Description
The site is a former burial ground of St Bartholomew's Hospital, which was used for the burial of unclaimed bodies. It was located east of Mssrs Sewards Dye House. After it closed for burial the site was let as a carter's yard before being laid out as a public playground by the MPGA in 1891, which was maintained by St Luke's Vestry. It is now tarmaced and used as a playground by Dallington School, bounded by a rendered wall to Seward Street with railings above, gate piers and a number of plane trees. The site has been identified within the Bunhill and Clerkenwell Urban Design Study as being potentially suitable for public open space.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Seward Street Burial Ground; St Bartholomew's Hospital Ground |
|---|---|
| Site location | Seward Street |
| Postcode | EC1V 3RF |
| What3Words | ///mixer.sailor.flat |
| Type of Site | Institutional Grounds |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private/school use only |
| Public Transport | Tube: Angel (Northern) then bus. Bus: 4, 55, 56, 153, 243, 505 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Dallington School was founded in 1978 by Mogg Hercules, who acquired the former Gatehouse School to open her independent school here.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ320825 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.12 |
| Site Ownership | LB Islington / St. Bartholomew's and the London Foundation Trust |
| Site Management | School |
| Dates | 1891 |
| 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 | Islington |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
King Square was originally laid out in 1822-25 on land belonging to St Bartholomew's Hospital, with the church of St Barnabas built on the east side. The church was damaged during WWII but was rebuilt and re-opened in 1956, later renamed St Clement's Church. By the 1950s the area was run-down and a new housing estate was planned. The King Square Estate was built for Finsbury Borough Council between 1959-65 and the garden square was re-landscaped, remaining public open space surrounded by the new estate. The tallest tower overlooks the park on the west side. Part of the garden is paved and the remainder has grass, flowerbeds, shrubs and trees.
St Luke's Church and Gardens are laid out on the former churchyard. The church was built in 1733 when it became a separate parish as the population in the area increased. Due to subsidence the church was largely dismantled in 1959/60 when the roof was removed and it became a picturesque ruin after initial plans to convert it fell through. It has now been restored to become the home of the London Symphony Orchestra's community and music education programme, LSO Discovery. The railings, gates and piers around the church gardens date from c.1852, set on a low brick parapet wall, and the garden onto Old Street has a few tombs remaining including the railed chest tomb of Thomas Hanby (d.1786). The area to the north of the church was laid out as a public garden in 1878, maintained by the vestry. Once a rose garden, this area was re-landscaped in 2006 with lawns, paths and a central feature with seating and raised beds.
Until c.1805 the site was used as a 'Greenyard', a pound for stray animals. The Northampton Estate was developed as a residential area around the Manor House, which was later demolished in 1896. The district later became overcrowded as London expanded and many houses in the area became workshops and tenements. Northampton Institute was built as a Working Man's College in 1896-98 and later became a polytechnic and then City University in 1966. Only the south-east and south-west sides of Northampton Square still have the original buildings, with a few early C19th houses surrounding the railed central garden, although much bomb damage occurred. The gardens were opened to the public in July 1885 with assistance from MPGA, the layout by Fanny Wilkinson.