Description
Grafton Square was developed in 1851 by Captain Thomas Ross; there remain grand terraces on two sides of the garden square with smaller houses on the third side. The fourth side was never built and is now a relatively quiet street. Originally the central garden was railed and planted with shrubs but in 1927 it was let to a Mr A Botting for use as a local tennis club, which had exclusive access. The garden came into public ownership in 1953 at that time within the LB Wandsworth, but it is now within LB Lambeth following borough boundary changes in 1965. It has subsequently been laid out with seats, a shelter and play area now having modern railings. The southern part has a large tarmaced area for a playground, otherwise the site is grassed with a path and a number of trees.
Practical Information
| Site location | Grafton Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW4 |
| What3Words | ///speaks.glitz.fake |
| Type of Site | Garden Square |
| Borough | Lambeth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - 15 minutes before sunset |
| Facilities | children's play area |
| Public Transport | Tube: Clapham Common (Northern). Rail: Clapham High Street |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ293755 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.31 |
| Site Ownership | LB Lambeth |
| Site Management | Environment Directorate, Parks and Greenspaces Unit (Team Lambeth) |
| Dates | 1851; 1953 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Grafton Square terraces |
| 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 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Lambeth |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Clapham |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes - 1 by Clapham Congretational church |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Area |
| Other LA Designation | Protected London Square. Open Space |
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
Crescent Grove is a private estate laid out by Francis Child in 1824 on what was previously fields adjacent to Clapham Common. It is a good example of early C19th suburban development and provided housing of different types and sizes. Child built a large detached house with an extensive garden at the end of the estate for his own use. This was called Grove Lodge but was demolished in 1936. The central garden is an open lozenge between the fine houses, but there is evidence that it was once railed above the low stone edging. Landscaping now consists of lawn with three flowerbeds, numerous trees and ornamental shrubs, and three benches, one installed in memory of Robert and Betty Bates, residents here from the late 1940s-2003, both committed to the conservation and improvement of Crescent Grove.
Royal Trinity Hospice is comprised of four separate houses, which have been linked together. In the mid-C17th a mansion, Clapham Place, stood nearby in extensive grounds that included some formal gardens. When this house was demolished in the mid-C18th two large houses with gardens were built on part of the site. In the 1890s one of these became a home for the terminally ill, and adjoining houses and their gardens were added over the years. In the 1980s following major works to update the hospice, the neglected garden was redesigned by John Medhurst along the principles of eminent landscape designer of Lanning Roper. In 2009 the garden was again re-designed to integrate it with a newly-built, partly sunken wing. In 2015 the hospice was granted the name Royal Trinity Hospice in recognition of the strong connections with the Royal Family.
St Paul's Church was built here in 1815, but was the site of Clapham parish church from the C12th, originally dedicated to St Mary but later Holy Trinity. There are two churchyards, the upper being the oldest, which served the original parish church. The lower churchyard was added behind St Paul's Church on the side of the hill. The churchyards were closed for burials in 1854. With the agreement of the church, Wandsworth Borough Council laid out the lower part as a garden in 1933-4. It became part of LB Lambeth in 1965 as a result of boundary changes. In 1973-4 the lower ground was made into a playground with gravestones ranged along the boundaries, and the upper ground into a garden of rest. In 2000 the church created a new community garden on part of the former burial ground separated from the main churchyard by Matrimony Place. Initially called Eden at St Paul's Community Garden, it was later renamed Eden Nature Garden.