Description
This was originally an open square with late C18th terraced houses on its north and east sides. It was renamed Trafalgar Square after Nelson's victory of 1805, the first of four such squares in London. By 1813 there were terraced houses on the south side. A circular garden was later replaced by a rectangular garden that opened to the public in 1885 as Trafalgar Square Garden, the name changed to Trafalgar Gardens in 1937. It is now entirely hard paved and used as playground with a block of basketball courts behind high fencing.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Trafalgar Square; Trafalgar Square Garden |
|---|---|
| Site location | White Horse Lane, Stepney |
| Postcode | E1 |
| What3Words | ///sooner.adjust.slang |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Tower Hamlets |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Basketball courts |
| Public Transport | Tube: Stepney Green (District) |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Trafalgar Gardens was originally an open square with terraced houses on its north and east sides, which was developed by Captain John Turner at the end of the C18th. In c.1809 the square was renamed Trafalgar Square after Nelson's victory of 1805, the first of four such squares in London. By 1813 there were terraced houses on the south side. A circular garden in the square is shown on Horwood's map of 1819 (open sided to the east), which was later replaced by a rectangular garden that the Vestry of the Hamlet of Mile End Old Town bought and opened to the public in 1885 and called Trafalgar Square Garden. The name was changed to Trafalgar Gardens in 1937. It is now entirely hard paved and used as a playground with basketball courts behind high fencing. This is surrounded on 3 sides by a path, with some perimeter shrubs, and a few mature trees on White Horse Lane. The playground has C20th railings and the name is inscribed in English and Bengali as part of the new gate design on all 4 entrances.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ358818 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.2534 |
| Site Ownership | LB Tower Hamlets |
| Site Management | Leisure Services, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | c.1810 |
| 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 | 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
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
Shandy Park is on the former site of the East London Cemetery or Beaumont Burial Ground, which was founded by Captain J T Barber Beaumont, as part of housing that he built on his land here. The cemetery closed in 1852 and in 1885 it was made into a children's recreation ground, maintained by the LCC who leased the site from the Beaumont family. Some tombs remain in the park. A paddling pool was constructed in the park in c.1934. Terraced houses on surrounding streets suffered bomb damage in WWII and the wider area was subsequently made into the park.
Beaumont Square was laid out as part of the Beaumont Estate in the 1840s. The central garden was originally for the private use of residents but in the late C19th it was leased by the LCC and opened to the public. Beaumont Philosophical Institution used to be in the north-west corner of the square, founded in 1840 to provide 'intellectual improvement and rational recreation and amusement for people living in the East End of London'. In the 1980s the garden underwent major restoration and has planting displays in formal beds, rose beds and fine trees with a children's playground at the south end.
Stepping Stones Farm was established by local people in 1979 on a derelict site in Stepney that had suffered WWII bombing. The name was changed to Stepney City Farm in 2009 when a new charity was established to rescue the farm from closure. Local people continue to take an active part in the farm, and in 2012 the charity was granted a 10 year lease by LB Tower Hamlets. In addition to being a working farm, there have been allotments here since the early days, and there are garden areas on the site. A Rural Arts Centre opened in 2013.
