Description
Long Lane Playground is on the site of a Quaker Burial Ground whose perimeter wall remains as the wall to the recreation ground, now laid out as a playground. The garden consists of an area of grass with some shrubs to the front boundary with Long Lane and south of the wall, which remains across the centre of the playground. A slab records the opening of the Society of Friends burial ground in 1697 and its closure in 1855. A stone tablet set into the wall records that it was built in 1749 - 1750 by John Savage; another plaque records a further wall built in 1789 by the Quakers. The burial ground adjoined that of the Neckinger Road Baptist Chapel established in 1690, which joined with the Back Street Independent Chapel and bought the piece of land for a burial ground. Both were laid out as a children's playground by Bermondsey Vestry in 1885. A number of tombstones remain along the walls, one tomb dated 1791. At the entrance on Long Lane are possibly the remains of the meeting house.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Quaker Burial Ground/Neckinger Road Chapel Burial Ground; Back Street Chapel Burial Ground |
|---|---|
| Site location | Long Lane |
| Postcode | SE1 |
| What3Words | ///rang.traded.snap |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Southwark |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: London Bridge. Tube: London Bridge (Northern, Jubilee), Tower Hill (District, Circle) then bus. Bus: 42, 78. |
| Research Updated | 1 February 2003 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ331793 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1.139 |
| Site Ownership | LB Southwark |
| Site Management | Parks |
| Dates | 1697; 1885 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: wall of recreation ground |
| 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 |
| Other LA Designation | Playground Tier Two |
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
St Mary Magdalen dates from the C13th, built next to the Priory Church of Bermondsey Abbey dedicated to St Saviour. The Abbey was built in 1082 and existed until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537, after which its burial ground was incorporated into that of St Mary Magdalen, which became the parish church. The churchyard was enlarged in 1783 and 1810; after it closed for burials, it was given to the Vestry of Bermondsey in 1882. It was laid out as public garden and opened in 1883. The railed garden has a number of fine C18th and C19th tombs among the grass, wide gravelled paths, a number of beds with roses, floral displays, shrubs and trees include mature plane, Lombardy poplar and ornamental varieties.
Tanner Street Park was opened in 1929. The octagonal Portland stone turret that had capped the tower of the Church of St Olave in Tooley Street was sited in the south-east corner of the recreation ground; St Olave's, built in 1738-9 by Henry Flitcroft and rebuilt in 1843-6 following a fire, was demolished amid much local controversy in 1928. The small park also has a drinking fountain, some ornamental beds, grass and a few trees, with tennis courts and a shelter in the north east.
Leathermarket Gardens were laid out in the 1930s overlooked by flats of the same period. The garden derives its name from the leather market and tanneries that existed here and on the north side is an early C19th leather warehouse. To the east end of the garden is a rectangular sunken area with formal layout of beds. In the central area, separated by a low brick wall, is a raised circular rose garden surrounded by lawn with ornamental trees, behind which is a quiet garden planted with trees and grass, shielded by privet. Adjacent to the west of the gardens is a children's playground. The gardens have been re-landscaped with EH and other funding and are now surrounded by new railings.
