Description
Dulwich Village Green is a small area of public open space formerly owned by the Estates Governors of Alleyn's College, who dedicated it to the public in 1909 and passed it to Camberwell Borough Council. Various enclosures with grass and trees, created as common frontages to the houses and reserved as permanent open space, continue to be owned by the Trustees of The Dulwich Estate. The land in front of Nos.11-25 and 33-41 College Road and in front of Nos. 93-115 Dulwich Village Road is registered commonland.
Practical Information
| Site location | College Road and Village Way, Dulwich Village |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SE21 |
| What3Words | ///visual.truck.pokers |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Southwark |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: North Dulwich then bus. Bus P4 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Dulwich Estate today consists of nearly 608 hectares (1500 acres) and continues to be managed by the successor to Alleyn's charitable foundation. Edward Alleyn was a well-known Elizabethan actor-manager and impresario, also putting on bull- and bear-baiting, as a result of which he had been appointed Joint Master of the Royal Bears, Bulls and Mastiff Dogs in 1604. By now a wealthy man, he bought the Manor of Dulwich in 1605 although he continued to live in London until 1613, staying at Dulwich in the summer. He then decided to establish a charitable foundation in Dulwich to be endowed with his property at Dulwich and elsewhere. Following the foundation of Alleyn's College of God's Gift granted by James I in 1619 he began building his Almshouses for 'six poor brothers and six poor sisters' and his School 'for twelve poor scholars'. All the beneficiaries were to be chosen from four parishes: St Giles' Camberwell and the 3 London parishes with which he was closely connected, St Botolph's Bishopsgate, St Saviour's Southwark and St Giles Cripplegate (q.q.v.), the latter replaced as nominating body by the new parish of St Luke's in 1773.
The charitable foundation underwent reorganisation over the years particularly as a result of the expansion of its educational provision by James Allen, who was Warden and Master of the College from 1712-1746. Rents from his properties in Kensington enabled 2 small schools to be set up in Dulwich after 1741, and in 1842 a grammar school was established. These schools later led to what are now Dulwich College, James Allen's Girls' School and Alleyn's School (q.q.v.). From 1882 2 separate boards of trustees were established, the Estates Governors who had responsibility for the Estate and Almshouses, and the College Governors who had responsibility for the schools, chapel and Dulwich Picture Gallery (q.v.), which had opened in 1814.
In 1995 new arrangements came into being whereby the properties, investments and other estate activities now come under the Trustees of The Dulwich Estate, which includes management of Amenity Areas, that now comprise 28 separate parcels of land. The largest area is Dulwich Woods (q.v.), but it also include footpaths, verges, greens and shrubberies, as well as the garden of the Old College. There are some freehold 3800 properties on the Dulwich Estate, which are all subject to the Estate's Scheme of Management established by law in 1974 as a means of preserving the estate's exceptional environment. The Amenity Areas are all maintained by the Managers of the Scheme out of a charge made as part of the Scheme and freeholders are also obliged to maintain their properties, gardens and boundaries in a good state.
The Trustees of The Dulwich Estate also acts as Trustees of the Charity of Christ's Chapel of God's Gift at Dulwich. Boards of Governors were set up for Dulwich College, Alleyn's School and Dulwich Picture Gallery. A separate board of Trustees of the Dulwich Almshouse Charity still maintains links with the four parishes of the original foundation.
The charitable foundation underwent reorganisation over the years particularly as a result of the expansion of its educational provision by James Allen, who was Warden and Master of the College from 1712-1746. Rents from his properties in Kensington enabled 2 small schools to be set up in Dulwich after 1741, and in 1842 a grammar school was established. These schools later led to what are now Dulwich College, James Allen's Girls' School and Alleyn's School (q.q.v.). From 1882 2 separate boards of trustees were established, the Estates Governors who had responsibility for the Estate and Almshouses, and the College Governors who had responsibility for the schools, chapel and Dulwich Picture Gallery (q.v.), which had opened in 1814.
In 1995 new arrangements came into being whereby the properties, investments and other estate activities now come under the Trustees of The Dulwich Estate, which includes management of Amenity Areas, that now comprise 28 separate parcels of land. The largest area is Dulwich Woods (q.v.), but it also include footpaths, verges, greens and shrubberies, as well as the garden of the Old College. There are some freehold 3800 properties on the Dulwich Estate, which are all subject to the Estate's Scheme of Management established by law in 1974 as a means of preserving the estate's exceptional environment. The Amenity Areas are all maintained by the Managers of the Scheme out of a charge made as part of the Scheme and freeholders are also obliged to maintain their properties, gardens and boundaries in a good state.
The Trustees of The Dulwich Estate also acts as Trustees of the Charity of Christ's Chapel of God's Gift at Dulwich. Boards of Governors were set up for Dulwich College, Alleyn's School and Dulwich Picture Gallery. A separate board of Trustees of the Dulwich Almshouse Charity still maintains links with the four parishes of the original foundation.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ332736 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | The Dulwich Estate |
| Site Management | LB Southwark, Parks (Dulwich Village Green); Managers of the Scheme of Management (Trustees of The Dulwich Estate Charity) |
| Listed Structures | LBII: numerous listed buildings throughout Dulwich village |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Yes: Common (CL131 & 132) |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Southwark |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Dulwich Village |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes (part) Archaeological Priority Zone |
| Other LA Designation | Registered commonland (part) |
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
James Allen's Girls' School originated as a small school founded in 1741 by James Allen, Master and Warden of Alleyn's College of God's Gift in Dulwich. The school moved to the current site in 1886, and in 1896 its Botany Gardens began to be planted, after the arrival of Dr Lilian Clarke as science teacher. Her pioneering approach included practical work in the school grounds with a series of ecological gardens created to enable the pupils to study plants in conjunction with insects and other animals in their habitats. By 1914 over 300 girls and part-time assistants were helping with the work and new garden areas and types of habitat were added. The gardens flourished until the outbreak of WWII but after the war they became neglected as the focus of the syllabus changed. Restoration of the Botany Gardens began in 1984 and works include a new pond near order beds with dipping platforms, coppicing and planting of exotic species in the woodland.
The site for the burial ground was donated by Edward Alleyn who owned the Manor of Dulwich. His charitable foundation, Alleyn's College of God's Gift, led to the establishment of almshouses and schools in Dulwich, and continues to manage an estate of nearly 610 hectares. Prior to this the nearest place of worship was some 2 miles away and there was no parish burial ground. The cemetery was twice enlarged over the years but was full by 1856 and closed to burials. It contains some fine C18th and C19th tombs and a number of famous people were buried here.
Alleyn's School Memorial Garden commemorates Old Boys of the school who died in the two world wars. It is a gated triangular garden located in the west of the school grounds leading directly onto playing fields, near the site of an RAF Barrage Balloon in WWII. The Memorial Garden was officially opened in 1954 by the Chairman of the Board of Governors. Red brick stone-capped gate piers flank a small ornamental gate topped with Alleyn's crest and the words 'God's Gift'. The garden has a central path of paving slabs, either side of which are shrub beds to railings and beech hedge on the road boundaries, with a low hedge to the playing fields beyond. Since it opened additional commemorative trees have been planted in memory of pupils and staff.