Inventory Site Record

King Edward Memorial Park occupies the site of the former Shadwell Fish Market Estate, which was acquired by the King Edward VII Memorial London Committee following the King's death in 1910. It was laid out with bowling greens, playgrounds, flower gardens, a bandstand, riverside promenade and a long balustraded terrace overlooking the park on the north boundary. A memorial to the King was placed on this terrace at the top of a flight of steps leading to the main area of the park. It was opened to the public on 24 June 1922 by King George V.

Previous / Other name:

Shadwell Park; King Edward VII Memorial Park

Site location:

The Highway

Postcode:

E1

What 3 Words:

prop.curl.float

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Tower Hamlets

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

8am - dusk
Took part in Open Garden Squares Weekend in 2006.

Special conditions:

Facilities:

bowling green

Events:

Public transport:

London Overground/DLR: Shadwell

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/08/2013

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.towerhamlets.gov.uk

A plaque in the park reads: 'King Edward Memorial London Committee of which Colonel the Rt Hon Sir Vezey Strong, KCVO, Lord Mayor 1910/1911, was Chairman acquired the freehold of this site for the purposes of a public park out of funds voluntarily subscribed. The Corporation of the City of London who were the owners generously co-operated with the subscribers in thus perpetuating the memory of King Edward VII'. By the early 1900s the area was populated with derelict factories, poor housing and brickfields. Shadwell Fish Market had been established along the riverfront in the 1880s as an alternative to Billingsgate Fish Market but proving unsuccessful, the site was sold to the Corporation of London in 1901, who eventually sold it to the King Edward VII Memorial Committee in 1914. Laying out the park on the site of the former Shadwell Fish Market Estate was delayed by WWI, and the cost to do so amounted to £20,000. It was finally opened to the public on 24 June 1922 by King George V, with Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra in attendance. The park was 'attractively laid out with bowling greens, playgrounds and flower gardens (. . . ) its riverside promenade [120m] affords a most interesting view of the shipping in the Thames and of the Surrey Commercial Docks on the opposite side of the river' (Clunn 1950).

A long promenade terrace runs almost the whole length of the park's north boundary adjacent to The Highway, which has a central memorial to King Edward at the top of a flight of steps leading down to the main area of the park. A strip of formal flower beds and a path separates the terrace from the rectangular expanse of grass, with some trees planted, which leads to the river promenade that is provided with seating. At the west of this promenade is the Rotherhithe Tunnel Ventilation Shaft and towards the east is a bandstand. Near the Ventilation Shaft is a stone placed here by the LCC to commemorate the 16 mariners who sailed from here to explore the Northern Seas. At the east of the park is a section of garden that is hedged off from the main area and to the west are a children's playground, tennis courts and the bowling green. A new bowls pavilion was laid out in 1975 and the park was refurbished in 1994. There are current threats to the park due to plans by Thames Water to use it as a construction site for its proposed Tideway Tunnel. A campaign to oppose this was set up in November 2010 and continues to petition against these works, which would take several years to complete and would be damaging to the park's infrastructure, planting and wildlife.

Sources consulted:

Harold Clunn, the Face of London (c1950); Bancroft Library, Clippings; Open Spaces and Improvements; Andrew Crowe, 'The Parks and Woodlands of London' (Fourth Estate, 1987); Postcard of the month no 20, January 2002 on www.eastlondonpostcard.co.uk; The London Gazette, Friday 30 June 1922 'Opening King Edward VII Memorial Park' (LCC address presented to the King on occasion of opening of the park)

Grid ref:

TQ354807 (535450,180750)

Size in hectares:

3.3074

Site ownership:

LB Tower Hamlets

Site management:

Leisure Services, Parks and Open Spaces/Trees for London

Date(s):

1914-22

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII: Air Shaft to Rotherhithe Tunnel; Dock Stairs

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:

Yes

Conservation Area name:

Wapping Wall

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Area of Archaeological Importance

Other LA designation:

None

King Edward Memorial Park, Terrace with Memorial, April 2010. Photo: S Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.