A small but historic woodland on the towpath in Petersham
The wood was once part of the landscaped grounds of the original building on the site of the current Petersham Lodge, which stood at the beginning of the eastern driveway to Ham House. An avenue of fine mature trees which partially date to around 1750 remain along the central path and a summerhouse once stood overlooking the river.
In 1902, Sir Max Waechter purchased the land to save it from development and gave it to the then Richmond Corporation, now Richmond Council, for preservation. Since then, the wood has been a public open space and is now managed primarily as a nature reserve due to its designation as a Site of Interest for Nature Conservation. We work closely with Petersham Environment Trust.
