Syon Park, Greater London, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest:

17th century formal terraced gardens which were landscaped in the mid 18th century by Lancelot Brown. Extensive development of the pleasure grounds continued in the later 19th and mid 20th centuries.

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Syon Park is situated about 6 kilometres to the west of the centre of London, about 1 kilometre south-east of Brentford. Gunnersbury Park lies 2.5 kilometres to the north-east, with Chiswick House about 4 kilometres to the east. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew lie about 250 metres to the east, on the opposite bank of the River Thames.

The 80 hectare site is bounded to the north-west by London Road (A315). Residential and industrial developments form the boundary to the north. The River Thames provides the eastern boundary and Park Road the western boundary. A small residential development, Busch Close and Lodge Close, borders the site in the north-west corner. The largely level site slopes gently down to the River Thames. Brick walls of 17th, 18th and 19th century dates (Listed Grade II) mark the boundary to the north and west along much of London Road and Park Road.

REFERENCES used by English Heritage:

R and J Dodsley, London and its Environs Described 6, (1761), pp 7, 14

G J Aungier, History and Antiquities of Syon Monastery (1840), pp 120-122

Historical Survey and Landscape Management Strategy for Syon Park, (Land Use Consultants 1991)

Maps

[all reproduced in LUC 1991]

Ralph Tresswell, Map of Isleworth, 1607

Moses Glover, Map of Isleworth and Syon, 1635

Fairchild, A plan of the grounds of Syon House, c 1739

J Rocque, Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark, published 1746, revised 1762

C J Sauthier, Plan of Isleworth-Syon, 1786-1787

W James and Thomas Chapman, Isleworth Enclosure Award Plan, 1818

Wm Thos Wayne, Survey of Syon House, surveyed 1813-1814, corrected 1850

OS 25" to 1 mile: 1st edition published 1869

2nd edition published 1894

3rd edition published 1914

Description written: March 2000

Edited: July 2001