Description
The Southwood House Estate was built in 1958-62 on a triangular site formerly occupied by the C18th Southwood House and its grounds. The development of 2- and 3-storey housing was arranged in terraces on the three sides, overlooking a central communal garden where many of the existing mature trees and shrubs were retained. A number of exotic trees, many from North America and planted c.1900, remain in the communal garden and in private gardens of the development.
Practical Information
| Site location | Southwood Lane/Hillside Gardens/Jackson's Lane, Highgate |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N6 |
| What3Words | ///evenly.baked.design |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Haringey |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private, communal garden for residents only |
| Public Transport | Tube: Highgate (Northern). Bus: 43, 134. |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Southwood Lane was an old route leading uphill to Highgate, and until the mid C20th housing here consisted of large mansions in their own grounds. Southwood House Estate is on the site formerly occupied by Southwood House and its garden. The house was built in c.1746, but burnt down in 1953. The triangular site was then offered for tender by the local council, as a result of which a modernist style private housing development was built, designed by architects Andrews, Emerson, Sherlock & Keeble. The decision was taken to retain as many of the existing mature trees and shrubs in the old grounds as possible and the 2- and 3-storey houses were arranged in terraces on the three sides fronting onto Southwood Lane, Hillside Gardens and Jackson's Lane, overlooking a central communal garden. At the centre of the garden is a 1950s gazebo or sitting platform. The completed development provided 43 houses and was built in 1958-62. The houses on Jackson's Lane were the last to be completed, one of which was designed for his own use by Andrews. Among the early residents of the estate were members of the artistic community such as the modernist composer Thomas Adès and the film director Christopher Nolan.
All the houses had small private gardens as well as use of the communal garden; two new service roads were built on Jackson's Lane and Southwood Lane, enabling retention of street trees where possible on the existing roads. A number of exotic trees, many from North America and planted c.1900, remain in the communal garden and in private gardens of the development. Species include Indian bean, cucumber tree, false acacia, swamp cypress and tulip tree. The front gardens of the houses on Hillside Gardens contain hawthorns that may be the remnants of a former hedgerow.
All the houses had small private gardens as well as use of the communal garden; two new service roads were built on Jackson's Lane and Southwood Lane, enabling retention of street trees where possible on the existing roads. A number of exotic trees, many from North America and planted c.1900, remain in the communal garden and in private gardens of the development. Species include Indian bean, cucumber tree, false acacia, swamp cypress and tulip tree. The front gardens of the houses on Hillside Gardens contain hawthorns that may be the remnants of a former hedgerow.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ284880 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.134 |
| Site Ownership | Occupants of Southwood House Estate |
| Site Management | Occupants of Southwood House estate? |
| Dates | 1740s; c.1900; 1958-62 |
| Designers | 1957 Andrews, Emerson, Sherlock & Keable, architects |
| 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 | Haringey |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Highgate |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| 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
Southwood Park is a private development of luxury flats built in 1963-65, with communal gardens to the rear. It was previously the site of two earlier houses and their grounds, Southwood and Southwood Court, together with some additional land. Southwood's known history dates from 1707 and it had a number of illustrious owners and fine grounds. Southwood Court was built by 1882 on land purchased from the estate, again with a fine garden. In 1921 it was purchased by Julius Salter Elias who in 1932 purchased Southwood, which he demolished. In 1962 the last private owner sold the remainder of the estate to developers who demolished Southwood Court in 1965 to build the two blocks of flats that comprise Southwood Park. The communal gardens have lawns, a number of fine trees including a mature horse chestnut, a relic of the C18th gardens of Southwood.
Now redeveloped as private housing, this is the former site of Southwood Hospital, which was here from 1951-91 on the east side of Southwood Lane. To the rear of the hospital were remains of the gardens of The Limes, a villa built in 1815. The hospital gardens comprised a sloping lawn flanked by belts of mature trees, including magnolia, yew, plane and some exotic specimen trees with early C20th planting that included a number of conifers.
The Parkland Walk is the disused track of the former Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace Railway. The first section of the line was in use by 1867, with the final section completed by 1873. Use of the line diminished by the 1920s and the last passenger train ran in 1954, with the tracks finally lifted in 1971. In 1990 it was declared a Local Nature Reserve and laid out as a public walk, with former railway structures still visible.