Lower Mall, Hammersmith, London W6 9DJ
Furnivall Gardens
Parkland
Place photograph
5.4
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Check
Cost
Peaceful
Feel
Why it's Wildland
5.4A Thames-side Hammersmith park laid out in 1951 on bomb-damaged land, where a garden remembers the former Friends Meeting House burial ground.
Furnivall Gardens is a small urban riverside park, not a wildland escape. Its value is the combination of a Thames walk and a layered local story: Hammersmith Creek once reached inland here, and the park was created on bomb-damaged land after the Second World War.
Peaceful
Find your way
Open mapLower Mall, Hammersmith, London W6 9DJ
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The experience
Visit for a short Thames-side pause or include the gardens on a longer walk along Hammersmith’s Lower and Upper Malls. Look for the history beneath the present-day riverside setting; swimming and paddling permissions are not verified.
Things to do
Walk beside the Thames
Take a short riverside stroll through the gardens. The local guided-walk description places the gardens on a longer walk along Hammersmith’s Lower and Upper Malls.
Under 1 hour for a short visit; the described onward walk takes around 30 minutes.
Look for traces of the creek’s story
The council records that Hammersmith Creek once reached the Thames here and was infilled in 1936. A VoiceMap account says the creek outlet can be seen over the river wall; treat this as a sourced observation, not a guarantee of visibility on the day.
Visit the quiet garden
The council says a secluded garden surrounded by a low wall was created on the site of the former 18th-century Friends Meeting House burial ground, destroyed by a flying bomb.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
A short Thames-side pause
- 01
Enter Furnivall Gardens and take a short stroll beside the Thames.
- 02
Pause to look across the river and consider the site’s history as the mouth of Hammersmith Creek.
- 03
If you want to continue, follow the riverside walk described by the Furnivall Gardens community site towards the Elder Press Cafe; check current details before setting out.
Half day · Around 30 minutes for the described walk, plus time to stop
Walk Hammersmith’s riverside Malls
- 01
Start at Riverside Studios, as described by the Furnivall Gardens community walk.
- 02
Pass through Furnivall Gardens and continue upstream along Hammersmith’s Lower and Upper Malls.
- 03
Finish at the Elder Press Cafe; the walk description also names four pubs en route. Check opening and route details before visiting.
Verified history
The site was once the mouth of Hammersmith Creek, which had a thriving fishing industry until the early 19th century. The area later included factories and housing, and the creek was infilled in 1936. After the council decided in 1948 to create public open space on bomb-damaged land, the park was laid out in 1951 and named after Dr Frederick James Furnivall, a scholar and founder of what is now the Furnivall Sculling Club. The council also records that a secluded garden was created on the former site of an 18th-century Friends Meeting House burial ground destroyed by a flying bomb.
Hidden details
The buried creek — Hammersmith Creek once met the Thames here and was infilled in 1936. A VoiceMap account describes its outlet as visible over the river wall; visibility may vary, so do not assume it can be seen during every visit.
A garden over a former burial ground — The council says a quiet garden surrounded by a low wall occupies the former site of an 18th-century Friends Meeting House burial ground, destroyed by a flying bomb.
A Festival of Britain-era park — Furnivall Gardens was laid out in 1951 and named after Dr Frederick James Furnivall. The council records that the park was extended east in 1957.
When to go
· No evidence-based time-of-day recommendation in the supplied sources.
The supplied sources establish the park’s riverside setting and all-times access but do not identify seasonal highlights.
Check the forecast and current conditions before visiting; path conditions are not described in the supplied sources.
Worth pairing with
Riverside Studios
The Furnivall Gardens community walk uses Riverside Studios as its starting point for a walk through the gardens and along Hammersmith’s Lower and Upper Malls.
Elder Press Cafe
Named as the finish of the community-described riverside walk, with coffee and buns recommended by that source. Check opening before visiting.
What to look for
Notice the gardens’ position beside the Thames and consider how the creek, once navigable inland, was infilled in 1936. The council also records a quiet garden on the former site of an 18th-century Friends Meeting House burial ground, destroyed by a flying bomb.
The story
Hammersmith Creek, wartime damage, the Festival of Britain and Dr Frederick James Furnivall.
Best time to go
No specific seasonal highlight is established by the supplied sources; the riverside setting can be visited year-round.
No particular time of day is established as best in the supplied sources. Check current park notices and conditions before setting out.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
Walkers · History lovers
Before you go
Address
Phone
Website
Listed hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
Hammersmith & Fulham Council says the park is accessible at all times. Check current notices and byelaws before visiting.
Check before visiting
Parking
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Toilets
Nearby bars are listed as having toilets; check availability before visiting.
Check before visiting
Food & drink
A local walk description recommends the Elder Press Cafe for coffee and buns at the end of its route. Check opening before visiting.
Check before visiting
Dogs
The council lists a dog exercise area. Check current signage and local rules.
Check before visiting
Accessibility
The supplied Google place information reports a wheelchair-accessible entrance. Internal path conditions and other accessibility details are not verified; check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Cost
Check before visiting
Check before visiting
Water
River — Thames
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Furnivall Gardens
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
