Allen Gardens

Allen Gardens sits on land that once belonged to an open common area called Hare Marsh. For centuries, people left the cramped, smoky city to walk here, breathe fresh air, and hunt for hares that were common in the fields. By the nineteenth century, the open land disappeared under a maze of streets and housing built for the area's growing population. This urban transformation later left the district vulnerable during the Second World War, when heavy bombing destroyed many of the buildings that had replaced the original meadows. The park you see today was created in the aftermath, specifically as a way to reclaim space once the post-war temporary housing was cleared.