Description
King George's Field is a small park that was created when Bermondsey Borough Council received a grant of £500 from the King George's Fields Foundation in order to procure the small site for public recreation. It is on the site of the church and churchyard of All Saints, which was bombed during WWII. The church had been built in 1840 on land donated by the Lord of the Manor; its churchyard opened in 1843, the last recorded burial in 1888.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | All Saints' Churchyard |
|---|---|
| Site location | Lower Road/Surrey Quays Road, Rotherhithe |
| Postcode | SE16 |
| What3Words | ///shark.hung.work |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Southwark |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - sunset |
| Facilities | playground, tennis courts |
| Public Transport | Tube: Canada Water (Jubilee). Bus: 47, 188, P13 |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2002 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
King George's Field is a small post-WWII park surrounded by a perimeter wall on two sides and has grass, rose beds and scattered trees. Bermondsey Borough Council received a grant of £500 from the King George's Fields Foundation in order to procure the small 0.75 acre site. The Foundation was set up as a memorial following the King's death in 1936, and provided funding for the creation or improvement of a great many playing fields before it was dissolved in 1965. King George's Field is on the site of the church and churchyard of All Saints, which was bombed during WWII, after which the parish was joined with that of St Mary Rotherhithe (q.v.). All Saints' Church was built in 1840 and designed by Sampson Kempthorne on land donated by the Lord of the Manor, Sir William Maynard Gomm, after whom nearby Gomm Road is named. The churchyard opened in 1843 and was in use until 1857 although the last recorded burial took place in 1888.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ352793 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.653 |
| Site Ownership | LB Southwark |
| Site Management | Parks. Friends of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Parks |
| Dates | 1843; 1950s/60s |
| 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 | Southwark |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Park, Tier Two. Regeneration Area. Strategic Views Protected Viewing Corridor |
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
Prior to becoming a public park, the site was used for market gardening and was owned by the Lord of Rotherhithe Manor. Pressure for a public park in the area began in the 1850s and in 1857 the new Metropolitan Board of Works was persuaded that Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, as well as Finsbury, were most in need and a site was approved. Southwark Park was laid out by the MBW and opened on 19 June 1869. The original layout had a wide carriage drive around the perimeter, part of which survives; various facilities were added by 1885, including a new lake and a bandstand, and in the early C20th a lido and the Ada Salter Rose Garden were among the new facilities. Rundown in the latter C20th, it was very well restored by 2001 with HLF funding, the works including a replica bandstand and bowling pavilion, and the lake restored to its original pre-WWII size and the main gates repaired. Other facilities include a cafe, visitor’s centre, art gallery, sports track and wildlife area.
Prior to becoming a public park, the site was used for market gardening and was owned by the Lord of Rotherhithe Manor. Pressure for a public park in the area began in the 1850s and in 1857 the new Metropolitan Board of Works was persuaded that Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, as well as Finsbury, were most in need and a site was approved. Southwark Park was laid out by the MBW and opened on 19 June 1869. The original layout had a wide carriage drive around the perimeter, part of which survives; various facilities were added by 1885, including a new lake and a bandstand, and in the early C20th a lido and the Ada Salter Rose Garden were among the new facilities. Rundown in the latter C20th, it was very well restored by 2001 with HLF funding, the works including a replica bandstand and bowling pavilion, and the lake restored to its original pre-WWII size and the main gates repaired. Other facilities include a cafe, visitor’s centre, art gallery, sports track and wildlife area.
St Mary's Churchyard Gardens were formerly part of the churchyard of St Mary's Rotherhithe, an additional area that was acquired for burial by the churchwardens in 1820 when the churchyard had become overcrowded. It opened in 1821 when the Watch House was built and burials took place here until 1852. It was converted as a public garden and opened in 1901.
There has been a church here since at least the C10th, the present church of St Mary's Rotherhithe dating from the early C18th. Rotherhithe had strong maritime connections, with many seafarers among its parishioners. In 1620 The Mayflower sailed from here to pick up the Pilgrim Fathers, and three of its four part-owners were buried in Rotherhithe churchyard. An unusual memorial in the churchyard is that of Prince Lee Boo (d.1784), the son of the King of the Belau Islands, whose monument was erected by the East India Company. The churchyard immediately adjacent to the church was opened to the public in 1909, while the main part of the churchyard had been opened as a public garden in 1901, now called St Mary's Churchyard Gardens.
