Description
The Wormholt Estate was built for Hammersmith Council to rehouse people from the riverbank area that is now Furnival Gardens. The red brick houses are set back from the road around small greens with trees. The streets of the estate are named after plants and flowers, and a focal point is provided by the pavilion-like library, which is surrounded by lawns with some flower planting and seats, situated at the northern tip of Hemlock Road. To the south is Wormholt Park.
Practical Information
| Site location | The 'Flower Streets' south of Westway |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W12 |
| What3Words | ///wells.chart.preoccupied |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Shepherd's Bush Market (Hammersmith and City). Rail/London Overground/Tube (Central): Shepherd's Bush.. Bus: 260, 283 |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Wormholt Estate follows the pattern of the LCC's earlier Old Oak Estate (q.v.) and the land was likewise acquired in 1919 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. At first the LCC built 783 houses and two schools in 1926-28, and Hammersmith Borough Council proposed a further 500 houses on an adjacent area of 76 acres, which forms the core of the Wormholt Estate today. Designed by H T Hare and others for Hammersmith Council, the red-brick houses of the Wormholt Estate are less picturesque but more substantial than the earlier estate although their setting retains the use of greens and street trees. The initial intention was to provide 37 shops along Western Avenue but this had to be abandoned for reasons of cost. To the south of the estate is Wormholt Park (q.v.), which had opened in 1911.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ220807 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Site Management | Housing Department |
| Dates | 1919 onwards |
| Designers | HT Hare and others for Hammersmith Council |
| 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 | Hammersmith & Fulham |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Old Oak and Wormholt Estates |
| 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
The Cleverly Estate was built for the Peabody Fund in 1928 as part of its provision of philanthropic housing for the poor. It was the first of the Peabody Estates where each flat had its own bathroom and its ornate exterior was based on the style of Sir Christopher Wren. The estate comprised 18 three-storey buildings set around 4 internal courtyards, bisected by Sawley Road and surrounded by perimeter iron railings. Badly damaged in WWII, the estate was expanded between 1960s-'80s with 3 additional blocks and two terraces of bungalows. Despite this infilling, most courts have flower beds with mature trees and there is a communal garden and playground.
Wormholt Park is situated on land that was once woodland, cleared probably some time after the Norman Conquest, and which became part of the Manor of Fulham. Landowners the Ecclesiastical Commissioners offered Hammersmith Borough Council an area to be used for public recreation in 1903 but the land conveyance only took place in 1909. The park was laid out and opened on 27 June 1911 as part of the borough's celebrations to commemorate the coronation of George V.
Phoenix Farm in White City was set up in 2007 at the instigation of Sir William Atkinson, then Headteacher at Phoenix High School. Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (HGCA) helped realise his vision and built the garden, running community events and getting school children involved. HGCA took over responsibility for the project in 2021. Phoenix Farm provides a learning resource for schools and local community groups, as well as offering volunteering opportunities for local residents. The area has an interesting history, and the Farm's location, adjacent to the Phoenix Fitness Centre and Phoenix Academy, is immediately to the west of the White City Estate built by LCC in the 1930s, which is now part of Hammersmith & Fulham's White City Reneration Area currently under development. Phoenix Farm produces more than 40 varieties of fruit and vegetables, as well as growing medicinal herbs, plants to attract wildlife and edible flowers in its glasshouses and beds. There is a community orchard, soft fruits and wildlife areas, plus bees, rabbits and chickens. The garden has won many awards including a Gold Medal at Hampton Court Flower Show in 2016 and Gold in the RHS It's Your Neighbourhood campaign.
