Site of Crystal Palace (1854 to 1936) & Park -May, 2009 -Part 1
Went for a wander around the site of the Crystal Palace & the Park. The Crystal Palace sadly burned down in 1936, however, there's still plenty to see, including large parts of the Italian Terracing, some magnificent statues from the Egyptian Court (was inside the Crystal Palace), as well as the base of the north & south Water Towers. The BBC transmitter Tower is also on the site, next to the old Aquarium. Some facts can be found below:-
Designed by Sir Joseph Paxton (Head Gardener at Chatsworth House),
Brick circular Water Towers, standing at almost 300 feet designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (Paxton's original design was flawed). The water towers, required to provide the 7 million gallons of water needed for the fountains, survived the fire of 1936, only to be demolished at the outbreak of WW2 (apparently as the towers were an unwanted London landmarks for the German Bombers),
John Logie Baird transmitted the world's first television pictures from the south Water Tower,
Lifesize dinosaurs still lurk within the Park, designed by the Victorian Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins,
The FA Cup Final was held at the Crystal Palace from 1895 to 1914,
When first opened, the Aquarium was the largest in the world,
Crystal Palace does not exist as a Town, Parish or Borough. The infuence that the Crystal Palace has on the area meant that the area around Sydenham and Upper Norwood came to be known as Crystal Palace,
Crystal Palace was affectionately known as the "People's Palace", as entry to the Palace was affordable to even the Lower Classes.
More info and history can be found here.....
http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/
I have recently learned through the Crystal Palace Community Association, that the site of the Crystal Palace, together with part of the Park, faces it's most grave threat since the fire of '36. The site & Park were entrusted to Bromley Borough Council (having originally been the responsibility of several London Boroughs). However, Bromley B.C. are now trying to sell-off part of the Park, as well as the site of the Crystal Palace, for multi-million pound re-development. However, as the Park (including the site of the Crystal Palace), is Public Open Space, and the Crystal Palace site is designated as a Site of Archaeological Importance, Bromley B.C. are trying to get the Park and C.P. site re-classified. To do this, they are spending a staggering £70,000 of Public money (the same money that comes from the very same Community who are strongly opposed to the Council's proposals!) The Council are also planning to Compulsary Purchase the Caravan Park and St. John's Ambulance H.Q., which are located on the edge of the Park. In comparison, the Local Community, represented by the Crystal Palace Community Association, are having to raise money out of their own pockets, in order to mount a legal challenge. David and Goliath springs to mind here.
The Crystal Palace holds particular memories, as my Nan used to tell me her memories of going into the Palace when she was a girl, as well as vividly recalling see the Palace when it burnt down. What's most worrying, aside from the potential and irreversable loss of this historically important site, is that if successful in their appeal, Bromley Council will be setting a dangerous precident for selling-off Public Parks for development, to which other Councils are watching very closely.
More info on the fight to save the Site & Park can be found below.....
http://cpca.org.uk/
Original Column from the Palace, School of Engineering, Weighbridge & base of south Water Tower
More to follow.....
Went for a wander around the site of the Crystal Palace & the Park. The Crystal Palace sadly burned down in 1936, however, there's still plenty to see, including large parts of the Italian Terracing, some magnificent statues from the Egyptian Court (was inside the Crystal Palace), as well as the base of the north & south Water Towers. The BBC transmitter Tower is also on the site, next to the old Aquarium. Some facts can be found below:-
Designed by Sir Joseph Paxton (Head Gardener at Chatsworth House),
Brick circular Water Towers, standing at almost 300 feet designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (Paxton's original design was flawed). The water towers, required to provide the 7 million gallons of water needed for the fountains, survived the fire of 1936, only to be demolished at the outbreak of WW2 (apparently as the towers were an unwanted London landmarks for the German Bombers),
John Logie Baird transmitted the world's first television pictures from the south Water Tower,
Lifesize dinosaurs still lurk within the Park, designed by the Victorian Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins,
The FA Cup Final was held at the Crystal Palace from 1895 to 1914,
When first opened, the Aquarium was the largest in the world,
Crystal Palace does not exist as a Town, Parish or Borough. The infuence that the Crystal Palace has on the area meant that the area around Sydenham and Upper Norwood came to be known as Crystal Palace,
Crystal Palace was affectionately known as the "People's Palace", as entry to the Palace was affordable to even the Lower Classes.
More info and history can be found here.....
http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/
I have recently learned through the Crystal Palace Community Association, that the site of the Crystal Palace, together with part of the Park, faces it's most grave threat since the fire of '36. The site & Park were entrusted to Bromley Borough Council (having originally been the responsibility of several London Boroughs). However, Bromley B.C. are now trying to sell-off part of the Park, as well as the site of the Crystal Palace, for multi-million pound re-development. However, as the Park (including the site of the Crystal Palace), is Public Open Space, and the Crystal Palace site is designated as a Site of Archaeological Importance, Bromley B.C. are trying to get the Park and C.P. site re-classified. To do this, they are spending a staggering £70,000 of Public money (the same money that comes from the very same Community who are strongly opposed to the Council's proposals!) The Council are also planning to Compulsary Purchase the Caravan Park and St. John's Ambulance H.Q., which are located on the edge of the Park. In comparison, the Local Community, represented by the Crystal Palace Community Association, are having to raise money out of their own pockets, in order to mount a legal challenge. David and Goliath springs to mind here.
The Crystal Palace holds particular memories, as my Nan used to tell me her memories of going into the Palace when she was a girl, as well as vividly recalling see the Palace when it burnt down. What's most worrying, aside from the potential and irreversable loss of this historically important site, is that if successful in their appeal, Bromley Council will be setting a dangerous precident for selling-off Public Parks for development, to which other Councils are watching very closely.
More info on the fight to save the Site & Park can be found below.....
http://cpca.org.uk/
Original Column from the Palace, School of Engineering, Weighbridge & base of south Water Tower
More to follow.....
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