Description
Windsor Terrace or The Oval was land owned by St Bartholomew's Hospital that was leased to Shoreditch Borough Council at 1s per annum and maintained as an asphalt playground. Preserved under the London Squares and Enclosures (Preservation) Act of 1906, in 1928 the unenclosed site contained 'a few trees', now well-grown horse chestnuts. Until re-landscaping took place in 2008 it was a largely paved area laid out with seats, some planting in raised areas and concrete planters.
Practical Information
| Site location | City Road/Windsor Terrace |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///vines.wings.robe |
| Type of Site | Garden Square |
| Borough | Hackney |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail/Tube: Old Street (Northern). Bus: 205 |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
In a short article headed 'Two More London Gardens' in Reynolds's Newspaper of Sunday 18 July 1897: 'After a long delay the Bridge House Committee have decided to open Finsbury-circus as another of those green breathing spaces so much appreciated in the City during the summer months. At the same time the L.C.C. have determined to lay out and open the circus opposite Windsor-terrace in the City-road, which is believed to be the site of the terrible plague pit described by Defoe in his graphic, but fictional, account of the dreadful visitation.'
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ323828 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.081 |
| Site Ownership | LB Hackney |
| Site Management | Hackney Parks Service |
| Dates | 1897; 2008 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Hackney |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Open Space; London Square |
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
Surrounded by the austere 17-storey housing that was built for Finsbury Borough Council in 1959-60, Radnor Street Gardens were laid out on undulating ground with shrubs, paths and a playground. The garden was re-designed in 2006/7with improved play and recreation facilities, and new landscaping, and re-opened in July 2008. The inclusive playground was developed in consultation with children from Richard Cloudesley School.
Bartholomew Square is on land formerly belonging to St Bartholomew's Hospital, and replaced a square known as Old Street Square dating from c.1815. In 1894 the MPGA laid out an asphalted playground here. It has been renamed Bartholomew Square in recognition of the former connections of the site. The character of the area was all but obliterated in the 1970s by the GLC's rebuilding, which destroyed the whole pattern of the historic surroundings. Today the area is a hummocky grass patch bordered on three sides by low rise council blocks of Bartholomew Court and the St Luke's Estate. There are a few trees including horse chestnut and London plane and it is railed to Bartholomew Square.
St Luke's Church and Gardens are laid out on the former churchyard. The church was built in 1733 when it became a separate parish as the population in the area increased. Due to subsidence the church was largely dismantled in 1959/60 when the roof was removed and it became a picturesque ruin after initial plans to convert it fell through. It has now been restored to become the home of the London Symphony Orchestra's community and music education programme, LSO Discovery. The railings, gates and piers around the church gardens date from c.1852, set on a low brick parapet wall, and the garden onto Old Street has a few tombs remaining including the railed chest tomb of Thomas Hanby (d.1786). The area to the north of the church was laid out as a public garden in 1878, maintained by the vestry. Once a rose garden, this area was re-landscaped in 2006 with lawns, paths and a central feature with seating and raised beds.