Travelling Suitcase: How I found peace in London’s St James Park
The oldest and most ornamental of Central London’s royal parks, it had been opened to the public by Charles II who would use it to entertain his guests and mistresses, most notably, the actress Nell Gwynn. It was at this time that the park also became notorious as a site of sexual assignations.
Still Waters: St James Park lake in central London (Photo: Pooja Pillai)
The moorhen watched me with beady eyes as I sat on a bench, eating a sandwich and feeling a warm glow that was not entirely due to the glorious weather with which London had embraced me. Signs leading to the St James Park Lake had warned me not to feed the waterfowl, so I felt no twinges of conscience, even as the moorhen was joined by a friend, and the two proceeded to peck at the empty patch of stone near my feet, trying to guilt me into throwing them a few crumbs. But I was at peace with the world, having finally given up trying to justify to myself the decision to spend the bulk of my London week relaxing in St James Park.
It had been a struggle, though. When a trip to this city, my first, materialised in October 2018, I instantly prepared a long must-experience list which included visits to museums and art galleries, literary pilgrimages to Baker Street, Limehouse and Bloomsbury, eating in Soho’s trendiest restaurants and attending an Evensong service in at least one of the city’s historical cathedrals. Except for some museum and gallery-hopping and a stroll through Bloomsbury, I did nothing else. This was because I fell in love with St James Park. The park has a hectic – and fairly unsavoury – history. The oldest and most ornamental of Central London’s royal parks, St James Park had been created during the reign of Henry VIII (1491-1547) by draining the marshland adjoining a leper hospital (which was replaced by St James Palace). Originally meant to be just a royal hunting ground for deer and duck, it became the site of fests and jousts under Elizabeth I (1533-1603). The park was landscaped in the highly formal French style during the reign of Charles II (1660-85), who had been impressed by the imperial gardens of Versailles. The more natural appearance of the park today owes itself to another makeover in 1828 by the leading architect of the time, John Nash.
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St James Park had been opened to the public by Charles II who, according to diarist Samuel Pepys, would use it to entertain his guests and mistresses, most notably, the actress Nell Gwynn. It was at this time that the park also became notorious as a site of sexual assignations. This side of the park was immortalised in explicit verse by John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester, as A Ramble in St. James Park (1672). Compared to this, the park’s most recent controversy – the eating of a moorhen by one of the resident pelicans – seems rather tame. Indeed, it’s hard to square the intrigue-filled park of Rochester’s poem with the tranquil space of today.
None of the parks that form Central London’s famous green lung had been on my radar when I arrived in the city, although I had, at least, heard of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. But St James Park, with its quiet charms, quickly became the nucleus around which my week in London formed. I’d spend every morning at a gallery or a museum, then head to St James Park at lunchtime, having picked up a sandwich along the way. I’d spend hours here, eating on a bench and then strolling around the lake. Sometimes, I’d stop to watch the waterfowl, or sit under a tree to read my book. I never spoke to anyone and no one spoke to me. It was the most peaceful I’ve felt in a busy city.
Pooja Pillai is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, working with the National Editorial and Opinion section. Her work frequently explores the intersection of society, culture and technology.
Editorial Focus & Expertise
Pooja’s writing spans several key domains, often blending analytical commentary with cultural critique.
Art & Culture: She writes extensively on cinema, books, and the evolving landscape of arts and entertainment.
Technology & Society: Her work examines the human impact of the gig economy, the rise of AI in creative fields, and the cultural shifts driven by digital platforms.
Food & Lifestyle: She often uses food as a lens to explore history and politics, covering everything from the origins of pantry essentials to the impact of nutrition policy.
Politics: She closely tracks political developments in South and West India and provides commentary on international political transitions, including the shifting landscape of American politics.
Multimedia & Podcasting
Pooja is a prominent voice in the Indian Express’s digital ecosystem. She is the host of 'DeshKaal with Yogendra Yadav', weekly video podcast where she facilitates deep-dive conversations on Indian democracy, social movements, and current political affairs.
Notable Recent Works
Cinema & Identity: “SRK@60: Why Shah Rukh Khan is Bollywood's last, and only, superstar” – an analysis of stardom and the changing face of Indian identity
Global Politics: Commentary on the Trump administration’s misguided “war on woke culture” via typography and analysis of the visual semiotics of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attire during successive visits to the White House.
Art & AI: “An unequal music: AI is lowering barriers at the cost of music itself” – a critique of how technology is redefining artistic value.
Professional Presence
Pooja is active on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, where she shares her latest columns and editorial insights.
Her full archive and latest updates can be found on her Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More
