Description
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
The manor of Osterley dates back many centuries, but the beginnings of the park as it exists today developed from the C16th when the estate was owned by the Gresham family. It was substantially remodelled in the C18th by the wealthy Child family, who purchased the estate in 1711. Osterley House was built in the 1760s to designs of Robert Adam for Sir Francis Child, and later his brother Robert, and its surrounding gardens and park were laid out. Earlier formal gardens were replaced by a more informal landscape, possibly designed by Robert Child's wife. In the early C19th the estate came through inheritance to the Jersey family and there was extensive tree-planting. In 1949 the house and 57 hectares were left to the National Trust, which later acquired further land, the remainder of the estate in private ownership.
The manor of Osterley dates back many centuries, but the beginnings of the park as it exists today developed from the C16th when the estate was owned by the Gresham family. It was substantially remodelled in the C18th by the wealthy Child family, who purchased the estate in 1711. Osterley House was built in the 1760s to designs of Robert Adam for Sir Francis Child, and later his brother Robert, and its surrounding gardens and park were laid out. Earlier formal gardens were replaced by a more informal landscape, possibly designed by Robert Child's wife. In the early C19th the estate came through inheritance to the Jersey family and there was extensive tree-planting. In 1949 the house and 57 hectares were left to the National Trust, which later acquired further land, the remainder of the estate in private ownership.
Practical Information
| Site location | Osterley Lane/Jersey Road, Isleworth |
|---|---|
| Postcode | TW7 4RB |
| What3Words | ///translated.press.models |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Hounslow |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Grounds 9am-7.30pm or sunset (Stableyard Information Point 9am-5pm daily). House 31 Mar-4 Nov Wed-Sun 1-4.30-m. |
| Special Conditions | Dogs on leads. Admission charge to Osterley House (free to NT members) and free entry to park and gardens. |
| Facilities | Car park; NT shop; toilets; Stables Tearoom; Jersey Galleries; Farm Shop |
| Events | Numerous events including children's activities, music; exhibitions in Jersey Galleries. |
| Public Transport | Tube: Osterley (Piccadilly) the walk. Bus: H91, H28 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Site on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens, for Register Entry see https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list. The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England was established in 1984 and was commonly called English Heritage. In April 2015 it split into 2 separate entities, Historic England (HE), which continues to champion and protect the historic environment, and the English Heritage Trust, whose role is to look after the 400+ historic sites and monuments owned by the state. HE manages the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) that includes over 400,000 items ranging from prehistoric monuments to office blocks, battlefields and parks, which benefit from legal protection.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ146780 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | National Trust (some areas in private ownership) |
| Site Management | National Trust. Friends of Osterley Park |
| Dates | C16th; C18th; C19th |
| Designers | C18th garden, possibly designed by Mrs Robert Child and her steward Mr Bunce |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | Yes |
| NHLE grade | Grade II* |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Hounslow |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Osterley Park |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance I |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - ENV 20/ENV7 |
| Other LA Designation | Historic Parks and Gardens. |
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
Before becoming Norwood Parish Church in 1859, St Mary the Virgin was originally a chapel of ease within the large parish of Hayes and under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury until 1846. Henry Chichele, Archbishop in 1414, provided money to restore the chapel in 1439 and gave the octagonal font; a stone cross commemorating him was erected in the churchyard in 1894. Victims of the plague of 1665 were buried in the churchyard, and among the monuments is a fine C19th sarcophagus to the Robins family of neighbouring Norwood Hall. The area was largely agricultural until the late C19th and the large village green and some old buildings, including the parish church, remain to mark the old village centre.
Initially called Norwood Lodge, Norwood Hall was designed by Sir John Soane for John Robins and built in 1801-3. Later occupants, the Unwin family, made alterations to the house. It had extensive grounds, including a walled garden and orchards, with pleasure gardens laid out in mid-Victorian gardenesque style separated from the grazing lands by a ha-ha. From the 1920s all but 19 acres of the estate were sold off for housing development and in 1945 the Unwins sold the house and remaining land to Middlesex County Council. In 1955 it became Norwood Hall Institute of Horticultural Education, instructing students in both theory and practice of gardening, with plants grown on 2 acres of the site. It later became part of Ealing Tertiary College. The site was purchased by Sri Guru Sabha Gurdwara, in order to build Khalsa Primary School, Norwood Hall to be restored.
Norwood Green is a triangular area that was once common land of the old village of Norwood, centred on the parish church of St Mary's. By 1800 there were 40 houses around the green, and it is now surrounded by mainly 1930s housing. Norwood Green Cricket Club was founded in 1867 and had free use of the Green. By 1935 there were 2 children's swings and football pitches were marked out in summer. The Green remains bordered by trees, which were formerly elm trees.