Description
Godolphin Road Community Garden was created on a former bomb site, leased for a peppercorn rent from Hammersmith & Fulham Council by Godolphin Road Community Garden Association. The formal part of the garden was re-designed in March 1996. It is laid out with grass, trees, hedges and raised beds that were created with disabled gardeners in mind, a play area and paved area with seating. A pond was dug in 1990, which is of ecological interest. In May 2009 work began to erect an Eco-shed in the garden.
Practical Information
| Site location | Godolphin Road/St Stephen's Avenue |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W12 |
| What3Words | ///poem.alien.sheets |
| Type of Site | Community Garden |
| Borough | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | playground |
| Public Transport | Tube: Goldhawk Road (Hammersmith & City). Bus: 94, 237 |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
When Hammersmith and Fulham won a silver medal in 2008 London in Bloom, Godolphin Road Community Garden was among the gardens commended. Since 1988 the garden has been managed by Hammersmith Community Gardens Association, which was founded in 1984 and now runs four garden projects, Loris Road Community Garden (q.v.), community greenhouses at Ravenscourt Park (q.v.) set up c.2004, and in 2007 a farm was established at Phoenix High School. The Association runs sessions in garden maintenance, food growing and composting, wildlife gardening and medicinal herbs for volunteers, with after-school gardening clubs, family play schemes. It also gives environmental advice to other local groups. Nearby is a large traffic-calming bed of mixed planting and St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, originally St Andrew's Anglican Church, which has mature evergreen trees.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ227798 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.08 |
| Site Ownership | LB Hammersmith & Fulham, leased to Godolphin Road Community Garden Association |
| Site Management | Hammersmith Community Gardens Association |
| Dates | Post WWII, redesigned 1996 |
| 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 | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
Cathnor Park opened in 1973, laid out on a former bomb site that had been derelict apart from a day nursery built on part of the site. The decision had been taken in 1971 by LB Hammersmith & Fulham Development Group Committee that it was a priority to provide open space in this area and this was achieved when land was transferred from the GLC. The park was provided with new play equipment in 2010.
Sycamore House is managed by Hammersmith United Charities, who acquired the land for the almshouses in the 1950s. The original almshouse buildings were replaced in 2012 by a new 3-storey building, enclosing communal gardens. The gardens focus on plants known to encourage wildlife, and include a pond, a pergola and a large community greenhouse. In October 2024 the gardens were awarded the winner's cup in the 'Large Community Garden’ category in the London Almshouses Garden Competition run by London Gardens Society.
St Andrew Bobola was originally built in 1870 as St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, a stone church designed by Edmund Woodthorpe. In 1961 it was converted by A P Klecki to serve the Polish Roman Catholic community. The small churchyard has a few evergreen trees, the main feature being the many low dark brick walls set with copper memorial plaques.