Description
Kneller Gardens are named after German-born portrait painter Sir Godfrey Kneller, who was appointed Court Painter in 1680, knighted in 1691, later made a baronet in 1715. By then he had built his villa, Whitton House, on a site to the north-west of Kneller Gardens. The house was replaced by Kneller Hall in 1848, which until 2021 was the Royal Military School of Music, the site now awaiting development. Maps of 1915 show the site of Kneller Gardens as a bathing place surrounded by farmland; in 1930 Twickenham Borough Council developed 12 acres here as a new recreation ground for Whitton's growing population. The park was officially opened in 1931 providing sports pitches and pavilions, a children's play area, and riverside walk with new trees and shrubs planted.
Practical Information
| Site location | Meadway, Twickenham |
|---|---|
| Postcode | TW2 6PH |
| What3Words | ///volunteered.signal.locate |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Richmond |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Mon-Sat 7.30am-dusk; Sun/Bank Holidays 9am-dusk. |
| Facilities | Tennis courts, play areas, football pitches, changing rooms, refreshments |
| Public Transport | Rail: Whitton. Bus: H22, 490, 110 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2017 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) came to England in 1676 and was appointed Court Painter in 1680. Knighted by William III in 1691 he was made a baronet in 1715. By then he had moved to Whitton and built his villa, Whitton House in 1709-11. His many royal paintings include portraits of 10 reigning monarchs, Charles II to George I of England, Louis XIV of France, Peter the Great of Russia and the Habsburg Emperor Charles VI. Whitton House was enlarged, but later demolished and replaced by Kneller Hall in 1848 and became the Royal Military School of Music, although the late C18th gate piers with wreaths and shallow urns still form the entrance. In 2021 Kneller Hall was sold by the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Military School of Music was relocated after 170 years here.
In 1930 Twickenham Borough Council developed 4.86 hectares (12 acres) of the farmland as a new recreation ground for the rapidly growing population of Whitton. Maps of 1915 show a bathing place surrounded by farmland of Jubilee Farm Estate on the site of Kneller Gardens. The park was laid out at a cost of £4,000, and officially opened in 1931 providing sports pitches and pavilions, a children's play area, and riverside walk with new trees and shrubs planted. The gardens lie alongside the River Crane and now comprise part of the River Crane Walk, which continues to the west into the linear Crane Park (q.v.) following the river.
The Duke of Northumberland's River, which leaves the Crane in Kneller Gardens, is an artificial waterway constructed in the 1530s to provide water for flourmills in Isleworth from the River Colne to the west and which for part of its course joins the Crane. Kneller Gardens today includes sporting facilities, mature trees, grass and some flowers, with paths along the river and around the park perimeter.
In 1930 Twickenham Borough Council developed 4.86 hectares (12 acres) of the farmland as a new recreation ground for the rapidly growing population of Whitton. Maps of 1915 show a bathing place surrounded by farmland of Jubilee Farm Estate on the site of Kneller Gardens. The park was laid out at a cost of £4,000, and officially opened in 1931 providing sports pitches and pavilions, a children's play area, and riverside walk with new trees and shrubs planted. The gardens lie alongside the River Crane and now comprise part of the River Crane Walk, which continues to the west into the linear Crane Park (q.v.) following the river.
The Duke of Northumberland's River, which leaves the Crane in Kneller Gardens, is an artificial waterway constructed in the 1530s to provide water for flourmills in Isleworth from the River Colne to the west and which for part of its course joins the Crane. Kneller Gardens today includes sporting facilities, mature trees, grass and some flowers, with paths along the river and around the park perimeter.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ146732 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 4.73 |
| Site Ownership | LB Richmond |
| Site Management | Environment Planning & Review, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1930-31 |
| 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 | Richmond |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Metropolitan Importance (part of Crane Corr) |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| 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 Duke of Northumberland's River is an artificial waterway, originally cut in the late 1530s to bring water to power a mill at Isleworth owned by the Bridgettine Convent at Syon. After the convent was dissolved, the land went to Lord Protector Somerset in 1547. The estate later passed to the Duke of Northumberland who used the watercourse to supply ornamental ponds in his gardens. The Isleworth or eastern section diverts water from the Crane River as it runs through today's Kneller Gardens, eventually reaching the Thames at Isleworth, where the mill was situated. A public footpath runs along much of its route and passes a number of interesting sites that illustrate Isleworth's rich history. The western section of the Duke of Northumberland's River diverted water from the Colne River at Harmondsworth in Hillingdon to the Crane, running for part of its course alongside the Longford River, another artificial waterway constructed in the C17th. The Duke of Northumberland's River was purchased from the Duke in 1931 and today its maintenance rests with a number of agencies.
Twickenham Green was originally common land, part of a much larger site known as Twickenham Common that was continuous with Hounslow Heath. It lies to the west of the centre of Twickenham, and still retains a village atmosphere. C19th and early C20th houses overlook the Green, which is triangular area mainly grassed, surrounded by mature horse chestnut trees.
Twickenham Cemetery was once surrounded by fields and orchards. It was established by Twickenham Burial Board in 1868, originally on a site of c.3.23 hectares (8 acres) but since enlarged. It retains its pair of gothic chapels and ornamental entrance gates and although the monuments are generally quite modest, there is a charming garden commemorating the private graves of Variety Artistes. The cemetery is hedged to Percy Road and contains a number of mature trees, including conifers and monkey puzzle, numerous flat-topped yews and many of more recent planting.