Join the Landscape Detectives at Gunnersbury 21 July
The Friends of Gunnersbury are contributing a map game as part of the Archaeology Day this coming Sunday (21 July, meet 12 noon outside the Museum. It provides a jolly opportunity to find the Gunnersbury Parks of the past. Around 350 years ago, Gunnersbury was owned by a lawyer, Sir John Maynard. And around 250 years ago it was owned by Princess Amelia, the daughter of the King. When Maynard or Amelia went for a stroll through their estates, what sort of grounds were they walking through? Were they full of trees, flowers, ponds and fruit? Did they live behind high walls? Or were there open lawns with distant views? One way to find out is to study the old maps and then to try to pin them onto today’s landscape. It’s hard work, but it might be possible. James Wisdom and I will lead this active event, using photocopies of historic maps to work our way around the park. It will be full of disagreements and discussions, because old maps are nowhere near as accurate as today’s GPS! But by the end, all the participants will have discovered something of the two earlier parks woven into today’s landscape.The exploration will last for about an hour, and we will do it even if it rains. Do join us!
Valerie Bott ● 4403d0 Comments