Inventory Site Record

This was originally an open square with late C18th terraced houses on its north and east sides. It was renamed Trafalgar Square after Nelson's victory of 1805, the first of four such squares in London. By 1813 there were terraced houses on the south side. A circular garden was later replaced by a rectangular garden that opened to the public in 1885 as Trafalgar Square Garden, the name changed to Trafalgar Gardens in 1937. It is now entirely hard paved and used as playground with a block of basketball courts behind high fencing.

Previous / Other name:

Trafalgar Square; Trafalgar Square Garden

Site location:

White Horse Lane, Stepney

Postcode:

E1

What 3 Words:

sooner.adjust.slang

Type of site:

Garden Square;, Public Gardens

Borough:

Tower Hamlets

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Basketball courts

Events:

Public transport:

Tube: Stepney Green (District)

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/05/2010

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

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

Trafalgar Gardens was originally an open square with terraced houses on its north and east sides, which was developed by Captain John Turner at the end of the C18th. In c.1809 the square was renamed Trafalgar Square after Nelson's victory of 1805, the first of four such squares in London. By 1813 there were terraced houses on the south side. A circular garden in the square is shown on Horwood's map of 1819 (open sided to the east), which was later replaced by a rectangular garden that the Vestry of the Hamlet of Mile End Old Town bought and opened to the public in 1885 and called Trafalgar Square Garden. The name was changed to Trafalgar Gardens in 1937. It is now entirely hard paved and used as a playground with basketball courts behind high fencing. This is surrounded on 3 sides by a path, with some perimeter shrubs, and a few mature trees on White Horse Lane. The playground has C20th railings and the name is inscribed in English and Bengali as part of the new gate design on all 4 entrances.

Sources consulted:

Tom Ridge, Central Stepney History Walk (Central Stepney Regeneration Board), 1998.

Grid ref:

TQ358818 (535887,181868)

Size in hectares:

0.2534

Site ownership:

LB Tower Hamlets

Site management:

Leisure Services, Parks and Open Spaces

Date(s):

c.1810

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:

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:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

None

Trafalgar Gardens, July 2009. Photo: S Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.