Historically, the two parks were associated with Hampton Court Palace and the monarchs who resided there. The parks were hunting grounds for the pleasure of the monarchs and were stocked to support the palace’s residents. The parks have fascinating histories, and both are correctly described as Royal Parks.

These are deer parks, in which the wild deer herds roam freely. Bushy Park has two herds, Red deer and Fallow deer. Home Park has one herd of Fallow deer. The parks are habitats for many bird species and other animals. The dead wood in the parks is habitat for invertebrates, some of which are threatened and rare. Both parks are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and today their principal features are space, tranquility and unspoilt nature.

The “Friends of Bushy and Home Parks” is a charity dedicated to the protection, conservation, improvement and increased appreciation of the parks.

We are composed entirely of members, many of whom are volunteers. We have no employed and full-time staff. We work with The Royal Parks’ and with Historic Royal Palaces’ management teams to achieve our aims.

If you have never been to Bushy Park or Home Park, then you might want to start at the Visitor Centre to find out from our volunteers about these two fascinating parks.