The Walcot Estate

Walcot Charity Estate 1869
This map, dated 1869, shows Walcot Square and St Mary's Walk and Gardens

Walcot Square was laid out and the houses erected in 1837–39, numbers 9–81 by John Woodward of Paradise Street, 16–24 by Charles Newnham of Newnham Place, Paris Street, and 26–50 by John Chapman of Waterloo Road, builder. The houses are of simple terrace type in yellow stock brick with stucco surrounds to the entrances and a plain coping above the parapets.

Number 19 (formerly No. 60) was occupied in 1870 by William Henry Rich Jones (1817–85), antiquary. He was born in Christ Church parish, Blackfriars. He was vicar of Bradford-on-Avon in 1851–85 and published several antiquarian works.

Number 20 (formerly 4) was occupied in 1840–41(?) by William Hosking (1800–1861), architect and civil engineer. Apprenticed in Sydney to a builder, he came to England in 1819. He was engineer to the West London Railway and later held a professorship at King's College, London. He designed Trinity Chapel, Poplar, and buildings in Abney Park cemetery. His most important publication was a work on bridges; he claimed to have originated the design for the British Museum Reading Room. He married a daughter of William Clowes, the printer.

At number 77 (formerly 31) in 1840–41 lived Thomas Barnes (1785–1841), editor of The Times. He had previously lived in Nelson Square, Southwark

Courtesy of British History Online

Many local residential properties were sold by the Foundation in the 1980s and 1990s and the proceeds re-invested in commercial property as part of Foundation's investment portfolio. The Foundation still owns over sixty local residential dwellings.

The Foundation owns and maintains the greens in Walcot Square and St Mary's Gardens. Keys for access to the Walcot Square Green are available April to September to families with children up to five years of age, who live on the Walcot Estate.


1937 Staff Outing - Walcot and Hayle's Maintenance Staff