Description
St James's Gardens were laid out and opened in 1913 on land granted by St James's Church, together with residual land from the 1908 Rotherhithe Tunnel cutting, to form a long strip of public gardens. A line of plane trees follows the retaining wall of the north side of the tunnel as it emerges into Branch Road. Re-landscaping was carried out with the building of the Limehouse Link in the 1980s with a bridge leading over the approach road; a raised brick flower bed was adjacent to the railings that form the boundary with Butcher Row, with a War Memorial nearby. The park remains largely grassed with mature trees, although re-landscaping was carried out in recent years, with new playground and paths.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St James's Churchyard |
|---|---|
| Site location | Butcher Row/Branch Road |
| Postcode | E1 |
| What3Words | ///empire.rocket.secure |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Tower Hamlets |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Children's playground |
| Research Updated | 1 August 2013 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ360809 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.5594 |
| Site Ownership | LB Tower Hamlets |
| Site Management | Leisure Services, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1913; 1980s |
| 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 | Tower Hamlets |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
York Square was part of the development of the Mercers' Company land that took place from the early C19th to coincide with the opening of the London Docks and the West India Docks. Plans were drawn up in 1823 by estate surveyor George Smith for the area north of the newly opened Commercial Road. He laid out a grid of streets focussed on a new square, later called York Square. Much of the original character is preserved today. The central garden was leased to the London County Council and was opened to the public in 1904.
Former burial ground opened by the Non-conformist Stepney Meeting in 1779, which also built almshouses, a Meeting House and school here. The burial ground closed in 1853. The almshouses, school and Meeting House were bombed in WWII, and the small oblong burial ground was made into a public garden in 1976. It retains some chest tombs, head stones and ledger slabs, but formerly possessed fourteen large crypts.
Albert Square was built in the early 1840s, renamed Albert Gardens in 1937. In 1899 there was a proposal to build houses on the central garden in the square but the LCC compulsorily purchased the land and opened Albert Square Garden to the public in 1902. In the north of the garden is a C19th drinking fountain topped by a statue, 'Shepherd Boy', which was erected in 1903 by the MPGA.
