Description
Chalcot Square, called St George's Square until 1937, was laid out between 1849-60 around a central garden enclosure. The name Chalcot recalls a farm of that name in the area from the C13th. The central garden was owned and maintained by the Trustees of the Broder Estate for the benefit of tenants of the square. It is now publicly accessible. Little changed since the original layout, the square today has children's play equipment in one corner.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St George's Square |
|---|---|
| Site location | Chalcot Square |
| Postcode | NW1 |
| What3Words | ///flat.occupy.patio |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Camden |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - dusk |
| Facilities | playground |
| Public Transport | London Overground: Camden Road. Tube: Chalk Farm (Northern). Bus: 274 (walk) |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Chalcot Square, called St George's Square until 1937 when the London County Council altered street names where they were duplicated elsewhere, was laid out from mid-C19th, with Nos 8-11 built in 1849 and the west terrace in 1855-60. Chalcot recalls a farm of that name in the area from the C13th. The central garden was owned and maintained by the Trustees of the Broder Estate who employed a gardener to keep it in good order for the benefit of tenants of the square. In 1928 it was described as 'an enclosure, almost square in shape, surrounded by a sparse hedge. Maintained as a grass plot, with some well-grown trees'. It is now publicly accessible, a rectangular area enclosed by C19th railings with grass and a few trees, including acacia, which were popular in the 1850s. Little changed since the original layout, the square today has children's play equipment in one corner, and the central circular area with hedges encloses bench seats.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ280840 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.1713 |
| Site Ownership | LB Camden |
| Site Management | Parks & Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1855-60 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Nos. 1-11, 12, 13, 14, 15-19, 20-28, 29-33, 33A Chalcot Square & attached railings |
| 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Primrose Hill |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Other LA Designation | Public Open Space (Small Local) |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
St George's Terrace was built c.1852, with a strip of communal garden in front of the houses that was owned partly by the Provost and College of Eton and partly by the Trustees of the Broder Estate, the dividing line marked by three stones in the ground. Tenants of the terrace were able to use the garden upon payment of an annual sum. A former resident of the terrace was Lord Byron's widow who lived in Nos. 10-11, where she died in 1860. The small railed garden is now publicly accessible.
The Regent's Canal runs from Little Venice to Limehouse Basin and is 13.5 km long. Part of the Grand Union Canal system, it was built to link the Grand Junction Canal's Paddington Arm with the Thames. The c.2.75km Camden section begins at Regent's Park, runs through Camden Town, and leaves the borough at York Way; a former pumping house of 1898 was converted to a Lock Keeper's Cottage in 1926. Thomas Homer's proposal for the canal found approval with John Nash in 1811, at the time designing Regent's Park; Nash's associate James Morgan drew up plans in 1811, which were passed by Act of Parliament in 1812. The Regent's Canal Company was set up and the canal was fully completed in 1820. Its importance for trade was later superseded by the coming of the railways but it is now a popular public amenity.
St Mark's Church was consecrated in 1853, although plans to establish a new district within St Pancras Parish were discussed from 1848 and initially a temporary church was provided. The chancel was added in 1889-90, designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield. In 1928 the new vicar was Hugh Stuckey, who was instrumental in reviving the church through difficult times, opening the garden in 1930 to visitors to London Zoo for tea parties on Summer Bank Holiday Mondays, which led to the church's nickname The Zoo Church. Rebuilt after bomb damage, the church retains its original stone wall and gateway. The garden has grass, flower beds and a number of mature trees, with numerous shrubs where the ground slopes down towards the Regent's Canal.
