Description
The layout of this cul-de-sac with its roughly circular area of garden was delineated on plans from the 1820s, although the full complement of houses as it exists today was not completed until the end of the C19th. The secluded private garden appears to be little changed since the early C20th when it was described as 'a circular area enclosed by palings and attractively laid out as a shrubbery', at which time it was leased to one of the residents for his sole use.
Practical Information
| Site location | Hyde Park Gate, off Kensington High Street |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW7 |
| What3Words | ///tunes.tiles.gifted |
| Type of Site | Garden Square |
| Borough | Kensington & Chelsea |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private |
| Public Transport | Tube: Gloucester Road (District, Circle, Piccadilly), High Street Kensington (District, Circle) |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The land was owned by the Trustees of the Campden Charities estate, one of the three estates in this area, and also the largest, and the first to be built on. Part of the estate was also known as Butt's Field, and in the south the old workhouse of 1778 was located, later the site of Kensington Gate (q.v.). A development plan drawn up in 1810 by S P Cockerell attracted no interest from builders and was abandoned. In 1821 Thomas Drew produced a plan for four deep plots fronting onto Kensington Road behind a wide planted strip, with a road between the middle plots leading to a 'square' of eight further plots. This was hardly more successful although some building took place; the remainder of the estate was auctioned in 1828 and 1831, after which the present layout was established. In 1838 and 1840 Stoke Lodge and Cleeve Lodge, now No. 42 and No.45 Hyde Park Gate were built, since altered, and their former stables became Nos. 43 and 44. In 1849 the workhouse was demolished and the site laid out by Inderwick and built as Kensington Gate in 1852. The area to the east of the Campden Charities' land was developed by Joshua Hanson from 1833, with Hyde Park Gate Mews laid out in 1836 to serve the first three houses he built. The Hyde Park Gate development was completed by the mid 1840s, although substantially altered in subsequent years.
In 1928 the garden on the circular cul-de-sac was leased by the Campden Charities Estate to a Mr H M Hubbard who had sole use of it and who was responsible for its maintenance. It was at that time described as 'a circular area enclosed by palings and attractively laid out as a shrubbery, and overlooked by dwelling-houses'. The lease expired in c.1948. The post-and-chain that was around its boundary has now been removed.
In the garden of one of the houses, 9 Hyde Park Gate, are remains of work by Pulham & Co. undertaken for E W Cooke in 1853.
In 1928 the garden on the circular cul-de-sac was leased by the Campden Charities Estate to a Mr H M Hubbard who had sole use of it and who was responsible for its maintenance. It was at that time described as 'a circular area enclosed by palings and attractively laid out as a shrubbery, and overlooked by dwelling-houses'. The lease expired in c.1948. The post-and-chain that was around its boundary has now been removed.
In the garden of one of the houses, 9 Hyde Park Gate, are remains of work by Pulham & Co. undertaken for E W Cooke in 1853.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ262795 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.0972 |
| Site Ownership | private |
| Dates | 1838 onwards |
| 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 | Kensington & Chelsea |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Queen's Gate |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| 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
The private communal gardens were provided for residents of houses of Kensington Gate, which was developed in 1852 on the site of the old workhouse, demolished in 1849. The land was owned by the Trustees of the Campden Charities estate, one of the three estates in this area, the largest and also the first to be built on. The garden square has mature planes and ornamental trees and shrubs.
The development of this area of Kensington took place largely after the Great Exhibition of 1851 when Parliament decided to establish a 'cultural centre' and grand residential estate. The land was owned by the 1851 Commissioners and a number of private estates, including the Harrington estate, where building began in 1855 on the site of former market gardens. The gardens were laid out c.1860 for the use of those living in surrounding houses, this privilege extended to those in the near neighbourhood. In WWII there were air raid shelters under the gardens. Since early 1990s the residents have been restoring the gardens, and paths have been re-drawn and gravelled to the original layout. In the interim additional planting had taken place, including a grove of 12 silver birch trees for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977.
Cornwall Gardens is an elongated garden square with three private communal garden enclosures. It was developed by Thomas and John Broadwood, whose family owned the land, and became famous as piano makers. The gardens have magnificent plane trees dating from the 1870s and are overlooked by Italianate terraces probably designed by the Broadwood estate surveyor Thomas Cundy III. The central garden has the original arched cast-iron entrance gates but the perimeter railings were removed during WWII, and the gardens are bounded by privet hedges.