About

The Park has changed little over the centuries and although it is surrounded by human habitation, the varied landscape of hills, woodland gardens and grasslands set among ancient trees abounds in wild life.

Richmond Park has been designated as a site of special scientific interest and a National Nature Reserve. The royal connections to this park probably go back further than any of the others, beginning with Edward (1272-1307), when the area was known as the Manor of Sheen. The name was changed to Richmond during Henry VII's reign.

This year the Royal Parks is providing free transport to help visitors, especially those with mobility issues, get better access to the Park and Isabella Plantation. This free service will operate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 5th April until 29th November 2023, between the hours of 9:25am and 4:20pm. The minibus has disabled access, and runs between all the Richmond Park car parks, Ladderstile Gate, Richmond Gate, Pembroke Lodge and Isabella Plantation.The service starts and finishes at the barrier in Danebury Avenue on the Roehampton Estate and also goes out to Ham, Ashburnham Road (371 bus stop), Ham Gate Avenue (near to 65 bus stop), and new for this year, out to Mortlake Station (969 stop) outside the Community Centre. 

Download the Minibus Timetable.

The minibus is fully accessible and equipped with a ramp and steps to aid access and also has space to accommodate wheelchairs. Wheelchair users wishing to use this service should contact Malcolm Childs at mchilds@thehollylodgecentre.org.uk or ring 020 8940 8730.

Friends of Richmond Park run regular free walks within the park, usually lasting about 2 hours and starting and finishing at one of the park gates.

 

Richmond Park has been a location for several films and TV series:

The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953)

Performance (1968)

Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)

The film tells the story of King Henry VIII's courtship of Anne Boleyn and their brief marriage.

An Indian dust storm was filmed in the park for the film Heat and Dust (1983).

Billy Elliot (2000)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Into the Woods (2014)

Patrick (2018)

As well as a location for films, Richmond Park is regularly featured in television programmes, corporate videos and fashion shoots. It has made an appearance on Blue Peter, Inside Out and Springwatch. Most recently it was the subject of nature documentary Richmond Park – National Nature Reserve, presented by Sir David Attenborough and produced by the Friends of Richmond Park, which has won the best "Longform" film in the 2018 national Charity Film Awards