Paddington Green
| Paddington Green | |
| Middlesex | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TQ267817 |
| Location: | 51°31’13"N, 0°10’31"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | London |
| Postcode: | W2 |
| Dialling code: | 020 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Westminster |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Westminster North |
Paddington Green is an urban village, and green space within it, off Edgware Road deep within the metropolitan conurbation of Middlesex. It is the oldest part of Paddington, but is now roughly separated from the main part of that town by the Westway: the A40 as an elevated multi-laned almost-motorway between the City and the west.
The village is a conservation area.
At one time, the Green was surrounded by large Georgian houses, but now only two remain on the east side of the Green.[1] The grandiose households here inspired the Victorian music hall song Polly Perkins of Paddington Green (which is heard in snatches in the film Zulu):
I'm a broken hearted milkman in grief I'm arrayed
Through keeping the company of a young servant maid
Who lived on board and wages the house to keep clean
In a gentleman's family, in Paddington Green.
For she was as beautiful as a butterfly and proud as a queen
Was pretty little Polly Perkins of Paddington Green.
History and notable buildings
Paddington Green contains part of the ancient Paddington and Lilestone villages which became fashionable at the end of the 18th century because of its village setting and proximity to the West End of London. An omnibus service to the City of London was introduced in 1829 by George Shillibeer.[2]
St Mary on Paddington Green is part of the Parish of Little Venice and is the third church on this site. The church was built in 1791 by John Plaw.[3] Its graveyard – known as St Mary's Gardens (or St Mary's Churchyard) – contains monuments to notable local residents, including actress Sarah Siddons (also buried there), sculptor Joseph Nollekens and lexicographer Peter Mark Roget. The southern part of the graveyard was removed to make way for the flyover. Exhumed remains were re-interred in Mill Hill Cemetery.
The former Paddington Green Children's Hospital (1883–1987), now an apartment block, stands on the north-east corner of the Green on Church Street. It is a Grade II listed building.[4] The Schmidt Hammer Lassen-designed City of Westminster College is located at 25 Paddington Green.
Outside links
- A History of the County of Middlesex - Volume pp 185-190: Paddington: Paddington Green (Victoria County History)
- Paddington Green Borough Control Bunker - YouTube
- Westminster City Council description and map
References
- ↑ Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert, The London Encyclopaedia, Papermac, 1987, p. 573
- ↑ Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert, The London Encyclopaedia, Papermac, 1987, p. 574
- ↑ "Historic Properties Online: John Plaw". Gov.pe.ca. http://www.gov.pe.ca/hpo/index.php3?number=1019796.
- ↑ "Lost_Hospitals_of_London". Ezitis.myzen.co.uk. http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/paddingtongreen.html.