Inventory Site Record

St Andrew Street Garden to the west of St Andrew's Church was the site of an old bank destroyed in WWII. The land had been acquired for highway improvements and prior to 1969 was simply laid out. It was later hedged to create a more secluded space, which had a public chequerboard table provided. Re-landscaping post-2004 provided access between the public garden and adjacent St Andrew's Churchyard and a further scheme is now underway to create one public garden, due to be completed in August 2014. Across Holborn Viaduct another area of planting laid out in the 1960s on land acquired for highway improvement was re-landscaped in 2007/8 with planting, seating and a water feature as part of the development of 40 Holborn Viaduct.

Previous / Other name:

The Engineers' Garden

Site location:

Holborn Circus/St Andrew Street; Holborn Circus/Holburn Viaduct/Charterhouse Street

Postcode:

EC4A 3AB

What 3 Words:

tidy.vibrates.foil

Type of site:

Public Gardens

Borough:

City of London

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

Public transport:

Tube: Chancery Lane (Central)

Citymapper    
Google Map    
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Research updated:

01/06/2014

Last minor changes:

29/03/2026

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/openspaces

St Andrew Street Garden is a public garden west of St Andrew's Church (q.v.) adjacent to Holborn Circus. The site was that of an old bank destroyed in WWII, and the garden was developed post-war. Holborn Circus was built as a 'rond-point' at the west end of the Holborn Valley Improvement Scheme, when Holborn Viaduct was constructed in 1863-9 to improve road connections between the City and the West End avoiding the valley of the Fleet River. It was designed by the Surveyor to the City of London, William Haywood. The north churchyard of St Andrew's Church was purchased for the scheme. In the centre of Holborn Circus is an equestrian statue by Charles Bacon of Prince Albert, 1874, with reliefs commemorating the Great Exhibition and the third Royal Exchange (q.v.).St Andrew Street Garden, also called the Engineers Garden, is on land acquired for highway improvements post WWII.

Prior to 1969 it was simply laid out with fencing to the roads, grass and some planting. More recently it was hedged, making it a more secluded space with lawn, trees, shrubs, paths and seating and a public chequerboard table provided. Further works were carried out c.2004 as a result of plans developed by St Andrew's Church and presented to the Corporation of London. These included reducing the dividing wall, creating access between the churchyard and public garden, and re-landscaping works. In 2014 a new scheme is now in the process of being laid out to create one public garden of the two gardens, which is due to be completed in August 2014.t.

Opposite to the north is Holborn Circus Garden, which like St Andrew Street Garden was created on land acquired when highway improvements were carried out post World War II. It was initially laid out as a triangular area with grass, flowerbeds and a few trees between Charterhouse Street and Holborn Viaduct as it joins Holborn Circus. In 2004, when the new office development of 40 Holborn Viaduct by Rolfe Judd Architects was constructed on the site of the 1950s building, the scheme incorporated new landscaping, which now comprises planting, seats and a water feature.

Sources consulted:

Simon Bradley & Nikolaus Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England, London 1: The City of London', 1997 (1999 ed.; B Plummer and D Shewan, 'City Gardens', London, 1992

Grid ref:

TQ314815 (531440,181537)

Size in hectares:

0.0712 + 0.0655

Site ownership:

City of London Corporation

Site management:

Open Spaces Dept.

Date(s):

pre-1960s (post WWII)

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII: Statue of Prince Albert (Holborn Circus)

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:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

Strategic Viewing Corridor

St Andrew Street Garden, March 2009. Photo: S Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.