Description
The land was once fields of the Pallingswick Estate, part of the Manor of Fulham; one of the pastures was known as Westcroft. In 1878 land was sold for development and Westcroft Square was built by Thomas Hussey of Kensington, a small square of terraced houses around a rectangular central garden. To preserve the garden as open space, owners of property in the square acquired the freehold and offered it as a gift to Hammersmith Borough Council on condition that it was laid out as public open space. It was conveyed to the Council in 1929 and opened in 1929/30.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | West Croft Square |
|---|---|
| Site location | Westcroft Square, Hammersmith |
| Postcode | W6 |
| What3Words | ///assure.cloud.paints |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am-dusk |
| Public Transport | Tube: Stamford Brook (District). Bus: 27, 190, 267, 391, H91, 237 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2004 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Prior to housing development the land was once fields of the Pallingswick Estate, part of the Manor of Fulham owned by the Bishop of London; one of the pastures was known as Westcroft. The estate changed hands over the centuries until the latter part of the C19th, when 100 acres were sold to the Metropolitan Board of Works who opened part of this as Ravenscroft Park (q.v.), the mansion becoming Hammersmith's first public library. However, in 1878 part of the land in the south had been sold for housing development and Westcroft Square was built by Thomas Hussey of Kensington. It was a small square of terraced houses with a rectangular central garden, which was railed and with grass and a number of trees and bushes.
The garden had apparently fallen into disuse by the early C20th and when the owner of the land, Mr C Gasquet, died in 1927, it was to have been sold for building purposes. However the executor Mr W Hussey instead offered the site to Hammersmith Borough Council 'at a reasonable price' so that it could be maintained as a garden. The Council declined, but a year later 30 owners of property in the square had acquired the freehold and offered it as a gift to the Council on condition that it was laid out as public open space. It was conveyed to the Council in 1929 and the LCC contributed £100 to the cost of laying it out; it opened in 1929/30. There are trees and shrubs around the border with a central lawn with three raised rose beds and a seat. Mounds were created in order to stop rugby being played in the square.
The garden had apparently fallen into disuse by the early C20th and when the owner of the land, Mr C Gasquet, died in 1927, it was to have been sold for building purposes. However the executor Mr W Hussey instead offered the site to Hammersmith Borough Council 'at a reasonable price' so that it could be maintained as a garden. The Council declined, but a year later 30 owners of property in the square had acquired the freehold and offered it as a gift to the Council on condition that it was laid out as public open space. It was conveyed to the Council in 1929 and the LCC contributed £100 to the cost of laying it out; it opened in 1929/30. There are trees and shrubs around the border with a central lawn with three raised rose beds and a seat. Mounds were created in order to stop rugby being played in the square.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ220787 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.1 |
| Site Ownership | LB Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Site Management | Environment Department, Parks Service (ground maintenance by Quadron Services) |
| Dates | 1878; 1929/30 |
| 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 | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Westcroft Square CA13 (1980) |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
This was originally a private communal garden laid out for the use of residents of St Peter's Square, built 1825-40. It was designed by J C Loudon and reflected his theories about the important relationship between houses and gardens. Threatened with development in 1912, the garden was acquired by Hammersmith Borough Council in 1914, redesigned and opened to the public in 1915. It contains a statue, 'Greek Runner' by Sir William Blake Richmond, whose family donated it to the Council and which was erected here in 1926.
This was originally a private communal garden laid out for the use of residents of St Peter's Square, built 1825-40. It was designed by J C Loudon and reflected his theories about the important relationship between houses and gardens. Threatened with development in 1912, the garden was acquired by Hammersmith Borough Council in 1914, redesigned and opened to the public in 1915. It contains a statue, 'Greek Runner' by Sir William Blake Richmond, whose family donated it to the Council and which was erected here in 1926.
Ravenscourt Park Hospital was designed by architects Sir John Burnet, Tait and Lorne as the Royal Masonic Hospital, a new hospital for the Freemasons. It later became a private hospital, was leased to the NHS in 2002 but has been closed since 2006. The original hospital buildings and gardens were laid out with fine Art Deco detailing, the landscaping in front of the main entrance integral with the design of the boundary wall and entrance. To the south and overlooked on 3 sides, the garden was laid out with lawns, planted with numerous shrubs, conifers and flower beds, with a central elongated rectangular water feature with fountains and lilies.
St Peter's Church was built in 1827-29 as part of the St Peter's Estate and is the oldest church in Hammersmith. The original burial ground measured 139 ft x 174 ft. Burials had ceased by 1855 and a small public open space and garden of rest was laid out in 1958 in the former churchyard, with gravestones along the north and east boundary walls. The church lost its close connection with the Thames when the Great West Road was constructed c.1960. On a remnant of land surplus to road building south of the church a small landscaped area was created and a sculpture, 'The Leaning Woman' by Karel Vogel was installed. Another area of public open space to the west of the church was laid out with trees, grass, paths and shrubbery.
