Memorial to Lord Nelson

Image: © Marathon Taken: 1 Aug 2020

Nelson Gardens opened in 1906, and was created to honour the first centenary of Admiral Lord Nelson's death in 1805. Nelson had lived at Merton Place from 1801-1805, which had extensive estate lands which included what is now Nelson Gardens. When the adjacent road junction was constructed, the garden was used as builders' ground but it was recreated in c.1985 and replanted using plans from 1911, with lawns, a perimeter path and flower beds, hedged to the road. Between the two cannons, which may once have adorned the lawn of Merton Place, is a block of stone within an area of shrub planting that has an inscription giving the following details of the garden's dedication: 'As a memorial of Lord Nelson and the splendid services which he rendered to his country this land (which formed part of his Merton estate) was given on the first centenary of his death to the Merton Parish Council for a public recreation ground by a great nephew of the late Rear Admiral, Isaac Smith of Merton Abbey'. A close up can be seen at https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6560659 The land for the adjacent St John the Divine Church was also donated to mark the anniversary of Nelson's death and was built in 1914. A much fuller description of church and gardens (under 'Full site description') can be found at https://londongardenstrust.org/conservation/inventory/site-record/?ID=MER039

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0