Description
The private communal garden was provided for residents of Pembridge Square, which was built in 1856-64 on land that was once part of the Hall Estate, one of three estates in this area, the others being the Campden Charities Estate and the Ladbroke Estate. Today the garden is surrounded by railings and a privet hedge, with grass, gravel paths, lime trees and shrubs within the garden.
Practical Information
| Site location | Pembridge Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W2 |
| What3Words | ///eaten.cult.heavy |
| Type of Site | Garden Square |
| Borough | Kensington & Chelsea |
| Open to Public | Occasionally |
| Opening Times | Has opened for London Open Gardens. Otherwise private, for keyholders only |
| Public Transport | Tube: Notting Hill Gate (Central) |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Pembridge Square was built on land that was once part of the Hall Estate, one of three estates in this area, the others being the Campden Charities Estate and the Ladbroke Estate. The Ladbroke family owned two plots of land here in addition to the main Ladbroke Estate to the west, and in 1844 granted a lease to William Henry Jenkins to develop one of these plots, comprising 28 acres, which is now Chepstow Villas, Pembridge Villas, Pembridge Place and Chepstow Place. Jenkins subsequently leased 10 acres from the Hall Estate to extend his development to the west, and it was completed by 1859. The south-east part of the Hall Estate was developed by Francis and William Radford, who, having built Nos. 37-41 Pembridge Villas on the Ladbroke Estate, in 1849 took leases on the Hall Estate and by 1864 had built 150 predominantly detached houses and Pembridge Square, overlooking a communal garden. In 1928 the garden was owned by freeholders of the houses in the square and it was maintained by a Committee who were appointed according to regulations in the Trust Deed that formed part of the title of each house. The garden at that time is described as a 'long narrow enclosure attractively laid out with a lawn and shrubberies. Contains some fine trees.' It is protected under 1851 Garden Square Act.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ253807 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.5162 |
| Site Ownership | private |
| Site Management | Pembridge Square Garden Committee/Westbourne Estates |
| Dates | 1856-64 |
| Designers | Francis Radford |
| Listed Structures | LBII: 6-18, 23-25 (consec.) Pembridge Square |
| 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 | Kensington & Chelsea |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Pembridge |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes - TPO area |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| 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
Prince’s Square, begun in 1856, was largely the work of builder and speculator George Wyatt. It is not known who designed the central garden, which was probably in place by 1861 when a residents’ garden committee was convened to manage it. Their records indicate the emphasis placed on good behaviour and maintaining the ornamental plantings. The layout depicted on the 1869 OS map shows a perimeter hedge of closely spaced trees and shrubs, a perimeter path and a central circular bed surrounded by paths on a central east-west alignment, either side of which were two mature trees, presumably the London plane trees that remain today. Mid-late C20th refurbishment included replacement iron railings, the originals probably removed in WWII, and new herbaceous plants, roses and evergreen shrubs with central lawn areas. The garden was neglected by 2007, but since then improvement works have been undertaken under a new Gardens Committee.
Leinster Square, begun in the 1850s, was largely the work of builder and speculator George Wyatt although it is not known who designed the central garden. By the 1890s it was managed by a Residents' Garden Committee whose records indicate the emphasis placed on good behaviour and maintenance of the ornamental plantings. The original layout was probably that shown on the 1869 OS map, a rectangular garden with perimeter hedge of trees and shrubs, perimeter path and, on its east-west alignment, 3 trees and a central oval bed flanked by two circular beds containing shrubs and/or trees. A number of the mature London plane trees probably date from the original layout, now augmented by additional mature trees. The garden was refurbished in 1977 with extensive planting that largely survives today and the restoration of its iron railings, the originals probably removed in WWII.
Orme Square is thought to be the earliest town square in Bayswater. Under the will of John Carver, the garden was owned by Trustees, who by 1928 had sold the houses in the square, the purchasers having a right to use the garden enclosure subject to an annual payment for its upkeep. The garden contains three notable if enigmatic ornaments: two columns surmounted by pineapples and a double Tuscan column with a stucco eagle on top.