Holland Garden (Merton)
Brief Description
Holland Garden was created as a public garden in 1929 after Lady Holland donated the site to Wimbledon Council in 1928 as a memorial to her late husband. The small garden was provided with hard tennis courts and a thatched summer house, which caught fire in the 1950s. It is on a sloping site with an entrance at the top through an iron gateway with a plaque relating to the donation of the land. From here a path leads down to an area of formal gardens with a mature oak in the centre and shaped beds set into lawn. Tennis courts are surrounded by roses and at the lowest point is a hedged playing field, adjacent to which is a small pavilion.
Practical Information
- Previous / Other name:
- Holland Gardens
- Site location:
- Pepys Road/Cottenham Park Road/Cambridge Road/Orchard Lane
- Postcode:
- SW20
- What 3 Words:
- likely.crash.clean
- Type of site:
- Public Gardens
- Borough:
- Merton
- Open to public?
- Yes
- Opening times:
- 8am (weekdays)/9am (weekends/Bank Hols) - dusk
- Special conditions:
- no cycling
- Facilities:
- tennis courts, toilets
- Events:
- Public transport:
- Rail: Raynes Park then bus. Bus: 57, 131, 200
- Research updated:
- 01/11/2011
- Last minor changes:
- 14/07/2022
Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.merton.gov.uk/environment/openspaces/; www.friendsofhollandgarden.org.uk
Full Site Description
Sir Arthur and Lady Holland lived at Holmhurst off Copse Hill in Wimbledon. The house is now demolished, its site formerly at the top of the hill near Westside Tennis Club. The grounds included a large plot on the corner of Pepys Road and Cottenham Park Road that included an orchard, kitchen garden and paddock. After the death of Sir Arthur in 1928, the land was donated by Lady Holland and her family for a public garden named in his memory. Sir Arthur was a leading Liberal and town councillor, and had founded Wimbledon and Mitcham Library in 1888; he was President of Wimbledon Football Club, and from 1893 became a JP. Lady Holland (1842-1940) was herself greatly concerned with local education and welfare.
Holland Garden has tarmac paths, seating, shrubberies and numerous tree species. New ornate railings have been installed to replace the old wooden fence along the Cambridge Road boundary, the project carried out in partnership with the Friends of Holland Garden.
Sources consulted:
Plaque on gates; R. Milward, 'The Archive Photograph Series, Wimbledon 1865-1965', Chalford, 1997, p103
Further Information (Planning and Conservation)
- Grid ref:
- TQ230699 (523050,169950)
- Size in hectares:
- 1.42
- Site ownership:
- LB Merton
- Site management:
- Leisure & Culture Services; Friends of Holland Garden
- Date(s):
- 1929
- Designer(s):
- Listed structures:
- None
- 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 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:
- No
- Tree Preservation Order:
- Not known
- Nature Conservation Area:
- No
- Green Belt:
- No
- Metropolitan Open Land:
- No
- Special Policy Area:
- No
- Other LA designation:
- Public Open Space
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.