Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath has over 25 ponds; most of these are in two distinct areas: the Highgate Ponds and the Hampstead Ponds.

Whitestone Pond is a roughly triangular pond, centrally located on the heath's south side and north-northwest of the former Queen Mary's House care home (formerly a maternity hospital), across busy Heath Street (A502). Originally a small dew pond called the Horse Pond, it was renamed after a waypoint stone and is artificially fed.[10]

It has an exposed location, closely surrounded by roads, which limits its recreational use. It is the heath's best known body of water, and many people's introduction to Hampstead Heath's ponds.

Hampstead Heath's Model Boating Pond (Highgate Pond #3)

Highgate Ponds are a series of eight former reservoirs, on the heath's east (Highgate) side, and were originally dug in the 17th and 18th centuries.[11] They include two single-sex swimming pools (the men's and ladies' bathing ponds), a model boating pond, and two ponds which serve as wildlife reserves: the Stock Pond and the Bird Sanctuary Pond. Fishing is allowed in some of the ponds, although this is threatened by proposals to modify the dams.

The ponds are the result of the 1777 damming of Hampstead Brook (one of the Fleet River's sources), by the Hampstead Water Company, which was formed in 1692 to meet London's growing water demands.[2]

"Boudicca's Mound", near the present men's bathing pond, is a tumulus where, according to local legend, Queen Boudicca (Boadicea) was buried after she and 10,000 Iceni warriors were defeated at Battle Bridge.[12] However, historical drawings and paintings of the area show no mound other than a 17th-century windmill.

Hampstead Pond #1

The Hampstead Ponds are three ponds in the heath's south-west corner, towards South End Green. Hampstead Pond #3 is the mixed bathing pond, where both sexes may swim.

In 2004 the City of London Corporation, rejected a proposal by the Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming Club to allow "early-morning, self-regulated swimming in the mixed sex pond on Hampstead Heath"; the Corporation argued that it risked legal action by the Health and Safety Executive if it allowed such swimming, since the Executive had refused to give assurances to the Corporation that it would not be prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The swimmers successfully challenged this in the High Court, which in 2005 ruled that members of the swimming club had the right to swim at their own risk, and that the Corporation would not be liable under the Act for injuries as a result.[13]

In January 2011 the City of London announced a scheme which it said would improve the safety of the dams, to guard against damage that might result from a very large, but rare storm hitting London. The proposed engineering modifications of the dams were aimed at ensuring that three dams complied with the 1975 Reservoir Act. With the passage of the 2010 Flood and Water Management Act the City of London was advised that all the dams on the heath would need to comply with the reservoir safety regulations. The proposed works in 2011 included recommendations to improve the water quality of the lake, which had suffered from algae blooms. The proposals for the pond dams were extensively modified in 2012–2014. The proposals were challenged by a consortium of groups and societies collectively called "Dam Nonsense". However, with the dam project being now completed, many locals have begun to accept the changes as wildlife begins to soften the border between the artificial and the natural in this area.

To the north east of the heath is a derelict site within the conservation area comprising the grounds and mansion of the former Caen Wood Towers (renamed Athlone House in 1972). This historic building, currently in disrepair, was built in 1872 for Edward Brooke, aniline dye manufacturer (architect, Edward Salomons). In 1942 the building was taken for war service by the Royal Air Force and was used to house the RAF Intelligence School, although the 'official' line was that it was a convalescence hospital. The Operational Record (Form 540) of RAF Station Highgate (currently in the National Archives, Kew) was declassified in the late 1990s and shows the true role of this building in wartime service. The building sustained 2 near misses from V-1 flying bombs in late 1944, causing damage and injuries to staff. The RAF Intelligence School remained in Caen Wood Towers until 1948, when the building was handed over to the Ministry of Health. It was then used as a hospital and finally a post-operative recovery lodge, before falling into disrepair in the 1980s. The NHS sold off this part of their estate in 2004 to a private businessman who is currently redeveloping much of the site; however the House and its gardens fall within the conservation area of Hampstead Heath.

Parliament Hill Fields lies on the south and east of the heath; it officially became part of the heath in 1888. It contains various sporting facilities including an athletics track, tennis courts and Parliament Hill Lido.[14] Parliament Hill itself is considered by some to be the focal point of the heath,[15] with the highest part of it known to some as "Kite Hill" due to its popularity with kite flyers.[16] The hill is 98.1 metres (322 ft) high and is notable for its excellent views of the London skyline. The skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and the City of London can be seen, along with St Paul's Cathedral and other landmarks, all in one panorama, parts of which are protected views. The main staff yards for the management of the heath are located at Parliament Hill Fields.[7]

In the south-east of the heath, on the southern slopes of Parliament Hill, is the Gospel Oak Lido open air swimming pool, with a running track and fitness area to its north.

Kenwood House false bridge

The area to the north of the heath is the Kenwood Estate and House – a total area of 50 hectares (120 acres) which is maintained by English Heritage. This became part of the heath when it was bequeathed to the nation by Lord Iveagh on his death in 1927, and opened to the public in 1928. The original house dates from the early 17th century. The orangery was added in about 1700.

One third of the Kenwood estate (Ken Wood and North Wood) is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, designated by Natural England.[17][18]

Leading down to the Vale of Health

The Vale of Health is a hamlet accessed by a lane from East Heath Road; it is surrounded entirely by the heath. In 1714, one Samuel Hatch, a harness maker, built a workshop and was granted some land. By 1720, he had a cottage at what was subsequently called Hatch's or Hatchett's Bottom. A new name, considered given in deliberate attempt to change the image of a developing location, the Vale of Health, was recorded in 1801.[19]

The Extension is an open space to the north-west of the main heath. It does not share the history of common and heathland of the rest of the heath. Instead it was created out of farmland, largely due to the efforts of Henrietta Barnett who went on to found Hampstead Garden Suburb. Its farmland origins can still be seen in the form of old field boundaries, hedgerows and trees.

Golders Hill Park is a formal park adjoining the West Heath. It occupies the site of a large house that was bombed during World War II. It has an expanse of grass, with a formal flower garden, a duck pond and a separate water garden that leads to a separate area for deer, near a recently renovated small zoo. The zoo has donkeys, maras, ring-tailed lemurs, ring-tailed coatis, white-cheeked turacos and European eagle-owls, among other animals. There are also tennis courts, a butterfly house and a putting green.[20]

Unlike the rest of the heath, Golders Hill Park is fenced in, and is closed at night.

Members of the Constabulary are attested as constables under Article 18 of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Provisional Order Confirmation (Greater London Parks and Open Spaces) Act 1967[24][22] before a City of London magistrate.

The City of London is not a relevant local authority for the purposes of the 1967 Act. However, the power to attest officers is enabled by article 5(1) of the London Government Reorganisation (Hampstead Heath) Order 1989,[25] which allows the City of London to exercise the same functions that the former Greater London Council had in relation to Hampstead Heath. This creates a legal anomaly in that the constabulary powers afforded by their attestation only relate to Hampstead Heath and cannot be exercised in any other park or open space under the control of the City of London.

In addition, the officers are also appointed with all the powers and privileges of a police constable under Section 16 of the Corporation of London Open Spaces Act 1878, which gives them the powers within any open space under the control of the City of London Corporation; other than Epping Forest, which is specifically excluded from the legislation. This additional power differentiates them from other parks constabularies, as it gives Heath officers full police powers, within their jurisdiction.

Thus, they enjoy full powers of a constable in relation to the bylaws and regulations, general law and specific legislation for open spaces. They work in close partnership with the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force for Greater London, to which all serious criminal offences are passed for further investigation. They also maintain a close relationship with the City of London Police, who supply equipment and training to the service, further training is also supplied by Surrey Police.

As administered as part of the City of London, the constabulary share a similar uniform with the City of London Police and have red and white chequered sleeve and cap bands (red and white being the colours of the City of London) on their caps, which in most other British police forces are black and white. The operational uniform consists of:

• White shirt & tie/black wicking shirt
• Black trousers
• Boots
• Custodian helmet or peaked cap (male) and bowler cap (female)
• Black fleece
• Black stab vest
• Yellow high-visibility jackets.

As constables they are authorised to carry and use batons, in addition to handcuffs, torches, radios and other typical police equipment.[22][26] Rank is worn on epaulettes in operational uniform and for Sergeants on the sleeves of tunics. Typical to British police agencies, constables and sergeants wear a collar number to identify themselves.[27]

The HHC patrol the Heath on foot, mountain bike and in marked vehicles.[22]

The Heath Constabulary continue to use the term "Constabulary" rather than "Parks Police" to portray a more local and traditional aim of policing, but for those who are confused by the term the words "Policing Hampstead Heath" have been added to their vehicles to clarify their aim.

The constables are paid for out of charitable and private funds held by the City of London Corporation, and as such, their activity is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.[29] This contrasts with the status of most other constables appointed within non-territorial police forces, such as port police.