College Garden, Medieval garden at Westminster Abbey, London, England
College Garden is a rectangular garden beside Westminster Abbey with geometric flower beds, ancient walls, and established trees. The space is enclosed by historic abbey buildings and features a well-maintained layout with traditional garden design.
The garden began in the 14th century as an infirmary garden for Westminster Abbey's monastery and is England's oldest garden in continuous use. Its long history demonstrates how monastic garden traditions have persisted for over 600 years.
The garden reflects medieval monastic life through its herb and medicinal plant collection that visitors can still see today. This botanical arrangement shows how important botanical knowledge was to the monks who once lived here.
The garden is open Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM and can be visited free of charge without purchasing an abbey ticket. Visiting on a weekday gives you the best chance of experiencing the space with fewer crowds.
A medieval watergate in the garden's wall marks where the Thames once flowed nearby, now cut off by the later construction of the Houses of Parliament. This hidden architectural relic shows how much London's geography has shifted around this spot.
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