Description
Ion Square Gardens is on the former site of Ion Square built in c.1845, which had terraced cottages on three sides facing a central communal garden. In 1886 the Kyrle Society approached the Vestry of St Matthew's with a view to opening the garden to the public. As a result it was leased in 1894 by the MPGA for a peppercorn rent, laid out and opened in 1895. In 1928 responsibility for the garden passed to Bethnal Green Borough Council. Most of the square's houses were destroyed in WWII bombing and in the 1960s the wider area was landscaped, although the site of the original garden remains demarcated.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Ion Square |
|---|---|
| Site location | Warner Place/Hackney Road |
| Postcode | E2 7DQ |
| What3Words | ///encounter.frost.luxury |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Tower Hamlets |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | playground |
| Public Transport | Tube: Bethnal Green then bus. |
| Research Updated | 1 September 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The present park is on the former site of Ion Square built in c.1845 by the local firm of Pritchards who owned nearby brick and tile works. There were 38 terraced cottages on three sides of the square facing the central garden with a brick wall forming the fourth south wall. In 1886 the Kyrle Society approached the Vestry of St Matthew's with a view to open Ion Square's garden to the public; nothing resulted from this although some improvements were made to the garden. In 1894 the MPGA secured a 40 year lease on the garden for a peppercorn rent, the lease providing that it should be properly enclosed, laid out and maintained as a 'garden or shrubbery'. The brick wall was replaced by an iron railing with an entrance from Durant Street. The Kyrle Society contributed £120 towards the layout and the Vestry provided a caretaker. The gardens were opened in 1895. In 1928 responsibility for the garden passed to Bethnal Green Borough Council and it was described as a 'great amenity to the dwelling houses overlooking it'.
In 1940 and 1941 the square suffered severe bomb damage and by 1945 only 5 houses were left standing and the site was cleared, with 20 pre-fabs erected, although the central garden remained, set out much as before with a new drinking fountain. In 1953 Bethnal Green Council agreed with the LCC that the land surrounding the square should form an extension to the garden. The prefabs remained until 1962 and in 1963 one side of Warner Place was demolished followed by demolition of other properties in Hackney Road and Durant Street and the whole area was cleared, levelled and laid to grass. Play equipment was later added to the wider park but in keeping with the terms of the 1894 lease a separate shrubbery and garden have been retained on the site occupied by the original Ion Square Garden, which has remained enclosed.
In 1940 and 1941 the square suffered severe bomb damage and by 1945 only 5 houses were left standing and the site was cleared, with 20 pre-fabs erected, although the central garden remained, set out much as before with a new drinking fountain. In 1953 Bethnal Green Council agreed with the LCC that the land surrounding the square should form an extension to the garden. The prefabs remained until 1962 and in 1963 one side of Warner Place was demolished followed by demolition of other properties in Hackney Road and Durant Street and the whole area was cleared, levelled and laid to grass. Play equipment was later added to the wider park but in keeping with the terms of the 1894 lease a separate shrubbery and garden have been retained on the site occupied by the original Ion Square Garden, which has remained enclosed.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ342830 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1.0348 |
| Site Ownership | LB Tower Hamlets |
| Site Management | Leisure Services, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1845; 1895; 1960s |
| 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 | Tower Hamlets |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Jesus Hospital Estate |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
St Peter's Church, built in 1840-41 and designed by Lewis Vulliamy, was originally the centre of a square of terraced houses, now surrounded by modern flats. The church building was considerably refurbished from 1905 onwards under the then vicar Revd W H Maynard. The churchyard, closed to burial, was laid out as a public garden under the auspices of the Kyrle Society in 1883/84 and is surrounded by iron railings with hedging and has a number of mature plane trees.
Jesus Green is a triangular 'garden square' formed when the GLC compulsorily purchased the former Jesus Hospital's estate of the 1860s. Part of the estate was cleared to lay out the green space, which remains flanked on all sides by C19th ranges of modest terraced houses. The garden has a central circular path and transverse paths, and is largely laid to grass with scattered trees and peripheral shrub planting. It is surrounded by metal railings joining ponderous brick piers at the corners.
Formerly the additional burial ground for St Mary Matfelon, Whitechapel and Whitechapel Workhouse, this is now an area of open space within a modern housing estate. The land was consecrated for burial in 1796 and closed in 1853.
