Putney Old Burial Ground is a public

urban park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to r ...

and former cemetery in the

London Borough of Wandsworth Wandsworth () is a London borough in southwest London; it forms part of Inner London and has an estimated population of 329,677 inhabitants. Its main named areas are Battersea, Balham, Putney, Tooting and Wandsworth Town. The borough border ...

near

Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient paris ...

town centre.

Geography

The park has an area of 0.34ha and can be entered from Upper Richmond road on the north side of the park. Percy Laurie House residential building and the Daley Fitness gym are on the west side, All Saints Liberal Catholic Church and

Putney Arts Theatre Putney Arts Theatre ("PAT") is based in Putney, in the London Borough of Wandsworth and operates as a community space specialising in theatre productions. The Putney Arts Theatre stands in the Union Chapel built by Sir Samuel Morton Peto in t ...

are on the East side, and Nursery close is on the south side. The park is part of the West Putney Conservation Area and the Wandsworth Archaeological Priority Area, it is maintained by Wandsworth Borough Council.

History

The cemetery was established in 1763 on land donated by Revd Roger Pettiward, to provide additional burial space for St Mary's Church. The cemetery closed for burials in 1854 and was converted for use as a public garden which opened in 1886. In 2005 refurbishment work was carried out on railings, seats and paths, in 2008 Wandsworth Borough Council ran a £43,000 project to restore some of the 18th century tombs.

Features and notable burials

The gates and fence at the park entrance are original and made of iron and there is a small mortuary buildling. The 18th century tombs include four which are Grade II listed: the table tomb at the park entrance, the tomb of archaeologist Robert Wood (1717–1771), merchant banker Stratford Canning (1744–1787) and Joseph Lucas (c. 1758–1833). There are also the graves of 18th century novelist Harriet Thomson (c. 1719–1787) made of coade stone, the grave of William Leader (1767–1828), whose son John Temple Leader gave land for

Leader's Gardens Leader's Gardens is a public urban park on the banks of the River Thames in the London Borough of Wandsworth, between Putney and Barnes town centres. Geography The park has an area of 1.267 hectares, there are entrances from Putney Emban ...

park elsewhere in Putney, and the grave of the Rev. Richard St. Aubyn (1807–1849) who was son of Sir John St Aubyn.

Wildlife

The park is a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. The grassland between the graves has wildflowers and there are six mature London plane trees which provide shade for ferns and mosses. Stag Beetles have been recorded in the park

Amenities

There is some seating in the park but there are no public toilets, dogs are not allowed in the park. The nearby

stages open air productions in the park.

Transport

The park is served by Transport for London buses 74 and 337 which stop on the Upper Richmond road,

Putney railway station Putney railway station serves Putney in the London Borough of Wandsworth, in southwest London straddling Travelcard zone 2 and zone 3. It is down the line from . The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway. ...

(Southwestern Railway) is a 5 minute walk from the park. The

Santander Cycles Santander Cycles (formerly Barclays Cycle Hire) is a public bicycle hire scheme in London in the United Kingdom. The scheme's bicycles are popularly known as Boris Bikes, after Boris Johnson who was Mayor of London when the scheme began operati ...

Putney Rail Station docking station is a 5 minute walk from the park.

References

External links

Wandsworth Borough Council page on the park

Putney Society report on the graves and tombs
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Putney Old Burial Ground Cemeteries in London Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Wandsworth 1763 establishments in England Putney