opens again next week. I was able to get a few photos through the wire fence, though! You can get a glimpse of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens from the window of the train as it journeys into London Waterloo station. The train stops at Vauxhall.
I love the sculptures at the main entrance to the gardens – a woman and a man. It’s nice to know that the gardens still exists in some form, but I can’t help wishing I could travel back in time and visit them as they were – scandal and all!
A walk over Vauxhall Bridge and it’s not long before you come to Victoria and Westminster. I was out to see a sculpture just called Wind Sculpture that I’d come across online. Firstly, I came to the beautiful Westminster Cathedral. Some years ago I visited and went up to the top of the tower.
There is a lot of work taking place in Westminster. Many of the little parks are occupied with workmen taking a break. Christchurch Gardens looks relatively new, what I would call a ‘pocket park’. The church no longer exists, but the there is board giving the history and the connection with suffragettes, as well as a sculpture to them. At the main entrance there is a sculpture to the composer Henry Purcell. There is an interesting article about Christchurch Gardens here.
It was in Christchurch Gardens where I stopped to have a hot drink (it was quite cold that day) and then I walked on to Parliament Square before heading towards Embankment. A brief walk along the Thames took me to Hungerford Bridge where I crossed the river and walked back to the train station.
My London+ 