Description
The White Hart Lane Estate was one of several early LCC cottage estates and was built on land that was previously largely fields. The southern part of the estate was developed c.1905-15 and its provision of public open space and generous private gardens was made possible through a donation from Sir Samuel Montagu. The northern part was built between 1920-27. The design of the estate was influenced by Arts and Crafts ideals and the Garden City movement, with green verges, street trees, private gardens and public open space.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Tower Gardens Garden Suburb |
|---|---|
| Site location | The Roundway/Lordship Lane |
| Postcode | N17 7PX |
| What3Words | ///tunnel.critic.town |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Haringey |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | public areas, roads accessible |
| Events | Tower Gardens Garden Suburb self-guided tour as part of London Open House |
| Public Transport | Rail: White Hart Lane, Bruce Grove then bus. Bus: 123, 217, 231, 243, 243A, 318. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2004 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The White Hart Lane Estate was one of several early LCC cottage estates built under the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890, and was originally designed to house 33,000 people. The decision to purchase the 225-acre site was taken in 1901 at which time this area was largely fields on the edges of London and not yet built over. The LCC initially purchased 179 acres and by 1910 48 acres had been laid out. The southern part of the estate between Tower Gardens and Risley Avenue was developed between c.1905 and 1915 to designs by W E Riley, the LCC's architect. Also known as Tower Gardens Garden Suburb, its design was influenced by Arts and Crafts ideals and the Garden City movement.
The provision of a public recreational space, now known as Tower Gardens Recreation Ground (q.v.) and of generous private gardens was made possible through the gift of Sir Samuel Montagu (1832-1911), a wealthy banker and philanthropist, who was raised to the peerage as Baron Swaythling in 1907, having become a Baronet in 1894. He was Liberal MP for Whitechapel from 1885-1900 and a key instigator in the formation of the Federation of Synagogues in 1887, an umbrella organisation for the many small Orthodox congregations in East London. Equally concerned about the need to alleviate overcrowding in his constituency and keen to encourage families to move to the suburbs, Montagu had initially proposed the building of a housing scheme of some 700 houses on a 25-acre site in Edmonton, which were to have low rents and include small gardens, preference given to dwellers in Whitechapel. He offered this project to Edmonton UDC and the LCC, but when it was rejected in 1899, Montagu then donated £10,000 towards the LCC's new White Hart Lane Estate in Tottenham.
The houses proving hard to let, in 1912 LCC planned housing for higher rents in order to encourage a greater social range, like the Hampstead Garden Suburb (q.v.). This later phase was mostly north of Risley Avenue, and was built between 1920-27 under G Topham Forrest of the LCC. Roads were laid out with public and private green space and street trees were planted, although a 2.5 acre public park on the banks of the Moselle river that was part of the original scheme was never executed as the brook was covered over. In addition to the recreation ground at Tower Gardens there were small public greens at cross roads, one such being at Waltheof Gardens, named after the son of the Earl of Northumberland, a former Lord of the Manor of Tottenham. The Roundway was constructed in 1920, a curving roadway visually integrated into the scheme with broad grass verges, creating a division between road and houses.
The provision of a public recreational space, now known as Tower Gardens Recreation Ground (q.v.) and of generous private gardens was made possible through the gift of Sir Samuel Montagu (1832-1911), a wealthy banker and philanthropist, who was raised to the peerage as Baron Swaythling in 1907, having become a Baronet in 1894. He was Liberal MP for Whitechapel from 1885-1900 and a key instigator in the formation of the Federation of Synagogues in 1887, an umbrella organisation for the many small Orthodox congregations in East London. Equally concerned about the need to alleviate overcrowding in his constituency and keen to encourage families to move to the suburbs, Montagu had initially proposed the building of a housing scheme of some 700 houses on a 25-acre site in Edmonton, which were to have low rents and include small gardens, preference given to dwellers in Whitechapel. He offered this project to Edmonton UDC and the LCC, but when it was rejected in 1899, Montagu then donated £10,000 towards the LCC's new White Hart Lane Estate in Tottenham.
The houses proving hard to let, in 1912 LCC planned housing for higher rents in order to encourage a greater social range, like the Hampstead Garden Suburb (q.v.). This later phase was mostly north of Risley Avenue, and was built between 1920-27 under G Topham Forrest of the LCC. Roads were laid out with public and private green space and street trees were planted, although a 2.5 acre public park on the banks of the Moselle river that was part of the original scheme was never executed as the brook was covered over. In addition to the recreation ground at Tower Gardens there were small public greens at cross roads, one such being at Waltheof Gardens, named after the son of the Earl of Northumberland, a former Lord of the Manor of Tottenham. The Roundway was constructed in 1920, a curving roadway visually integrated into the scheme with broad grass verges, creating a division between road and houses.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ323906 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Haringey |
| Dates | 1905-33 |
| Designers | LCC: W E Riley; G Topham Forrest |
| 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 | Haringey |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Tower Gardens (part) |
| 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
White Hart Lane Recreation Ground was laid out by 1914 to serve the growing population, and was provided with tennis courts towards the north of the site. By 1935 the park had a number of other facilities including further tennis courts and playing fields with pavilions, two drinking fountains, as well as a fairly substantial boating pond in the south east corner, around which trees were planted and footpaths laid out. This was evidently a popular facility and gave rise to the park's nickname of Pond Park.
Riversdale Gardens was laid out as public gardens between 1894 and c.1912, possibly at the same time as the nearby Crescent Gardens to the south-west. The original layout included curving paths with dwarf fencing around areas of turf inset with trees and shrub beds.
Woodside Park was established here when Wood Green Local Board purchased Earlham Grove House with 11 acres of land in 1893. The house, which was converted to Council offices and later enlarged, was used as Wood Green Town Hall until 1958. The park was laid out and by 1914 boasted a bandstand, now gone, bowling green and other features. An early C18th lodge, now called The Mushroom House, and surrounding triangle of land was incorporated into the park and a pavilion was erected by the bowling green before 1935.