I was a bit early for lunch, so stopped to read the information board about Mount Street Gardens, which I really like, but never have time to stop and admire. It occupies the site of the old burial ground of St. George’s, Hanover Square and there was a parish workhouse just to the north, built in 1725 and enlarged in the 1780s on what is now Mount Street. The burial ground was closed in 1854 following an Act of Parliament forbidding burials in Central London. Originally, there was going to be a road across the site, but in 1889, it was turned into a garden, with a public library to the west on South Audley Street and a primary school to the south, and it survives, faintly secretive, tucked in behind Mount Street itself:-
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
What a discovery! It will be a star of what I hope will be CENTRAL LONDO, the successor of EAST LONDON. Thames and Hudson please note.
I love Mount Street Gardens and recently went into the church (Immaculate Conception) that has an entry through the gardens. Very impressed by the windows and gothic features.
Ps just on a train home from visiting the Tunnicliffe exhibition. Pure nostalgia – took me right back to my childhood with the what to look for in summer etc.
Glad you liked Tunnicliffe ! Charles
I too love Mount St Gardens, recently discovered since our move to London but now a regular route from W2 to Soho etc to avoid the hideous busy streets. Lovely to be there when the children have just come out of school mid-afternoon & are larking about &, more calmly, when office workers are relaxing there early evening on their way home. A cathartic space.
Yes, good description – of course, the schoolchildren are on holiday this week. Charles
Thank you, Charles. I used to walk through them now and again – it’s not my regular part of town, after all – but always loved it. Now that I’m back, I shall seek them out for a moment of quiet when going through the neighbourhood.