Description
This small public garden was laid out in the 1930s and opened in 1942, named after William Barefoot (1872-1941) who had been Mayor of Woolwich in 1925-27. At the entrance on Alliance Road are fine wrought iron gates with the Borough coat-of-arms. On a sloping site, the garden has an area of lawn at the base of the hill, with a path winding up through steep woodland and shrubbery to an entrance at the top of the hill.
Practical Information
| Site location | Alliance Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SE18 |
| What3Words | ///swim.moods.third |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Greenwich |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 9am - dusk |
| Public Transport | Rail: Welling then bus. Bus: 51 |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
William Barefoot Gardens were opened by Lord Snell in 1942. The small public garden was laid out in the 1930s on sloping land that had previously been the site of a number of houses, which were demolished following subsidence caused by old chalk mine workings. They are named in commemoration of William Barefoot (1872-1941) who was a 'well-loved worker for Woolwich' and Mayor of the Borough in 1925-27. At the entrance on Alliance Road are fine wrought iron gates and railings with the coat of arms of Woolwich, similar to gates at Well Hall Pleasaunce (q.v.) where Barefoot is also commemorated with a seat near the Tudor Barn, with the inscription: 'He loved nature and his efforts to beautify Woolwich are reflected in the creation of this pleasaunce'. At the bottom of the hill by the entrance on Alliance Road is an area of lawn backed by steep woodland and shrubbery with a path winding up the hill, planting retained by stone walling, leading to an entrance gate to Woolwich Cemetery (q.v.).
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ462773 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.31 |
| Site Ownership | RB Greenwich |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces Department |
| Dates | 1942 |
| Listed Structures | Local list: Gates |
| 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 | Greenwich |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special Character of Metropolitan Importance |
| Other LA Designation | Green Chain |
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
The site was previously part of the lands of East Wickham Farm and East Wickham House, and the name dates back to at least 1284. The area was once wooded and an area of old oak woodland survives. It was part of the Manor of Plumstead, and in 1902 was transferred to Bexley Borough Council. In the 1950s part of the site was used for landfill of green waste and bomb damage rubble, but it was later levelled and grassed over for a public open space.
Rockliffe Gardens was created on the site of former brick workings, which operated from the late 1860s until the end of the C19th. The clay digging and dumping of spoil had left an interesting terrain. Woolwich Borough Council purchased the site in 1935 and laid out ornamental public gardens with formal areas, terraces, rock and water features, which were opened by the Mayor in 1937. There was serious subsidence here on 8 September 1937, affecting the children's play area at the northern boundary. Sadly neglected in later years, Friends of Rockliffe Gardens was formed in 2008 to work towards restoring the gardens.
Plumstead Cemetery was opened by Woolwich Burial Board in 1890 on a prominent hillside. The cemetery has a dramatic gateway with lodges at the entrance and a driveway leads up the hill to the chapels sited on the top of the hill. Plumstead War Memorial is within the cemetery, which also has memorials to those who lost their lives in accidents at the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. Among those buried here are local dignitaries and recipients of the Victoria Cross, Thomas Flawn and Gunner Alfred Smith who was part of the Camel Corps on its way to relieve General Gordon under siege at Khartoum.
