Description

Newington Gardens is on the site of Horsemonger Lane Gaol and the Surrey County Sessions House, where executions took place until the mid C19th. After the gaol closed in 1878, the building was demolished and the site was used as a playground, although the external walls remained. A portion of the land was maintained as a public playground by Newington Vestry, laid out by the MPGA and opened by Mrs Gladstone on 5 May 1884. In 1890 the LCC took over the Sessions House and the associated property, and enlarged the recreation ground between 1892 and 1919 providing a children's gymnasium, garden with bandstand, toilets and seating. The park has been restored in recent years, and has shrubberies and a number of mature trees.

Practical Information

Previously known as Gaol Park, Newington Recreation Ground
Site location Harper Road/Bath Terrace
Postcode SE1
What3Words ///moves.into.gift
Type of Site Public Park
Borough Southwark
Open to Public Yes
Opening Times unrestricted
Facilities playground, tennis courts, football
Public Transport Tube: Borough (Northern), Elephant & Castle (Northern, Bakerloo). Bus: 35, 40, 343.
Research Updated 1 April 2002
Last Updated 18 October 2026

Full description

The Surrey County Sessions House was designed by George Gwilt the Elder, following an Act of 1791, at which time Horsemonger Lane Gaol was the largest in Surrey. The connection between the Sessions House and the County of Surrey was broken in 1888 with the passing of the Local Government Act. Public executions took place here and Dickens visited on 13 November 1849 and subsequently campaigned against public hanging. The Gaol closed in 1878 and the ground was allowed to be used as playground after the building was demolished although external walls and gatehouse remained, as a result of which it was known locally as Gaol Park. The County of London Sessions Court replaced the Surrey County Sessions House in 1914-21 and was extended in 1954-58 for the LCC.

Further Information

Grid Reference TQ322793
Size in hectares 1.697
Site Ownership LB Southwark
Site Management Parks
Dates 1884; 1892-1919
Listed Structures LBII: County of London Sessions Court
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 Yes - Archaeological Priority Zone
Other LA Designation Local Park, Tier Two. Strategic Views Backdrop Consultation Zone (part)

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Nearby parks and gardens

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Dickens' Fields

Dickens’ Fields, formerly known as Dickens Square Park is a local park located off Falmouth Road, close to the Rockingham, Lawson and Trinity Newington housing estates. The LCC Rockingham Estate was built in the 1930s and included Dickens Square, although this road pre-dates the LCC estate and is shown on maps from the mid-C19th as Union Square. A number of the streets and terraces of housing here were cleared in the early 1970s and part of the area was laid out as public open space with Dickens Park dating from the 1980s. The need to improve the park, which had become overgrown and was felt to be unsafe, was under discussion for many years and it was eventually re-landscaped and re-opened on 1 September 2021 when it was renamed Dickens’ Fields. Within the park is the Anne Keane playground, named after a local resident who had campaigned for the development of the park. 

 

Butterfly Walk before re-landscaping of Dickens' Fields, April 2002. Photograph Sally Williams
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Trinity Church Square

Trinity Church Square was laid out in 1824-32 on land belonging to the Corporation of Trinity House. Adjacent to the garden is the church of Holy Trinity, built in 1823-24, and since 1975 converted into the Henry Wood Hall for music rehearsal. The garden is private and laid out with lawn, shrubs, ornamental planting and mature plane trees. Within it is the statue of a king on a stone pedestal, late C14th in style, which was erected here by 1836 and may have once been in Westminster Hall. The garden has undergone re-planting in 2000 and in 2002 Trinity Street was closed to through-traffic.
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Merrick Square

Merrick Square is named after Christopher Merrick who left land to Trinity House in 1661. The square of 32 houses was built from 1853-72 and overlooked a private garden, still enclosed by its original C19th cast iron railings. At each end of the garden are 2 concrete cast urns on plinths and trees include London plane, chestnut, lime, sycamore, laburnum and various shrubs. The central beds were replanted in 2000 under the supervision of the Museum of Garden History, now renamed the Garden Museum.