Description
The Old Oak Estate is an early LCC estate built from 1911 onwards on land acquired from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. It was constructed in 2 phases and consists of cottage-style houses set back from the roads around grassed areas planted with trees, with small front gardens behind privet hedges. With its street trees and grass verges, and use of traditional materials, the estate shows the influence of the Garden Suburb movement then prevalent. A new community garden has been created, although over the years hedges and trees have been lost.
Practical Information
| Site location | Group of streets between Old Oak Common Lane, Du Cane Road and Wormwood Scrubs |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W12 |
| What3Words | ///tanks.ages.jazzy |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: East Acton (Central). Bus: 7, 70, 72, 283 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2004 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
In 1905 the LCC purchased 54 acres of land from the Ecclesiastical Commisisoners in order to build new public housing, subsequently selling 8 acres to the Great Western Railway for the branch line between Ealing and Shepherds Bush. The first phase of the Old Oak Estate was constructed to the west of the railway in 1912-13, with the second phase to the east built in 1920-23 and an additional 14 houses were built in 1927. Designed by LCC architects A S Soutar, F J Lucas, and J M Corment, the cottage-style estate with its two-storey red brick houses is notable for the use of privet hedges, street trees, grass verges and front gardens, consistent with the garden suburb ethos of the period. The design was clearly influenced by Hampstead Garden Suburb and the architects drawings show more elaborate planting than now exists, so it seems likely that the original plan was not fully executed.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ216811 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Site Management | Housing Department |
| Dates | 1911 onwards |
| Designers | LCC: A S Soutar, F J Lucas, J M Corment |
| 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 | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Old Oak and Wormholt Estates CA12 1975 |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Some Article 4 Directions |
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 Wormholt Estate was built for Hammersmith Council to rehouse people from the riverbank area that is now Furnival Gardens. The red brick houses are set back from the road around small greens with trees. The streets of the estate are named after plants and flowers, and a focal point is provided by the pavilion-like library, which is surrounded by lawns with some flower planting and seats, situated at the northern tip of Hemlock Road. To the south is Wormholt Park.
Wormwood Scrubs is common land, but since 1872 the military have had rights to use it under the Military Forces Location Act and part of the Scrubs had been leased to the Army since 1812. In the past this use was extensive and at times access was limited. Wormwood Scrubs now merges imperceptibly with Old Oak Common, which is in fact located in LB Ealing. Originally the division between the two commons and borough boundary was one of the several small streams that joined to form Stamford Brook. The military finally released the last land that it held in 1962. Sports facilities, including the Linford Christie Stadium, have been built on this area.
The Cleverly Estate was built for the Peabody Fund in 1928 as part of its provision of philanthropic housing for the poor. It was the first of the Peabody Estates where each flat had its own bathroom and its ornate exterior was based on the style of Sir Christopher Wren. The estate comprised 18 three-storey buildings set around 4 internal courtyards, bisected by Sawley Road and surrounded by perimeter iron railings. Badly damaged in WWII, the estate was expanded between 1960s-'80s with 3 additional blocks and two terraces of bungalows. Despite this infilling, most courts have flower beds with mature trees and there is a communal garden and playground.