Description
Tower Hill Gardens are divided from London Wall Gardens by the best preserved fragment of Roman City Wall that remains, running c.68m from Trinity Place. The public open space was simply landscaped with paths, grass, a number of trees and a few flower beds but was re-designed in 2010 to create a new play area, one of two such facilities in the City as part of the Corporation's City Play Partnership. The design placed an emphasis on introducing natural play by including plants, mounding of lawn areas and using natural materials.
Practical Information
| Site location | Tower Hill |
|---|---|
| Postcode | EC3N 4DR |
| What3Words | ///tribe.tens.launch |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Play area with bouncing flower, rotating disc, hut and slide. |
| Public Transport | Tube: Tower Hill (Circle, District); Tower Gateway (DLR) |
| Research Updated | 1 September 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Tower Hill Gardens is public open space bordered to the south by Tower Hill, in front of London Guildhall University and to the east of Tower Hill Station, divided from London Wall Gardens (q.v.) by the best preserved fragment of Roman City Wall that remains, running c.68m from Trinity Place. This was initially a simply landscaped area laid out with paths, grass, a number of trees and a few flower beds. The garden was redesigned in 2010 to create a new play area, one of two such facilities in the City as part of the Corporation's City Play Partnership, with funding from the Government Department for Children, Schools and Families' 'Playbuilder' project. The playgrounds here and at Portsoken Street Garden (q.v.) opened in April 2010. The design placed an emphasis on introducing natural play to both areas by including plants, mounding of the lawn areas and using natural materials. The play equipment installed includes a bouncing flower, rotating disc, hut and slide.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ336807 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.2219 |
| Site Ownership | City of London Corporation |
| Site Management | Open Spaces Dept |
| Dates | C20th; 2010 |
| Listed Structures | SAM: London Wall |
| 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 | City of London |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | The Tower |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Thames Policy Area; Area of Archaeological Importance |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
The Tower of London and the area around it was formerly part of the Liberties of the Tower. Along the northern boundary of the sunken grassed area of the Tower Moat is a pedestrian walkway that runs around the moat. A steep bank of planting forms the northern boundary of the walkway with an area of public garden in the east corner, with grass, trees, shrub beds and seating. These public gardens were laid out in 1888 by Fanny Wilkinson, landscape gardener of the MPGA.
London Wall Gardens is an area of public open space adjacent to Tower Hill underground station, flanked by the best preserved fragment of the Roman City Wall, which runs c.68m from Trinity Place. To the west of the Roman Wall the ground level is lower, representing ground level in Roman times and within this area is a C19th composite statue based on two ancient monuments, with the head of Roman Emperor Trajan (AD98-117) and the body of Emperor Augustus.
Although Wakefield Gardens was laid out in 1992 over the London Underground station, it is on land donated in the 1930s by the Wakefield Trust for public open space for the benefit of local people. It is in front of Tower Hill underground station, which was adapted from a 1961 office building in 1967. The garden contains a large sundial commissioned by London Underground Ltd and unveiled by Denis Tunnicliffe on 3 August 1992, designed by John Chitty; Edwin Russell made the bronze relief panels, which provide a history of the area.
