The History of Greenwich Park - Coursework Example

The History The history of Greenwich Park can be divided in to three distinct eras (Greenwich Park, 2008). It was a community settlement until the 15th century, when the Duke of Gloucester enclosed after inheriting the territory. Greenwich Park remained a treasured royal property for about 300 years. Mary, daughter of King James II donated the site for a naval hospital in the 18th century, setting the stage for the modern and ongoing era. Archaeology proves that today’s Greenwich Park was inhabited from Roman times. It was also used by other European invaders, such as the Danes and the Normans. Even today, some of the site is at an elevation, and affords an unrestricted view of vast tracts of the River Thames, key structures on its embankments, and other parts of East London. The Danes were the first to construct some primordial fortifications on the site, in recognition of its natural and strategic importance. However, it was left to the Normans to lay claim to this piece of land as a private territory, following which it gradually took on the hues of a royal estate and residence. The Greenwich Tower was the first major construction on the site commissioned by royalty. This conception around 1433 became the nucleus of one of the world’s most famous observatories. The Greenwich Observatory remains unchallenged to this day in terms of a standard for times zones across all longitudes. The greater royal family began to covet Greenwich Park, in recognition of its many attractions. King Henry VI’s wife Mary not only seized the Manor, but even renamed it as the Placentia. King Henry VIII upgraded the site to the status of a Palace. Greenwich Park was then known as the Palace of Placentia. King Henry VIII was the first Monarch to spend significant time at the site. He was betrothed twice here. He and some of his children were born here. A son died prematurely during adolescence. The 17th century saw major evolution of the Manor in to a Park. King James I built a brick wall to delineate the boundaries and the estate in most durable fashion. Parts of this construction are still visible in the 21st century. He then gifted the estate to his wife. The circumstances of this gesture were frivolous, but Anne took the gift with full appreciation of its potential. She commissioned a famous professional of the day to construct a new palace at Greenwich Park, but died before the construction was complete. However, the Queen’s House remains a key edifice of the Park to this day. King Charles II also constructed a new palace at Greenwich Park. A sign of his covetousness of this sublime site was the fact that he destroyed earlier buildings, and even buried the foundations! King Charles II suffered from a paucity of funds, some of which may be ascribed to his aggressive expressions of ownership. This extravagance was not without benefits for our generation, for the King brought in an expert from the court of Louis XIV of France to re-design Greenwich Park. This gardener may be credited with the modern layout and delightful ambience of Greenwich Park. A key element of the re-design was to use the elevated sections of the site for great landscaping benefits. Remains of the Great Steps which resulted are amongst the most treasured artifacts in the Greenwich Park of today. Blackheath Avenue and the Rounds still have trees that were first planted during this era. King Charles was the first Monarch to put the estate to some productive use. The watchtower of the 15th century became the spot where the Royal Observatory was born. Sir Christopher Wren was associated with this legendary development in the science of astronomy. The Royal Observatory was named after Flamsteed, the noted student of celestial bodies. No descendant of King Charles has ever shown abiding interest in Greenwich Park. His daughter allowed access to old people when she had a hospital for sailors built at the site. The hospital became the Royal Naval College. Queen’s House became the National Maritime Museum. The first half of the 20th century saw this historic royal property pass on to the public wealth represented by the city of London. Greenwich Park served as a place of defense during World War II. It has been integral to the continuing urban history of the metropolis ever since. It is also a World Heritage Site. Current Usage A Park is one of the scarcest resources in any urban area. The green cover and vast open spaces in the heart of the city, make London one of the most prized places on earth. It is central to the quality of life in this vast metropolis, and adds to its kaleidoscopic tourist potential as well. Greenwich Park is one of the most valuable estates anywhere in the United Kingdom. Though we may enumerate the many tangible uses to which it is put, its true worth is beyond measure. London would quite simply not be the same without Greenwich Park. Size matters. Greenwich Park is vast in the context of realty values in and around Central London. It covers just over 180 acres. It is therefore the size of a significant township in its own right, except for the fact that it is open land save for some historic constructions. The very dimensions of Greenwich Park are responsible for the multifarious purposes it serves. The flora and fauna of Greenwich Park constitute a distinct and invaluable purpose for the City of London (Greenwich Park, 2008). The estate has a large population of trees, some of which date back to medieval times. They are therefore amongst the oldest living edifices from this part of the world. The very upkeep and maintenance of such old living things is a science and a specialized branch of study. Greenwich Park has an admirable population of deer, foxes, and birds. This makes it an essential destination for all London visitors and residents with interests in natural history. No zoo can match the joys of seeing wildlife in their natural and free surroundings. It is spectacular that generations of these animals thrive amidst the bustle and trappings of modern urban life. Anyone can enjoy Greenwich Park for free. It is a haven of public recreation. One of the greatest albeit simplest of joys is simply to have a picnic with friends in its pristine surroundings. It is equally becoming to stroll through its vast surroundings, enjoy the solitude of nature, and take in the glorious views of London from its elevated spots. Greenwich Park is nearly perfect for idyllic breaks in the midst of every London encounter. Greenwich Park promotes a sportive life. This can range from anything from jogging and cycling to a vigorous game of rugby or cricket. It is also possible to just laze around with a Frisbee or similar device. There are tennis courts and a putting green. Greenwich Park welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds who would like to exercise for pleasure or in a competitive sense. There are dedicated paths for cycles, horses, and casual strollers. Showers and change-rooms welcome teams who wish to play against each other in more formal fashion. There are special facilities for expecting and young mothers to exercise under expert guidance. Greenwich Park is full of options to stay fit and to enjoy physical recreation of all kinds. There are a host of options on the site for catering and for hosting events. It is useful to know that Greenwich Park is approachable by car, bus, tube, rail, and river-craft. Greenwich Park is just right for personal occasions and for social and business events because it is so easy for guests to commute to and from the site. The area has a pleasing array of eating places and catering establishments. Visitors can enjoy a variety of hot and cold snacks, beverages, and even alcohol. There are many formats, from formal tables to private lawns. Some of the restaurants have been highly rated by critics and in the press. The Greenwich Park can meet all needs from catering for private meetings between individuals to large and public events. The site welcomes children and adults alike. There are generous facilities for parents with infants and for individuals with disabilities as well. Greenwich Park is a must for astronomers and hobbyists from related fields. The Observatory and the Planetarium are extremely well laid out and equipped. Greenwich Park also has facilities for concerts of bands. Workshops on cultural matters are organized at the site regularly. The stunning locales make Greenwich Park very suitable for cinema productions. Films of many genres can be recorded here, and the authorities have elaborate arrangements available for top directors and producers. The equestrian trails and courses make the site particularly well suited for filming any scene involving horses. Greenwich Park also promotes theater since many plays based on classic works of fiction are staged here. Tourism is a significant matter for London, and Greenwich Park is a popular attraction. No London visit experience can be complete without at least a few quality hours spent in this everglade. That natural wealth, flora and fauna, as well as the history of the site are irresistible draws for numerous visitors everyday. Finally, Greenwich Park has an important role during the forthcoming Olympics in 2012. This is the subject of a separate section of this document. Greenwich Park will acquire a heightened world awareness level after 2012. There are also aspects of re-mediation that need to be addressed. The Olympics of 2012 will mark a new era in the ongoing saga of Greenwich Park. Overall, Greenwich Park is a generous and versatile public facility. It is a star in the tiara of London attractions. Residents and tourists use its abundant features for public development. Most of the facilities can be enjoyed free of charge, making it a grand gesture of governance. There are creative plans on the books to improve the utilities of Greenwich Park in future. Plans for Use during the 2012 Olympics There are direct and indirect uses of the Greenwich Park during the forthcoming Olympics in London. Some events involving horses will be held at the site. Parts of athletic events will also pass through the grounds. The Olympics will result in a surge in the numbers of arriving visitors. The Greenwich Park has an important role to play in making all visitors to the Olympics feel welcome in London, and by adding to the list of things to see and do during trips. Restoration of the park to its original state after the sporting events is an important objective. The equestrian events, the Marathon, and the Pentathlon have all been designed to keep disturbances to everyday activities and to regular visitors as low as possible. There are also elaborate plans in place to restore normal functioning and status soon after the Olympics are over. Equestrian events will be held in a designated area, with temporary structures designed for quick area restoration after the Olympics are over. Dressage, which is an attractive event, is one of the sports that will be conducted at the historic site. Care has been taken during course planning to ensure that ancient trees and constructed artifacts are not damaged as a result of the Olympic events. Practice facilities will also be severely restricted towards this end. Survey of Opinions A focus group of 25 undergraduate students were interviewed on a range of questions related to the 2012 Olympics and the Greenwich Park. The following findings resulted: 1. The Greenwich Park is highly valued by students. They regard it as a key resource in the area. Only two students were unaware of the site and had not visited it. 2. No respondent was well aware of the history of the Greenwich Village. No one knew that famous people such as Sir Christopher Wren have been associated with the site. 3. Many site facilities and features are also unknown. No respondent had ever used the river route to reach Greenwich Park. The students cannot afford to frequent the cafes and restaurants. Some of the sports and recreation activities here are not known. Overall, a tangential effect of the survey was that students resolved to use the facilities more extensively, and to visit Greenwich Park more frequently as well. 4. The Olympics are associated with new construction activity in London. Only 5 respondents were aware that some events will be held partially at the site. 5. The tourism impact of the Olympics is universally recognized. While students are apprehensive of the intrusive effects of the event on their private lives, they are resigned to the consequences in view of the economic benefits for the metropolis. 6. All respondents without exception expressed reservations about Olympic events being held at Greenwich Park. The safeguards mentioned were not convincing, though fourteen of the respondents agreed that the authorities should be trusted to do their best in the matter. Six respondents were in favor of agitating on the issue. The fate of deer and birds cause most concerns. None of the respondents were aware of the ancient trees at the park, but did insist on their protection when told about the matter. The survey showed that students do not favor associating the Olympics with a World Heritage Site. It is also apparent that more needs to be done to make students aware of the attractions and potential of Greenwich Park. Opposition to the equestrian and athletic endurance events is expected to grow as 2012 draws closer, and as evidence of damage and disturbance becomes more evident in the public eye. Literature Review of Post-Olympic Plans Opinion is rather sharply divided on the issue of what will happen to the Greenwich Park after the 2012 Olympics. Some commentators are against the idea altogether (Owen, 2008). Experts and organizers are confident of restoring the park to its pre-Olympic status (London 2012, 2008). They also feel that there are substantial gains at stake. Tradition and ecology dominate concerns against the use of the site for the Olympics (Greenwich Park and its Olympic Role, 2008). Some citizens are concerned that the park will be damaged beyond repair. The very concept of using a heritage site for a sports event attracts strong opposition. The opposing view is more flexible, leaving plenty of space for negotiation. Detailed arrangements are in very early stages, so it should be possible to accommodate dissenting points of view at this stage. Besides, adequate resources and expertise are available to prevent any lasting damage to the facilities. Professional bodies have supported use of Greenwich Park for Olympic events (Frequently Asked Questions about Greenwich, not dated). They have provided cogent answers to the many questions raised about the issue. Opponents, on the other hand, give one the general impression that the fears are unfounded. Professionals believe that the Olympic Games will indeed have lasting effects in positive ways. Thus, Greenwich Park stands to gain by its active participation in the event. The area earmarked provisionally for the Olympics is very small compared to the total area of the park. There are a series of precautions in place such as restriction on practice by horses prior to the events. There is no evidence in the literature scanned that the park will really be damaged. Opponents have put large hypothetical numbers on the spectators who they feel will throng the grounds. This is actually premature because the final course has not even been chosen. The actual number of spectators will probably be just a tenth of the figure presented by opponents. The authorities have time to make adequate and protective arrangements even if the numbers of spectators swell to the numbers predicted by some followers of equestrian sports. The issue of post-Olympics use of the park has taken hues of preventing damage alone (The Greenwich Phantom, 2008). There are many possibilities to upgrade the park facilities through the many projects planned for the events in 2012. Attention has been diverted from possibilities to invest Olympic funds to make the Greenwich Park even more attractive for future visitors after the sporting events are over. It seems a pity that lasting improvements should be denied for the mere use of a portion of the site for just a few days. There are discrepancies in the facts presented by some of the opponents. There are claims that heritage trees will be cut down, but this does not appear to be the case. There are also reports that the organizers of the game will not compensate the park authorities for use of the site. Again, this does not seem to be the case. There are alternatives to the Greenwich Park. They have been used for Olympic events in the past, and are spread over larger areas than the Greenwich Park. However, it seems to be best to use facilities in Central London first, and to use the event to upgrade the park as well. The Greenwich Park will get world-wide exposure from the event, and we may expect the footfall to increase significantly after the Olympics in 2012. Athletes will be able to stay within the precincts of the Olympic village. It will be easier to manage the logistics. Overall, lasting benefits appear certain, while the fears of damage are unfounded, and can be mitigated through detailed planning for which there is still sufficient time. The Olympic movement is itself steeped in ancient history and traditions. Though it is unusual to deploy the facilities of a World Heritage Site for some events, the concept deserves support and encouragement. The events at the Greenwich Park will give a novel flavor to the 2012 Olympics. Costs, Benefits, and Risks of the Plans Costs should be borne by the Olympic movement. It is ridiculous to suggest that the park authorities should pay for temporary structures constructed for just a few days of events. The Olympic event authorities and the branches of government responsible for maintenance of the site should be viewed in a unitary way by all UK citizens and Londoners in any case. It is not as though some aliens seek to take over such an invaluable slice of the British heritage! We have also to recognize differences between costs and investments. Steps taken to protect old trees and historic remains were probably overdue in any case. The grounds will improve as a result of development work for the Olympics. People should be grateful that the event gives funds for future and lasting development of the grounds. In summary, it may be said that there are no fund outflows for the park management and regular users because of the Olympics. We should also not forget that regular users enjoy the park facilities for free. Exposure is the main and lasting benefit of the Olympic events for the Greenwich Park. Neither I nor any of the students I interviewed for this assignment had complete knowledge of the rich and beguiling history of the Greenwich Park. Many area residents take the site for granted. Even opponents credit selective periods of the Monarchy with developing the site, which is actually contrary to the historic facts! Greenwich Park competes with many other London and UK attractions for tourist dollars: the Olympics will raise the profile of the Greenwich Park, and result in greater numbers of visitors from all over the world visiting and using the facilities during trips and visits to London. Some opponents seem to be unaware that the Greenwich Park has always been used for training with horses by the police. The equestrian events will lead to a fuller use of the Greenwich Park by equestrians. It will also raise the profile of the sport, and attract new enthusiasts. This is harmonious with the manner in which the site has been developed over preceding centuries. World heritage should be seen in dynamic and vital light to fully appreciate what the Olympics can do for the Greenwich Park. The risks are severe and have not been covered in the web sites scanned for this assignment. Security is a major concern during all Olympic events, and the Greenwich Park cannot remain isolated from such a threat. The authorities responsible for security will surely do everything possible to protect Greenwich Park from an adverse event, but the park and Olympic functionaries seem to be unaware of what this might entail. Any emergent situation during the 2012 Olympics will affect the sanctity of the Greenwich Park directly or more subtly. It could also attract negative publicity for the site. The world security scenario will probably undergo many changes between now and 2012. It is therefore impossible for anyone to say with assurance as to what forms threats may take during the next Olympics, and their possible impacts on the Greenwich Park. It has also to be conceded in conclusion that the fears about damages to old trees and to ancient remains cannot be ruled out altogether. Accidents can happen, the best safeguards notwithstanding. Such risks are improbable but they are grave. The biological risks cannot be pinpointed either. A fungus attack may wipe out old trees, though it may have nothing to do with the Olympics. No one can say with certainty in such a course of events, as to from where the fungus colony has come. The only factor in favor of holding the Olympics at the site in spite of the stated risks is that the benefits that have been described earlier in this document are also significant and likely as well. References Owen, J, 2008, Olympic Vandalism in Royal Greenwich Park, web site of Times Online, accessed December 2008 from: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4092349.ece Frequently Asked Questions About Greenwich, not dated, web site of the British Equestrian Federation, accessed December 2008 from: http://www.bef.co.uk/The_Olympic_&_Paralympic_Games/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_Greenwich.html Greenwich Park, 2008, web site of the The Royal Parks, accessed December 2008 from: http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich_park/ Greenwich Park and its Olympic Role, 2008, web site of the Times Online, accessed December 2008 from: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article4206520.ece London 2012, 2008, document on the use of Greenwich Park during and after the 2012 Olympics, accessed December 2008 from: http://www.london2012.com/documents/locog-publications/greenwich-park.pdf The Greenwich Phantom, 2008 web log against use of the Greenwich Park for the Olympics, accessed December 2008 from: http://www.thegreenwichphantom.co.uk/labels/Greenwich%20Park%20Olympics%20Equestrian%20events.html Read More