Hurlingham Park

{{Infobox park

| name = Hurlingham Park

| image = Hurlingham Park, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, SW6 (3360725817).jpg

| map = London

| location = Fulham, London

| coordinates = {{coord|51|28|07|N|0|12|6|W|type:landmark_region:GB-HMF|display=title,inline}}

| opened = {{start date|1954|9|11}}

| awards = Green Flag Award

| website = {{URL|https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/arts-and-parks/parks-and-open-spaces/hurlingham-park}}

}}

File:Hurlingham Park, London 06.JPG

Hurlingham Park is a park and multi-use sports ground in Fulham, London, England, which is mostly used for rugby matches, football matches and athletics events{{Cite web|url=http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/redir?urn=http://www.scotpolo.org/_scotpolo/photos_files/FrancevScotland.jpg&url=http://www.scotpolo.org/_scotpolo/photos_files/FrancevScotland.jpg&&requestId=ad0cd0110bfcb754&clickedItemRank=1&source=googleImage&searchType=IS&partner=Google&query=Hurlingham+Park|title=Yahoo|website=aolsearch.aol.co.uk}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and is the home of Hammersmith and Fulham Rugby Football Club. The park is a two-minute walk from Putney Bridge tube station on the District line.{{Cite news |last=Drake |first=Craig |date=13 May 2011 |title=Play Horse |work=City A.M. |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=B8N047549019&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-10-31 |via=EBSCOHost}}

Once known as the "spiritual home of British polo", Hurlingham Park was the venue for men's polo at the 1908 Olympics. The park served as the location for Monty Python's Upper Class Twit of the Year sketch.{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=Kim Howard |title=The First 200 Years of Monty Python |publisher=St Martin's Press |year=1989 |isbn=0-312-03309-5 |location=New York |pages=47, 73}}

Hurlingham Park received a Green Flag Award for 2013–2014.{{Cite news |date=August 2013 |title=Green Flag Award winners |pages=18–31 |work=Horticulture Week |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=89650654&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-10-31 |via=EBSCOHost}}

History

Polo was first played at Hurlingham Park in 1874, and has been called "the spiritual home of British polo".{{Cite news |date=24 April 2012 |title=Exclusive ticket offer |work=Daily Telegraph |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=8Q259164369&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-10-31 |via=EBSCOHost}} It continued to be played on the site for 65 years, until the grounds were requisitioned by the government during the Second World War. The No. 1 polo ground was turned into allotments to grow food in 1939.{{Cite news |date=11 May 2012 |title=MINT Polo is back in town |work=City AM |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=B8N059767823&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-10-31 |via=EBSCOHost}}{{Cite news |date=2 January 1948 |title=New Year Hopes |page=8 |work=Fulham Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fulham-and-hammersmith-chronicle-new-yea/134427031/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Much of the surrounding area was compulsorily purchased by Fulham Borough Council in the 1950s to create the public park, the sports arena, and council housing.{{Cite news |date=5 June 1998 |title=Don't store your skips in our beautiful park – residents tell council |page=16 |work=The Gazette |location=Hammersmith, London |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hammersmith-and-shepherds-bush-gazette-d/134426513/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |via=Newspapers.com}} The Hurlingham Club was subsequently left with its clubhouse, tennis courts, and croquet lawns, as well as its river frontage. The London County Council and Fulham Council considered calling the new open space "Hurlingham Playing Fields",{{Cite news |date=8 February 1952 |title='Hurlingham Park'? |page=7 |work=Fulham Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/791598331/?match=1&clipping_id=134428251 |access-date=2023-11-01 |via=Newspapers.com}} before deciding to retain the Hurlingham Park name.

The first section of the new public park – featuring a children's playground with swings, see-saw, a rocking boat, and a maze – was officially opened in October 1952.{{Cite news |date=17 October 1952 |title=Hurlingham Park will be a boon to all |page=4 |work=Fulham Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fulham-and-hammersmith-chronicle-hurling/134428951/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |via=Newspapers.com}} The opening ceremony was attended by Edwin Bayliss, chairman of the London County Council; local MP Dr. Edith Summerskill; Fulham mayor Frank W. Banfield; and representatives from the Hurlingham Club.

Sports facilities

The opening meeting of the track was on 11 September 1954. The running track was originally made of cinder.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

A grandstand was built in 1936 to replace an earlier version but it was allowed to become run down in the 1990s and, in spite of strong local opposition, was demolished in 2002. It had a capacity of approximately 2,500 on bench type seating. The stadium has been replaced by a considerably smaller pavilion with no public facilities. The infield is a well maintained grass pitch and is used for either rugby union or football.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

The track has a {{convert|200|m|yd|abbr=off}} straight on the home straight next to the grandstand which extends past the regular start line although the extension has been fenced off. The track was the base of London Athletic Club and the straight was last thought to be used for a race in 1979. A meeting was held with exactly the same schedule of events as the first open championship in 1879 and thus included a 220-yard straight race (200 metres).{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

In 2009, a three-day polo tournament was held in Hurlingham Park – the first time in 70 years that polo had been played there – with grandstands specially erected for the event.{{Cite news |last=Barney |first=Katahrine |date=28 October 2008 |title=Polo's coming home with new tournament at Hurlingham |work=Evening Standard |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=34971439&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-10-31 |via=EBSCOHost}} Hundreds of primary school pupils from schools in Hammersmith and Fulham received polo lessons as part of their PE curriculum in 2010.{{Cite news |last=Stewart |first=Tim |date=3 March 2010 |title=Free lessons in polo a hit with primary pupils |work=Evening Standard |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=48362123&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2023-10-31 |via=EBSCOHost}}

Buildings

One of the oldest surviving buildings in Hurlingham Park is Field Cottage, a lodge which was rebuilt in 1856 in solid stone.{{Cite book |last=Denny |first=Barbara |title=A History of Fulham |publisher=Historical Publications |year=1990 |isbn=9780948667077 |location=London |pages=50, 122}} In the 1860s, Hurlingham Field Cottage was used as an orphanage and industrial home for girls, run by Elizabeth Palmer, a local benefactress.