The Serpentine (also known as the Serpentine River) is a 40-acre (16.2 ha) recreational lake in Hyde Park, London, England, created in 1730 at the behest of Queen Caroline. Although it is common to refer to the entire body of water as The Serpentine, strictly the name refers only to the eastern half of the lake. Serpentine Bridge, which marks the boundary between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, also marks The Serpentine's western boundary; the long and narrow western half of the lake is known as The Long Water. The Serpentine is commonly thought to take its name from its snakelike, curving shape, although it only has one bend. The name is more correctly derived from the colour of the water and was named by Queen Caroline due to this observation.