Description
Frank Banfield Park is named after a former Mayor and Alderman of Fulham and was laid out in the 1970s, part of the Fulham riverside development. In 2008 the park was refurbished and re-opened on 9 October, the redevelopment a result of a planning agreement in 2003 between LBHF and developer Goodman, who own, develop and manage the Waterfront and Riverside buildings at the nearby Hammersmith Embankment development.
Practical Information
| Site location | Fulham Palace Road, Distillery Place, Hammersmith |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W6 |
| What3Words | ///woods.watch.zest |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Mon-Fri 8am-dusk; Sat/Sun/Bank Holidays 9am-dusk |
| Facilities | Play area; Distillery Play Centre |
| Public Transport | Tube: Hammersmith (Piccadilly, District, Hammersmith & City). Bus: 190, 211, 220, 295 |
| Research Updated | 5 June 2025 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Frank Banfield JP was on the LCC, the GLC and an Alderman of Fulham Council for 36 years. He was Mayor of Fulham in 1952-53. He died in 1960. The park named after him was laid out in the 1970s as part of the Fulham riverside development. It is primarily a playing area, with adventure playground, basketball court in a mini-stadium, play area and grass, with a couple of mounds, and shrubs planted along the border. In 2008 the park was refurbished and re-opened on 9 October by the Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham and other dignitaries. The redevelopment came as a result of a planning agreement in 2003 between LBHF and developer Goodman, who own, develop and manage the Waterfront and Riverside buildings at the nearby Hammersmith Embankment development. The re-landscaping was designed by Capita Lovejoy and new features included a children's play area, landscaping and benches, and improvements to railings and gates.
A new community garden was created in the park in 2024 through a partnership between Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (HGCA) and the Friends of Frank Banfield Park. The community garden forms part of works to improve the park’s biodiversity and develop a community of local gardeners, and to provide regular community activities for the whole family. LB Hammersmith & Fulham raised £400,000 for the project, which began in April 2024 with the planting of a Tiny Forest, and the work has also included a new wildflower meadow, raised planters, living habitat wall, wildlife pond, and a new community space with an accessible toilet made from repurposed shipping containers. Other projects include a new hedge and six apple trees planted around the site. The garden was officially opened on 27 September 2024 by the Deputy Mayor, Daryl Brown. HCGA is a local environmental charity set up by local residents in 1984, following their successful campaign to secure the future of Loris Road and Godolphin Road Community Gardens. HGCA now looks after six community gardens in the borough (Ravenscourt Park Glasshouses, Phoenix Farm at White City, Godolphin Community Garden, Peabody/Old Oak and Aisgill Community Hub) as well as gardens in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea.
A new community garden was created in the park in 2024 through a partnership between Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (HGCA) and the Friends of Frank Banfield Park. The community garden forms part of works to improve the park’s biodiversity and develop a community of local gardeners, and to provide regular community activities for the whole family. LB Hammersmith & Fulham raised £400,000 for the project, which began in April 2024 with the planting of a Tiny Forest, and the work has also included a new wildflower meadow, raised planters, living habitat wall, wildlife pond, and a new community space with an accessible toilet made from repurposed shipping containers. Other projects include a new hedge and six apple trees planted around the site. The garden was officially opened on 27 September 2024 by the Deputy Mayor, Daryl Brown. HCGA is a local environmental charity set up by local residents in 1984, following their successful campaign to secure the future of Loris Road and Godolphin Road Community Gardens. HGCA now looks after six community gardens in the borough (Ravenscourt Park Glasshouses, Phoenix Farm at White City, Godolphin Community Garden, Peabody/Old Oak and Aisgill Community Hub) as well as gardens in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ234781 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1.44 |
| Site Ownership | LB Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Site Management | Environment Department, Parks Service (ground maintenance by Quadron Services); Friends of Frank Banfield;Hammersmith Embankment Residents Associa |
| Dates | 1970s |
| Designers | Local Authority |
| 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 | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Small Local Park; Open Space of Borough-wide Importance |
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
The Hammersmith Estate, with blocks of flats of dark red brick, was built for the Peabody Trust in 1926 on a site that was once the Good Shepherd Convent. It was the last Peabody estate constructed with a separate bathhouse. In the central courtyard is a walled sunken garden with trees, shrubs and a lawn, which is contemporary with the original building, and was reputedly the site of the nuns' burial ground. There are single trees in other parts of the estate and raised beds by the entrances to the blocks, and overall there is much more greenery than many blocks of this type. The estate was badly bombed in WWII and the garden extensively damaged. It has now been restored by the Peabody Trust, working closely with residents.
Charing Cross Hospital was built in 1969/73 on the site of the old Fulham Union Workhouse, later the Fulham Infirmary of 1884, which was demolished in 1966 to make way for the new hospital. The main part of the hospital is a 17-storey block and at the front of the site is a water garden with fountain, some emergent planting and a half-size version of 'Reclining Figure' by Henry Moore. To the south are trees and lawns, with bushes along the north perimeter. The old weathervane from Fulham Infirmary is in the main garden behind the hospital and a new courtyard garden was created in 1996 featuring 'Horse and Rider' by Robert Clatworthy.
The first church here was built in 1631 as a Chapel-of-Ease within the Parish of Fulham, only becoming the parish church when Hammersmith became a separate parish in 1834. St Paul's Church was rebuilt in 1882/3 on the site of the old church. Its churchyard was reduced in size when Hammersmith Flyover was built in 1961 as part of the Great West Road extension, and most of the gravestones had been cleared when it became a public garden, in the care of the local authority. St Paul's Green was created as a new public open space adjacent to the church in 1998.
