Description
Irving Garden is an area of landscaping that consists of a simple lawn bounded by railings, located immediately behind the National Portrait Gallery and built in c.1890 on the site of Hemmings Row, which was demolished to build the Gallery. It surrounds the statue of the actor-manager Sir Henry Irving by Sir Thomas Brock, erected in 1910. The lawn and railings appears to be a post-war improvement as old photographs show that the area around the statue was once paved. This site has long been known for street performers and is at present the haunt of itinerant portrait artists. Nearby is a mid C19th vent shaft and exuberant lamp standard, and the white marble Edith Cavell Memorial, 1920, by Sir George Frampton.
Practical Information
| Site location | St Martin's Place, Charing Cross Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | WC2N 5DN |
| What3Words | ///soap.polite.people |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Westminster |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Leicester Square (Piccadilly, Northern), Charing Cross (Northern, Bakerloo) |
| Research Updated | 1 January 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ300806 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | WCC |
| Site Management | Parks Service (contractor: Continental Landscapes Ltd) |
| Dates | 1910, railings c1950 |
| Listed Structures | LBI: National Portrait Gallery. LBII: C19th vent shaft, lamp standard, Edith Cavell Memorial, No. 10 (National Westminster Bank) |
| 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 | Westminster |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Trafalgar Square |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| 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
St Martin-in-the-Fields gained its name from the fields that once surrounded it, and there has been a church here from at least Norman times. A mid-C16th church was enlarged in the early C17th, but the present church is that of James Gibb, completed in 1726. It was patronised by royalty due to the proximity of the Palace of Westminster. The former parish burial grounds have largely disappeared as a result of building, with one burial site covered by the National Gallery's northern block, and another by Charing Cross Road. To the south an area known as Waterman's Churchyard was lost to improvements in c.1831 and new catacombs under the church were built in compensation. Part of the churchyard immediately around the church survived, which included a strip on the north side and an area at the east end. This was paved with flagstones and planted with trees by the MPGA and opened to the public in 1887. It has recently been improved as part of restoration of the church that commenced in 2006 and now provides a pleasant public courtyard with seating.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Trafalgar Square was laid out in the 1820s onwards as part of John Nash's redevelopment of the West End. It stands on the former site of the King's Mews and was designed to enhance the setting of the new National Gallery and to connect the Strand with the West End. Dominated by Nelson's Column, it became a focal point for the commemoration of imperial heroes and as the favoured rallying place for momentous social and political events.
Trafalgar Square was laid out in the 1820s onwards as part of John Nash's redevelopment of the West End. It stands on the former site of the King's Mews and was designed to enhance the setting of the new National Gallery and to connect the Strand with the West End. Dominated by Nelson's Column, it became a focal point for the commemoration of imperial heroes and as the favoured rallying place for momentous social and political events.
In 1630 Lord Leicester leased former commonland here to build Leicester House but was required to lay out public walks on the remaining part. Initially called Leicester Fields, the central areas were fenced and it was planted in c.1720-25. A statue of George I stood in the centre from 1748, but removed following vandalism in 1871 by which time Leicester Square was a less prestigious neighbourhood. In 1874 Albert Grant MP purchased and presented the newly laid out garden to the MBW, having erected a Shakespeare memorial fountain in the centre. In the C20th Leicester Square was progressively rebuilt, becoming the centre of the entertainment industry. The gardens inevitably suffered by heavy use, and were re-landscaped in c.1993, when the statues and fountain were restored although a prominent theatre ticket booth was erected. Since 2008, Leicester Square has been re-landscaped, re-opening in May 2012 in time for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
