Inventory Site Record

The Crescent Garden is a communal garden behind Randolph Crescent, Warrington Crescent and Randolph Avenue. Developed in the mid C19th, much of the housing had communal gardens for the use of the occupiers. Here the surrounding houses are mainly stuccoed buildings of c.1865, although some were destroyed by WWI bombing, enemy aircraft apparently mistaking the canals in the area for the Thames. Until c.1980 this area was within the Paddington Estate of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, administered by Trustees, whose plans to convert the garden into a communal car park were defeated by local residents. The Crescent Garden has lawns, fine trees, island beds including a Princess Diana Memorial bed, pergola, obelisk and children's play area. There are many mature trees, chiefly London plane.

Site location:

Warrington Crescent / Randolph Crescent, Maida Vale

Postcode:

W9 1ED

What 3 Words:

spring.baking.flags

Type of site:

Private Garden

Borough:

Westminster

Open to public?

Occasionally

Opening times:

Has opened for OGSW. Otherwise private, for keyholders only
Has taken part in Open Garden Squares Weekend 24 times, most recently in 2024.

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Children's play area

Events:

Public transport:

Tube: Warwick Avenue. Bus: 6, 46, 98, 187, 414

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/06/2004

Last minor changes:

14/07/2022

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.crescentgarden.co.uk

The Crescent Garden has simple gravel paths, large lawns, shrubs, and many mature trees, chiefly London plane, which are visible from surrounding streets. The surrounding houses are stuccoed buildings of c.1865, although WWI bombing in the area destroyed some of the housing, which was replaced by 1920s-style houses. Enemy aircraft apparently mistook the canals in the area for the Thames.

Until c.1980 much of this area was within the Paddington Estate of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, administered by Trustees. Developed in the mid C19th, much of the housing here had communal gardens provided for the use of occupiers of the surrounding houses. Management of the garden was by a Committee of occupiers and the expenses of maintenance were assessed proportionately on each house, with the Trustees having the power to undertake maintenance in the case of neglect. When the Church Commissioners sold the freeholds of their property in the area, they drew up legal arrangements as a means of preserving the special character of these neighbourhoods, including the gardens. They set up 12 amenity companies, each having Deeds and with a Rent Charge, to cover 12 areas. In the 1970s local residents had defeated plans by the Church Commissioners to turn the garden into car parking.

Today the garden has lawns, fine trees, island beds, Princess Diana Memorial bed, pergola, obelisk and children's play area. It was recently given an award as London's best large private garden square. There are a number of other communal gardens in the neighbourhood, Formosa Gardens and The Triangle Garden (q.q.v.).

Sources consulted:

(OGSW booklets); Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England London 3: North West' (1991, reprinted 1999), p696

Grid ref:

TQ261823 (526150,182350)

Size in hectares:

c.1.3

Site ownership:

Private

Site management:

Robert Player Associates

Date(s):

1865

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII: Warrington Crescent, east side Nos.1-49 and the Warrington Hotel, pair of K2 telephone kiosks, 1927 north of hotel; Warrington Crescent west side Nos. 4-36 and Colonnade Hotel; Randolph Avenue, south west side, Nos. 29 to 35 and front garden wall; 37 to 43a, 45 to 59 including walls to basement, 63 to 79 and no.61, the White House with front garden wall

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:

Maida Vale

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes - Borough Importance II

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

None

Crescent Garden - Photo: Colin Wing
Date taken: 09/06/19 14:18

Click a photo to enlarge.

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