Corporation of London open spaces
Encyclopedia
The City of London Corporation owns and maintains open space in and around Greater London
. They have mainly been acquired since 1878, when two Acts of Parliament
entrusted the management of Epping Forest
and several other areas within a 25 mile (40 km) radius to the Corporation: these areas laid the foundation for the Green Belt
in the 20th century.
, including:
It also has an interest in the Downlands Countryside Management Project
in South-east London.
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. They have mainly been acquired since 1878, when two Acts of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
entrusted the management of Epping Forest
Epping Forest
Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London and Essex. It is a former royal forest, and is managed by the City of London Corporation....
and several other areas within a 25 mile (40 km) radius to the Corporation: these areas laid the foundation for the Green Belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
in the 20th century.
Within the City
There are 150 smaller areas within the square mile of the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, including:
- Courtyard of St Vedast Foster LaneSt Vedast Foster LaneSaint Vedast-alias-Foster, a church in Foster Lane, in the City of London, is dedicated to Vedast , a French saint whose cult came to England through contacts with Augustinian clergy.-History:...
- Cleary Garden
- Finsbury CircusFinsbury CircusFinsbury Circus is an elliptical square with its long axis lying east-west in the City of London, England; with an area of 2.2 hectares it is the largest public open space within the City's boundaries. It has an immaculately maintained Lawn Bowls club in the centre, which has existed in the gardens...
- Postman's ParkPostman's ParkPostman's Park is a park in central London, a short distance north of St Paul's Cathedral. Bordered by Little Britain, Aldersgate Street, King Edward Street, and the site of the former head office of the General Post Office , it is one of the largest parks in the City of London, the walled city...
- Seething Lane Garden
- St Paul'sSt Paul's CathedralSt Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
Churchyard - Churchyard at St Olave Hart StreetSt Olave Hart StreetSt Olave Hart Street is a Church of England church in the City of London, located on the corner of Hart Street and Seething Lane near Fenchurch Street railway station....
Outside the City
The total managed area is 42 square kilometres. Included in the open spaces are:- Hampstead HeathHampstead HeathHampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...
2.74 km². Located in the boroughs of CamdenLondon Borough of CamdenIn 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
and BarnetLondon Borough of BarnetThe London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the... - Epping ForestEpping ForestEpping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London and Essex. It is a former royal forest, and is managed by the City of London Corporation....
31.88 km². Largest public open space in the London area. - Burnham BeechesBurnham BeechesBurnham Beeches is an area of 220 hectares of ancient woodland, located close to Farnham Common, Burnham and Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire. It is approximately 25 miles to the west of London, England.-Preservation:...
2.18 km². An area In BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
purchased 1880. - Ashtead CommonAshtead CommonAshtead Common is a wooded area to the north of the village of Ashtead in England which is open to the public. It is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation at no cost to the public. There are 180.5 ha of this common in the National Nature Reserve...
, Surrey: 2.02 km². Wooded common purchased in 1991 - West Wickham and Coulsdon Commons 2.77 km². Includes Farthing Down, Kenley Common, Riddlesdown Common and Spring Park; part of the 1878 purchases; chalk downlands and woodlands.
- Highgate WoodHighgate WoodHighgate Wood is a 28 hectare area of ancient woodland in North London, lying between East Finchley, Highgate Village, and Muswell Hill. It was originally part of the ancient Forest of Middlesex which covered much of London, Hertfordshire and Essex and was mentioned in the Domesday Book...
0.28 km². Purchased in 1886 - Queen's ParkQueen's Park (London)Queen's Park, managed by the City of London Corporation, is an area of northwest London, England, located on the boundary between the London Borough of Brent and the City of Westminster.-Toponymy:...
0.12 km². Purchased 1886, having been the site of 1879 Royal Agricultural Exhibition - West Ham ParkWest Ham ParkWest Ham Park is a public park in the London Borough of Newham. Spanning , the park has been managed by the City of London Corporation since 1874. Previously it was the grounds of Ham House, owned by the Gurney family and demolished in 1872...
0.31 km². Purchased 1874
It also has an interest in the Downlands Countryside Management Project
Downlands Countryside Management Project
The Downlands Countryside Management Project established in 1988 is a partnership between six London and Surrey local authorities set up to manage an area of countryside of 130 km² across the south of Outer London....
in South-east London.