When was the Serpentine lake built?

The Serpentine, in Hyde Park, was formed in 1730-1733. Queen Caroline wife of George 2nd had the idea of providing an ornamental lake to further enhance the park's beauty. Hyde Park had for centuries been a royal hunting ground and King Charles 1st opened it to the public in 1637.



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The Serpentine takes its name from its snakelike, curving shape, although it only has one bend. Originally fed by the River Westbourne and Tyburn Brook in the 1730s, the lake's water was then pumped from the Thames in the 1830s.

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This man-made lake's name is supposedly due to its shape, looking like a snake from above – the lake was one of the first in the city to take on a natural design, as most man-made lakes at the time were of a fixed rectangular shape. Today, The Serpentine is mainly used for recreational purposes.

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Several decades later, Queen Caroline, consort of George II, carried out renovations to the park and in the 1830s had the Serpentine lake created. While artificial lakes at the time were often long and straight – the kind that would front stately manors – this was one of the first natural-looking artificial lakes.

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Originally fed by the River Westbourne and Tyburn Brook in the 1730s, the lake's water was then pumped from the Thames in the 1830s. The water is now pumped from three boreholes within Hyde Park, the most recent being installed in May 2012 as part of the 2011–2012 restoration of the Lake.

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One of the main sources of pollution to the Serpentine at Hyde Park is suspected to be from animal faecal pollution, mainly birds.

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Though Hyde Park is safer area compared to the nearby, needless to say, you should be careful not to walk alone in the nighttime. There are some pretty good restaurants nearby, but of course Hyde Park isn't as fun as downtown.

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Historically the river flowed mainly exposed due south from this point as the mutual limits of Westminster and Kensington, but since 1850 is culverted (runs underground) to reach the Thames near Chelsea Bridge.

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There are two processes at work that cause rivers to become serpentine, erosion and sedimentation.

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Hyde Park was created for hunting by Henry Vlll in 1536 after he acquired the manor of Hyde from the Abbey. It was enclosed as a deer park and remained a private hunting ground until James I permitted limited access to gentlefolk, appointing a ranger to take charge.

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features of Hyde Park Hyde Park portion is called the Serpentine. The lake is used for boating in the summer and skating in the winter. In the park's northeastern corner, near Marble Arch, is Speakers' Corner, which has long been a centre of free speech for soapbox orators. Also in the park are the…

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The park has a small lake, St James's Park Lake, with two islands, West Island and Duck Island, the latter named for the lake's collection of waterfowl.

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