Syon Park
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Lake at Syon Park
|
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| Area of Search | Greater London |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TQ176766 |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 21.5 hectares |
| Notification | 1984 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Syon Park is the 56.6 hectare (139 acre) garden of Syon House, the London home of the Duke of Northumberland in Isleworth in the London Borough of Hounslow. It was landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century, and it is Grade I listed by English Heritage under the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953 for its special historic interest. The 56.6 hectare main gardens are a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade I, and the flood meadows next to the River Thames are a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation.
Syon was the site of Sion Abbey, which was founded in 1415 and named after Mount Zion in Jerusalem. It was dissolved in 1539. Foundations of the abbey were discovered in 2003. Landscaping of the gardens in the middle of the eighteenth century have left them with a collection of rare trees and plants and a lake which has a population of terrapins.The Great Conservatory, built in 1826 to a design by Charles Fowler, was the first to be built out of gunmetal.
The Tide Meadow next to the Thames is a 21.5 hectare SSSI. It is a tall wet meadow of reed-grasses, with rye-grass and meadow-grass on higher ground. There are many small ditches, and it is used by many over-wintering birds and has a number of rare invertebrate species, including uncommon flies.
Access is from Park Road. The park is open for an admission charge in the summer and closed in the winter.
Coordinates: 51°28′34″N 0°18′29″W / 51.4761°N 0.3080°W
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