The Burdett-Coutts Fountain
The large lake at Victoria Park
One of the carriage roads in Victoria Park
The Burdett-Coutts Fountain
The large lake at Victoria Park
One of the carriage roads in Victoria Park
Victoria Park, in Bow, consists of 86 hectares of land in the East End, bordering Hackney and Bow. Though the park is in the district of Bow, Tower Hamlets, it is also in the E9 or Hackney postal area, which sometimes causes some confusion.
The park is divided by Grove Road into an eastern and the rather smaller western part. Other major nearby roads are Sewardstone Road, Victoria Park Road, and the A12 East Cross Route at its Hackney Wick junction. Minor surrounding roads include Gore Road, and Cadogan Place. The south-east and south-west sides of the park are bounded by canals; the Regent's Canal, and the Hertford Union Canal. Well Street Common to the north is separated from Victoria Park by a main road.Victoria Park is in one of the poorer areas of London, and this shows both in its surrounding urban area, and in some aspects of the upkeep that the park receives. Although it has been the subject of some renovation work in recent decades, some of the fabric is still in poor condition.
It is planned that some of the events of the 2012 Olympics will be held within the park. This includes some walking events, as well as 'cultural events', which may include some of the opening and closing ceremonies.Wide carriage roads follow the park's perimeter, in a similar manner to that of other large Victorian parks. The park was originally intended to complement and enhance surrounding housing developments. However the apartment blocks that have been constructed around most of the park's perimeter are like much 20th century municipal housing, and they do not always fit very well into the park's landscape. In a walk along the perimeter, it is often possible to see all the houses on both the northern and southern sides of the park in spite of the perimeter tree belts, especially in winter.
The park has large areas of shrub beds and floral gardens, many scenic walks, and views of the canals. The park is bordered on some sides by the Hertford Union and the Regent's Canals; this adds somewhat to the scenery, though the best use has not always been made of it.There is a fair-sized lake near Sewardstone Road to the south and west. It is a partly ornamental lake, with some exotic marginal plantings, but it has been allowed to become somewhat more natural in appearance. A cafeteria looks out over it. Ornamental grounds can be found to the north and south of this lake. There are also several smaller lakes or ponds to the east of the park. Many of the lakes were originally created as bathing ponds, and were thus used through the 19th and into the 20th century, a use which ceased when the lido (now removed) was built. One of these is now natural and used for angling, the other is all concrete sides and is used mainly for model boats.
There are several garden areas, many near the principal entrances. There is also the intensively maintained 'Old English Garden' with floral plantings and herbaceous borders. There are large areas of garden and ornamental planting north of the lake, though these are not all well kept.
Among the park's more ambitious features is a wide, several hundred meters long, continuous rose border beside one of the southern carriage roads. Unfortunately this has not survived well the disrespect of modern users cutting desire lines through it. The roses are not in the best of conditions in any case, perhaps due to the misuse of herbicides.The park has a large collection of trees. Most noticeable are the lines and avenues of plane trees along some of the perimeters and carriage roads. They include some best specimens of several species in the United Kingdom. There are also some thickets of mature holly and similar small trees, which may be derived from long overgrown shrub beds.
The park has two playgrounds. The larger playground to the east includes equipment for older children, and some of the tallest fixed slides in a London park playground. This larger playground also has a paddling pool, and some interesting climbs. A One O'Clock Club is located to the south of the playground.
There are many sports facilities, including tennis courts, a bowling green, cricket tables, a small athletics track, and football pitches. Fishing is permitted in one of the ponds. Contact the council for letting information for the field sports.Some sports and recreational clubs, including a model boat club, are based in the park.
There is an animal enclosure in the east of the park. This is not particularly well kept, and is not well signed either; it is quite possible to pass it without noticing it.Funfairs operate at times in the park.
Victoria Park is managed by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. (The boundary to the borough of Hackney lies at or just to the north of the park's northern perimeter).
The park's main gates are named, mostly after royal terms, and are major ornamental structures.
Significant monuments include the ornate Victoria Fountain (the Burdett-Coutts fountain) near the centre of the park, originally set out as a drinking fountain, but unfortunately fenced off at present, and in need of some renovation and repair. Two old alcoves, fragments of the original London Bridge that was demolished in 1831, now function as shelters at the east of the park. At one of the southern gates to the park are a pair of stonework guard dogs, 'the dogs of Alcibiades', though these are now seriously damaged and disfigured.There are some other monuments and features in the park, including a war memorial. There is a bandstand, looking rather lost among trees, to be found to the south of the Burdett-Coutts fountain.
Victoria Park is notable for being one of the first parks in London created explicitly for public use. The older Royal Parks by contrast were originally made for the use of the royal family, and while they eventually came into general use, there were none in the East End. The creation of Victoria Park was anticipated in a petition of 1840. It was in effective use by 1845, and it was opened formally in 1848. After the unofficial opening of 1845, it was later redesigned and finished by James Pennethorne.
The park has a history of being used for dissent. Major events including a large meeting and demonstration of the Chartists in 1848. Later, William Morris and Annie Besant were among those who addressed crowds within it. It became known as the 'people's park'. A few large concerts have been held in recent decades.Many features were added in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of these have been lost now; including a lido, among the ponds to the east, now replaced by the modern paddling pool and playground.
During the Second World War, the park was used as a prisoner of war camp and for anti-aircraft guns.Victoria Park became run-down in the late 20th century, and was extensively restored with the aid of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant in the 1990s. This work does not seem to be quite finished, and there are some anomalous features remaining. For instance, there are now roadways in the park that are kerbed with old granite kerbing stone on one side, and that are unkerbed or kerbed with modern concrete kerbs on the other. Some of the monuments were left out of the repair work.