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Join us for a talk: “Kew Road Ha-Ha: Ditching Boundaries”
Tuesday 15th April | 6:30pm - 8:00pm
If, like me, you thought that the ditch running along the edge of the Old Deer Park Sports Grounds on Kew Road was just that, a ditch, you’ll be fascinated to learn that in fact it has a rich history dating back to at least the 17th Century.
The Kew Road “ditch” aka ha-ha
Join us for a talk
Kew Road Ha-Ha: Ditching Boundaries
at The National Archives, Bessant Drive, Kew on Tuesday 15 April 2025, 6.30pm given byJess Vining, Heritage Project Officer at Habitats & Heritage.
This talk will explore a rarely appreciated landscape feature, the Ha-Ha. Made not to be seen but to create incredible views Ha-Has are fascinating elements of landscape history which sometimes survive long after the manors and views they were originally associated with have vanished. This is certainly the case for the Kew Road Ha-Ha, the main focus of this talk. A seemingly unassuming wall and ditch that most people pass without noticing, it tells a story of palaces, gardens and the development of Kew and Richmond. It is now lingering in a state of disrepair, but the current project led by Habitats & Heritage hopes to bring appreciation back to this Ha-Ha.
Tickets will be available on the door: Members £5, Non-members £10.
Jess Vining giving a talk about the Kew Road Ha-Ha
Jess is the Heritage Projects Officer in the heritage team at Habitats & Heritage. She has a very varied background in the heritage industry with degrees in History and Archaeology and Heritage Management. She is particularly passionate about engaging the public and working with volunteers. Jess is also a PhD candidate, her project focuses on using digital technology to improve accessibility at heritage sites and museums.
Jess Vining litter picking at the Kew Road Ha-ha
The Ha-ha heritage project is part of a wider Kew Ha-ha conservation initiative by Habitats & Heritage which aims to transform this once neglected ditch into a haven for bugs, bees and butterflies. Kew Society volunteers took part in a recent clean up and bulb planting activity there. You can read about it here.
Looking forward to meeting you at the talk!
