British Medical Association Council Garden and Court of Honour (also known as BMA Council Garden)⁹¹⁸⁴

Brief Description

Planting in the Council Garden includes a fine Catalpa and a collection of plants with medicinal properties.

History

The site was that of Tavistock House and grounds, built in 1796 and demolished c.1900, once the home of Charles Dickens. The buildings occupied by the British Medical Association were originally designed for the British Theosophical Society by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911-14. The unfinished site was acquired by the BMA in 1923 and Lutyens again worked on the project until 1925, when the new headquarters opened, although later additions were made by others. Lutyens' work included the rear Council Garden, his design comprising a semi-circular terrace and oval pool that echoed the geometry and clarity of his architectural style. He also designed a memorial garden in the Court of Honour but this was re-configured in 1954 with a bronze fountain in a circular pool, flanked by figurative stone sculptures representing Sacrifice, Cure, Prevention and Aspiration.

Visitor Facilities