Description
Camden Gardens is a public garden on a triangular site enclosed by railings, laid out with grass and trees. The land was formerly owned by Marquis Camden and the garden was originally provided for the private use of residents of the surrounding houses. A Committee of inhabitants managed the gardens out of rates levied by St Pancras Borough Council. In the mid C19th the land was crossed by the London Midland and Scottish Railway but further building was prohibited under the London Squares and Enclosures (Preservation) Act of 1906. Some improvements were carried out in the C21st with new railings, gates and planting but further improvements took place in 2020 through Pocket Park funding as a result of the Camden Highline project for which the gardens will be an entry point. This new community park along a disused stretch of railway viaduct between Camden and King's Cross, is due to be completed c.2022.
Practical Information
| Site location | Camden Gardens/Camden Street/Kentish Town Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW1 |
| What3Words | ///turns.farmer.soils |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Camden |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - dusk |
| Public Transport | London Overground: Camden Road. Tube: Camden Town (Northern). Bus: 134, 214, C2, 29, 253 |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2020 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Camden Gardens consists of a triangular area enclosed by C20th railings, laid out with grass and trees and crossed by the London Midland and Scottish Railway on brick arches, bounded by roads on all sides and overlooked by houses. The land was formerly owned by Marquis Camden and laid out in the early C19th for the use of inhabitants of surrounding houses. A Committee of inhabitants managed the gardens out of rates levied by St Pancras Borough Council. The land was crossed by the railway in the mid C19th but building on the garden was prohibited under the London Squares and Enclosures (Preservation) Act of 1906. Re-landscaping was carried out in the early C21st with new railings and gates and new planting.
In 2020 the gardens were improved as part of the new Camden Highline scheme. The Highline project was launched in 2017 and is a collaboration between a number of local and community organisations coming together to form the charitable organisation, Camden Highline. The aim is to turn a disused stretch of railway viaduct into a new elevated park and walking route, connecting Camden Gardens in the west to York Way in the east. "It will be a space that people will be inspired by, learn from and enjoy, with seating areas, cafés, arts interventions and charitable activities. The route is 1.2km long, around 8 metres above ground and will bring new local green space to 20,000 people." Following feasibility studies and public consultation, together with a fund-raising campaign, a design competition was launched in September 2020 run with assistance from Colander Associates. The winning design was announced on 15 February 2021, a team led by James Corner Field Operations, who were involved with South Park at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (q.v.), working with Kentish Town-based vPPR Architects, artist Hew Locke, community consultation organisation Street Space and Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, among others. "This multidisciplinary team includes newly emerging local talent and internationally experienced firms, who will work with the community to imagine and design the Camden Highline as a considered resident amenity and ground-breaking visitor’s destination."
Camden Gardens is located beneath what will be the western end of the Highline route. In 2019 Pocket Park funding was secured from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to make improvements to the gardens; designers from Studio Mutt worked with volunteers to transform the park with planters, seating, wayfinding and new planting. Camden Highline is using the gardens to engage people in their walking tours, educational and volunteering activities.
In 2020 the gardens were improved as part of the new Camden Highline scheme. The Highline project was launched in 2017 and is a collaboration between a number of local and community organisations coming together to form the charitable organisation, Camden Highline. The aim is to turn a disused stretch of railway viaduct into a new elevated park and walking route, connecting Camden Gardens in the west to York Way in the east. "It will be a space that people will be inspired by, learn from and enjoy, with seating areas, cafés, arts interventions and charitable activities. The route is 1.2km long, around 8 metres above ground and will bring new local green space to 20,000 people." Following feasibility studies and public consultation, together with a fund-raising campaign, a design competition was launched in September 2020 run with assistance from Colander Associates. The winning design was announced on 15 February 2021, a team led by James Corner Field Operations, who were involved with South Park at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (q.v.), working with Kentish Town-based vPPR Architects, artist Hew Locke, community consultation organisation Street Space and Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, among others. "This multidisciplinary team includes newly emerging local talent and internationally experienced firms, who will work with the community to imagine and design the Camden Highline as a considered resident amenity and ground-breaking visitor’s destination."
Camden Gardens is located beneath what will be the western end of the Highline route. In 2019 Pocket Park funding was secured from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to make improvements to the gardens; designers from Studio Mutt worked with volunteers to transform the park with planters, seating, wayfinding and new planting. Camden Highline is using the gardens to engage people in their walking tours, educational and volunteering activities.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ289841 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.2314 |
| Site Ownership | LB Camden |
| Site Management | Parks & Open Spaces |
| Dates | early C19th |
| 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 | Camden |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Not known |
| Other LA Designation | Public Open Space (Small Local). London Squares Preservation Act of 1931 |
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
College Gardens is a triangular site at the junction of three roads, overlooked by C19th terraces and C20th buildings. The freehold of the site was conveyed to the Vestry of St Pancras in 1878 on payment of 5 shillings to the Trustees of the Marquis Camden and 5 shillings to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, with £55 and £15 respectively paid for the legal proceedings. Enclosed by railings, the small garden has grass, seats and a number of fine plane trees. A drinking fountain erected in 1876/7 in memory of Joseph Salter is located north of the garden.
The gardens are overlooked by the C19th houses of Rochester Terrace, arranged in pairs of semi-detached villas. The land was owned by the Marquis of Camden and the central garden maintained by a Committee of inhabitants out of rates levied by St Pancras Borough Council. In 1928 it is described as having well-kept lawns, trees and shrubs around the perimeter and an ash tree on the lawn. Renovations in the early C21st provided new play facilities, restoration of the railings and Victorian-style landscaping with grass, flower beds, benches and paths.
The site was the former Camden Town Cemetery, the land acquired in 1802 for an additional burial ground for St Martin-in-the-Fields. Part of the land was used for St Martin's Almshouses built adjacent in 1818. The ground closed for burials in 1856 and was acquired by the Vestry of St Pancras in 1884 for public gardens, which were formally opened in July 1889. The many gravestones were cleared and removed to the perimeter, although a few remain in situ. The layout was informal with a central mound, and large plane trees on the boundaries all of which may date from 1889. A monument to composer Charles Dibdin (d.1814) and a granite drinking fountain were both erected in 1889. The gardens were restored and re-dedicated as a public garden on 10 June 2006 by the Countess of Rosebery.
