ABSTRACT
The English concept of green space can be traced through an evolving discourse on parks and open spaces dating from the early modern period. Although provincial towns and cities frequently led the way in terms of provision, it was the London situation that provoked the major public debates and movements. London’s prominence as a forum for ideas and campaigns had to do with its size and density of occupation, the number of influential interest groups and philanthropic networks based in the capital, and the political significance of open space provision in the city and larger metropolitan area. This chapter summarises the arguments of the leading London protagonists during a formative period in the social construction of green space, whilst also seeking to go beyond individual narratives to consider and illustrate a wider penumbra of attitudes and interests prior to the Second World War.
