94-840: The A307 road runs 13.2 miles (21.2 km) through SW London and NW Surrey. It is primary at the north-east end; the remainder is non-primary, generally superseded in the mid-twentieth century in two stages by newer alignments of the Portsmouth Road , the Kingston bypass and Esher bypass of the A3 , which runs along a slightly oblique axis. The road begins at the junction with the A205 South Circular Road beside Kew Green ( 51°28′58″N 0°17′13″W / 51.4827°N 0.2869°W / 51.4827; -0.2869 ( A307 road (northern end) ) ) , where it
188-504: A causeway , dug in 1746 and initially referred to as the Canals, which is now a good place to see water birds. Richmond Lodge fell out of use on Caroline's death in 1737 but was brought back into use by her grandson George III as his summer residence from 1764 to 1772, when he switched his summer residence to Kew Palace and had Richmond Lodge demolished. In 1751, Caroline's daughter Princess Amelia became ranger of Richmond Park after
282-490: A round barrow and another (unnamed) mound which could be a long barrow . Historically the preserve of the monarch , the park is now open for all to use and includes a golf course and other facilities for sport and recreation. It played an important role in both world wars and in the 1948 and 2012 Summer Olympics . Richmond Park is the largest of London's Royal Parks. It is the second-largest park in London (after
376-593: A state visit to Britain. The Petersham Hole was a sink hole caused by subsidence of a sewer which forced the total closure of the A307 road in Petersham in 1979–80. As the hole and subsequent repair work had forced a total closure of this main road between Richmond and Kingston, traffic was diverted through the park and the Richmond, Ham, and Kingston gates remained open throughout the day and night. The park road
470-519: A 70 mph (110 km/h) speed limit. It bypasses Wisley , Ockham , Ripley (and Burpham which is a suburb of Guildford ) before cutting through the major town itself as a dual carriageway and changing to a 50 mph (80 km/h) speed limit. It returns to 70 mph (110 km/h) at the A31 and A246 junction before bypassing Godalming and Milford . It continues through a tunnel at Hindhead (constructed in 2011 to improve capacity and bypass
564-489: A Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The largest Site of Special Scientific Interest in London, it was designated as an SSSI in 1992, excluding the area of the golf course, Pembroke Lodge Gardens and the Gate Gardens. In its citation, Natural England said: "Richmond Park has been managed as a royal deer park since the seventeenth century, producing a range of habitats of value to wildlife. In particular, Richmond Park
658-614: A base for the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) until after the war. During World War II Pembroke Lodge was used as the base for "Phantom" (the GHQ Liaison Regiment ). The Pen Ponds were drained, in order to disguise them as a landmark, and an experimental bomb disposal centre was set up at Killcat Corner, which is between Robin Hood Gate and Roehampton Gate. An anti-aircraft gun site
752-648: A bridge north of Cobham, before terminating near a junction of the A3 in Cobham ( 51°19′56″N 0°25′04″W / 51.3321°N 0.4178°W / 51.3321; -0.4178 ( A307 road (southern end) ) ), which is generally also known as Portsmouth Road. The A307 follows the old route of the Portsmouth Road, particularly the section south of the junction with the A308 . Since two major projects of
846-438: A charitable organisation since 2009. It has 3,700 members, is run by approximately 300 volunteers and has no staff. Broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, former Richmond Park MP Baroness Susan Kramer and broadcaster Clare Balding are patrons of FRP. The chairman, since April 2021, is Roger Hillyer. In 1625 Charles I brought his court to Richmond Palace to escape an outbreak of plague in London and turned
940-551: A drill ground. Giuseppe Garibaldi , Italian general and politician, visited Lord John Russell at Pembroke Lodge in 1864, as did the Shah of Persia , Naser al-Din Shah Qajar in 1873. He was the first modern Iranian monarch to visit Europe. Edward VII developed the park as a public amenity by opening up almost all the previously fenced woods and making public those gates that were previously private. From 1915 level areas of
1034-510: A family walk, caused a stampede when it chased a 200-strong herd of deer in the park in March 2021. Kruger apologised and said he would be more careful in future. Cycling : Cycles are available for hire near Roehampton Gate and, at peak times, near Pembroke Lodge. The Tamsin Trail (shared between pedestrians and cyclists) provides a circuit of the park and is almost entirely car-free. Fishing
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#17327730107621128-688: A junction with the A243, shortly before exiting the borough at Seething Wells there next to Long Ditton . The road now follows an almost straight south-west course (losing the Thames, which at Thames Ditton curves away to the north). It passes through Hinchley Wood , crossing the A309 at the Scilly Isles roundabout . It forms the High Street of Esher , crosses the A3 (new Portsmouth Road) by way of
1222-458: A secret test on Pen Ponds, how selenium cells would work in a remotely controlled prototype weapon for use against German Zeppelins . Reporting on this story several years later, in April 1924, The Daily Chronicle reported that the test had been carried out in the presence of Arthur Balfour , Lord Fisher and a staff of experts. Its success led to Matthews receiving a payment of £25,000 from
1316-577: A short distance north-east of the Hindhead traffic lights - has been completely ripped up and returned to nature. From the south, the short and largely built-up southern stretch of old A3 (now bypassed) runs up from the Grayshott exit into Hindhead and remains in use, but has been renumbered from A3 to A333 . Since the 2013 opening of the Hindhead Tunnel , the modern route (or, in the case of
1410-456: A single unit – the latter was merged with Kew Gardens by George III in the early 19th century. In 1736 the Queen's Ride was cut through existing woodland to create a grand avenue through the park and Bog Gate or Queen's Gate was opened as a private entrance for Caroline to enter the park on her journeys between White Lodge and Richmond Lodge. The same map shows Pen Ponds, a lake divided in two by
1504-401: A time. In 2013 a cyclist was successfully prosecuted for speeding at 37 mph in the park. In 2015 a cycling club member was fined for speeding at 41 mph and faced disciplinary action from his cycling club, which uses the park for training. In 2014 and 2015 two men were prosecuted for picking mushrooms in the park. Conservative MP Danny Kruger was fined after his puppy, during
1598-557: A traffic-free route to Wandsworth, which is also the terminus of Cycle Superhighway 8 (CS8 to Millbank ). Shared-use paths and cycle lanes run alongside the A3 at points between the Greater London boundary and Portsmouth. Between Thursley and Milford in Surrey, cycle crossings of the slip roads exist for cyclists travelling along the cycle lanes . There is a cycle path between Liss and Petersfield which runs along
1692-481: Is a junction with the A308 for Kingston upon Thames and Richmond Park. For the first 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Richmond Park, the A3 runs within 300 m (980 ft) of the Beverley Brook , crossing it three times. Although there is no point where the stream itself can be seen when driving along the road, the bridge parapets are visible and, for 2 km (1.2 mi), where the road runs along
1786-647: Is a site of national importance for the conservation of the fauna of invertebrates associated with the decaying timber of ancient trees". Since October 1987 the park has also been included, at Grade I, on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England , being described in Historic England 's listing as "A royal deer park with pre C15 origins, imparked by Charles I and improved by subsequent monarchs. A public open space since
1880-662: Is allowed only on main roads, on National Cycle Route 4 through the centre of the park and on the Tamsin Trail (the shared-use pedestrian–cycle path that runs close to the park's perimeter). National Cycle Route 4 crosses the park between Ham Gate in the west and Roehampton Gate in the east, skirting Pen Ponds and White Lodge. It interlinks with the Thames Cycle Route and forms part of the London Cycle Network . The speed limit on this route through
1974-460: Is allowed, by paid permit, on Pen Ponds from mid-June to mid-March. Golf is played at Richmond Park Golf Course , a public facility opened in 1923 by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII ). It has two 18-hole golf courses and practice facilities and is accessed from Chohole Gate. Horse riding : Horses from local stables are ridden in the park. Rugby : A section of the grassland to
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#17327730107622068-648: Is named Kew Road. It then runs towards Richmond upon Thames through the west of Kew. At the junction with the A316 in Richmond it becomes a non-primary A-road through the town centre then heads through Petersham where for fewer than 100 metres it kinks west and then travels south through Ham . A B-class road , the B353, leaves the A307 in Kew and runs around the town centre and up Richmond Hill and by-passing Richmond, before rejoining
2162-438: Is of importance for its diverse deadwood beetle fauna associated with the ancient trees found throughout the parkland. In addition the park supports the most extensive area of dry acid grassland in Greater London." The park was designated as an SAC in April 2005 because it has "a large number of ancient trees with decaying timber. It is at the heart of the south London centre of distribution for stag beetle Lucanus cervus , and
2256-702: The A24 ) as Clapham Common North Side . Along this road, it enters the London Borough of Wandsworth , after which it runs concurrently with the A205 'South Circular' along Battersea Rise , Wandsworth Common North Side and East Hill , and goes through Wandsworth , and then the A205 carries on west towards Richmond. On West Hill , just east of the Tibbets Corner junction with the A219 near Putney Heath ,
2350-519: The A300 / Southwark Bridge Road towards the City . South of Clapham Common, CS7 runs along the A24 to Colliers Wood , via Balham and Tooting . Between Wandsworth and Kingston Vale , a shared-use path runs alongside the A3 for cyclists and pedestrians. The path is segregated from other road traffic and links to cycle paths which run alongside the A308 / Kingston Hill . This provides Norbiton with
2444-644: The Catholic cathedral , it meets with the A2030 . Here, it reaches Old Portsmouth , passing the Anglican cathedral and the 15th century harbour where it comes to an end at Broad Street and Portsmouth Point . The Hindhead Tunnel is a 1,830-metre (1.14 mi) twin bore tunnel, which cost £371 million to construct, and is the longest non-estuarial road tunnel in the UK. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond conducted
2538-569: The Devil's Punch Bowl ) before leaving Surrey. The A3 enters Hampshire just after exiting the Hindhead Tunnel, passes Liphook and Bramshott , turns SSW past Liss , then passes Petersfield . The A3's original route between Hindhead and Petersfield, passing through several villages, became the B2070. At Liss, there remains an at-grade roundabout, the only such junction on the route. Over
2632-624: The Esher By-pass on the border of Hook, London and Long Ditton , Surrey . Here the speed limit rises to 70 mph, with 3 lanes and a motorway-grade hard shoulder. After passing Claygate , the motorway-standard section has junctions with the A244 between Esher and Oxshott , then the A245 between Cobham and Hersham . The road's Wisley Interchange with the M25 enables a flyover still with
2726-654: The Minister of Works , Charles Key , was opposed, preferring that the site be eventually returned to its former parkland use. Key's department refurbished and repurposed the camp as an Olympic Village for the 1948 Summer Olympics . The Olympic Village was opened by Lord Burghley with Key making the announcement, in July 1948. After the Olympics, the camp was used by units of the Royal Corps of Signals and then by
2820-611: The Queen Elizabeth Country Park and passes along the eastern rim of Clanfield . The main cycle route between Petersfield and the Country Park follows NCR 22 through Buriton . [REDACTED] Media related to A3 road (England) at Wikimedia Commons Richmond Park Richmond Park , in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames , is the largest of London's Royal Parks and is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. It
2914-587: The South Downs , it passes Clanfield and Horndean . From just north of Horndean, (still heading towards Portsmouth) the A3 separates from the A3(M) (below) and continues as London Road as far as Hilsea, south of which it is Northern Parade . It runs along the west side of Portsea Island which forms Portsmouth proper, roughly parallel with the M275 , into the nearly waterfront centre of the city where, after passing
A307 road - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-581: The Women's Royal Army Corps following their formation in 1949 as successor to the wartime ATS. Although it had been hoped to clear the camp during the 1950s, it remained in military use and was used to house service families repatriated following the Suez Crisis in 1956. It was not until 1965 that the camp was eventually demolished and reintegrated into the park during the following year. In 1953 President Tito of Yugoslavia stayed at White Lodge during
3102-428: The 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) Lee Valley Park , whose linear shaped area extends beyond the M25 into Hertfordshire and Essex ) and is Britain's second-largest urban walled park after Sutton Park , Birmingham . Of national and international importance for wildlife conservation, most of Richmond Park (856 hectares; 2115 acres) is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a National Nature Reserve (NNR) and
3196-529: The 1920s, transformed the road, so that it is now predominantly a two- or three-lane carriageway , bypassing the town centres; south of the South Downs National Park, it includes a section of motorway , the A3(M) , just before the road reaches the A27 at Havant. The construction of the Kingston and Guildford bypasses in the 1920s and 1930s made use of temporary narrow-gauge railways to move
3290-409: The 1930s and 1960s respectively the Portsmouth Road, the A3 (Portsmouth Road) of today, has been diverted away from towns/villages instead through buffer land 1 mile (1.6 km) or more from urban centres and is a tripled or dualled (duplicated as described at the time) in each direction. Robert Clive ("Clive of India") diverted it slightly believing it ran too close to his house at Claremont ,
3384-489: The A3 continues into Portsmouth alongside the A3(M), mostly as a single carriageway in each direction through Waterlooville and adjoining small towns. The other section of single carriageways is through the urban environs of Battersea, Clapham and Stockwell towards the northern end, which has to accommodate bus lanes and parking meter bays. By the 17th century, the historic Portsmouth Road bore great strategic significance as
3478-732: The A307 at Petersham. It bisects the north of the town, before becoming the western half of the one-way system in Kingston upon Thames . Here it is briefly merged with the A308. It leads south to the northern end of the A240 , for 200m travels west to the River Thames, and resuming south becomes at last the old version of the Portsmouth Road (which is also its name here). It runs next to the River Thames , heading through Surbiton . It passes
3572-495: The City of London . It was returned to the restored monarch, Charles II , on his return to London in 1660. In 1719, Caroline of Ansbach and her husband, the future George II of Great Britain , bought Richmond Lodge as a country residence. This building had first been built as a hunting lodge for James I in 1619 and had also been occupied by William III . As shown in a map of 1734, Richmond Park and Richmond Gardens then formed
3666-597: The Coombe Flyover. The A3 then goes on a flyover at Shannon Corner located on the edges of Motspur Park , Raynes Park and New Malden , before having an additional junction for New Malden , then Tolworth and Hook along the Kingston By-pass . Brief features of a section of road contribute to a traffic pinch-point during peak hours around the Hook underpass. The road reduces from three lanes to two in
3760-543: The Friends successfully campaigned for the withdrawal of plans for open-air screenings of films in the park. In 2012, the Friends contributed towards the cost of a new Jubilee Pond, and launched a public appeal for a Ponds and Streams Conservation Programme in which the Friends, the Richmond Park Wildlife Group and Healthy Planet have been working with staff from The Royal Parks to restore some of
3854-541: The Government the very next morning. Despite this large sum changing hands, the Admiralty never used the invention. Between 1916 and 1925 the park housed a South African military war hospital, which was built between Bishop's Pond and Conduit Wood. The hospital closed in 1921 and was demolished in 1925. Richmond Cemetery , just outside the park, contains a section of war graves commemorating 39 soldiers who died at
A307 road - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-593: The Kingston bypass now forms part of the A309 thanks to the construction of the Esher bypass. The complexity of the double roundabout at the junction between the A309 Kingston by-pass and the A307 led to it being referred to colloquially as the Silly Isles; later the junction officially adopted the name The Scilly Isles. In 2011, the Hindhead Tunnel became the centrepiece of the Hindhead bypass, away from
4042-494: The Portsmouth-bound (southbound) side of the A3. The route joins the A3 south of West Liss and leaves the dual-carriageway to the north of Petersfield (at Farnham Road). The route between Liss town centre and Farnham Road is part of National Cycle Route 22 (NCR 22). South of Petersfield, National Cycle Route 222 (NCR 222) follows the route of the A3 until the route reaches Waterlooville . The route passes through
4136-527: The Richmond and Bushy Parks Forum, comprising 38 local groups of local stakeholder organisations. The forum was formed in September 2010 to consider proposals to bring Richmond Park and Bushy Park – and London's other royal parks – under the control of the Mayor of London through a new Royal Parks Board and to make a joint response. Although welcoming the principles of the new governance arrangements,
4230-400: The area on the hill above Richmond into a park for the hunting of red and fallow deer. It was originally referred to as the king's "New Park" to distinguish it from the existing park in Richmond, which is now known as Old Deer Park . In 1637 he appointed Jerome Weston, 2nd Earl of Portland as keeper of the new park for life, with a fee of 12 (old) pence a day, pasture for four horses, and
4324-661: The capacity of the East Surrey Regiment 's regimental depot Infantry Training Centre (ITC). As a result, the ITC was better able to meet the demands of training new recruits and called-up militia between early 1940 and August 1941 when the ITC transferred to a facility in Canterbury shared with the Buffs . The camp was subsequently used as a military convalescent depot for up to 2,500 persons after which it continued as
4418-467: The case of towns, a market advantage as a result — principally in the history of Kingston upon Thames , Godalming and Petersfield . The modern A3 follows the general route of the Portsmouth Road, but it bypasses many of the towns and villages along the way, leaving the various stretches of the old route for local traffic — for instance, the A307 , its original course through Kingston-upon-Thames and Esher , retains its name, Portsmouth Road. The road
4512-402: The centre of the park, where it is off the main road, is 10 mph (16 km/h). As the park is a national nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, all dog owners are required to keep their dogs under control while in the park. This includes not allowing their dog to disturb other park users or disrupt wildlife. In 2009, after some incidents leading to the death of wildfowl,
4606-413: The construction materials. The Esher bypass, between Hook from the first mentioned bypass to the M25 , is three lanes with a motorway-standard hard shoulder; from there to Guildford the road has three lanes. Lord Montagu of Beaulieu stressed the urgency of building a Kingston bypass in 1911, but public funds were not secured before the onset of World War I and were not available in the aftermath. By
4700-423: The death of Robert Walpole . Immediately afterwards, the Princess caused major public uproar by closing the park to the public, only allowing a few close friends and those with special permits to enter. This continued until 1758, when a local brewer, John Lewis, took the gatekeeper, who had stopped him from entering the park, to court. The court ruled in favour of Lewis, citing the fact that, when Charles I enclosed
4794-429: The early 1920s, traffic in Kingston town centre had increased by over 160% in 10 years in the coaching town and the decision was taken in 1923 to revive the plans, with the contract worth £503,000 (equivalent to £36,200,000 in 2023). Work started in 1924, and it was opened by the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin , on 28 October 1927. It ran for 8.5 miles (13.7 km) from the Robin Hood Gate of Richmond Park to
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#17327730107624888-438: The edge of Wimbledon Common , the trees flanking the stream can be glimpsed across playing fields, with the lightly managed "natural" woodland of the common rising beyond. Except for the playing fields, the whole of the common, including Beverley Brook, is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The speed limit then increases to 50 mph (80 km/h) before going under
4982-471: The forum (in 2011) and the Friends of Richmond Park (in 2012) expressed concerns about the composition of the new board. Richmond Park is the most visited royal park outside central London, with 4.4 million visits in 2014. The park is enclosed by a high wall with several gates. The gates either allow pedestrian and bicycle access only, or allow bicycle, pedestrian and other vehicle access. The gates for motor vehicle access are open only during daylight hours;
5076-468: The hairpin and sharper descent at Richmond Gate. Download coordinates as: Portsmouth Road The A3 , known as the Portsmouth Road or London Road in sections, is a major road connecting the City of London and Portsmouth passing close to Kingston upon Thames , Guildford , Haslemere and Petersfield . For much of its 67-mile (108 km) length, it is classified as a trunk road and therefore managed by National Highways . Almost all of
5170-456: The hospital; the section is marked by a Cross of Sacrifice and a Grade II listed cenotaph designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens . Faisal I of Iraq and Lebanese politician Salim Ali Salam were photographed visiting the park in 1925. An army camp was established in 1938. It covered 45 acres (18 ha) to the south and east of Thatched House Lodge, extending to the area south of Dann's Pond. It became known as Kingston Gate Camp and expanded
5264-422: The landscape garden of which remains and which it still borders. A watchman 's box that also served as a village lock-up , dating from 1787, is next to the Fox & Duck in Petersham. Responsibility for the north section, Kew Road and Richmond Road, passed from the crown to the Commissioner of Works under the Crown Lands Act 1851 . The A307 was closed during 1979 and 1980 for a total of almost 18 months by
5358-410: The main entrances, along with other regulations that govern use of the park. The bridleways are special in that they are for horses (and their riders) only and not open to cyclists, like normal bridleways. The Beverley Brook Walk runs through the park between Roehampton Gate and Robin Hood Gate. The Capital Ring walking route passes through the park from Robin Hood Gate to Petersham Gate. Cycling
5452-404: The mid C19". Richmond Park is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is close to Richmond , Ham , Petersham , Kingston upon Thames , Wimbledon , Roehampton and East Sheen . The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport manages Richmond Park and the other Royal Parks of London under powers set out in the Crown Lands Act 1851 , which transferred management of
5546-405: The north of the Roehampton Gate is maintained and laid out during the winter months for rugby; there are three pitches. At weekends, this area is hired extensively to the rugby union club Rosslyn Park F.C. . Visiting teams are transferred by bus to and from the park pitches from the club's nearby clubhouse and changing rooms. Running : The Tamsin Trail is a 7.2 miles (11.6 km) trail around
5640-425: The opening ceremony on 27 July 2011, though the northbound tunnel opened to traffic two days later than the southbound one, on 29 July. The new dual carriageway diverges from the original route where the old A3 began climbing sharply as it headed towards the scenic Devil's Punch Bowl. The old road now turns right and continues into Highfield Lane. From there, the remainder of the original road to Punch Bowl Common -
5734-406: The operation of anti-aircraft gun-laying radar. During the war, Hey discovered that the Sun is a radio source and he investigated radio reflections from meteor trails, and radio noise from cosmic sources. In 1946 Hey's group discovered Cygnus A , later shown to be the first radio galaxy . The Richmond Park installation thus became the first radio observatory in Britain. In addition to use of
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#17327730107625828-568: The outskirts of Esher . The opening ceremony concluded with refreshments for 800 guests in marquees near to the northern start/end. Its construction immediately attracted developments of housing where access was easiest. The Restriction of Ribbon Development Act 1935 came too late to prevent this private housing, which is apparent where the A3 winds through Tolworth and New Malden , where the architecture includes concrete to art nouveau apartments , Mock-Tudor gabled houses and gabled Arts and Crafts movement -inspired houses. The final section of
5922-421: The park for military purposes, approximately 500 acres (200 ha) of the park was converted to agricultural use during the war. The Russell School (then located within the park's boundary) was destroyed by enemy action in 1943. and Sheen Cottage a year later. John Boyd-Carpenter , MP for Kingston-upon-Thames , proposed using the Kingston Gate Camp to help alleviate the local post-war housing shortage but
6016-429: The park had been raised from 20 to 30 miles an hour and there were concerns that the roads in the park would be assigned to the main highway system as had recently happened in parts of Hyde Park . In 1969, plans by the then Greater London Council to assign the park's roads to the national highway were revealed by the Friends and subsequently withdrawn. The speed limit was reduced to 20 miles an hour in 2004. In 2011,
6110-483: The park in the 17th century, he allowed the public right of way in the park. Princess Amelia was forced to lift the restrictions. Full right of public access to the park was confirmed by Act of Parliament in 1872. However, people were no longer given the right to remove firewood; this is still the case and helps in preserving the park. Between 1833 and 1842 the Petersham Lodge estate, and then part of Sudbrook Park , were incorporated into Richmond Park. Terrace Walk
6204-462: The park were marked out for football and cricket pitches. A golf course was developed on the former "Great Paddock" of Richmond Park, an area used for feeding deer for the royal hunt. The tree belt in this part of the park was supplemented by additional planting in 1936. The public golf course was opened in 1923 by Edward, Prince of Wales (who was to become King Edward VIII and, after his abdication , Duke of Windsor). The future king had been born in
6298-406: The park which is popular with runners. Members of Barnes Runners complete at least one circumnavigation of it on the first and third Sunday of every month. Richmond Park Parkrun , a five-kilometre organised run, takes place every Saturday. There is a children's playground at Petersham Gate. The Friends of Richmond Park (FRP) was founded in 1961 to protect the park. In 1960 the speed limit in
6392-448: The park's dogs-on-leads policy was extended. Park users are said to believe that the deer are feeling increasingly threatened by the growing number of dogs using the park and The Royal Parks advises against walking dogs in the park during the deer's birthing season. A mugging at gunpoint in 1854 reputedly led to the establishment of a park police force. Until 2005 the park was policed by the separate Royal Parks Constabulary , but that
6486-487: The park, at White Lodge, in 1894. In 1925, a second public 18-hole course was laid out to the south of the first (towards Robin Hood Gate); it was opened by the Duke of York ( George VI ). In honour of their respective openers, Richmond Park Golf Course 's two courses are named the "Prince's" and the "Duke's". The park played an important role during World War I and was used for cavalry training. On 7 December 1915 English inventor Harry Grindell Matthews demonstrated, in
6580-516: The park. From April to November, a free bus service, calling near Mortlake railway station , runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, stopping at the main car parks and the gate at Isabella Plantation nearest Peg's Pond. The gates open to motor traffic are: Sheen Gate, Richmond Gate, Ham Gate, Kingston Gate, Roehampton Gate and (for access to Richmond Park Golf Course only) Chohole Gate. The park has designated bridleways and cycle paths . These are shown on maps and noticeboards displayed near
6674-409: The parks from the monarch to the government. Day-to-day management of the Royal Parks has been delegated to The Royal Parks , an executive agency of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The Royal Parks' Board sets the strategic direction for the agency. Appointments to the Board are made by the Mayor of London . The Friends of Richmond Park and the Friends of Bushy Park co-chair
6768-593: The repeated collapse of a sewer and fresh water culvert in the road's narrowest section which is in Petersham, an ordeal referred to as the Petersham Hole . The route has sometimes been used from a few hundred metres south of the Richmond Gate of Richmond Park to Kingston as part of the London-Surrey cycle classic events routes, depending on the availability of Park Road, Kingston which avoids
6862-531: The road has been built to dual carriageway standards or wider. Apart from bypass sections in London, the road travels in a southwest direction and, after Liss , south-southwest . Close to its southerly end, motorway traffic is routed via the A3(M) , then either the east–west A27 or the Portsmouth-only M275 which has multiple lanes leading off the westbound A27 — for non-motorway traffic,
6956-448: The road increases from one lane each way to a three-lanes-each-way dual-carriageway and the speed limit increases from 30 to 40 mph (48 to 64 km/h). The A3 then continues south-west between Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common , as Kingston Road before beginning to bypass Kingston upon Thames while going through Roehampton Vale . The A3 enters The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames just before Kingston Vale where there
7050-498: The road link between the capital city and what became the settled main port of the Royal Navy , as well as a non-military port like nearby Chichester — a petition was passed by The Queen for the expansion of the bench of justices of the town of Guildford along its route, in consideration of the importance of the Portsmouth Road, in 1603. Many of the other towns and villages that the road passed through gained income and, in
7144-579: The road through the village, where the only urban set of traffic lights on the route outside London had created a bottleneck. Until 2011, the road through Hindhead was the last single-carriageway section of the route, outside London and Portsmouth. The road follows a route roughly parallel to the Portsmouth Direct Line railway which goes through, rather than past, all of the towns which the road serves, with Havant and Woking 2 miles (3.2 km) and 3 miles (4.8 km), respectively, off
7238-467: The road was opened in 1979 and acts as an alternative to the A3 road in this part of Hampshire. There are several cycle routes which follow the route of the A3. In London, Cycle Superhighway 7 (CS7) runs either side of the A3 from Elephant and Castle to Clapham Common . The route is signposted and marked using painted blue cycle logos, carrying cyclists through Kennington , Stockwell , and Clapham . North from Elephant and Castle, CS7 runs along
7332-628: The road. The A3 starts at King William Street at its junction with Gracechurch Street in the City of London , crosses the River Thames at London Bridge while entering the London Borough of Southwark , and goes south-west along Borough High Street and Newington Causeway to the Elephant and Castle roundabout. It continues along Newington Butts , and bounds then enters the London Borough of Lambeth on Kennington Park Road which becomes Clapham Road and Clapham High Street . The A3 then turns west (leaving as its straight continuation
7426-699: The route is in Guildford. In February 2015, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced plans to build over a short section at Tolworth , after visiting a similar site in Boston, Massachusetts ; the Mayor said "rebuilding some of our complex and ageing road network underneath our city would not only provide additional capacity for traffic, but it would also unlock surface space and reduce the impact of noise and pollution." Similar plans have been proposed for other areas of London but proven cost-prohibitive. This section of
7520-411: The southernmost section, its associated motorway section) is at least dual-carriageway, but at Liss is the sole at-grade roundabout. Widely considered the main traffic pinch-point and an accident hotspot (due to its unusual egg-shape and camber angle which can cause lorries at excess speed to tip over), there have been wide calls for its removal, the projected increase in traffic with the completion of
7614-639: The speed limit is 20 mph (32 km/h). The gates for pedestrians and cyclists are open 24 hours a day except during the deer culls in February and November, when the pedestrian gates are closed between 8:00 pm and 7:30 am. However, since 2020, there has been restricted through traffic in Richmond Park, for example restricted traffic between Richmond Gate and Roehampton Gate at weekends. Apart from taxis, no commercial vehicles are allowed unless they are being used to transact business with residents of
7708-427: The streams and ponds in the park. The Friends run a visitor centre near Pembroke Lodge, organise a programme of walks and education activities for young people, and produce a quarterly newsletter. The Friends have published two books, A Guide to Richmond Park and Family Trails in Richmond Park ; profits from the books' sales contribute towards the Friends' conservation work. The Friends of Richmond Park has been
7802-469: The traffic queue reaches onto the main carriageway. In May 2011, it was announced that this is to be resolved with new improvements to the traffic system directly adjacent to the A3, with work funded jointly by the University of Surrey and Surrey County Council . Various schemes exist to manage urban traffic and economise land use, and include running park and ride services. The main such scheme along
7896-672: The tunnel supporting the proposal. In November 2010, the Highways Agency announced it would discuss three options for the roundabout's future, but in December it announced that no change would be commenced before 2015: The slip road exiting the A3 leading to the Royal Surrey County Hospital and the Surrey Research Park regularly creates congestion on the main A3 during peak times, when
7990-621: The underpass. The speed limit at this point in the London-bound direction reduces from 70 to 50 miles per hour (113 to 80 km/h), with the first of a handful of Gatso speed enforcement cameras. If returning to London, traffic from the A309 also joins just before the underpass. The A3's Kingston By-pass now ends sooner leaving a spur junction the A309 to the Scilly Isles junction near Sandown Park , Esher , its route instead becoming
8084-472: The use of the brushwood – later holders of that office were known as "Ranger" . Charles's decision, also in 1637, to enclose the land was not popular with the local residents, but he did allow pedestrians the right of way. To this day the walls remain, although they have been partially rebuilt and reinforced. Following Charles I's execution , custodianship of the park passed to the Corporation of
8178-480: Was formerly a royal residence and is now home to the Royal Ballet School . The park's boundary walls and ten other buildings are listed at Grade II, including Pembroke Lodge , the home of 19th-century British Prime Minister Lord John Russell and his grandson, the philosopher Bertrand Russell . In 2020, Historic England also listed two other features in the park – King Henry's Mound which is possibly
8272-538: Was created by Charles I in the 17th century as a deer park . It is now a national nature reserve , a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation and is included, at Grade I, on Historic England 's Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England . Its landscapes have inspired many famous artists and it has been a location for several films and TV series. Richmond Park includes many buildings of architectural or historic interest. The Grade I-listed White Lodge
8366-501: Was created from Richmond Gate to Pembroke Lodge. The Russell School was built near Petersham Gate in 1851. Between 1855 and 1861, new drainage improvements were constructed, including drinking points for deer. In 1867 and 1876 fallow deer from the park were sent to New Zealand to help build up stocks – the first fallow deer introduced to that country. In or around 1870, the Inns of Court Rifle Volunteers were using an area near Bog Gate as
8460-551: Was inside Sheen Gate for the duration of the war. The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill , visited it on 10 November 1940 and it was featured in a photograph published in Picture Post on 13 December 1941. Associated with the gun site was the research site of the Army Operational Research Group (AORG), located on the polo field beside Sheen Cross, where Stanley Hey researched improvements to
8554-493: Was once the haunt of highwaymen such as Jerry Abershawe , who in the 18th Century terrorised the area around Kingston and led a gang based at the Bald Faced Stag Inn on the Portsmouth Road. Another particularly dangerous location was in the vicinity of the wooded crest skirting the Devil's Punch Bowl , Hindhead , about 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Guildford . A programme of road improvements, starting in
8648-403: Was reported that police had been given the power to issue £50 on-the-spot fines for littering, cycling outside designated areas and dog fouling offences. In August 2012 a dog owner was ordered to pay £315 after allowing five dogs to chase ducks in the park. Since 2013 commercial dog-walkers have been required to apply for licences to walk dogs in the park, and are allowed to walk only four dogs at
8742-578: Was subsumed into the Royal Parks Operational Command Unit of the Metropolitan Police . The mounted police have been replaced by a patrol team in a four-wheel drive vehicle. In 2015 the Friends of Richmond Park expressed concern about plans to cut the numbers of police in the park to half their level ten years previously, despite an increase in visitor numbers and in incidents of crime. In July 2012 it
8836-413: Was widened at Ham Cross near Ham Gate to accommodate temporary traffic lights. About 10 deer a month were killed by traffic while the diversion was in operation. When the present London Borough of Richmond upon Thames was created in 1965, it included the majority, but not the whole, of the park. The eastern tip, including Roehampton Gate, belonged to the London Borough of Wandsworth , and the southern tip
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