St James's Park
London
St James's Park is the oldest of London's royal parks, in Westminster along the Mall. Its lake has two islands and a famous colony of pelicans.
From marsh to royal park
Long ago there was a marsh here, with a small hospital for the sick dedicated to Saint James. In 1532 Henry VIII fenced off the land to hunt deer.
King Charles II, back on the throne in 1660, had a long straight canal dug. In the 1820s John Nash turned it into today's lake, with curving banks.
What to look at from the bridge
Today's blue bridge dates from 1957. To the west you can see the king's palace. To the east are Horse Guards, Big Ben and the giant observation wheel.
In the time of King James I the park even had a small zoo.
A haven for animals
The lake covers about a fifth of the park and has two islands, Duck Island and West Island. More than 40 kinds of water birds live here.
Pelicans rest on the rocks in the middle of the water. They have been here for more than 350 years, and every afternoon a keeper feeds them fish.
