Cleary Gardens - London, UK - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

Separated into three tiers, including a sunny terrace and more shaded wooden arbours below, Cleary Gardens provides a range of wildlife habitat. The three tiers also reveal its history, including WWII bomb damage on the upper section, through medieval London by the stairway, and a section which covers the site of a Roman bathouse at the lower level.

Cleary gardens is designated a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. House sparrows and blue tits nest in the buddleia which has colonised the walled off enclosure on the upper level, and greenfinches, robins, blackbirds and dunnocks are frequently spotted in the garden. Keep an eye out for wisteria, grape-vines and roses on the pergola, the insect hotel at the bottom of the garden, and trailing bellflower, creeping buttercup and thyme-leaved speedwell on the Roman remains.

Text on the information board:
As a result of wartime bombing of the City this previously built up area was destroyed and the site released for post-war development as a leisure and amemity area.
To mark their centenary in 1982 the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association funded the laying out of Cleary Gardens. The gardens are named after Mr Frederick Cleary, a member of the Court of Common Council from 1959 to 1984 and Chairman of the Association, and a leading light in the many gardens and open spaces provided by the Corporation of London within the City.
The first recorded reference to Huggin Hill is in around 1260 as Hoggene Lane, suggesting that it is derived from the Old English word for a place where hogs were kept. Huggin Hill was known as Huggin Lane prior to 1940 and it was also known as Sporones Lane at various times.
In 1964 the remains of a substantial Roman baths were discovered near this site. It is thought they were built on terraces, dug deeply into the hillside overlooking the Thames, where a constant flow of clear spring water fed the baths. They were built around 80 AD, extended in the early 2nd century, but demolished by the end of the 3rd century.

Opening hours:
7 days a week throughout the year 8am – 7pm or dusk

Tube: Mansion House, St Pauls, Bank

Source: (visit link)

Group that erected the marker: Corporation of London URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Queen Victoria Street City of London, Greater London United Kingdom

Visit Instructions:
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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   01/26/2014 Master Mariner visited it