Putney Old Burial Ground

The park has an area of 0.34ha{{cite web |last1=Gardens (en) |first1=Parks and |title=Putney Old Burial Ground |url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/putney-old-burial-ground |website=parksandgardens.org/ |publisher=Parks & Gardens |access-date=2 April 2021 |language=en}} 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 are on the East side, and Nursery close is on the south side.{{cite web |title=Putney Old Burial Ground |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Putney+Old+Burial+Ground/@51.4608138,-0.2211403,19z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x91c785376969fc88!8m2!3d51.4616527!4d-0.2208265 |website=google.com/maps |publisher=Google |access-date=2 April 2021 |language=en}}

The park is part of the West Putney Conservation Area and the Wandsworth Archaeological Priority Area, it is maintained by Wandsworth Borough Council.{{cite web |title=West Putney Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Strategy |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/1714/west_putney_caams_final_small.pdf |website=wandsworth.gov.uk/ |publisher=Wandsworth Borough Council |access-date=2 April 2021}}{{cite web |title=London Borough of Wandsworth Archaeological Priority Areas Appraisal |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/planning/apa-wandsworth/ |website=historicengland.org.uk/ |publisher=Historic England |access-date=2 April 2021 |date=June 2017}}

The cemetery was established in 1763 on land donated by Revd Roger Pettiward, to provide additional burial space for St Mary's Church.{{cite web |title=Putney Old Burial Ground by Phil Evison |url=http://www.wandsworthhistory.org.uk/previous_talks_reports_2017.htm |website=www.wandsworthhistory.org.uk |publisher=Wandsworth Historical Society |access-date=2 April 2021}} 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.

The gates and fence at the park entrance are original and made of iron and{{cite web |title=Putney Old Burial Ground Management Plan 2010–2015 |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/4789/putneyoldburialground2010-2015.pdf |website=wandsworth.gov.uk/ |publisher=Wandsworth Council Parks Service |access-date=2 April 2021}} there is a small mortuary buildling.{{cite web |title=Old Burial Ground, Putney |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/parks/old-burial-ground-putney/ |website=wandsworth.gov.uk/ |publisher=Wandsworth Borough Council |access-date=2 April 2021 |language=en-gb}}

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).{{cite web |last1=Stuff |first1=Good |title=Table Tomb Inscribed to Joseph Lucas, Wandsworth, Wandsworth |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101065498-table-tomb-inscribed-to-joseph-lucas-east-putney-ward#.YGcn8uhKg2w |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=2 April 2021}}

There are also the graves of 18th century novelist Harriet Thomson (c. 1719–1787) made of coade stone,{{cite web |title=The Burial Grounds of Putney London SW15 |url=https://putneysociety.org.uk/putney_society_files/BurGds08.pdf |website=putneysociety.org.uk/ |publisher=The Putney Society |access-date=2 April 2021}} the grave of William Leader (1767–1828), whose son John Temple Leader gave land for Leader's Gardens park elsewhere in Putney, and the grave of the Rev. Richard St. Aubyn (1807–1849) who was son of Sir John St Aubyn.{{cite web |title=West Putney Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Strategy |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/1714/west_putney_caams_final_small.pdf |website=wandsworth.gov.uk/ |publisher=Wandsworth Borough Council |access-date=2 April 2021}}

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.{{cite web |title=Putney Old Burial Ground Management Plan 2010 – 2015 |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/4789/putneyoldburialground2010-2015.pdf |website=wandsworth.gov.uk/ |publisher=Wandsworth Council Parks Service |access-date=2 April 2021}}{{cite web |title=Putney Old Burial Ground |url=http://discover-london.gigl.org.uk/site-Details.aspx?sID=WaL10&sType=sinc |website=discover-london.gigl.org.uk |publisher=Greenspace Information for Greater London |access-date=2 April 2021}} Stag Beetles have been recorded in the park{{cite web |title=Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation: Putney Old Burial Ground |url=https://enablelc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WaL10_PutneyOldBurialGround.pdf |website=enablelc.org/ |publisher=enable |access-date=2 April 2021}}

There is some seating in the park but there are no public toilets, dogs are not allowed in the park.{{cite web |title=Putney Old Burial Ground Management Plan 2010–2015 |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/4789/putneyoldburialground2010-2015.pdf |website=wandsworth.gov.uk/ |publisher=Wandsworth Council Parks Service |access-date=2 April 2021}} The nearby Putney Arts Theatre stages open air productions in the park.{{cite news |title=Love's Labour's Lost |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/loves-labours-lost-4 |access-date=2 April 2021 |publisher=Time Out |date=18 June 2013 |language=en}}

The park is served by Transport for London buses 74 and 337 which stop on the Upper Richmond road, Putney railway station (Southwestern Railway) is a 5 minute walk from the park.{{cite web |last1=Gardens (en) |first1=Parks and |title=Leader's Gardens |url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/leaders-gardens |website=parksandgardens.org/ |publisher=Parks and Gardens |access-date=2 April 2021 |language=en}} The Santander Cycles Putney Rail Station docking station is a 5 minute walk from the park.{{cite web |title=Find a docking station |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles/find-a-docking-station |website=tfl.gov.uk/ |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=2 April 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Putney Old Burial Ground}}

• [https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/parks/old-burial-ground-putney/ Wandsworth Borough Council page on the park]
• [https://putneysociety.org.uk/putney_society_files/BurGds08.pdf Putney Society report on the graves and tombs]
• {{Find a Grave cemetery}}

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{{LB Wandsworth}}

{{Parks and open spaces in London}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Putney Old Burial Ground}}

Category:Cemeteries in the London Borough of Wandsworth

Category:Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Wandsworth

Category:1763 establishments in England

Category:Putney