This 3 mile walk explores a Victorian residential community (Bedford Park) and a 21st century business community (Chiswick Park).
It begins at Turnham Green Station (District line) and finishes at Gunnersbury (District and Overground). There are places for refreshments along Chiswick High Road.

Exit the station and go right crossing to the church
Turnham Green was opened by the London & South Western Railway in 1869. The Anglo-Catholic Church of St Michael & All Angels was designed by Norman Shaw in 1879. The north aisle and hall (1887) and All Souls Chapel (1909) were added by Maurice B Adams. It is worth viewing the interior of the church which is usually open during the day. Opposite is the Tabard pub with tiles by William De Morgan and Walter Crane which was restored in 1971 and now includes a theatre. The buildings alongside of 1880 were formerly stores.

Turn left into Priory Gardens
Number 1 once housed the Caradoc Press but is now occupied by the Victorian Society. The houses featuring Dutch gables and shell porches were designed by EJ May. Opposite is the vicarage. At the end is The Priory, originally a doctor's house but now a prep school.

Left then right into Woodstock Road
Sydney House, four storey flats of 1906, replaced a Georgian house. JB & WB Yeats lived at number 8 where there is a plaque. On the left were stables and two small buildings pre-dating the development which served as a beer house for the construction workers and an estate office.

Left then right into Queen Annes Gardens
Number 7 was built for the artist TM Rooke in 1878.

Left into Blenheim Road
Number 9 replaces a war damaged building. Number 4 still has its wire bell pull. Number 3 was Yeats second house and number 1 was the home of Elkin Mathews, publisher of the Yellow Book. Ormsby Lodge was built in 1938.

Left along the Avenue
Some houses feature sunflower motifs. Numbers 1 & 2 are the first houses of the development (1876) by Godwin. The Bedford Park Club was designed in 1878 by Shaw and later enlarged by May to include a theatre. It closed in 1939 and is now a Buddhist Centre. Bedford House dates to 1770. Shops were built on the front garden in 1922, replacing the stores seen earlier.

Right along South Parade
Melbourne House is c1800.

Right along Newton Grove and across Bedford Road
Numbers 12-14 were designed by Adams for the artist TA Greeves in 1880. St Catherine's Court of 1935 stands on the site of Tower House built for Carr by Shaw in 1878.

Continue along Queen Annes Grove
May lived at number 6 whilst estate architect. Numbers 18 & 20 feature top floor artist studios.

At the end left then left again along Marlborough Crescent
There is a group of smaller houses. Number 10 was the home of playwright Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. The building by Acton Council of a retirement home on the site of a Shaw house prompted the formation of the Bedford Park Society. Flats also replaced the home of MB Adams designed by Shaw.

Left at Bedford Road
There is a Penfold hexagonal post box on the corner.

Right along The Orchard
At the end on the left are former livery stables run by the stores. Opposite are Bedford Park Mansions built in 1892.

Right at South Parade
Number 14 was built c1890 by CFA Voysey for an artist with a top floor studio. Acton Green was formed by the construction of the railway embankment.

Cross and go left down Fishers Lane. Cross and go right along Chiswick High Street then left into Dukes Avenue by the church.
Our Lady of Grace and St Edward RC Church was designed in 1904 by Kelly & Birchall. The tower by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott was added in 1930. It was remodelled in 1953 after war damage. Afton House was built c1800.

Just before the library go right along Barley Mow Passage.
On the right is Voysey House (1902) the former Sandersons factory which also occupied buildings on the other side of the passage.

Continue along Heathfield Terrace
The former Army & Navy Repository was converted to flats in 1988. In front of this is a Georgian cottage. The Vestry Hall of 1876 was enlarged into Chiswick Town Hall in 1901. On the green is Christ Church, built in 1841-3 by Gilbert Scott & Moffatt, with the Church Hall of 1913 in the SW corner.

Cross Turnham Green and Sutton Lane North then go along Arlington Gardens
Arlington Cottages are sited behind Arlington Park House.

Right at Marlborough Road. Cross Chiswick High Road and go left.
Chiswick Park is on the right and can be explored (no access to buildings). Gunnersbury Station is opposite.

london-footprints.co.uk 2014

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