Antique Hyde Park Urn

The Hyde Park Urn is a Portland limestone urn with a lovely delicate lip, acanthus leaf detail on bowl and octagonal base, circa1860.

This urn was prominently displayed in the Italian Gardens of Hyde Park, London, England. The Italian Water Garden was originally designed and constructed by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria 150 years ago. The Hyde Park Urn sat on the balustrade that surrounded the four octagonal Carrera marble basins at the center of the garden. These fountains were surrounded by a series of intricately carved stone urns and statutes. The urns were done in five designs - The Oval, the Dolphin, Swan's Breast, Woman's Head and the Ram's Head.

The Italian gardens underwent a major renovation in 2011. This is an elegant, noteworthy piece.

Italian Gardens

The Italian Gardens, a 150-year-old ornamental water garden located on the north side of Kensington Gardens, designed by Prince Albert for his wife, Queen Victoria. The Italian Gardens consist of four large Carrara marble basins and the famous Portland stone and white marble Tazza Fountain. These

basins are surrounded by a balustrade with intricately carved stone statues and urns. The formal layout of the Italian Gardens can be traced to Osborne House on The Isle of Wight. Prince Albert was a keen gardener and took charge of the gardens at Osborne House, where the royal family spent its holidays.

Price Albert introduced an Italian Garden with large raised terraces, fountains, urns and new geometric flower beds. In 1860 another Italian Garden was built, this time in Kensington Gardens and with a design by James Pennethorne that included many of the features of the Osborne garden.

The Italian Water Garden is situated at the head of The Long Water - the river which flows through Kensington Gardens into Hyde Park where it becomes The Serpentine. It is Grade II listed by English Heritage as a site of particular importance. Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in London, The park was the site of the Great Exhibition of 1851, when the Crystal Palace was designed by Joseph Paxton. The park is divided in two by the Serpentine and the Long Water. The park is contiguous with Kensington Gardens; although often still assumed to be part of Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens has been technically separate since 1728, when Queen Caroline made a division between the two. Hyde Park is the largest of four parks which form a chain from the entrance of Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park,

on through

Green Park,
past the main entrance to Buckingham Palace and then on through Saint James's Park to Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall.

There have been a number of renovations during the years to ensure the Italian Gardens maintain their original splendor The most recent renovations

were in 2011. The vases and urns were

re-carved by a stone mason working for English Heritage.Beautifully carved, Portland limestone urn with acanthus leaf detail on bowl, circa 1900. The Hyde Park Urn once was prominently displayed in the Italian Gardens of Hyde Park, London, England. The gardens were originally constructed 150 years ago. Its creation is believed to have been a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria.

The Gardens consist of four main basins, all elaborately carved in Carrara marble, along with the famous Portland stone and white marble Tazza Fountain. These are surrounded by intricately carved stone statues and urns. The urns have five main designs - the Swan's breast, Woman's head, Ram's head, Dolphin and the Oval, which is the style of the pictured urn.

The Gardens underwent a major restoration in 2011.

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