Berkeley Square Gardens - City of Westminster, London, U.K.
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Mike_bjm
N 51° 30.579 W 000° 08.752
30U E 698053 N 5710365
Berkeley Square Gardens is a public park owned and managed by the City of Westminister Council.
Waymark Code: WM110ZM
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/27/2019
Views: 6
"Berkley Square Gardens were first enclosed in 1747, while the square was being built. Originally the gardens formed lush water meadows on a bend in the River Tyburn. As late as 1753 the Tyburn Stream, then referred to in the Vestry Minutes as "the Common Sewer" still ran open at the south end of the square. The land was the subject of an agreement between the 4th Lord Berkeley, his son and two carpenters, Cook and Hilliard, who developed the square. The gardens the comprised about three and a half acres, enclosed from the street on the south and west side by "dwarf wall and wooden rails and pallisadoes set thereon."
Source: Notice Board in the Gardens
From the City of Westminster website:
"A traditional formal London Square with a small central shelter, characterised by many mature London Plane trees set amidst 4 equal sized open lawn areas.
The general landscape character of the square is quite light, open and airy with a fully mature and well established leaf canopy overhead, creating a pleasant shady space with dappled sunlight during summer. It was originally laid out in the mid 18th century by architect William Kent.
A cross structured central path divides the space into the 4 areas and is lined with traditional park benches. Various sculptures and traditional stone planters are arranged around the square. One of the square’s statues dates from 1858 and is by the Pre-Raphaelite sculptor Alexander Munro.
The surrounding London Plane trees of the square are among the oldest to be found in Mayfair, and were planted in 1789 by a resident of the square at that time, Edward Bouverie.
The square takes its name from the Berkley family whose original London home, Berkeley House stood nearby up until 1733, and whose main ancestral Gloucestershire residence is Berkeley Castle.
Initially in the 1730's Berkeley Square, was only developed on its east and west sides. This was largely due to a sales agreement stipulating that there could be no obstructions to the view from Berkeley House across the gardens of Landsdowne House towards the new central garden Berkley Square. Consequently early plans show that the original oval central garden area was generally quite open in character.
Despite being very central, the square is relatively peaceful and quiet. Throughout the years the square has been the home to various well known residents including Winston Churchill who as child lived at no.48, as well as the P G Wodehouse's fictional character Bertie Wooster."
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