The Diana Fountain is one of the primary architectural features of Bushy Park. It was originally commissioned by Charles I and located at Somerset House in London. It was moved to Hampton Court Palace in 1656. It was then moved to Bushy Park in 1712 as part of the plans drawn up by Sir Christopher Wren to remodel Hampton Court Palace for the monarchs William and Mary, completing his design for the Great Avenue, now known as Chestnut Avenue.

Visitors should not confuse it with the Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fountain in Kensington Gardens.

Please see this map for details: Map of Bushy Park

The Woodland Gardens are found on the western side of Bushy Park, and comprise two plantations, the Pheasantry plantation and the Waterhouse plantation. They provide tranquil woodland walks alongside streams, with many flowering trees and shrubs in Spring.

The gardens began to be cultivated in 1925 around the Waterhouse, from two early nineteenth-century plantations. In 1948 improvements were made by the then Park Superintendent, Joseph Fisher. He created the paths, layouts and ponds that are the basis of today’s gardens. Places in the gardens include Fisher’s pond, Triss’s pond, King’s River garden, Willow Plantation, Silver Birch Glade, the bog garden, and Hornbeam Avenue.

The Pheasantry café is located at one end of the gardens, in the centre of the park. Next to the café is the Visitor Centre, which opened in 2019.

The ponds in Bushy Park, like the gates and the deer and the trees are features which help define the character of this great Royal Park. They are described below by Dr Margaret Stedman, extracted from notes on a Friends’ walk.

Diana Fountain
Diana (or Arethusa) statue commissioned by Charles I, and located first at Somerset House; then moved to Hampton Court Palace in 1656; and finally to Bushy Park in 1712, on a new pedestal in the basin pond thus completing Christopher Wren’s design for The Great Avenue, now known as Chestnut Avenue. Shrouded in camouflage netting during WW2. Restored in the last phase of the Lottery Heritage-funded Restoration Project, completed on 2009 and awarded grade 1 status.

Triss’s Pond
Created by Joseph Fisher, park superintendent late 1940s to late 60s; named after daughter Triss.

Fisher’s Pond
Created by Joseph Fisher just before his retirement; known as Fisher’s Pond

Waterhouse Pond
Initially dug in 1536 fed by nearby springs; in 1630s Charles I ordered construction of the Longford River fed from the Colne to augment the supply in the Waterhouse pond – effectively a reservoir to feed fountains in Hampton Court Palace.

Upper Lodge Water Gardens and Canal Plantation
Created by Charles Montagu, Earl of Halifax, to complement his house, now called Upper Lodge. It consisted of an upper pond fed from the Longford; in turn feeding a second pond over a cascade, whose outlet then fed back to the Longford. A third pond is in front of Upper Lodge. A fourth pond (now a marshy area), and a fifth, the Canal Plantation. All five are on an axis.

Hampton Hill Pond
Believed to have been created by a World War II bomb crater.

Barton’s Pond
Barton’s Cottage was originally a Grace and Favour residence but is now a rental property. It was originally surrounded by farm buildings (hence the origin of the pond), which were demolished in 1851.

Heron Pond and Leg of Mutton Pond
Dug in the Commonwealth Period when Oliver Cromwell was occupying Hampton Court Palace, to provide for the new pastime of fishing. Initially fed by springs, and later augmented by take-off from the Longford River. Bushy Park was sold into private ownership in 1654 but was bought back 2 years later, on the instigation of Oliver Cromwell.

Boating Pool
Created after WW1 to provide employment. Small rowing boats and pedalos were for hire before and after WW2. Stopped in 1970s because ‘uneconomic’.

The Water Gardens were originally created by Charles Montagu, Earl of Halifax, in the seventeenth century as pleasure gardens for his residence, Upper Lodge. They had fallen into disrepair by the 1980s, following the use of Upper Lodge as part of the Admiralty Research Laboratory. Following research during the 1990s by the Friends, and then substantial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, they were carefully restored to resemble their early 18th century glory. The major restoration of the Water Gardens was completed in 2009. The Friends of Bushy and Home Parks have, thanks to some generous donations, added further features – metal finials, metal reeds and 2 trompe l’oeil panels inside the arches either side of the cascade and the replica hoods over the stoup basins. The last of these was added in 2017.

Opening hours
The Water Gardens are open every day except Mondays, 9am to dusk. They will be open on Bank Holiday Mondays but will then close on the Tuesday.

Access
There is disabled access but there is no special car park for the Water Gardens.

Location
There are two entrances. One on the north side from the main Hampton Hill gates. Walk straight ahead and turn right before the mews. The pedestrian gate is on the left just before you get to the Longford River. It is a 5 minute walk from Hampton Hill High Street. The south gate is reached via Upper Lodge Road. Take the footpath on the left just before you reach Upper Lodge. The entrance gate is at the end of the path. This gate is a 20 minute walk from the Pheasantry Visitor Centre.

Please see this map for details: Map of Bushy Park

Water Gardens Regulations
The following regulations are to ensure the health and safety of visitors, and to preserve the peace and tranquillity of the restored gardens:

• Younger children should be accompanied by an adult
• Please keep to the paths
• Do not enter or drink the water
• Please keep your dog on a lead
• Cyclists please dismount
• Ball games and the use of airborne toys are not allowed
• Fishing is not allowed

The Longford River is an artificial canal, which the monarch King Charles I, had constructed to bring water to Hampton Court palace gardens. It was excavated for twelve miles from the River Colne to the palace. Longford river enters Bushy Park at the Pantile Bridge in Hampton Hill, by-passing the Water Gardens and continuing through the park into The Woodland Gardens, feeding streams and pond on the way to Hampton Court.

Longford River is maintained by The Royal Parks and is the responsibility of the Bushy Park Manager.