BRIEF HISTORY OF ST JAMES’S PARK
1531 Acquired by Henry VIII and Court of St James established
1603 Park laid out for James I with menagerie and duck decoys
1660 Park relandscaped for Charles II in formal French style
1663 Horseguards constructed
1667 Exotic birds introduced, including pelicans
1703 Buckingham House developed which later became the official Royal residence
1827 John Nash appointed to carry out present landscape in informal style for George IV
1905 Queen Victoria Memorial Garden created

FAMOUS LANDMARKS
BUCKINGHAM PALACE has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837. Changing of the Guard takes place at 11:30am every day in the summer, and alternate days in the winter.

CLARENCE HOUSE was designed by John Nash and bullt between 1825 and 1827 for the Duke of Clarence, later William IV. It was the London home to the late Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

QUEEN VICTORIA MEMORIAL is a 25 metre (82ft) high edifice by the sculptor Thomas Brock and the architect Aston Webb. The whole edifice and statues are of white marble, of which a generous 2,300 tons were used.

ST JAMES’S PALACE was built by Henry VIII alongside his newly acquired deer park in 1532. It is still the official Royal Court.

ICA GALLERIES are home to the best new art and culture from Britain and around the world.

MALL GALLERIES is central London’s focal point for new figurative art by living British artists.

HORSE GUARDS PARADE is the park’s ceremonial parade ground and is the scene of Trooping the Colour on the Queen’s official birthday in June. The Lifeguard change takes place here at 11:00am daily and 10:00am on Sundays.

ST JAMES’S PARK LAKE is the centrepiece of the park’s romantic landscape. It is the home to the park’s collection of waterfowl including the famous pelicans.

DUCK ISLAND is a nature reserve for the park’s bird collection It also houses the water treatment facilities and pumps for the lake and fountain.

INN THE PARK RESTAURANT is where you can feast on the best of British food using the freshest seasonal produce from small Independent producers.

THE CHURCHILL MUSEUM & CABINET WAR ROOMS are dedicated to the life of the ’greatest Briton’. The secret underground headquarters were the nerve centre of Britain’s war effort.

THE GUARDS MUSEUM contains a wealth of information and artefacts relating to the five regiments of Foot Guards.

The garden, near the place of the sign, was photographed that day Click for a larger image