Inventory Site Record

* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens

Hanover Gardens is part of the Ladbroke Estate, laid out as a planned garden suburb with a coherent layout of concentric crescents and large communal gardens whose features were first suggested in a plan by architect and estate surveyor Thomas Allason in 1823. His scheme was later modified by others, including James Thomson, although he remained involved until his death in 1852. Building started in the 1840s; the outer concentric crescents date from the 1860s. During the lull in building development, the land was leased for a time for a racecourse, the Hippodrome, which operated from 1837-41. Hanover Gardens was one of the earliest gardens on the estate. Dame Sylvia Crowe, noted landscape architect and garden designer, lived here and a bench commemorates her 90th birthday.

Previous / Other name:

Hanover Terrace Gardens

Site location:

Lansdowne Walk

Postcode:

W11 3LN

What 3 Words:

layers.pump.forms

Type of site:

Garden Square

Borough:

Kensington & Chelsea

Open to public?

Occasionally

Opening times:

Has opened for OGSW. Otherwise private, keyholders only
Has taken part in Open Garden Squares Weekend 23 times, most recently in 2024.

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

Public transport:

Tube: Holland Park (Central). Bus: 31, 94, 148

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/08/2009

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news.

Ladbroke Estate: Site on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens, for Register Entry see https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list. The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England was established in 1984 and was commonly called English Heritage. In April 2015 it split into 2 separate entities, Historic England (HE), which continues to champion and protect the historic environment, and the English Heritage Trust, whose role is to look after the 400+ historic sites and monuments owned by the state. HE manages the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) that includes over 400,000 items ranging from prehistoric monuments to office blocks, battlefields and parks, which benefit from legal protection.

The Ladbroke Estate was laid out as a planned garden suburb with a coherent layout of concentric crescents and large communal gardens whose features were first suggested in a plan by architect and estate surveyor Thomas Allason in 1823. His scheme was later modified by others, including James Thomson, although he remained involved until his death in 1852. Building started in the 1840s; the outer concentric crescents date from the 1860s. During the lull in building development, the land was leased for a time for a racecourse, the Hippodrome, which operated from 1837-41. After Allason's death, artist and designer Thomas Allom was responsible for the next phase of development.

Hanover Gardens lies in the heart of the old Ladbroke Estate, below the crown of Notting Hill. It is bordered by Ladbroke Grove on the east and on the south by Lansdowne Walk, which used to be called Hanover Terrace. Overlooked by buildings on two sides, the tall terraced houses designed by James Thomson date from 1842-3 along Ladbroke Grove to the east, and semi-detached villas of 1845 infill along Lansdowne Road to the west. The sloping garden is one of the earliest on the estate, with views to the spire of St John's Church of 1845 between shrub beds, scattered mature trees and clumps. The original path layout survives with a straight terraced path along the east side and a meandering path across the centre. The internal mid C19th railings survive along the Lansdowne Road side. A bench marks the 90th birthday of landscape architect Dame Sylvia Crowe, a former resident. Hanover Gardens is protected by the 1863 Act. The garden today has no formal beds, pretty gardening or straight lines, just a feel of the countryside in the middle of town with birdsong and church bells disturbing the calm. There are mature plane trees, occasional specimen trees such as a tulip tree, and copses of woodland planting.

Sources consulted:

EH Register entry for Ladbroke Estate, 2002/3; Report of the Royal Commission on London Squares, 1928

Grid ref:

TQ245805 (524594,180510)

Size in hectares:

0.8198

Site ownership:

private

Site management:

Hanover Gardens Communal Garden

Date(s):

1842-5

Designer(s):

Thomas Allason, architect and surveyor (overall plan of Ladbroke Estate)

Listed structures:

None

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

Yes

NHLE grade:

Grade II

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

Yes

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

Yes

Conservation Area name:

Ladbroke

Tree Preservation Order:

Not known

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes - Borough Importance II

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Site of Archaeological Importance

Other LA designation:

None

Hanover Gardens - Photo: Stephanie Stephenson
Date taken: 10/06/18 00:00

Click a photo to enlarge.

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