Description
Goldington Crescent Gardens are an oval area enclosed by railings, with grass and tall mature trees, bisected by a serpentine path. The terrace of Nos. 5-12 Goldington Crescent was built c.1849-50 and the land was owned by the Duke of Bedford and a Mr A Wilkinson, each of whom owned half the houses of the Crescent. The gardens were provided for use of the occupants of surrounding houses, who bore the maintenance costs, but are now publicly accessible. A late C19th double cattle trough presented by the Metropolitan Cattle Trough and Drinking Fountain Association is situated to the north of the gardens. A new sculptural commission by Robert Worley, ARBS, was installed in the gardens in 2010.
Practical Information
| Site location | Pancras Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW1 |
| What3Words | ///token.margin.once |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Camden |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Mornington Crescent (Northern). Bus: 46, 214. |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Nos. 5-12 Goldington Crescent was built c.1849-50, the restoration of the terrace in the late C20th winning a Civic Trust Award. The land was owned by the Duke of Bedford and a Mr A Wilkinson, each of whom owned half the houses of the Crescent. Half the costs of maintaining the gardens were borne by occupiers of the Duke's houses, and half by occupiers of those of Mr Wilkinson. Goldington Crescent Gardens are within an oval area enclosed by railings with grass and tall mature trees, bisected by a serpentine path. In the late C19th a double cattle trough was presented by the Metropolitan Cattle Trough and Drinking Fountain Association and is situated just outside to the north of the gardens.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ296834 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.2765 |
| Site Ownership | LB Camden |
| Site Management | Parks & Open Spaces |
| Dates | C19th |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Nos. 5-16 Goldington Crescent; double cattle trough |
| 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | King's Cross St Pancras |
| 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
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
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
This was once part of the burial ground of St Pancras Old Church, which remains adjacent to the public garden. The churchyard was enlarged in 1727 and again in 1792, and St Giles-in-the-Fields burial ground opened in 1802 to the north. Churchyard and burial ground were closed for burials by 1855, St Giles and part of St Pancras grounds later encroached and partly destroyed by railway construction from 1863, the clearance of tombs and bodies causing much outcry. St Pancras Vestry acquired the remaining land in 1875 and St Pancras Gardens were opened in 1877 when Baroness Burdett-Coutts laid the foundation stone of her memorial fountain and sundial. The gardens were laid out in their present form in 1890-91, and have a geometric layout with paths, mature trees, grass and rose garden, with some monuments remaining. Numerous important people were buried here, including Sir John Soane's family, the composer Johann Christian Bach buried in a pauper's grave in 1782.
This was once part of the burial ground of St Pancras Old Church, which remains adjacent to the public garden. The churchyard was enlarged in 1727 and again in 1792, and St Giles-in-the-Fields burial ground opened in 1802 to the north. Churchyard and burial ground were closed for burials by 1855, St Giles and part of St Pancras grounds later encroached and partly destroyed by railway construction from 1863, the clearance of tombs and bodies causing much outcry. St Pancras Vestry acquired the remaining land in 1875 and St Pancras Gardens were opened in 1877 when Baroness Burdett-Coutts laid the foundation stone of her memorial fountain and sundial. The gardens were laid out in their present form in 1890-91, and have a geometric layout with paths, mature trees, grass and rose garden, with some monuments remaining. Numerous important people were buried here, including Sir John Soane's family, the composer Johann Christian Bach buried in a pauper's grave in 1782.
Oakley Square is named after Oakley House, a seat of land-owner the Duke of Bedford. The garden was laid out c1845, planned in conjunction with terraces that survive only along its northern side. The well-planted garden had serpentine paths, two circular areas at either end of a central path running north-east to south-west, and was originally for the use of the Duke, his heirs and assigns, and those living in the square. It is now open to the public, and was relandscaped in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Although Camley Street Natural Park only opened in 1985 it is a legacy of the pioneering conservation projects set up by the GLC's London Ecology Unit. Situated adjacent to the Regent's Canal, from Victorian times until 1960s the site was used as a coal depot, but then became derelict. Acquired by the GLC in 1981 for a lorry park, local people successfully lobbied against this with the London Wildlife Trust. As a result it became a community nature park, attracting a diverse range of wetland species of flora and fauna. It contains woodland, marshland, reed beds around a pond, wild flower meadow and garden area. In 2020 a new visitor centre building was completed by Ash Construction, and other improvements
