The Upper And Lower Terrace Of The Crystal Palace Gardens

CRYSTAL PALACE PARK, PENGE, SE19 1. 4407 The Upper and Lower Terrace of the Crystal Palace Gardens (Formerly Listed under Crystal Palace Parade) TQ 37 SW 4/208 1.9.53.

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1. The Crystal Palace, designed by Sir Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park, was afterwards taken down and re-erected here in 1852-4 on the site of Penge Place. The building itself was burned down in 1936, but the 2 terraces of the formal garden in front of it survive. They were designed by Paxton at the time of the re-erection. Each terrace consists of a series of round-headed arches containing semi-circular semi- domed niches arranged in groups of 3 with taller pilasters between the groups carried up into the balustrade above which is of similar pattern of narrow round-headed arches, the taller pilasters topped by vases or statues. Flights of steps lead down from each terrace at intervals. The space between the terraces was laid out with fountains and statues.

Listing NGR: TQ3402071113