We can all enjoy the beauty of the Terrace Gardens, which roll down Richmond Hill towards the Thames. The view has been immortalised by such painters as Sir Joshua Reynolds and JMW Turner and described by Sir Walter Scott as an ‘unrivalled landscape.’ But this beautiful view was only preserved by the creation of the gardens thanks to the foresightedness of the local Vestry.
In 1869 Lansdowne House was demolished and the 5th Duke of Buccleuch bought the estate, which neighboured his own. When the Due died in 1886 the trustees of Richmond were worried that the famous view would be destroyed if it got into the hands of developers, so they put forward the idea of buying the land.
The idea was hotly contested. Opposition came from a group of ratepayers who considered that the municipal funds should be spent on more important projects such as preventing sewage discharging into the river which was then a very serious problem; and from others who thought the land should be used for building houses. Given the extent of the opposition, the Vestry organised a number of public meetings and at one meeting a hired mob broke in to disrupt proceedings. But eventually the plan went through to purchase the land as public gardens.
The gardens were formally opened by the Duchess of Teck (a great grandmother of our present Queen) in 1887 and the land was protected by an Act of Parliament in 1902. In 1926 the Borough bought the grounds of the adjourning Cardigan estate and in 1936 they bought and then demolished Buccleuch House and both plots of land were then added to the Terrace Gardens.
The grounds have been enjoyed by the public ever since. In the 1930s the local Shakespeare company held plays on the sloping lawns, entertaining children and adults alike.
The gardens were just maintained for many decades until restoration started a few years ago. Between 2007 and 2009 the borough invested £1m in the refurbishment of the gardens. This included the restoration of the glasshouse and Summer House, repairing the paths and seating areas, replanting significant areas and opening up the view of the river. They now hold seasonal bedding, shrubberies, a rockery and rose gardens.
In summer they are the perfect place to picnic with a glass of wine from the local pub and in winter the gentle slopes make an ideal place for young toboganners!
