Kew Green is a large open space in Kew in west London. Owned by the Crown Estate, it is leased to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is roughly triangular in shape, and its open grassland, framed with broadleaf trees, extends to about thirty acres. Kew Green is overlooked by a mixture of period townhouses, historic buildings and commercial establishments. Since the 1730s, Kew Green has been a venue for cricket matches.
The eastern and south-western sides of the Green are residential; the northern side is largely residential, with a few pubs, restaurants, and the Herbarium Library; and a small number of commercial and retail buildings cluster in the south-east corner. To the north of the Green is Kew Bridge, carrying the busy South Circular Road, which in turn runs across the Green, dividing it into a large western part and a smaller eastern part. At the south end is St Anne's Church, Kew's parish church. At the west end of the Green is Elizabeth Gate, one of the two main entrances into Kew Gardens.
History Most of the older houses in Kew are built round the Green and along the eastern side of the Kew Road looking towards Kew Gardens. The Green itself is a big triangular space. It is mentioned in a Parliamentary Survey of Richmond taken in 1649, and is there described as 'a piece of common or uninclosed ground called Kew Green, lying within the Township of Kew, conteyning about 20 acres.' An 18th-century view, taken from a meadow to the east, shows Kew Bridge on the right, a small irregular lake with an island to the left. A road led to the western point of the Green, where the palace was visible, a windmill behind it; and trees, the trunks engirdled by seats, grew opposite the square-built church which stood isolated on the Green. Some land at the end of the Green was enclosed by George IV, and a meadow east of the bridge was made common land, as part of a design, never carried out, of building a new palace at Kew in place of the Dutch House. In the early 19th century Sir Richard Phillips described the Green as 'a triangular area of about 30 acres bounded by dwelling-houses,' and another description of a slightly later date speaks of the 'well-built houses and noble trees' surrounding it.
Kew Green was in use as a venue for cricket by the 1730s and was used for a match between London and Middlesex in 1732. A Women's One Day International between New Zealand and Jamaica was scheduled to be held on the Green in 1973 as part of the inaugural Women's Cricket World Cup but the match was abandoned without a toss being made. This would have been the first Women's One Day International match ever played.Kew Green, Kew, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 December 2020. The Green is still used for club cricket today as the home of Kew Cricket Club.
Kew Pond Originally thought to have been a natural pond fed from a creek of the tidal Thames, what is now called Kew Pond was later enlarged in the 10th century to serve as a fishery. By the 17th and 18th centuries, it had become a village pond used for watering livestock. A herdsman was appointed in 1824, and the creek was partly filled in and built over to give access to the new King's School built to the north of the pond. It now has no natural inflow. During high (spring) tides sluice gates are opened to allow river water to fill the pond via an underground channel. The pond is concreted, rectangular in shape and contains an important reed bed habitat which is vital for conservation and resident water birds. Since 2010 the pond is managed in partnership with the Friends of Kew Pond.
Notable buildings Kew Green is also a street address. The odd-numbered buildings face the west side, and the even-numbered buildings face the east.
50, Kew Green was the original home of the King's School, founded in 1824. (The school's name changes to the Queen's School during a female monarch's reign.) The building was rebuilt in 1887. In 1969 the school moved to new premises in Cumberland Road and the Victorian schoolhouse was demolished.Cassidy, plate 62. To preserve its legacy, there is an embroidery of the original building in the pew kneelers of St Anne's Church.
This table shows the buildings on the Green that are listed by Historic England (and designated as Grade II* or Grade II) or are locally listed by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as buildings of townscape merit (indicated as "BTM").
+Kew Green Conservation Area Image BuildingDatesGradeHistory Caxton House, 110, Kew GreenEarly C19BTMFrom 1964 these were the premises of the Caxton Name Plate Manufacturing Company, which ceased trading in 1997. The company's name is still visible on the exterior of the building. The artist Banksy painted one of his London animal series in August 2024 on the wall near Kew Bridge; it features a goat perched on a thin wall, with rocks tumbling down. The artwork was removed in February 2025 by a specialist company in preparation for essential work on the building, which is owned by Boss & Co. gunmakers.
At the back of Caxton House, facing Westerley Ware, is the Victorian mortuary building. To the west used to stand the blacksmiths, which had originally been the Rose & Crown pub; this was demolished in 1900 for the construction of the third Kew Bridge.108, Kew Green BTMFrom the 19th century onwards there were several tea rooms and cafés along Waterloo Place (the name given to this group of cottages). This was the last to close, in 2006.98-106, Kew GreenEarly C19 IIThis is a terrace of five houses.90-96, Kew Green1816 IIThis is a terrace of four houses. On No. 96 a stone tablet is inscribed "Waterloo Place. 1816".The Greyhound, 82, Kew Green1937BTMThe current building replaced the Victorian pub.68 & 70, Kew GreenBTMNos. 68 and 70 are a pair of Italianate houses.62 & 64, Kew GreenEarly C19II This was originally a terrace of three cottages. No. 66 was rebuilt.52-56, Kew Green18CII This is a row of three cottages.40-46, Kew Green19CBLMThis is a Victorian terrace.28-38, Kew Green19CBLMThis is Victorian red-bricked terrace.26, Kew Green19CBLMThis is bay-fronted Victorian house.Haverfield House, 24, Kew GreenC19BTMThis was the home of the Superintendent of Kew Gardens 1766-1784, John Haverfield (1694-1784), who managed the royal estates in Kew for Princess Augusta. He is buried at St Anne's church. His son, also called John Haverfield (1744-1820), was gardener and landscape architect. His daughter was painted by Gainsborough. The Hon. Gilbert James Duke Coleridge (1859-1953), barrister and sculptor, son of the 1st Baron Coleridge, died here in 1953.Eastside House, 22, Kew GreenEarly C19 house IIThis was the home of the painter Arthur Hughes; it has a blue plaque.20, Kew GreenMid to late C18II 14-16, Kew GreenBTMThese are shops, mostly retaining their original shopfronts. No. 14 was formerly the Post Office. In 1912 suffragettes destroyed the contents of the pillar box. What is outside now is a Queen Elizabeth II pillar box.
In the 18th century this was a pub called the Cock and Hoop, later the Ewe and Lamb.10, Kew GreenBTMThere is a blue plaque on the Gloucester Road wall of No. 10a Kew Green to the impressionist painter Camille Pissarro who stayed here in 1892.Coach and Horses,8, Kew GreenBTMKew's oldest inn, The Coach and Horses is now a pub and restaurant. Bank House,2 & 4, Kew GreenC18II No. 4, formerly Barclays Bank, is reputedly where the Palace Guard lodged in the late 18th century.9 & 11, Kew GreenLate C18 or early C19II These two houses, with shops below, retain their Victorian shop fronts.Gumley Cottage,17 & 19, Kew Greenearly C18II 1 Cambridge Terrace. Two storeys with dormers, the door for No. 17 replaced with a window. Used as student accommodation for Kew students.21, Kew GreenMid C18 houseII 23 & 25, Kew GreenC18II The botanical artist Walter Hood Fitch lived at 4, Cambridge Terrace.29 & 31, Kew GreenC18II Late C18 or early C19 pair of houses.Kings Cottage, 33, Kew GreenC18II Home from 1751 to 1754 of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-1792), honorary director of Kew Gardens, 1754–1772, and, later, Prime Minister. It was later home of Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury. It has also been known as Church House. Originally a royal residence, built by Queen Charlotte when it was called Princess Elizabeth's House, it was a 'grace and favour' house.Cambridge Cottage, 37, Kew GreenEarly C19II It was built by Christopher Appleby, a barrister, in the early 18th century. In 1758 it was then leased by Lord Bute. In 1772 it was purchased by George III as a home for two of his sons. In 1838 it became the home of his seventh son, the Duke of Cambridge (1774–1850), who remodelled and extended it in 1840, becoming his permanent residence and renamed Cambridge Cottage. His widow, the Duchess of Cambridge (1797–1889) died here and was buried in St Anne's Church; her body was later moved. Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (1819–1904) owned the house after the death of his mother, and when he died in 1904 Edward VII donated it to Kew Gardens and was formerly Museum No 3.The Gables,39-45, Kew GreenC18II The cast iron gates are listed. Rebuilt in 1908 on the former stables of Cambridge Cottage for gardening staff.49, Kew GreenEarly C18 IISince 1851 the official residence of the director of Kew Gardens. There is a blue plaque to Sir William Hooker and his son, Sir Joseph Hooker.47, Kew Green1931BTMThe Royal Botanic Gardens' administrative block, formerly the entrance to the gardens.Royal Cottage,51, Kew GreenC18II Formerly two houses, used as a grace-and-favour residence. Conrad Noel (1869-1942), a prominent Christian socialist, was born here.Herbarium House,55, Kew Greenearly C18II Next to the main gates it is the official residence of the keeper of the Herbarium.Sewer Ventearly C19IIThe cast-iron sewer vent pictured opposite is marked with the maker's name "F. Bird & Co., 11 Gt. Castle St. Regent St.".Elizabeth Gate1848II* Designed by Decimus Burton, the Elizabeth Gate was originally called the Main Gate before being renamed in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Lamp standardsEarly C19IIOutside Elizabeth Gate are early 19th-century cast-iron gas lamp standards with monograms of King George IV or King William IV.Gate postsEarly C19 Running across the Green are cast-iron railings with a gate decorated with plates bearing the royal insignia. Both designs show the royal crown, one with the inscription 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', surrounded by national floral emblems. The gate possibly marks the route of a track from Elizabeth Gate to Kew Bridge used by the royal coach.The Herbarium, Kew GreenC18, 1877 and laterII* The original house, dating from the 1770s, was built for Peter Theobald, sold to Robert Hunter in 1800 and was known as Hunter House. It was bought by the Crown in 1818 to be the home of the Duke of Cumberland, who became king of Hanover in 1837; the house was then called Hanover House. It was then used to house the Herbarium, established in 1853 by William Hooker, with new wings added in 1877, Wing C, by John Lessels, Wing B 1902-1903, Wing A 1932, Wing D 1969, 1988 Wing Q, and 2009 the new library extension. Hanover House, 57, Kew Green C18IINext to the Herbarium is Meyer's House (now called 'Hanover House') home of the artist Jeremiah Meyer. Sir Peter Lely also had a house in this location.