Description
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.
Practical Information
| Site location | Royal College Street/St Pancras Way/Wilmot Place |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW1 |
| What3Words | ///vast.attend.landed |
| 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: 46, 29, 134, 214, 253, C2 |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2002 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
College Gardens is a triangular public garden between the junction of three roads, overlooked by C19th terraces and C20th buildings, enclosed by railings with grass, and a number of fine plane trees. Adjacent to the external railings of the gardens in the north is a drinking fountain erected in 1876/7 in memory of Joseph Salter (1832-1876), next to which is a 1927 K2 type telephone kiosk designed by Giles Gilbert Scott. 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 as costs for the legal proceedings. It was later maintained by St Pancras Borough Council and was preserved as public open space under the London Squares and Enclosures (Preservation) Act of 1906.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ291843 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.0398 |
| Site Ownership | LB Camden |
| Site Management | Parks & Open Spaces |
| Dates | C19th |
| Listed Structures | LBII: drinking fountain, K2 type telephone kiosk, houses in St Pancras Way. |
| 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 | No |
| Other LA Designation | Public Open Space (Small Local). London Squares Preservation Act of 1931 |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
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.
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.
Rochester Square is a roughly square plot of land to the rear of a C19th terrace of houses, enclosed by a privet hedge and barbed wire fence. The houses were completed by the 1840s as part of the development of the Camden Estate, but the central area was leased as a nursery ground from as early as 1825. This use as a nursery continued into the early C21st, the last tenants being Strouds of London, but the business had gone into decline by the 1980s. In 2016, the neglected site was purchased by two local residents who have revitalised the square, bringing it into use as a sustainable, community and arts space.
