Description
Victoria Tower Gardens South run south from Lambeth Bridge and were created in 1864-70, following the embankment of the Thames by Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The landscaping consists of a simple strip of grass with a line of London plane trees along the river, and a linear path with a number of modern benches provided.
Practical Information
| Site location | Millbank |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW1 |
| What3Words | ///gives.tent.energetic |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Westminster |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Special Conditions | No cycling, dogs on leads |
| Facilities | none |
| Public Transport | Tube: Pimlico (Victoria) |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Victoria Tower Gardens were laid out following the embankment of the Thames by the Metropolitan Board of Works and undertaken by its Chief Engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The idea of embankment was not new, and Sir Christopher Wren had conceived a riverside quay for the City as early as 1666. A Royal Commission was set up and in 1844 recommended an embankment should be built between Blackfriars and Chelsea. The Metropolitan Board of Works was established in 1855, one of its main tasks being that of solving the sewage problem in London. An Act was passed in 1862 to approve the project and Bazalgette's scheme was put forward in 1863, with a massive sewer to be built below the new tree-lined roadway, with a granite river wall. Apart from the new road, much of the 15 hectares taken from the river was converted into public gardens. Victoria Tower Gardens South run south from Lambeth Bridge and were created in 1864-70, following the embankment of the Thames. The landscaping consists of a simple strip of grass with a line of London plane trees along the river, and a linear path with a number of modern benches provided.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ302789 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.145 |
| Site Ownership | WCC |
| Site Management | Parks Service (Contractors: Continental Landscapes Ltd) |
| Dates | 1864-70 |
| 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 | No |
| Conservation Area Name | tp check |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | London Square |
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
St John's Gardens is the former burial ground of St John's Smith Square, which was consecrated in 1731. It soon became overcrowded and an extension was acquired in 1823, but later closed to burials in 1853. The former burial ground was laid out as a public garden by a local committee with the involvement of the MPGA, and opened in May 1885. Many of the old gravestones were stacked against the perimeter with a few choicer monuments left in place. The garden is raised, surrounded by railings and contains some fine trees. The lawn is traversed by paths, with a central fountain and pool installed in 2001, to replace the C19th one that had become derelict.
Millbank Tower, a 32-floor office tower designed by Ronald Ward & Partners, was built for Vickers in a pioneering curtain walled block of 1963, briefly the tallest building in London. In and around the podium, the landscaping has asymmetric beds, paving, planters and areas of shrubbery, particularly in the courtyard where the gardens are reflected in the mirrored ground floor windows. The effect is stylish and completely 'of its time'. Part of the site is known as the 'Speaker's Stables', presumably after such a facility that once existed here.
The remains of the former churchyard of St John's Church is a narrow strip of garden that runs around the church perimeter. St John's, Smith Square was designed by Thomas Archer (1668-1743) and was consecrated in 1726. Damaged in WWII, it was restored and is now a concert hall. Mature trees and shrubs are planted within a stone coping, the footings of the former railings, and the garden is now defined with stone bollards. Smith Square, 'an exceptionally well preserved C18th enclave, was laid out by Sir James Smith from c.1715 and has some surviving early C18th terraced houses.
