Bishops Park

Bishops Park is a historic riverside park in Fulham, West London, set beside the former home of the Bishops of London. Opened in 1893, it still works as an everyday green space while keeping traces of its Victorian origins in its embankment, lake and gardens.

How did Bishops Park come about?

The park occupies what was once the bishop's meadow beside the Thames. The Church Commissioners gave the land, with one condition attached: a riverside embankment had to be built to protect the area from flooding. The London County Council opened the park in 1893. It was enlarged in 1900 and 1903, and the later extension included a lake with a sandy "beach". A restoration around 2010-2011 brought back some of the original design features, including the lake and the sands.

Is Bishops Park a listed landscape?

Yes. It is Grade II on English Heritage's register of parks and gardens of special historic interest, and it is one of only two parks in its borough to hold that status.

What can you do here?

Paths run along the river, and the Thames Path passes through the park, making it a pleasant stretch for a riverside walk. For active visitors there are basketball courts, tennis courts, table tennis, a lawn bowls green and a skate area. The park also has playgrounds, a picnic area, toilets and a cafe, along with a memorial to the Spanish Civil War.

What is the Moat Garden?

The Moat Garden is a smaller part of the park facing Fulham Palace Road. Its name recalls the moat that once surrounded the palace grounds. The moat, reported as roughly two kilometres long, was drained in 1921-24. The garden was added to the park in 1924 and extended in 1926.

What is next to the park?

To the north-west the park touches Craven Cottage, the home ground of Fulham Football Club. To the south and south-west, the park borders Fulham Palace, the historic residence of the Bishops of London. The palace estate has roots in the 16th century. The bishops left in 1973 and the gardens opened to the public in the mid-1970s. Since 2011 the site has been run by the Fulham Palace Trust. It has a museum, a cafe and a walled garden, and its botanic garden includes a holm oak thought to be about 500 years old.

How do you get to Bishops Park?

The easiest route is the Tube to Putney Bridge. Take the steps down from the bridge to the river, then follow the Thames Path through the park. It is roughly a ten-minute walk to the Fulham Palace entrance. Note that cycling is not permitted within the Fulham Palace grounds.

Frequently asked questions

When did Bishops Park open? In 1893, opened by the London County Council on land given by the Church Commissioners.

Does the park have a beach? It has a lake with a sandy edge, built in the early 1900s and reinstated in the 2010-2011 restoration.

Is it good for sport? Yes. There are basketball and tennis courts, table tennis, a lawn bowls green and a skate area.

Is the park heritage-protected? Yes, it holds Grade II status on the national register of historic parks and gardens.

What else is nearby? Fulham Palace with its museum and gardens, and Craven Cottage stadium.