Description
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.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Old Burial Ground |
|---|---|
| Site location | Crompton Street, Church Walk |
| Postcode | W2 1LG |
| What3Words | ///canny.puddles.occurs |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Westminster |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Facilities | playground |
| Public Transport | Tube: Edgware Road (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & Fulham), Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo). Bus: 18 |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
This is part of the former burial ground for the parish church of St Mary Paddington Green. St Mary's former burial grounds are 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, following closure for burials as a result of the first Burial Act of 1852 and its subsequent amendments during the 1850s. The Metropolitan Open Spaces Acts of 1877 and 1881 and the Disused Burial Grounds Act of 1884, later extended under the Metropolitan Open Spaces Act of 1887, enabled 'open spaces and burial grounds in the Metropolis for the use of the inhabitants thereof for exercise and recreation'. The southern part consisting of 1 acre around St Mary's Church was opened as a public garden in 1892 and forms a separate site, known as St Mary's Church Grounds (q.v.).
In the northern garden, now known as St Mary's Churchyard, most of the gravestones were moved to the periphery although there are a number of sarcophagi and monuments in place. These include a stone cross marking the grave of William Collins RA (d.1847), the father of Victorian novelist Wilkie Collins. In the north east corner are three graves near each other: those of the actress Sarah Siddons (d.1831), to whom there is a statue on Paddington Green (q.v.); the miniature painter Thomas Richmond (d.1837), and the artist Benjamin Haydon (d.1846). Others buried here include sculptors John Bushnell (d.1701) and Thomas Banks (d.1805) and artist Thomas Devis (d.1810).
There is a tree-lined walk, predominantly lime, along the eastern boundary and also bedding displays. The northern end of the garden is now occupied by Westminster Children's Sports Centre. Nearby is the Children's Hospital, 1895, by H. P. Adams.
In the northern garden, now known as St Mary's Churchyard, most of the gravestones were moved to the periphery although there are a number of sarcophagi and monuments in place. These include a stone cross marking the grave of William Collins RA (d.1847), the father of Victorian novelist Wilkie Collins. In the north east corner are three graves near each other: those of the actress Sarah Siddons (d.1831), to whom there is a statue on Paddington Green (q.v.); the miniature painter Thomas Richmond (d.1837), and the artist Benjamin Haydon (d.1846). Others buried here include sculptors John Bushnell (d.1701) and Thomas Banks (d.1805) and artist Thomas Devis (d.1810).
There is a tree-lined walk, predominantly lime, along the eastern boundary and also bedding displays. The northern end of the garden is now occupied by Westminster Children's Sports Centre. Nearby is the Children's Hospital, 1895, by H. P. Adams.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ266818 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | St Mary's Cemetery Company or church? |
| Site Management | WCC Parks Service (contractor: Continental Landscapes Ltd) |
| Dates | 1885 |
| 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 | To be checked |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Imp II (w Padd. Grn & St Mary's Ch) |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
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.
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.
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.
