Coram's Fields is a seven acre

urban open space In land-use planning, urban green space is open-space areas reserved for parks and other "green spaces", including plant life, water features -also referred to as blue spaces- and other kinds of natural environment. Most urban open spaces are ...

in the Kings Cross area of the

London Borough of Camden The London Borough of Camden () is a London borough in Inner London. Camden Town Hall, on Euston Road, lies north of Charing Cross. The borough was established on 1 April 1965 from the area of the former boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and S ...

. Adults are only permitted to enter if accompanied by children.

History

The park is situated on the former site of the

Foundling Hospital The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word " hospita ...

, established by

Thomas Coram Captain Thomas Coram (c. 1668 – 29 March 1751) was an English sea captain and philanthropist who created the London Foundling Hospital in Lamb's Conduit Fields, Bloomsbury, to look after abandoned children on the streets of London. It is said ...

in what was then named

Lamb's Conduit Field Lamb's Conduit Field, also known as Lamb's Conduit Fields was an open area in what is now the London Borough of Camden. The fields lay north of the Lamb's Conduit water feature that gave it its name, and lay mostly in the parish of St Pancras. It ...

in 1739. In the 1920s The Foundling Hospital was relocated outside London to

Ashlyns School Ashlyns School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. The school was established in 1935 as the final location of the Foundling Hospital, a children's charity founded in London in 1739. The ...

in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, and the site was earmarked for redevelopment. However, a campaign organised by Janet Trevelyan and fundraising by local residents and a donation from

Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere, (26 April 1868 – 26 November 1940) was a leading British newspaper proprietor who owned Associated Newspapers Ltd. He is best known, like his brother Alfred Harmsworth, later Viscount Nort ...

led to the creation of the current park that opened in 1936.

Services and facilities

Coram's Fields provides services for children and young people in the local community, including an after school and holiday programme, a sports programme, a youth centre and an early years programme which includes a nursery and drop-in. The park includes three eight-a-side football pitches, two tennis courts, a stickball field, a basketball court, a children's

playground A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people ...

, sand pits, a

pets corner A petting zoo (also called a children's zoo, children's farm, or petting farm) features a combination of domesticated animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, many general ...

and a

café A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...

Neighbourhood

To the west is Brunswick Square, and to the east is Mecklenburgh Square (bordered by Goodenough College to the south), two historical London squares. To the north is the

Thomas Coram Foundation The Thomas Coram Foundation for Children is a large children's charity in London which uses the working name Coram (formerly Coram Family). It originated as part of England's oldest children's charity, the Foundling Hospital, established by roy ...

and St George's Gardens. To the south are

Guilford Street Guilford Street is a road in Bloomsbury in central London, England, designated the B502. From Russell Square it extends east-northeast to Gray's Inn Road. Note that it is not spelt the same way as Guildford in Surrey. It is, in fact, named aft ...

and

Great Ormond Street Hospital Great Ormond Street Hospital (informally GOSH or Great Ormond Street, formerly the Hospital for Sick Children) is a children's hospital located in the Bloomsbury area of the London Borough of Camden, and a part of Great Ormond Street Hospi ...

. The

Thomas Coram Foundation for Children The Thomas Coram Foundation for Children is a large children's charity in London which uses the working name Coram (formerly Coram Family). It originated as part of England's oldest children's charity, the Foundling Hospital, established by ro ...

(the successor charity to the Foundling Hospital) and the Foundling Museum housing the art collections of the former Hospital, are based in buildings nearby.

Management and planning designations

Coram's Fields is owned and run by an independent

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

, officially named Coram's Fields and the Harmsworth Memorial Playground. Coram's Fields, and Brunswick and Mecklenburgh Squares are jointly listed Grade II on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

References

External links

{{official website, http://www.coramsfields.org/ Buildings and structures completed in 1936 Urban public parks Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Camden City farms in London Foundling Hospital Grade II listed parks and gardens in London