History of
Markwick Gardens While
you walk around and enjoy the garden, have you ever wondered about its
history? Much history has been lost or forgotten and we are
trying to piece it together again. This is what we know now.
Markwick Gardens were formed in the 1860s primarily for the
use and
pleasure of the residents of Markwick Terrace, which was built in the
1830-40s. At that time, the land was owned by the Eversfield Trust and
all
householders had to pay a guinea a year subscription. This
had
risen to £2.50 in 1976. With the present subscription of £30,
it
hasn't gone up much, has it? The Trust supplied two gardeners
and
paid for all work. The Trust no longer exists and the gardens
are
now owned, privately, by the Eversfield Estates. At the edge
of the
Gardens on Brittany Road is the head gardener's house, which must have
been built circa 1900. Within this garden are extensive
foundations of greenhouses, now buried just below the surface of the
lawn. Sheila Kaye Smith, the author and novelist who lived at
9
Dane road from 1887 to 1924, grew up in the Gardens and used the
Gardens as a setting for one of her books, "Selina is Older", which
gives a good insight into what the gardens were like at that time.
A
big jump now to the Second world war when at the begining of
hostilities there were seven gardeners. There were railings
surrounding the entire border which were taken for smelting into guns.
During the war a German bomber tried to hit Markwick Terrace
but
the bomb fell short into the gardens near the main gate. The explosion
damaged the Terrace, mainly number 11, which is still minus its canopy.
After the war the gardeners did not return and the gardens
fell
into disrepair. In the 1960s the Council tried to build a
school
on the site. In the 1987 storm, about 20 Scots Pines
were
blown down, including 16 along the edge of Markwick Terrace where only
one stands there now. There were several clearing up parties
after the storm, with potatoes baked in the bonfires, homemade ginger
beer and ale after the work had finished. Recently a well was uncovered
and recovered near the pampas grass. This was probably dug as
a
water source for the garden's plants before the mains water tap was
installed. Since the war the gardens have been run by a
Committee
of local residents for the Eversfield Estate, which takes no
part
in the running. That's about it folks. Much of the
historical material was lost in the 70s. If any reader knows
any
detail, how ever small, please, please let us know. |
