The Fascinating Story Of Vauxhall’s Secret Jungle Neighbourhood

Tucked away amongst the backstreets of Vauxhall you will find Bonnington Square.

Bonnington Square is not just your classic square of Victorian terraced houses… it is also bursting with nature. You’ll find secret gardens, leafy overgrown corners, vines climbing up the house fronts and both tropical and native trees planted in every available space.

It feels like you are on the edge of a jungle: where nature and civilisation are meeting. The history and story behind this unique and beautiful ‘jungle’ neighbourhood is a fascinating and inspiring one. It is safe to say I have found one of my new favourite spots in London!

Bonnington Square History

Bonnington Square’s story starts in the 1870’s when the square was laid out and the houses constructed for railway workers.

During the Second World War, most of the houses on the inside of the square were either damaged or destroyed. The 7 houses circled below on a bomb damage map of London were pretty much completely destroyed. The majority of the rest of the houses are shaded in orange which denotes ‘General blast damage- minor in nature’.

In the 1970’s the GLC (Greater London Council) made a compulsory purchase of the houses to demolish them and build a new school.

Most residents vacated but one resident managed to delay the demolition via legal means. In the meantime squatters moved into the empty houses. By the early 1980s most of the square was occupied by squatters.

Amazingly they ended up setting up a cooperative and were able to lease and then purchase the houses from the council to carry on living in them. Hurrah for the little guy!

They set up a wholefoods shop, a vegetarian café and, in the 1990s, a community garden…

Bonnington Square Pleasure Gardens

You may well have heard of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens but did you know Vauxhall has a second pleasure garden?! Neither did I, until I visited Bonnington Square.

The site where the 7 houses lost in the war once stood was, for a long time, just an area of scrap land. The council installed a set of swings and a couple of seats in the 70s but neglected the upkeep of them.

In 1990 a builder applied to the council to use the space to store his building materials. This alerted the residents to potential of the land being developed or used as storage space- not a particularly aesthetically pleasing view out your front window…

That same year the Bonnington Square Garden Association, led by resident Evan English, was set up to lobby the council for money to create a community garden. They received the funding in 1994 and thus was born the Bonnington Square Pleasure Garden.

Each year fundraising events were held to raise money for more plants and materials. To maintain the upkeep each month residents would meet to carry out any necessary gardening and repairs.

The Garden Today

Tropical and native plants and foliage were planted and paths laid out winding through the space. This mixture gives it bags of character and a lovely oasis-like feel, away from the hustle and bustle of London.

There is a play area for children and at one end a large industrial wheel dating from the 1860’s. It was salvaged from the marble factory that had once been nearby and was in the process of being demolished when the garden was being planted. The wheel would have been used to wet-cut marble and is a hark back to the area’s industrial past. You can see the marble factory on the map below.

Over the entrance to the garden there is a ‘helping hand’ sculpture. I think this is a lovely reminder of the history of the gardens as one centred around community action and everyone pulling together.

Harleyford Road Gardens

If one peaceful garden oasis was not enough, there is another one!

If walking round Bonnington Square look out for this easy-to-miss doorway in the Northernmost corner.

Walk through and you will find yourself in Harleyford Road Gardens.

The actions of the GLC in the 1970s with plans to develop the land also left this plot vacant. Similar to Bonnington Square Pleasure Gardens, the Harleyford Road Garden Association was set up and between 1986-1988 the garden was laid out.

It is a brilliant mixture of laid out areas, such as a pond, a play area and benches but also more wild, overgrown patches with winding paths and hidden, secluded benches. It is easy to lose your way, which is surprising for such a relatively small space!

In 2009 some of the paths were brightened up with colourful mosaics.

The Paradise Project

Following the setting up of the pleasure gardens- the Bonnington Square Garden Association started the ‘Paradise Project’.

The aim was to bring inner city living and nature together in harmony as much as possible. They have done an absolutely great job with this, filling every available space with trees, vines and tropical plants.

You’ll find Judas trees, mimosa, arbutus and many many more.

It has a very unique feel and it gives a sense of the potential of what could be done with more streets and squares in the city. A bit of will power and community spirit go a long way.

I had lunch at the Bonnington Café when I visited and it was brilliantly and quite hilariously informal which I loved.

Whilst I was waiting, the lovely lady (who was single handedly taking the orders, serving and cooking) said ‘we don’t have a lot in at the moment so I’m making “creative plates”‘. Later on she rushed through the front of the café to grab some basil from the plants in the front window and decided on some sage as well because “why not?”. I ended up with a delicious tomato, aubergine and feta bruschetta. Unique and heart-warming- I will be returning! Find there website here.

To pay a visit to Bonnington Square: London’s ‘jungle’ neighbourhood or to find out more click here. It is important to note that it is important to be mindful of the fact that the gardens are community spaces as well as public spaces when you are visiting.

You can also read a fantastic article by Dan Pearson on his experience of living there and the setting up the garden/paradise project here.

If you enjoyed that post- more London hidden historical gems below!