Description
St George's Terrace was built c.1852, with a strip of communal garden in front of the houses that was owned partly by the Provost and College of Eton and partly by the Trustees of the Broder Estate, the dividing line marked by three stones in the ground. Tenants of the terrace were able to use the garden upon payment of an annual sum. A former resident of the terrace was Lord Byron's widow who lived in Nos. 10-11, where she died in 1860. The small railed garden is now publicly accessible.
Practical Information
| Site location | St George's Terrace/Primrose Hill Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW1 |
| What3Words | ///trio.custom.yoga |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Camden |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | locked at dusk |
| Public Transport | Tube: Chalk Farm (Northern). London Overground: Camden Road. Bus: 274. |
| Research Updated | 1 March 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Between St George's Terrace and Primrose Hill Road is a strip of landscaping enclosed by railings, which opens up to the north with a small garden area with grass, flowering shrubs, to the southern end the garden is a dense shrubbery narrowing to a point with a variety of trees, including a large fig tree. St George's Terrace is a 3-storey terrace of 11 houses in yellow stock brick and stucco built c1852 with cast-iron railings with spearhead finials. Lord Byron's widow lived in Nos. 10-11, where she died in 1860. The strip of communal garden in front of the terrace was owned partly by the Provost and College of Eton and partly by the Trustees of the Broder Estate, the dividing line marked by three stones in the ground. Tenants of the terrace were able to use the garden upon payment of an annual sum.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ277839 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.095 |
| Site Ownership | LB Camden |
| Site Management | Parks & Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1850s |
| Listed Structures | LBII: 1-11 St George's Terrace with attached railings. |
| 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 | Camden |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Primrose Hill |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Other LA Designation | Private Open Space. London Squares Preservation Act 1931. |
Gallery
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
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Formerly rough farmland belonging to the College of Eton and Lord Southampton, Primrose Hill was acquired as a gift, to be opened as a public park as a result of local pressure in 1842. After 1851 the land was drained and levelled on the north and west sides of the hill, and footpaths and lamps and some new planting were laid out. In 1863 the north side of the hill was developed for housing. The hill top, which gives panoramic views over London, has been exposed and treeless since the Middle Ages, and on the slopes are many mature trees including oak, horse chestnut, London planes, whitebeam and hawthorn.
Formerly rough farmland belonging to the College of Eton and Lord Southampton, Primrose Hill was acquired as a gift, to be opened as a public park as a result of local pressure in 1842. After 1851 the land was drained and levelled on the north and west sides of the hill, and footpaths and lamps and some new planting were laid out. In 1863 the north side of the hill was developed for housing. The hill top, which gives panoramic views over London, has been exposed and treeless since the Middle Ages, and on the slopes are many mature trees including oak, horse chestnut, London planes, whitebeam and hawthorn.
Chalcot Square, called St George's Square until 1937, was laid out between 1849-60 around a central garden enclosure. The name Chalcot recalls a farm of that name in the area from the C13th. The central garden was owned and maintained by the Trustees of the Broder Estate for the benefit of tenants of the square. It is now publicly accessible. Little changed since the original layout, the square today has children's play equipment in one corner.
St Mark's Church was consecrated in 1853, although plans to establish a new district within St Pancras Parish were discussed from 1848 and initially a temporary church was provided. The chancel was added in 1889-90, designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield. In 1928 the new vicar was Hugh Stuckey, who was instrumental in reviving the church through difficult times, opening the garden in 1930 to visitors to London Zoo for tea parties on Summer Bank Holiday Mondays, which led to the church's nickname The Zoo Church. Rebuilt after bomb damage, the church retains its original stone wall and gateway. The garden has grass, flower beds and a number of mature trees, with numerous shrubs where the ground slopes down towards the Regent's Canal.
