Hampstead Garden Suburb, lunch and walk

Saturday 26 July 2025, 10.30 am to 3.30 pm

Central Square, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 7AG

Nikolaus Pevsner described Hampstead Garden Suburb as “the most nearly perfect example of that English invention and speciality, the garden suburb”. It was the brainchild of Henrietta Barnett (a great social reformer) and her husband Canon Samuel Barnett and was founded in 1906. The masterplan was drawn up by Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker, and several eminent architects, including MH Baillie Scott, Charles Cowles-Voysey and Geoffrey Lucas, were brought in to contribute to the varying house designs.

Old Hall of Wing of The Institute.  Copyright HGS Archives Trust

Edwin Lutyens joined the group as a consultant and was responsible for St Jude’s Church and its vicarage, the Free Church and its manse, the north-west wing of the Institute and the houses built on the west side of Erskine Hill and in North Square.

The Free Church and the Church of St Jude share the same basic form, yet each has its own characteristics. The Free Church interior is clean-lined and allows the architectural forms in their purest sense to define the space. By contrast, St Jude’s is packed with murals, stained glass, carvings and furnishings, yet is undeniably by Lutyens.

The Free Church.  Image copyright, Deborah Mays

David Davidson, Head of Architecture at Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust, has planned a walking route of the streets around Central Square to take in many of the more interesting groups of houses. The Lutyens houses in North Square are worth a look and those in South Square by Soutar and Butler are strongly based on the Lutyens work. We will also look at Heathgate and the Great Wall, Baillie Scott Houses in Meadway and part of the Artisans’ Quarter. We will be visiting the interiors of the Vicarage, Free Church and the Church of St Jude on the Hill, all designed by Lutyens.

We will also visit the Grade II*-listed Philipson Mausoleum designed by Lutyens between 1914 and 1915 at Golders Green Crematorium. This small stone structure is formed of a domed space, surrounded by Ashoka rails (woven stone railings inspired by the Great Stupa at Sanchi, India, which Lutyens used at Rashtrapati Bhavan).

Philipson Mausoleum.  Image courtesy of Dr Roger Bowdler

Important information

There will be a considerable amount of walking, please wear sensible shoes.

Lunch will be sandwiches inside St Jude on the Hill, courtesy of the Rev Emily Kolltveit.

We will gather at 10.30 at the Henrietta Barnett Memorial to the west of Central Square.

Image:  Henrietta Barnett Memorial, Central Square (courtesy Deborah Mays)

Online bookings

Please make your booking online through PayPal using your credit/debit card or PayPal account.at https://www.lutyenstrust.org.uk

Manual bookings

If you wish to pay with a cheque, please use the online booking facility, and then choose the “pay by cheque” option on the payments screen. This will reserve you a ticket(s) and give you instructions on where to send your cheque. All cheques should be made payable to “The Lutyens Trust” and made to the appropriate amount, and to include an additional £3 banking charge per cheque.

Any questions please telephone Paul Waite on 07483 224 653

or email pjdwaite@hotmail.com or deborahmays@lutyenstrust.org.uk.

(including any special requirements, details on refreshments etc.)