Perimeter Wall, Gates And Railings To St George'S Gardens

The perimeter wall, gates, and railings surrounding St George's Gardens in Camden were built around 1713, with some local repairs made later. The wall is constructed of red brick and features stone coping on the piers. Wrought-iron gates, dating from around 1884, are located on Heathcote Street, while cast-iron railings are found on Wakefield Street, with additional wrought-iron railings at the eastern end, also from 1884. There are later brick infills between the original piers along Henrietta Mews. The dividing wall between the burial grounds of St George, Bloomsbury, and St George the Martyr, Holborn, still exists in the western part of the gardens. The south-west corner of the site is now a playground, and the wall is lined with tombstones that were previously within the burial ground.

Historically, this three-acre burial ground was acquired in 1713 to serve the new churches of St George, Bloomsbury Way, and St George the Martyr, Queen Square. The two cemeteries were separated by a brick wall that originally extended the entire length of the burial grounds. Notable individuals buried here include Anne, daughter of Richard Cromwell, the painter Jonathan Richardson, and the anti-slavery campaigner Zachary Macaulay. The burial grounds were closed around 1854, fell into neglect, and were reopened as public gardens in 1885 and 1889. The current garden layout was designed by William Holmes in 1881. The gardens are listed as grade II* on the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.