On Tue, 27 Jul 2004 01:12:14 +0100, "Toby"
wrote:

Sacha wrote:
What is astonishing is how large they are, slap in the middle of
London.

Of course when Buckingham House was built it was a rural area, every body
else moved there in an attempt to ingratiate themselves with the court. It
also probably helps to have The Grosvenor Estate as a neighbour.

I assume that St. James Park was once the garden for St. James Palace?


Maybe. But if you look at the map, Buckingham P stands right in the
middle of, and is surrounded by Hyde Park, The Green Park, St. James'
Park, and its own gardens. It looks as if all of said parks were BP's
gardens before they were handed over to the people (sort of).
John
In limine sapientiae