Crystal Palace Terraces

Crystal Palace Park terraces, 1990s.

There must have been more of these statues along the terraces, but this is the only one left.   It's in reasonable condition considering what has happened to the rest of the stonework, caused by age and vandalism.

Crystal Palace Park terraces,  10 August 2016.

Here's a wider - and current - view of the terraces.  You can see the same statue just off centre.  Those plinths used to have stone vases ...

Crystal Palace Park terraces and stone vases, 1990s.

.. And cement rendering.  Their loss is due to vandalism.

In the background of the first photo you can see two of the park's sphinxes.  (Sphinges is an acceptable alternative, but then I think, if sphinx, sphinges then why not hinx, hinges?)   They are all in decent condition but are currently being refreshed, and are fenced off, so photo opportunities are limited.

Crystal Palace Park sphinxes, 10 August 2016.

There are four in this photo.  Two more are at the other end of the terrace.  They were all cast from an original in the Louvre.

The park also has these features:

"Laptop" auditorium, Crystal Palace Park, 10 August 2016.

This auditorium replaced a "temporary" one in the 1990s.  It is designed to have that rusty finish.  It received two awards: Civic Trust Award 1998, and Royal Institute of British Architects Regional Architecture Award 1998.  Small plaques showing these are on the other side of the neglected stage.

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve memorial bell.  Crystal Palace Park, 10 August 2016.

This is a memorial to the fallen of the First World War.    There used to be explanatory plaques, but they have disappeared.  Luckily there are details on line.

Crystal Palace station.  Crystal Palace Park, 10 August 2016.

And the Victorian railway station, between the park and Anerley Hill.  I used to go to work from here, at a time when one of the rooms was used as a chapel by the Old Catholic Church, a small offshoot of Catholicism.  I could look through the keyhole and see the rich appurtenances inside. (Or so I recall it.)

I also noticed not far from the park a "Coffee and Brunch Kitchen" offering "cake, wine and beer" and opposite that, an Artisan Chocolate Café. These are an easy walk from where I used to live and were not there at the time!

Finally, a view of the wall outside the park:

It does actually say C.P.P., but a bit of Photoshop makes it look quite exotic.

Crystal Palace Park Maze

Crystal Palace Park Maze entrance, 12 August 2016

Not much remains of the Victorian aspect of the maze in Crystal Palace Park.  The whole thing is hidden behind a screen of trees, and it was badly out of condition in the 1980s until it was replanted in 1987. 

You can just see through the gate that the hedge is not particularly tall, only waist high.  It doesn't block your view at all, but that doesn't make it easier to get to the centre.  There's an escape route straight out from there, but once you are in the depths of the maze that does not help.

Crystal Palace Park Maze escape gate, 12 August 2016

This escape gate seems to be an original feature.  I think the posts were renewed at the time of the replanting. 

Since I lived nearby, the centre has been remodeled to feature paving decorated with a plan of the maze, installed by the Girl Guides organisation. 

Crystal Palace Park Maze centre feature, 12 August 2016

You can't step back far enough to get it all into a photo.  This is all very well, but when I lived there, the centre had a signpost showing the directions and names of the various entrances to the park.

Crystal Palace Park Maze centre signpost, 1990s.

You could see it from within the maze, and the helpful directions seemed to mock your attempts to actually reach the thing.  I liked this, clearly a Victorian original, and I wish they had retained it.