College Garden, Medieval garden at Westminster Abbey, London, England
College Garden is a walled garden beside Westminster Abbey in central London. It contains geometric flower beds, old trees, and open lawn areas, all enclosed by the stone buildings of the abbey complex.
The garden was established in the 14th century as a place where the monks of Westminster Abbey grew herbs and plants for medical use. Over the following centuries it remained under the abbey's care and kept much of its original layout.
The garden sits inside a walled courtyard of the abbey and feels cut off from the city around it. Every summer, bands of the Household Division play open-air concerts here, drawing visitors who might otherwise never step inside.
The garden is accessed separately from the abbey church and does not require a church entry ticket. It is open on weekdays, so a visit during the week tends to be quieter than a weekend trip to the area.
A medieval watergate is still visible in one of the garden walls, marking a point where boats once had direct access from the Thames. The construction of the Houses of Parliament in the 19th century changed the riverbank permanently, leaving this gate stranded inland.
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