Paddington Street Gardens

Welcome to Paddington Street Gardens.

The gardens are located on both sides of Paddington Street with the southern garden being the biggest of the two.

The gardens won its first Green Flag in 2008 and the Management Plan can be viewed by following the highlighted link.

A 360 degree tour of the gardens can be seen by following the highlighted link.

The gardens are managed by the Parks Service. To contact the service click this link

Location

Paddington Street, Marylebone, W1 (scroll down to bottom of page for a location map)

Tube:

Nearest tube station is Baker Street which is served by Bakerloo, Jubilee, Hammersmith and City, Circle and Metropolitan lines.

Buses:

Marylebone Road bus routes are 18, 27, 30, 205 and 453

Baker Street bus routes are 2, 13, 30, 74, 82, 113, 139, 189 and 247.

From Marylebone Road you should cross to the south side and walk down Luxborough Street or walk down Chiltern Street and turn left into Paddington Street.

From Baker Street you need to walk east from Baker Street.

The Gardens can also be accessed from Marylebone High Street via Moxon Street.

Facilities

Formal gardens with lawns, flower and rose beds and shrub planting.

Statues and monuments.

Children's Playground for 3 to 11 years of age.

Donated benches and Deckchairs.

Events - Summer concerts etc.

Playground Information:

Equipment age range - 3 to 11 years

Sand pit - No

Paddling pool - No

Children's toilet - Yes - Toilet located on Paddington Street - Not operated by Parks Service

Manned site - Yes

Adults admitted - Only if accompanying children

Dogs admitted - No

Seating - Yes

Drinking Fountain - No

Playground Equipment - Inspection and Maintenance

Westminster has a very thorough inspection and maintenance policy for its playgrounds. We believe that the safety of the users is paramount. To view the Inspection and Maintenance regime please click on the link

History of gardens

Paddington Street Gardens were formed during the 18th century as an additional burial ground for the old St Marylebone Parish Church. Paddington Street itself dates from the 1760s. The land on the south side of it, one acre and one rood was granted to the parish by Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford, in 1730 and consecrated as a burial ground in 1733. By 1771 further space for graves was needed and the parish bought the piece of land on the north side of the street from Mr. Henry Portman.

One of the conditions of the grant of 1730 was that a workhouse for the poor of the parish should be built and this was done in 1750-52. A larger workhouse was built in 1775 just to the north of these gardens on the present site of the University of Westminster and the old workhouse which was in the southern burial ground was then used as the parish infirmary until 1791. The infirmary was replaced in 1792 by a larger building which stood beside the new workhouse.

When the St John's Wood burial ground opened in 1814, this one was officially closed although it was sometimes used for burials after this date and there are probably around 80,000 graves here. The gardens are still consecrated ground. An index of the names on tombstones in this burial ground transcribed at various dates from the 1833 to 1979 may be consulted in the Westminster City archives.

In 1885 the gardens became a recreational ground which was officially opened by HRH Princess Louise on 6 July 1886. Most of the tombstones have been removed but the mausoleum in the south garden was left because of its exceptionally fine design. It was erected by the Hon Richard Fitzpatrick to the memory of his wife Susanna who died in 1759 aged 30. His daughter Anne, Baroness de Robeck, was also buried here in 1829.

The statue of the Orderly boy by Donato Baraglia of Milan (1849-1930) was placed here in 1943. There are many species of trees evident in the garden including cherries, laburnum and hawthorns. The principal species of tree here is the London Plane, a tree widely planted in Victorian London as it thrived in a polluted atmosphere.

Location map: