Birds, Boats and Bathing

About 350 years ago, workmen dug a canal in St. James's Park for the enjoyment of the fun-loving Charles II.

The King swam in the canal in the summer and skated on the ice in winter; He spent many hours feeding his collection of water birds, which included a crane with a wooden leg. The Doge of Venice gave the King two gondolas to sail on his canal and the Russian ambassador sent a pair of pelicans.

Garden Makeover

The canal was about 2,800ft (850m) long and 100ft (30m) wide and stretched the whole length of the park. It was part of a redesign of St. James's Park which began soon after Charles II became King in 1660. He wanted a pleasure park like ones he had seen in France. As well as the canal, there were avenues of trees and courts to play the new game of Pele Mele. The courts became the known as Pall Mall and The Mall.

Ducks for the King's Table

At one end of the canal there was a duck decoy; a series of narrow linked channels where wild ducks were lured into cages. The ducks were then killed and cooked for the King.

The decoy was later removed to make room for Horse Guards but the site is near the present-day Duck Island facing you. The Island was created in the 1820s when John Nash redesigned the park and turned the canal into the lake you see today.

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