Description
Chiswick Square is a paved square overlooked by houses of 1680 on two sides, which form a forecourt to Boston House, which was probably built for Henry d'Auverquerque, Viscount Boston, Earl of Grantham. There is a legend that it was haunted by the ghost of Lady Boston, murdered by her husband .The house was refronted in c.1740, and it became a boarding school in the C19th. It was divided into 4 dwellings in the 1980s when new houses were built in its grounds. The square is a simple paved area, the fourth side now a busy main road. Facing No. 7 Chiswick Square was the site of Chiswick Polish Company, Cherry Blossom Boot Polish, which was rebuilt as Flemming House in 1983-5.
Practical Information
| Site location | Chiswick Square/Burlington Lane |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W4 |
| What3Words | ///divisions.pitch.racing |
| Type of Site | Square |
| Borough | Hounslow |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | visible |
| Public Transport | Tube: Turnham Green (District) then bus. Bus: 190 |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ214777 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | private |
| Dates | 1680 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: 2 and 6, 3, 4, 4B Chiswick Square, Railings to 6 Chiswick Square, Boston House railings and paving stones in garden to Boston house, |
| 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 | No |
| Local Authority | Hounslow |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Old Chiswick |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Thames Policy Area |
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
A church at Chiswick is first referred to in 1181, and St Nicholas was at the old centre of Chiswick village. The area became built up in the latter C19th, although Georgian and earlier houses had been built along the riverside. There are many historic tombs in the large churchyard to the south of the church, including those of William Hogarth, Lord Burlington and William Kent. The old graveyard was extended in 1838 but closed for burial in 1854, although it re-opened in 1867. In 1871 it was extended when land was donated by the Duke of Devonshire; a slight change in the ground level separates the churchyard and Chiswick Old Cemetery.
This Grade 1 listed house, built between 1715-17 in the corner of a walled orchard, became the summer residence of the artist and satirist William Hogarth (1697-1764) from 1750 until his death. The triangular walled garden is bounded by a high wall to the north, now named Hogarth's Lane, and to the south and west by housing, with Hogarth's House built into the north-east corner. The garden was originally a walled orchard from which a mature mulberry tree survives. The property was acquired as a memorial to Hogarth in 1901 by a local benefactor who opened it to the public in 1904. The garden and house were restored in 1996/7 at the tercentenary of his birth with major refurbishment work undertaken in 2008-2011 and 2020-2021.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Walpole House was built in the late C17th incorporating earlier fabric and was connected with Dr Turner's Academy. The present L-shaped garden that extends north from the house with a broad section to the west probably dates from the late C19th/early C20th, laid out by Sir Herbert and Lady Tree, confirmed in the later C20th by Mrs Robert Benson and her grandson Jeremy Benson. A terrace from the house leads to rectangular lawn with steps up to the main garden area which has a paved north-south axial path running through the lawn. A path leads westwards into the western section, and in the south is a 1930s paved formal pool. The garden is enclosed on its three sides, with mature trees and shrubs of great variety, including acer, eucalyptus, medlar, poplar, tulip tree.
Walpole House was built in the late C17th incorporating earlier fabric and was connected with Dr Turner's Academy. The present L-shaped garden that extends north from the house with a broad section to the west probably dates from the late C19th/early C20th, laid out by Sir Herbert and Lady Tree, confirmed in the later C20th by Mrs Robert Benson and her grandson Jeremy Benson. A terrace from the house leads to rectangular lawn with steps up to the main garden area which has a paved north-south axial path running through the lawn. A path leads westwards into the western section, and in the south is a 1930s paved formal pool. The garden is enclosed on its three sides, with mature trees and shrubs of great variety, including acer, eucalyptus, medlar, poplar, tulip tree.