Queen's Gardens (Croydon)
The Queen's Gardens are a small area of urban gardens in the centre of Croydon, South London. It is part of the Croydon Vision 2020 re-generation plan with Park Place. They are bordered by Croydon Town Hall, Bernard Weatherill House, the site of the former Taberner House, Park Lane and Katharine Street.
In their present form (and under their present name), the gardens and their central fountain were opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1983. The area had previously consisted of the smaller Town Hall Gardens, and the site of Croydon's police station. The Town Hall Gardens had originally been laid out in the 1890s on the site of the disused spur railway line leading to Croydon Central station.
The gardens now comprise areas of lawn with standard trees, a central fountain with benches, and a sunken garden area with formal flower beds and trees exploiting the former track bed and station wall complete with original railings on top. Situated just across from Croydon's register office, the gardens are popular for wedding photographs. A subway exits the park under Park Lane into an underground car park and across to the Fairfield Halls; the gardens are well-used as a path between Council offices and to the underpass.
As part of the Park Place development, there are proposals to radically alter the Queen's Gardens, with a more formal and modern planting style, an ice rink, space for performances and entrance into the Park Place shopping centre.
The retaining wall in the cutting east of Central Croydon Station, now part of Queen's Gardens
Plaque on retaining wall commemorating the Station's history
The retaining wall viewed eastwards towards Fairfield Halls
Close-up of the retaining wall
The retaining wall viewed westwards towards the Town Hall
Coordinates: 51°22′18″N 0°05′52″W / 51.3718°N 0.0978°W
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