Description
Sidney Square was developed in the 1820s on former fields. Originally for the benefit of residents of the surrounding terraces, the central garden was purchased by the London County Council and opened to the public in 1904.
Practical Information
| Site location | Sidney Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | E1 |
| What3Words | ///spare.lung.liner |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Tower Hamlets |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | London Overground/Tube (District/Hammersmith & City): Whitechapel. Bus 25, 253 |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
This area was developed for housing in the 1820s on fields to the west of what is now Jubilee Street that were owned by John Sidney Hawkins. In the C17th the fields belonged to Sir George Philpot of Mile End Manor House. Sidney Square was built as a companion to Ford Square (q.v.) and consisted of terraces of 3-storey houses of stock brick. In August 1852 Charles Coborn, the music hall comedian, was born at 25 Sidney Square. Originally provided for the benefit of residents of surrounding houses, the central gardens in both Sidney Square and Ford Square were purchased by the LCC under the provisions of the Open Spaces Act of 1877. The total cost was £13,231, less a contribution of £3,000 from the vendor, with LCC contributing £8,731 and Stepney Borough Council £1,500. The cost of adapting the two gardens was £685. Sidney Square Gardens opened to the public in May 1904. In 1928 the garden was described as 'A rectangular area laid out as a grass plot with some well-grown trees. Overlooked by dwelling-houses. Densely developed neighbourhood'. The north side of the square was bombed in WWII but the terraces on the east and west sides remain from the 1820s. The Sidney Street Estate either side of the square represents Stepney Borough Council's first house rebuilding after the war. The gardens were refurbished in the 1980s. There are perimeter paths and a number of notable plane trees remain in the garden.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ350815 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.1346 |
| Site Ownership | LB Tower Hamlets |
| Site Management | Leisure Services, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | early C19th |
| Listed Structures | LBII: 1-9 and 18-25 Sidney 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 | Tower Hamlets |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Ford Square Sidney Square |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Protected under London Squares Preservation Act of 1931 |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
Garden square developed in the 1820s on former fields. Originally for the benefit of residents of the surrounding terraces, the central garden was purchased by the London County Council and opened to the public in 1904. It was laid out as an asphalt playground and has a number of mature plane trees.
Together with Stepney Green Gardens and Stepney Green Park, Mile End Waste is a remnant of Mile End Green, later called Stepney Green. It was the largest of several commons in the Manor of Stepney, which extended from St Dunstan's Church to Whitechapel, and was the site of historic events, including the Peasants Revolt. In 1910-12 Stepney Borough Council planted 2 long rows of plane trees on a strip of land along Mile End Road, laid out roadside gardens and erected commemorative statues for Edward VII and William Booth. In 1865 Booth had held services in the open air on Mile End Waste, before processing to a second site on the old Quaker Burial Ground, now part of Vallance Recreation Ground.
Lady Jane Mico's Almshouses were originally built near St Dunstan's Church in 1691 by the Mercers' Company, following a bequest of 1670 by the wife of Mercer and Alderman Sir Samuel Mercer. Her endowment was to house 10 poor widows of London of 50 years and older. In 1965 the Mercers' Company began plans to rebuild new almshouses nearby under an agreement with the GLC, who took over responsibility for the original cottages. The new almshouses opened here in 1976, comprising 18 flats, with a communal courtyard garden with raised flower beds. All the flats have a garden patio or balcony, and window boxes.
