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| Obelisk with the King's Observatory in the background. |
Old Deer Park is an open space in Richmond-upon-Thames, bordered by the Thames Path on one side and Kew Gardens on the other. Owned by the Crown Estates, it is leased as a sports facility, especially rugby and golf. There has been cricket club there since 1864. Sadly, there are no deer in the park, despite its name.
Inside the park three obelisks stand as part of the King's Observatory, Kew. They are meridian marks set up for adjusting the transit instruments. They correspond to the east wing and west wing of the building. The third stands along the tow path of the river indicating the true north point of the Observatory.
The Observatory was built by Sir William Chambers for King George III, a keen amateur astronomer. Chambers also built the Pagoda in nearby Kew Gardens. The observatory was built of Portland stone and had a removable roof. It was ready in time for George III to view the transit of Venus (when Venus was positioned between the Earth and Sun) on 3rd June 1769. At one time London's time was set by calculations made at Kew. The observatory is built over part of the old Carthusian monastery known as Sheen Priory, founded by King Henry V. See also Richmond Palace.
The building is now privately owned and not open to the public, but you can get a good view of it from the Thames Path, and I have observed two of the obelisks.
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| Old Deer Park |
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