THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF HYDE PARK

It is amazing to discover how much history is hiding behind many familiar landmarks and place names in London. We may not even be aware of the remarkable stories behind parts of our capital that we walk past every day!

While looking into the history of Hyde Park, I discovered many familiar tales from its past. For example, Henry VIII used the park for hunting grounds after he had taken the land from the monks of Westminster Abbey in 1536. Before this time it would have been open land, with meadows and roaming wild deer, boar and bulls. The Westbourne River that now flows underground would have been flowing freely for animals and people to gather water.

The name Hyde dates back to 1204 and is derived from the term 'hida', which refers to 'one hide of the manor' - about 20 acres, the amount of land that could be ploughed in one year. The successive Kings of England continued to use the grounds for hunting, and it was James I who opened the park to the public for the first time in 1637.

However, when digging a little deeper I was fascinated to discover many stories that are perhaps not so commonly known - such as that the raised ground or earthworks along Park Lane near to Hyde Park Corner are actually remnants of fortifications built by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War to defend London against the King's men. Hyde Park has also been used as a refuge a number of times throughout its history, including during the Plague in 1665, when people fled the City to camp here.

Along with these grand tales there are also the smaller, unknown stories, such as that of the pet cemetery in the north of the park, by Victoria Gate. Over 300 dogs are buried here, each with their own headstone. The first burial took place in 1880, when the Duchess of Cambridge laid her favourite dog to rest here with the permission of her husband , the Chief Ranger of Hyde Park. The cemetery was run by a Mr Windbridge, who also undertook all burial duties until the cemetery was filled in 1915.

The history of Hyde Park is rich with stories. The first road to be illuminated with streetlights can be found here, originally running between Kensington Palace and Piccadilly for the benefit of King William III and Mary IV. The road is today's Rotton Row - originating from the French name Route de Roi meaning the King's Road. And of course, the park is famous for Speakers' Corner, where everyone is free to voice their opinions on any subject they wish, provided it is not obscene or blasphemous or does not 'constitute an incitement to a breach of the peace'. Some incredibly well-known and influential people have spoken here, including Karl Marx, George Orwell, Vladimir Lenin, Frederick Engels, William Morris and the Suffragettes Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst.