Happy 50th birthday, Battishill Street Gardens!

Fifty years ago today, a new pocket park was opened in Islington.

Battishill Street Gardens (also known as Battershill Gardens) was opened on 30 June 1975, the first purpose-built garden in Islington since the Second World War.

Earlier this year, Heritage of London Trust restored its spectacular 73-foot-long Victorian frieze. The frieze by sculptor Musgrave Watson adorns two sides of the gardens and the restoration project included repair to the stonework and replanting of the flower beds by Islington Council.

Alfred Head, Borough Architect for Islington between 1968 and 1983, led the project. In the midst of his commission which was to include a children’s playground, Head discovered a brilliant new opportunity. Now aged 102, he is proud of his role in the project to bring the Victorian frieze to Battishill Street Gardens 50 years ago:

“I learned of the story of the frieze’s preservation in a courtyard at UCL, following the demolition of the Hall of Commerce building in Threadneedle Street.

‘The frieze was being offered for disposal to make room for a new building. The next day I made my way to UCL and drew sketches of each of the stone slabs.

‘From this I was able to draw the original layout of the frieze. The University was happy to have the frieze removed and transported to the site at Battershill Street at no cost. 

‘The Council’s building contractor, to whom I was responsible for the construction of the housing scheme and gardens, was happy to make changes and accept the former children’s play area to be replaced by the frieze. 

‘Next I personally drew up the plans for the installation. Two pieces of sculpture were missing, which I made myself having attended evening classes. One of the sculptured heads that I made as replacements was modelled on a colleague, the project architect Helen Stafford, later Helen Watters.

‘On completion of the housing scheme, I phoned John Betjeman to invite him to open both the council housing and the new sculptured gardens, which he was delighted to do.

‘On the day of the inauguration, I picked him up from his office in the City and drove him to Battershill Gardens. So he arrived in my old Ford rather than his Bentley, something that he found very amusing.

‘I’m pleased I was able to see the opportunity of incorporating the Commerce Frieze and thereby preserving a piece of London history. As a Londoner that was important to me.’

The Commerce Welcoming All Nations Frieze was restored by Islington Council and Heritage of London Trust with support from the Jones Day Foundation. 

Young people were involved in the project as part of our Proud Places programme and local school children joined the unveiling of the restored frieze in May 2025 alongside the local community.