Description
Hampstead Garden Suburb was conceived by Dame Henrietta Barnett in 1903 when the area, hitherto rural, became ripe for development. Her aim was to provide a garden suburb for the working classes, with some larger houses as well as amenities. The overall layout was the work of Raymond Unwin. The street pattern followed the land contours, with curving and straight roads to create interesting viewpoints, closes and squares, street trees, a pedestrian network of footpaths and a variety of green spaces. The first phase was largely built between 1907-1912 and included this small public garden at Meadway Gate. It is bisected by a footpath, over which is a pergola, with grass areas and rose beds either side, and perimeter trees.
Practical Information
| Site location | Meadway Gate |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW11 7LA |
| What3Words | ///kind.racks.spun |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Golders Green (Northern) then bus. Bus H2. |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2000 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Meadway Gate is a small landscaped area serving as a roundabout at the junction of Hoop Lane, Temple Fortune Lane, Wild Hatch and Meadway built in the first phase of development of Hampstead Garden Suburb. The Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust Ltd was founded in 1907 at the instigation of Dame Henrietta Barnett who proposed 'a garden suburb for the working classes, but with some larger houses and shops, stressing the need for mixed development, with its opportunity to spread the 'contagion of refinement'.' (Pevsner) 243 acres of land were purchased from Eton College and the overall layout was undertaken by Sir Raymond Unwin who was architect to the Trust between 1906 and 1914. With his partner Barry Parker, Unwin was at that time completing housing schemes in Letchworth and New Earswick near York. His layout including curving roadways, low density housing with attention paid to greenery, in the form of new trees planted, hedging rather than walls, and the introduction of open spaces such as at Meadway Gate as well as the retention of woodland areas. Meadway Gate garden is bisected by a footpath up steps from Hoop Lane, over which is a wisteria-covered pergola. Each side of the pergola and path is an area of lawn with rose beds, with some trees around the perimeter of the garden.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ253881 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.5 |
| Site Ownership | LB Barnet |
| Site Management | Leisure and Youth Services, Green Spaces Division |
| Dates | 1907-10 |
| Designers | ?Lutyens |
| Listed Structures | LBII: telephone kiosk adjacent to drinking 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 | No |
| Local Authority | Barnet |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Hampstead Garden Suburb |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Article 4 Direction |
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
Golders Green Crematorium, the first purpose-designed crematorium 'within easy driving distance of London', was established by the London Cremation Society in 1902 on land it purchased in 1900. The buildings, designed by Sir Ernest George and Alfred Yeates, were developed piecemeal from 1902 until the late 1920s, with the East Chapel by Mitchell and Bridgewater and the Philipson Mausoleum by Edwin Lutyens added in 1938. The grounds are much like they were when first laid out by William Robinson. Open lawns face the Cloister, at one end of which is a rectangular lily pond and War Memorial of 1919/20. Woodland gardens have serpentine paths throughout and to the rear is a small water garden. Among the sculptural features is a bronze sculpture by Henry Pegram, now in the Gertrude Jekyll garden. Many well-known people have been cremated here.
Golders Green Crematorium, the first purpose-designed crematorium 'within easy driving distance of London', was established by the London Cremation Society in 1902 on land it purchased in 1900. The buildings, designed by Sir Ernest George and Alfred Yeates, were developed piecemeal from 1902 until the late 1920s, with the East Chapel by Mitchell and Bridgewater and the Philipson Mausoleum by Edwin Lutyens added in 1938. The grounds are much like they were when first laid out by William Robinson. Open lawns face the Cloister, at one end of which is a rectangular lily pond and War Memorial of 1919/20. Woodland gardens have serpentine paths throughout and to the rear is a small water garden. Among the sculptural features is a bronze sculpture by Henry Pegram, now in the Gertrude Jekyll garden. Many well-known people have been cremated here.
When it was built in 1895, Golders Green Cemetery was the only major development in the area, which at that time was predominantly country villas set in the rural landscape. The cemetery is divided into two distinct areas, the north-eastern section for Sephardic Jews, which has distinctive prostrate slabs, their simplicity in contrast to the upright, more ostentatious monuments and tombs in the south-western section for members of the West London Synagogue. The cemetery buildings consist of two brick Prayer Halls connected by an archway, and a half-timbered lodge.
Hampstead Garden Suburb was conceived by Dame Henrietta Barnett in 1903 when the area, hitherto rural, became ripe for development. Her aim was to provide a garden suburb for the working classes, with some larger houses as well as amenities. The overall layout was the work of Raymond Unwin. The street pattern followed the land contours, with curving and straight roads to create interesting viewpoints, closes and squares, street trees, a pedestrian network of footpaths and a variety of green spaces. The first phase was largely built between 1907 - 1912 and included Linnell Drive and Linnell Close. The houses are fronted by a large area of communal garden, consisting of lawn and separated from the road by hedging.
