| Summary : Mound in Richmond Park situated on and over the edge of a steep slope down to the River Thames. It comprises a circular flat-topped mound 72 metres metres in diameter, and 6.1 metres high. The mound is cut by terraced paths which lead to the viewing platform on top, where a keyhole view extending to St Paul's Cathedral is now a protected vista. Earthworks on the eastern side of the mound suggest a slight, curved ramp leading to the top of the feature. A tree-lined ornamental avenue (TQ 17 SE 61) was aligned between King Henry VIII's Mound and Oliver's Mound (TQ 17 SE 19) during the 18th century, and it is likely that the possible ramp led onto this avenue, and that King Henry VIII's Mound, with its views, was the culmination of a formal walk. The origins of King Henry VIII's Mound are unclear, and it is possible that it was a prehistoric round barrow which also served as a standing for the hunt when Richmond Park was a deer park. It was then became an ornamental garden feature during the early 18th century. The site was surveyed by RCHME field staff in 1995. |
More information : [TQ 1860 7325] KING HENRY VIII MOUND [GT]
Might well be a castle mound, but in its present state difficult to say. Traces of bank and ditch (wide) from it to reservoir ditch on south.
This bowl-shaped mound is situated in the private grounds of Pembroke Lodge. It is 30-40 yards in diam and about 8ft. high. The mound is generally called 'KING HENRY VIII MOUND' or MOUNT, but was marked as 'THE KING'S STANDINGE' on a plan of 1637. It has been claimed as a barrow, and considerable deposits of ashes are said to have been found in it. The finding of ashes however, does not prove the mound is a barrow, and its nature must be regarded as doubtful.
Tradition has it the Henry VIII stood on the mound to watch for a signal from the Tower of London announcing the execution of his Wife Anne Boleyn.
King Henry VIII mound stands overlooking a steep W. slope dropping down to the R.Thames. It has been mutilated by ornamental gardening, but consists of a circular flat-topped mound some 36.0m in diameter by 2.7m in height. On its N.E. side there is an apparent causeway across a slight ditch, but the ditch noted by Crawford is no longer visible.
It is rather large for a barrow and rather small for a motte; it could be a mill mound but is more likely to be an early form of ornamental gardening, perhaps at sometime supporting a belvedere or summer house. It is interesting to note that a broad raised track in Sidmouth Wood leads from Oliver's mound, now removed, (see TQ 17 S.E. 19) in a direct line with the causeway on King Henry VIII mound.
GP AO/65/228/6.
Published 1/1250 revised.
(1-4)
Mound, 72.0m in diameter and a maximum of 6.1m high. The mound is situated on and over the edge of a steep slope down to the River Thames, and it is this which accentuates both the diameter and height of the feature. The mound is cut by terraced paths which lead to the viewing platform on top, where a keyhole view extending to St Paul's Cathedral is now a protected vista. Earthworks on the eastern side of the mound suggest a slight, curved ramp leading to the top of the feature. A tree-lined ornamental avenue (TQ 17 SE 61) was aligned between King Henry VIII's Mound and Oliver's Mound (TQ 17 SE 19) during the 18th century (6a), and it is likely that the possible ramp led onto this avenue, and that King Henry VIII's Mound, with its excellent views, was the culmination of a formal walk. The origins of King Henry VIII's Mound are unclear, and it is possible that it was a prehistoric round barrow. It may also have served as a standing for the hunt when Richmond Park was a working deer park. What is clear is that it became an ornamental garden feature and was incorporated in the early 18th century into Petersham Park and later into Richmond Park. The mound was surveyed by the RCHME in January 1995 during the Royal Parks Project. See archive report and survey plan at 1:500 scale, and survey plan of Petersham Park (TQ 17 SE 62) at 1:1000 scale. (5)
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