A City Gardens Walk

Route & what to see

london-footprints.co.uk

A 3 mile walk linking some of the gardens maintained by the City of London. A number were formerly churchyards. It begins at Cannon Street Station and finishes at Liverpool Street Station.

Exit station into Cannon Street and go left along Dowgate Hill then right at College Street.
The WHITTINGTON GARDENS are named after Dick Whittington, associated with the church opposite. The sculptures of horsemen by Cambellotti were a gift from the Italian President in 2005.

Continue along Skinners Lane to the end then right at Little Trinity Lane. Go through Huggin Court to the left.
The CLEARY GARDEN is named after Fred Cleary (see plaque). It was originally created by a shoemaker from Walthamstow on the site of a Blitzed house. The Japanese Tree Peonies were gifted in 2006. The garden was improved by Loire Valley Wines in conjunction with Open Squares Weekend.

Cross Queen Victoria Street and go along Friday Street. Left along Cannon Street then St Paul's Churchyard.
CARTER LANE GARDEN

Cross towards the cathedral then go right.
The FESTIVAL GARDENS were created for the Festival of Britain in 1951 by Sir Albert Richardson. They feature a hedge of pleached limes.

Cross New Change
25 CANNON STREET is an award winning public space designed in 2000 by Elizabeth Banks Associates.

Return between the Festival Garden and church tower.
ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL CHURCHYARD GARDEN was laid out in 1879 by Edward Milner. There are a number of notable trees including variegated Tulip Tree, Walnuts, Weeping Mulberry, Weeping Pear, Persian Ironwood, Ginkgos and Katsura Tree. The rose garden was planted in 1976.

Exit into New Change and go anticlockwise around St Paul's tube station. Cross and go left along Newgate Street.
The structure on the traffic island has been planted with climbing plants. The CHRISTCHURCH & GREYFRIARS GARDEN reflects the former Wren church. This was destroyed by bombing in 1940 except for the tower.

Continue along Newgate Street and cross at the junction.
The public space opposite the OLD BAILEY is one of the City's newer gardens.

Cross to the church
ST SEPULCHRE

Go along Giltspur Street then clockwise around West Smithfield.
In addition to being a livestock market WEST SMITHFIELD was the site of meetings, tournaments and executions. The garden is sited above a car park with a circular access ramp, previously used by horse drawn carts serving the market.

Enter St Bartholomew's Hospital at the main gate and walk through to the central courtyard.
ST BARTHOLOMEW'S

Follow exit signs to Bartholomew Close. Follow this road round into Little Britain then cross King Edward Street.
The churchyards of St Botolph and other churches were laid out as a public park in 1880. It became known as POSTMANS PARK when used by workers from the neighbouring Post Office. It is noted for its memorials commemorating heroic deeds of ordinary people, created by GF Watts. There is a Handkerchief Tree in the garden and a pond with fish.

Right at Aldersgate Street then left into Gresham Street
The garden surrounding ST ANNE & ST AGNES CHURCH was created in the 1970s. Trees include Indian Bean, false acacia, rowan and cherry.

Left along Noble Street
The NOBLE STREET GARDENS contain remains of the Roman Wall and have been planted with wild flowers.
The church of ST OLAVE SILVER STREET was destroyed in the Great Fire. The site features Robina and oak trees.

Return and go left at Oat Lane
ST MARY STAINING

Go along Staining Lane and pass in front of the Lloyds TSB building
The ST JOHN ZACHARY GARDEN occupies the site of a church, partly destroyed in the Great Fire. A prize winning garden was created on the bomb damaged site in the 1940s. The current garden was laid out in 1995 and is maintained by the Goldsmiths' Company who have their hall opposite.

Continue along Gresham Street
ST LAWRENCE JEWRY water garden

Go along Aldermanbury
The ST MARY ALDERMANBURY GARDEN includes the footings of the 1437 church, damaged by bombing and reconstructed in America (see plaque). It adjoins the stables for the City of London police horses. The corner section has a bust of Shakespeare, which actually commemorates Hemynge and Condell, responsible for the printing of the first folio. There is a water garden on the other side of Aldermanbury.

Continue to Aldermanbury Square.
ALDERMANBURY SQUARE was created in 1962 but re-landscaped for the millennium. A bench is inscribed with a history of the site.

Go through the passage towards London Wall
BREWERS' HALL GARDEN features a sculpture 'The Gardener'.

Return and go along Basinghall Avenue
The private GIRDLERS' HALL GARDEN has attractive shrubs and a mulberry tree.

Left at Coleman Street then cross into Moorgate. First right into Finsbury Circus.
FINSBURY CIRCUS GARDEN is Grade II listed and the largest garden in the City. It was designed by Charles Dance the Younger in 1815 on the site of a recreational ground. It has been home to the City of London Bowling Club since 1925. There are a number of old Plane trees and a Japanese Pagoda Tree.

Exit at the far side and go right along Blomfield Street then left at London Wall.
ALL HALLOWS LONDON WALL

Left at Old Broad Street then right through Bishopsgate Churchyard.
The former churchyard of ST BOTOLPH WITHOUT BISHOPSGATE along with a section of land donated in 1760 forms the present garden. There are facilities for netball.

Left along Bishopsgate to Liverpool Street Station.

 

© london-footprints.co.uk 2012

Resources
City of London Gardens
webpage
The London Parks & Gardens Trust has a City Gardens walk [
webpage].
Details of all the gardens featured plus others can be found on the LPGT Gardens Online
website.

[walkslist]