MUNICIPAL PARKS 133 



the Archbishops of York, but none of them ever lived 

 there except Heath, in Queen Mary's time, who was the 

 first to possess it. It was let, as a rule, to the Keepers 

 of the Great Seal, and Bacon lived there. George Villiers, 

 Duke of Buckingham, pulled down most of the old 

 house, and commenced rebuilding. Nothing now remains 

 but the Water Gate, supposed to be by Inigo Jones, 

 although the design is also attributed to Nicholas Stone, 

 who built it. The house and gardens were sold and 

 divided in 1672. Buckingham Street and the streets 

 adjoining are built on the site, and all that is left is 

 the fine old gateway, with most modern-looking gardens 

 between it and the river, which once flowed up to its 

 arches. 



Another Embankment recreation ground is the Island 

 Garden, Poplar, and it is one that is also much appreciated. 

 It was made on some ground not required for ship-build- 

 ing or docks on the river front of the Isle of Dogs, and 

 opened to the public in 1895. The idea of making a 

 garden of it had for some few years been in contempla- 

 tion, and as soon as the necessary funds were found, this 

 space, somewhat less than three acres, was saved from 

 being built over, and a wide walk of about 700 feet 

 made along the river embankment. The view from the 

 seats, with which it is plentifully supplied, over towards 

 Greenwich Hospital and Park makes it a really charming 

 promenade. The quaint name of this part of London is 

 said to be derived from the fact that the kennels of the 

 sporting dogs of the royal residents of Greenwich Palace 

 were kept there, "which usually making a great noise, 

 the seamen and others thereupon called the place the Isle 

 of Dogs." This seems the most plausible of the various 

 definitions of the name of this peninsula— for it is only 



