Coronation Gardens

Coronation Gardens were created to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII in August 1902. They were formally opened by the then Mayor of Wandsworth, William Hunt, but the land, once a notorious piggery, had been purchased by the previous Mayor, Sir William Lancaster, who was Mayor in 1901-2. Sir William (1841–1929) was a businessman, philanthropist and politician, co-founder of Putney School of Art and Design and grandfather to cartoonist Osbert Lancaster. He gave the land to the people of Wandsworth in perpetuity and the new park was described in a local paper as the Borough's first park, referring to it as 'Wandsworth's new lungs'. Fanny Wilkinson, landscape designer for the MPGA, was responsible for the design and laying out of the gardens, the cost met by Sir William, who was a member of the MPGA.

The original wrought-iron entrance gate remains on Merton Road and this was refurbished in 2008. From here an avenue of horse chestnut trees flanks the path leading into the park, at the end of which is a rough-hewn granite drinking fountain with Art Nouveau-style bowl and ornamental railings on one side. This has a plaque commemorating the opening of the public gardens and the fact that the fountain was donated by the sisters of the Mayor. From here three paths lead across the gardens, which are largely laid to lawn, having areas of rose beds, shrubs and a number of trees, including mature plane trees. In the centre is an area of tarmac surrounded by mature plane trees, and in the west footings remain of a small glasshouse and associated buildings, surrounded by hedge. The gardens are bounded to Pirbright Road by railings erected in the 1980s, and are walled on the other three sides, overlooked by buildings.

In the gardens is a late Victorian wooden shelter much threatened by vandalism, which has an interesting history. According to the MPGA minutes in 1903, a public garden in Westminster known as Duke Street Garden was closing after the landowner, the second Duke of Westminster leased the land to the Westminster Electricity Supply Co. to build a substation here. The Duke offered the seats and shelter to Coronation Gardens, which is the shelter that remains today. The MPGA minutes note that: "The Secretary said that the Duke of Westminster had generously given the handsome shelter from the Duke Street Garden, the expense of removal and re-erection (£38) being borne by Mr. Lancaster." The site of Duke Street Garden is now Brown Hart Garden (q.v.), laid out on the roof of the electricity substation.

In April 2019 the Friends of Coronation Gardens was set up as a not-for-profit organisation at the instigation of 8 local residents who wanted to see the gardens improved and made more safe. By then a number of planting projects had already taken place: in October 2018 2000 spring bulbs were planted in the circle flower beds and in March 2019 2000 wild summer meadow bulbs were planted down the avenue of trees. Community activities run by the Friends included a Summer celebration and a Winter WonderGarden event. Despite Lockdown preventing some activities during 2020 and 2021, the group has gained members, created good links with Wandsworth Council and its contractor Enable as well as other organisations, established a website, set up a Gardening Club, made improvements including to the Nursery Play area, new path and a Friends noticeboard. Working with local schools led to a poetry competition for primary schoolchildren in 2021. Targets for 2022 include installing a drinking fountain for use by all and re-establishing the summer event and Winter WonderGarden as well as installing interpretation boards to tell the story of the garden.