Richmond, London's Gateway to Surrey

We all think of Richmond as a place of beautiful landscapes and scenery, home to great mansions, famous shops & miles of stunning Thames riverbank, but before the late 15th Century Richmond as a place didn't exist until Henry VII named it after his Yorkshire earldom.

The area was previously known as Sheen and where Richmond Green is today there would have once been a medieval palace. The beautiful Thames-side landscape was laid out in the 18th Century in Arcadian style with great vistas of aristocratic mansions, parks, gardens, woods and meadows. But this beautiful scenery became threatened as London's suburbs began to expand. At the turn of the 20th Century, one of London's first ever public environmental campaigns known as the Indignation aimed to stop the invasion of London's suburbs into the area. This resulted in the Open Spaces Act of 1902, protecting the view from Richmond Hill.

Today, over a century on, that same view and riverscape is now at the heart of the Arcadia Project - a £3.3million project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund to help implement the Thames Landscape Strategy - one of three sub-regional strategies for the River Thames that aims to protect and enhance the remarkable river corridor between Hampton and Kew.


What is London's Arcadia?
London's Arcadia is the largest open space of its kind in London covering the stretch of the Thames running from Teddington beneath Richmond Hill to Kew. Along the River with its associated flora and wildlife, it is home to the highest concentration of historic buildings, landscape gardens, famous avenues, vistas and sightlines in England. 122 separate projects are planned to conserve the towpath and wildlife habitats. Enthusiastic volunteers are welcome to help with the conservation work, for more information on the project visit www.londons-arcadia.org.uk

Posted By Jamie Stuart

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