Description
Barkston Gardens is a private communal garden provided for residents of the houses that surround it, which were built as part of the Gunter Estate development in the area that took place from 1840s. Barkston Gardens was the former site of Earl's Court House, demolished 1886. The garden was laid out with trees, grass and flower beds and maintained by a Committee; the freehold was purchased by the residents in 1993.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | site of Earl's Court House |
|---|---|
| Site location | Barkston Gardens |
| Postcode | SW5 |
| What3Words | ///afford.fence.film |
| Type of Site | Garden Square |
| Borough | Kensington & Chelsea |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private, for keyholders only |
| Public Transport | Tube: Earls Court (District, Piccadilly) |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
These gardens are part of the Gunter Estate and development began in 1865 under the then surveyors G. and H. Godwin. Barkston Gardens was built on the site of Earl's Court House, demolished in 1886, which had been the Georgian residence of the Gunter family. The generous number of communal gardens on the estate indicated the type of buyer they were aiming at. Barkston Gardens was laid out formally and very simply. In 1928, in the ownership of Sir R V Gunter and accessible to freeholders and leaseholders of houses abutting, the garden was described as 'A rectangular enclosure flanked on one (short) side by the rear of dwelling-houses. Surrounded by privet hedge. Attractively laid out with lawns, flower beds and trees'. It was maintained by a Committee and paid for out of enclosure rates. Residents bought the freehold of the gardens in 1993; in 1998 the garden committee proposed to replace 8 dying plane trees with trees that would provide autumnal colour. Shaded by the surrounding tall buildings, the gardens have a central feature with planting set into the lawn and wide gravel paths. The garden is protected under the 1851 Garden Square Act.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ257785 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.3353 |
| Site Ownership | residents of Barkston Gardens |
| Site Management | Barkston Gardens Garden Committee |
| Dates | 1886 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Kensington & Chelsea |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Courtfield |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Private communal gardens provided for residents of the houses that surround it, which were built as part of the Gunter Estate development from 1840s onwards. Many of the street names reflect the family's connections in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Bramham Gardens, a late square begun in 1883, is larger than many others in the area. The central garden was laid out simply and formally for the use of freeholders and lessees of adjacent houses, who paid a rent for upkeep. As with many garden squares, the original railings were removed for the war effort but have been replaced by replicas in the 1990s. The garden is shaded by tall plane trees.
Courtfield Gardens (West) are private communal gardens provided for residents of the houses that surround it, which were built as part of the Gunter Estate development that took place from 1840s onwards. The northern area of the estate was developed from 1865 encouraged by the arrival of the railway. Courtfield Gardens was built between 1873-81 and the communal garden was formally laid out with lawns, flowerbeds and trees. Lessees of housing abutting the gardens had access on payment of rent for its upkeep. The garden today is bounded by replicas of the original railings and is dominated by an unusually large London plane.
These ornamental gardens were created for the communal use of residents of Collingham Gardens, built in the 1880s as the Gunter family developed their estate lands in this area. The original elaborate entrance gate is still in place, although the railings are modern. The gardens are laid out with lawn, mature trees, flowers and shrub beds and a network of paths.