Description
The site was formerly within the grounds of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Palace and in the late C19th the 'local poor' were given limited public access to what became known as Lambeth Palace Field. Following a campaign for it to have unrestricted opening, in 1900 a licence was granted by the Church Commissioners for it to become a public park, which was laid out and opened in 1901. Various facilities have been added over the years, including a garden area dedicated to Octavia Hill and a community orchard was planted in 2010.
Practical Information
| Site location | Carlisle Lane/Lambeth Road/Lambeth Palace Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SE1 7LE |
| What3Words | ///people.boots.reef |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Lambeth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - 15 minutes before sunset |
| Facilities | All-weather games area, tennis, netball courts, children's play area, putting green, toilets |
| Public Transport | Rail: Waterloo. Tube: Waterloo (Northern, Waterloo & City, Jubilee, Bakerloo); Lambeth North (Bakerloo). Bus: 3, 12, 53, 77, 159 |
| Research Updated | 13 April 2023 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Archbishop's Park was once part of the Bishop of Carlisle's land that was later incorporated into the grounds of Lambeth Palace (q.v.), which has been the London residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury since the C13th. From the late C19th c.9 acres of the Palace Gardens were opened for the benefit of the 'local poor' by Archbishop Tait. He had become Archbishop in 1869 and was concerned about the welfare of the poor of London. The area designated for local children to play became known as Lambeth Palace Field, which continued to be used after Archbishop Tait had died. In 1900 a campaign for the permanent and unrestricted opening of Lambeth Palace Field was spearheaded by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association and this led to the Church Commissioners granting a licence allowing local people to use the park. Archbishop's Park was laid out with lawns, a children's playground and sports fields within boundary trees, and was opened in 1901. Various facilities have been added over the years, and the Friends of Archbishop's Park was established to work with the Lambeth Parks Service in maintaining and preserving the park. The children's playground was also refurbished in recent years.
At the northern end of the park, to mark the launch of the Octavia Foundation in 2005, an area was dedicated to Octavia Hill with a rose bush planted by botanist David Bellamy. Octavia Hill, an energetic social campaigner for better housing and access to open spaces for the poor and disadvantaged, was one of the prime movers in the foundation of the National Trust. The Octavia Foundation's aims are to build on her ideas and support disadvantaged communities in London. The roses, a new variety named after Octavia Hill, were donated to the park by the Octavia Hill Birthplace Museum in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
A Millennium Path has been created, telling the story of Lambeth's history, and in 2010 a community orchard was opened in the north-west corner. The tree varieties selected reflect what would have been found here 200 years ago when the area had many market gardens and nurseries. The park was extended by the addition of land in compensation for the loss of green space due to building works at St Thomas' Hospital and funding for shrub planting was received from the MPGA. The Founder's Place development to the north of the park led by Guys' and St Thomas' Charity will bring improvements to Archbishop's Park, yet to be finalised.
In 2017 Zip Now London established a Zip Wire in the park as a summer attraction, which produced both objections and support, but the levy applied has provided money towards a number of projects such as tree planting and other park projects and community events.
At the northern end of the park, to mark the launch of the Octavia Foundation in 2005, an area was dedicated to Octavia Hill with a rose bush planted by botanist David Bellamy. Octavia Hill, an energetic social campaigner for better housing and access to open spaces for the poor and disadvantaged, was one of the prime movers in the foundation of the National Trust. The Octavia Foundation's aims are to build on her ideas and support disadvantaged communities in London. The roses, a new variety named after Octavia Hill, were donated to the park by the Octavia Hill Birthplace Museum in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
A Millennium Path has been created, telling the story of Lambeth's history, and in 2010 a community orchard was opened in the north-west corner. The tree varieties selected reflect what would have been found here 200 years ago when the area had many market gardens and nurseries. The park was extended by the addition of land in compensation for the loss of green space due to building works at St Thomas' Hospital and funding for shrub planting was received from the MPGA. The Founder's Place development to the north of the park led by Guys' and St Thomas' Charity will bring improvements to Archbishop's Park, yet to be finalised.
In 2017 Zip Now London established a Zip Wire in the park as a summer attraction, which produced both objections and support, but the levy applied has provided money towards a number of projects such as tree planting and other park projects and community events.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ307790 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 3.93 |
| Site Ownership | Church Commissioners, leased to LB Lambeth |
| Site Management | Environment Directorate, Parks and Greenspaces, Lambeth North Area; Friends of Archbishop's Park |
| Dates | 1901 |
| Listed Structures | adjacent - LBI: Lambeth Palace. LBII: houses on Lambeth Road |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Lambeth |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Lambeth Palace |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance II (with Lambeth Palace) |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Historic Parks and Gardens. Park |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Since the C13th Lambeth Palace has been the London home of the Archbishops of Canterbury. The gardens of the medieval palace were once 8 ha., but the current garden is half that size and extends north from the Palace with the boundary wall along Lambeth Palace Road. References to various garden features occur from the C14th, and included at different times a 'Great Garden', herb garden, vineyard, rabbit garden, orchards, fishponds, walks and formal gardens with a raised terrace walk. These features have largely disappeared although an outer moat and inner 'serpentine canal' survived until the mid C18th. In 1901 an area of c.4 ha. to the east was separated to form a public park, Archbishop's Park. The remaining garden was renovated in the 1920s, with further changes occurring under successive Archbishops throughout the C20th.
Since the C13th Lambeth Palace has been the London home of the Archbishops of Canterbury. The gardens of the medieval palace were once 8 ha., but the current garden is half that size and extends north from the Palace with the boundary wall along Lambeth Palace Road. References to various garden features occur from the C14th, and included at different times a 'Great Garden', herb garden, vineyard, rabbit garden, orchards, fishponds, walks and formal gardens with a raised terrace walk. These features have largely disappeared although an outer moat and inner 'serpentine canal' survived until the mid C18th. In 1901 an area of c.4 ha. to the east was separated to form a public park, Archbishop's Park. The remaining garden was renovated in the 1920s, with further changes occurring under successive Archbishops throughout the C20th.
St Mary-at-Lambeth Church dates from 1377 and was restored in the 1850s, but by 1971 the church was redundant and threatened with demolition, its churchyard unkempt. In 1976 the Tradescant Trust was formed and campaigned to save church and churchyard for conversion into a museum and conference centre for garden history. The site has particular importance for garden history with 3 generations of the Tradescant family of plant collectors buried here. By February 1979 sufficient funds were raised and restoration began. The former churchyard behind the church was laid out as a C17th style knot garden. The Museum of Garden History, now renamed the Garden Museum, was officially opened in 1983 by HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Among the monuments in the garden is the Tradescant sarcophagus of 1662, and that of Admiral William Bligh of 'The Bounty', erected in 1817. The Museum has undergone further development since it opened, most recently in 2015 when a major redevelopment project was undertaken to provide a much larger space for the permanent collection to be displayed, two new learning spaces, a new cafe and two new gardens, replacing the 1980s courtyard garden and the churchyard in front of the church.
St Mary's Gardens were laid out by Lambeth Borough Council in 1932/33 on what had been part of the old road when the new Lambeth Bridge was built. It is named after the adjacent parish church. An earlier layout that had a central paved area with a pergola and central water feature was replaced in 2008 by a new landscaping scheme. Planting was undertaken by the local community as well as Putting Down Roots, the horticultural project run by St Mungo's homelessness charity.
