The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1911-05-19

- in London by proposals to
AA make decided changes in st.
James Park, partly in connec-
ton with the placing of the King Ed
ward memorial A storm of protests
has arisen and some of the improve
ments" doubtless will be abandoned.
but the committee in charge adheres
to it's determination to remove the
famous iron suspension bridge and
substitute one OF stoOe- This is de-
nounced as "wickedly Philistine
project"
In Norman times what Is now st.
James Park was a lonely expanse OF
fields and woodlands surrounding
hospital for fourteen lepers. The in
stitution was dedicated to ST. James.
Many generations of "leper maydens"
shook their cups and platters to so
licit aims from the wayfarers who
passed their solitary abode. before
Henry VIII cast covetous eyes upon
their woodland domain. He desired
to convert it into grounds for VOL
sey's palace of Whitehall which he
had lately appropriated. The leper
sisters received notice to quit and
were granted sum in compensation.
The hospital was RACED to the ground.
and upon the site Henry erected the
palace, or. as it was then termed the
Manor House of st. James" Thither
he brought his new queen, Anne Bo-
leyn. and In the bright spring morn
ings they rode forth a-Maying with a
gay cavalcade over uninterrupted
country to Hampstead
st. James Park attained it's full
glory under the Stuarts as a fashion
able promenade and a beautiful pleas
ure ground. The Sieur de la Serre
described the palace and park in
glowing terms when he visited the
court of Charles / and Henrietta
Maria. He was lost in admiration OF
the two great grand gardens" plant
ed with fruit trees and bounded by "a
great park" filed with deer. Across
this same park Charles was taken to
Whitehall for execution.
After the Restoration. Charles III.
although he did not occupy St. James
palace, made a hobby of identifying
the park and gardens. Pepys was an
enthusiastic chronicler of the great
and noble alterations" and was con
stantly ito the park" to see how they
were progressing. He speaks of the
engines at work drawing up the wa
ter to make the lake. of the Physique
Garden" which was planted. OF the
kings aviary and the wild fowl which
he kept. and liked to feed.
Skating was first introduced into
this country by the cavaliers of the
merry monarch on the. canal of ST.
James Park during the severe win
ter OF 1862. and at the st. James
gentlemen were first seen
wearing muffs." Smoking was not
tolerated in the park. Charles ii and
Catherine of BraganZa rode there
daily in "a most elegant manner"
The grand promenade was at the east
end ofstne Mall in front of the Horse
Guards. The Mall was then a smooth
hollow walk. bordered by box and
used for the game of Nell which gave
Ii it's name. The duke of York made
the game fashionable and was the
leader in an animated scene of cava-
liers chattering. laughing and salut-
ing as they essayed to throw the bali
through the iron ring hanging from q
post
The park of that period was a beau
tiful enclosure of grass and trees in |
tersected by winding walks and trav- |
ersed by a canal, at one end OF which |
the king had constructed his duck |
island and decoy. He had also an |
aviary. which gave the name to Bird |
cage walk. At the southeast end OF |
The canal was Rosamond's pond. a no
.orious place for designations. and /
heir corollary. suicides. 1t was wood |
ed and secluded. and for a period was
he scene of more suicides by drown
ng than any other place in town
The pond was filed up In ITO
Throughout succeeding reigns St
James Park, which became more
beautiful year by year as the trees In
he Mall grew and flourished. TO
NAMED a fashionable lounge and
There beauty. wit and
ashton paraded in the days of the
'arly Georges. When ST. James pal
zee ceased. in the reign of George
II. to be the residence OF the mon
rch. the park began to lose prestige
s a place of fashion. George "
made some improvements to the park.
nd finally threw It open as q public