Description
Bessborough Gardens was once open fields in the vicinity of the Millbank Penitentiary. It was laid out as a garden for the surrounding terraces between 1841-43, a wedge-shaped enclosure with Holy Trinity Church to the south, now demolished. In 1982 the terraces were demolished for road improvements, replaced by new buildings in C19th style. New gardens were laid out within an irregular rectangle surrounded with modern railings, and contain several mature trees, a lawn crossed by stone and brick paths, seating areas and shrubberies. In the centre is the Queen Mother's Commemorative Fountain (1982), which incorporates a cast of one of George Vulliamy's dolphin lamp standard bases from the Embankment.
Practical Information
| Site location | Bessborough Gardens, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Pimlico |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW1V 2JE |
| What3Words | ///voted.slimy.hooks |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Westminster |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Public Transport | Tube: Pimlico (Victoria), Victoria (Victoria, District, Circle) |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The square, formerly open fields in the vicinity of the Millbank Penitentiary, was laid out as a garden for the surrounding terraces of stucco houses between 1841-43. The garden was wedge-shaped and was bounded on its south side by Holy Trinity Church, by J L Pearson, which was subsequently demolished. In 1982 the terraces of Bessborough Gardens were destroyed for road improvements and the present gardens, now rectangular, were lined with buildings rebuilt in 1982-3 in C19th style. The new gardens were laid out asymmetrically within an irregular rectangle surrounded with modern railings. They contain several mature trees, a lawn crossed by stone and brick paths, seating areas and shrubberies. In the centre is the Queen Mother's Commemorative Fountain, the work of Sir Peter Shepheard (1982). It is made of aluminium and incorporates a cast of one of George Vulliamy's dolphin lamp standard bases from the Embankment.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ298783 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.412 |
| Site Ownership | The Crown Estate, leased to WCC |
| Site Management | WCC Parks Service (contractor: Continental Landscapes Ltd) |
| Dates | 1841-43, remodelled 1982 |
| Designers | Original layout possibly by Thomas Cubitt |
| 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 | Westminster |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | London Square |
Gallery
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
Riverside Walk Garden is on a triangular site bounded by Millbank and the Thames, overlooked by a row of terraced houses c.1843-45, part of Thomas Cubitt's Pimlico development. Millbank is named for the mill that stood here until 1730 when it was replaced by a private house, itself later demolished when the Millbank Penitentiary was built. Prisoners were held waiting deportation to Australia, and one of two large bollards remains, marking the gateway through which prisoners passed before boarding boats to Australia. The public gardens were created in 1965 when Riverwalk House was built, but underwent a complete re-landscaping in 2004, the new design reflecting the site's historical associations with the river and repositioning Henry Moore's bronze sculpture 'Locking Piece', on loan since 1968. Check current layout, re-landscaping 2016?
The Tachbrook Estate was built between 1935-47 by Westminster Housing Trust Ltd, a private charitable trust set up for the purpose. Pulford Street was demolished to build the estate, which was to provide 180 flats. The blocks are set in landscaping, planted with numerous trees and with a communal garden and playground. The pre-war part of the estate is to the north along Aylesford Street. The later part includes an 8-storey block with 6-storey wings, Malcolmson House, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1949. Princess Margaret visited the estate in 1953. The estate was taken over by the Peabody Trust in the 1972.
Millbank Gardens is a rectangular public garden that was created as part of the LCC's Millbank Estate of 1897-1902, whose towering mansion blocks overlook the garden. The Millbank Estate was built on a site formerly that of the Millbank Penitentiary, which had been earmarked for public housing by a Royal Commission in 1885, with its road plan established in 1896. The estate streets are tree-lined, with planted courtyards between blocks of different shapes. Surrounded by modern railings, the public garden has paving and areas of grass with terraces in the centre and at each end. There are a number of trees and planted tubs, as well as bedding displays.
