Description
St Mary's Church Grounds are the former churchyard of St Mary's Church, now a small garden adjacent to Paddington Green. The former churchyard is in two parts divided by Church Walk, the northern part converted to a public garden in 1885, now called St Mary's Churchyard. The southern acre of land around the church was also opened as a public garden in 1892 and contains many good sarcophagi and monuments dating from the late C18th/early C19th. The southern part of the garden was lost when the Westway flyover was built and a number of graves had to be exhumed and the remains were re-interred at Mill Hill Cemetery.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St Mary's Church on Paddington Green |
|---|---|
| Site location | Harrow Road/St Mary's Square, Paddington Green |
| Postcode | W2 1LG |
| What3Words | ///exams.drive.neck |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Westminster |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Public Transport | Tube: Edgware Road (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & Fulham), Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo) |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
St Mary Paddington Green was formerly the parish church for the village and the current building dates from of 1788-91 when the old parish church was rebuilt, designed by the neo-classical architect John Plaw. The church is adjacent to Paddington Green (q.v.), which was enclosed in 1753 by Denis Chirac, owner of Paddington House, to serve as an ornament to the parish. In 1779 the Green was vested in three trustees for the benefit of the parish. From the C17th onwards the commonland was encroached as houses were built, including that of Charles Greville (1749-1809), one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society. Emma, later Lady Hamilton and Lord Nelson's mistress, grew up in this house, which was where she met Greville's uncle, Sir William Hamilton. Her mother Mary Cadogan was buried at St Mary's, but Emma was buried in France, despite having expressed the wish to be buried here.
St Mary's former churchyard is in two parts divided by Church Walk. The northern area was opened by the vestry in 1885 as a 3.25 acre public garden, known as the Old Burial Ground, now called St Mary's Churchyard (q.v.), with gravestones mainly moved to the western boundary. The southern part consisting of 1 acre around the church was also opened as a public garden in 1892. There are many good sarcophagi and monuments including those to the Thrupp family, c.12m south-west of St Mary's Church, dating from the late C18th/early C19th; the early C19th Chandless family monument, c.14m south-east of St Mary's Church; and the early C19th Woodd family monument c.6m north-east of St Mary's Church. In a niche by the porch is a memorial to Joseph Johnson, dated 1802 and signed Coade & Sealy, and there is also a plaque and trees in memory of Lanning Roper (d.1983).
The Westway Flyover was built by the early 1970s and intrudes on the southern area; however, the church was restored in 1972-4 with money provided in compensation for the road construction. The southern part of the churchyard was removed as a result of the flyover and a number of graves were exhumed and the remains re-interred at Mill Hill Cemetery (q.v.) where there is an area set aside with a plaque to mark the spot.
St Mary's former churchyard is in two parts divided by Church Walk. The northern area was opened by the vestry in 1885 as a 3.25 acre public garden, known as the Old Burial Ground, now called St Mary's Churchyard (q.v.), with gravestones mainly moved to the western boundary. The southern part consisting of 1 acre around the church was also opened as a public garden in 1892. There are many good sarcophagi and monuments including those to the Thrupp family, c.12m south-west of St Mary's Church, dating from the late C18th/early C19th; the early C19th Chandless family monument, c.14m south-east of St Mary's Church; and the early C19th Woodd family monument c.6m north-east of St Mary's Church. In a niche by the porch is a memorial to Joseph Johnson, dated 1802 and signed Coade & Sealy, and there is also a plaque and trees in memory of Lanning Roper (d.1983).
The Westway Flyover was built by the early 1970s and intrudes on the southern area; however, the church was restored in 1972-4 with money provided in compensation for the road construction. The southern part of the churchyard was removed as a result of the flyover and a number of graves were exhumed and the remains re-interred at Mill Hill Cemetery (q.v.) where there is an area set aside with a plaque to mark the spot.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ266818 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | St Mary's Cemetery Company |
| Site Management | WCC Parks Service (contractor: Continental Landscapes Ltd) |
| Dates | 1788/91; 1892 |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: St Mary's Church. LBII: Children's Hospital, pair of K6 telephone kiosks, ashlar monument to Woodd family, statue of Mrs Siddons; east side of Paddington Green: nos. 17 & 18; ashlar Thrupp family monument; ashlar monument to Chandless family. |
| 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 | Westminster |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Paddington Green |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Imp II (w. Padd Grn & St M Gdns) |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special Archaeological Priority |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
This is a remnant of the original village green with origins in the ancient villages of Paddington and Lillestone. Paddington Green is an unusually early public open space; in 1753 it was enclosed by the owner of Paddington House to serve as an ornament to the parish, and in 1779 was vested in 3 trustees for the benefit of the parish. Improvements were made in the early C19th but by 1851 it had declined and was closed for public recreation. It re-opened to the public in 1865, following a legacy for its maintenance by Marion Mayne. A statue of the actress Sarah Siddons was erected here in 1897.
This is part of the former burial ground for the parish church of St Mary Paddington Green. In 1885 the northern part of the burial ground was opened as a public garden initially called the Old Burial Ground, now St Mary's Churchyard. The majority of tombs were moved to the western periphery although a number of monuments remained in place, that of Sarah Siddons is located towards the northern end. There is a tree-lined walk, predominantly lime, along the eastern boundary, and scattered trees include a weeping ash. Mosses and ferns have colonised the west wall and the tombstones stacked against it.
Rembrandt Gardens overlook the Regent's Canal on the eastern side of the basin at Little Venice by Browning's Pool, where it joins the Grand Union Canal, Paddington Arm. Created here in the 1950s these ornamental gardens were originally called Warwick Avenue Gardens. In 1975 5000 tulips and 500 hyacinths were donated to mark the 700th anniversary of the foundation of the City of Amsterdam and the gardens were renamed Rembrandt Gardens. There are numerous ornamental beds, shrubs, and a low wall along towpath. During 2006 the gardens underwent a major upgrade of its infrastructure and horticultural features.
