The Cockpit |
| Hob Uid: 903324 | |
Location :
Greater London Authority
City of Westminster
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : TQ2717080230 |
| Summary : Gravel pit in Hyde Park, possibly eighteenth century in date. The quarry lies at the interface between London Clay and the Taplow Terraces and was presumably for the extraction of gravel and sand, large quantities of which would have been needed in the development of Kensington Gardens, especially in the first three decades of the eighteenth century: it is possible that this pit was exploited at that time. By 1827, trees covered much of the slopes. The quarry is crescentic in plan, measuring 109 metres east-west by 90 metres and has a maximum depth of 3.5 metres. A small platform 13 metres long and 5 metres wide on the northern slope may originally have been a working level, perhaps later adapted as an ornamental feature, the base for a seat or arbour. The quarry was surveyed by RCHME field staff in 1993. |
More information : TQ 2717 8023: The Cockpit.
A large crescentic quarry, 109.0m east to west by c. 90.0m, known as The Cockpit. The quarry is cut back into the natural slope which here falls southward to the Serpentine. The quarry reaches a maximum depth of 3.5m on the northern side and it is open to the south; its sides are moderately steep. A small platform 13.0m long and 5.0m wide occupies a central position of the northern slope; this may originally have been a working level, perhaps later adapted as an ornamental feature, the base for a seat or arbour. Several mature trees and large tree holes adorn the quarry slopes.
A quarry, probably disused, is shown in this position on a map of 1762 (1a). By 1827 its slopes were planted with trees (1b). The quarry lies at the interface between London Clay and the Taplow Terraces (1c) and was presumably for gravel and sand, large quantities of which would have been needed in the development of Kensington Gardens, especially in the first three decades of the eighteenth century: it is possible that this pit was exploited at that time.
See surveys at 1:1000 and 1:2500 scales with the archive. (1) |