London Photo Gallery - Richmond Park

When Charles I escaped London's plague with his court to Richmond Palace in 1625, he created a hunting park in the nearby common lands and introduced plenty of red and fallow deer for his hunting pleasures. Richmond Park was born. While there is plenty of nature to explore across its 2500 acres, look out for the skyline, with St. Paul's over 10 miles away and visible from some parts. It's fairly easy to spot deer roaming the park, especially on the Richmond side of the park. But please do not approach them as they're wild and keep a safe distance away to photograph them. At the southern end of Richmond Park is Isabella Plantation, which was established in the 1830s and opened to the public in 1953. Both native and exotic species are planted here, with the present arrangement dating from the 1950s and onwards thanks to the work of George Thomson, the park's superintendent from 1951-71.