Description
Putney was settled from early times. There was Roman occupation here and Lower Richmond Road may have been a Roman Road. Putney Lower Common remained open pasture and farmland, and is contiguous with Barnes Common. Land began to be enclosed from at least the C15th but in 1871 the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act was passed and the Wimbledon and Putney Conservators, established to preserve the commonland, prevented further encroachment. The common is generally open grassland with mature trees around it, mainly plane trees and chestnuts. Cricket is played in the summer and a fairground visits on bank holidays and in this way the common still offers the traditional activities that were long associated with commons before urbanisation and enclosure overtook them.
Practical Information
| Site location | Commondale/Lower Richmond Road/Quens Ride/Common Road |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW15 |
| What3Words | ///craft.aura.heave |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Wandsworth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | cricket pitch, car park (by Hospital). Nature trails |
| Public Transport | Tube: Putney Bridge (District). Rail: Barnes. Bus: 22, 265 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
In 1469 an area to the south of Putney Lower Common known as 'Pightells' was enclosed by John Twigge for raising sheep for wool, and some further land was lost in the C19th when Elm Lodge was built, rebuilt in 1912 as Putney Hospital. Land was also lost when Putney Lower Common Cemetery (q.v.) was established in 1858. The common now separates the C19th urban development of Putney from its neighbour Sheen but there was little building around the Common until the 1860s, although temporary structures such as pesthouses and agricultural buildings were erected into the C17th.
In the south-east corner is All Saints' Church, separated by a hedge from the common, and built in Gothic Revival style by G E Street in 1874, with a later north-east extension. It has fine stained glass windows by Edward Burne-Jones Studio. The church is surrounded by a pleasant garden with extensive flower beds planted cottage style, lawns and perimeter trees, predominantly lime; the landscaping and paths around the garden have recently been renovated.
In the south-east corner is All Saints' Church, separated by a hedge from the common, and built in Gothic Revival style by G E Street in 1874, with a later north-east extension. It has fine stained glass windows by Edward Burne-Jones Studio. The church is surrounded by a pleasant garden with extensive flower beds planted cottage style, lawns and perimeter trees, predominantly lime; the landscaping and paths around the garden have recently been renovated.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ230759 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 19.185 |
| Site Ownership | Wimbledon and Putney Common Conservators |
| Site Management | Wimbledon and Putney Common Conservators |
| Dates | c.1880 |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: All Saints Church |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Wimbledon & Putney Commons Act 1871 |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Wandsworth |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance I |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Common. Strategic View 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
In 1855 3 acres of land of Putney Lower Common were bought by the local Burial Board from Earl Spencer, Lord of the Manor, for this small cemetery. It was established by 1858 on the edge of Putney Lower Common and Barnes Common, and remains visually part of these open spaces. It has ornate railings and gates on Lower Richmond Road, and is otherwise bounded by brick wall, with intermittent railings along the east. The rag stone chapels and lodge were designed by Barnett and Birch in 1855 and built by a local firm of builders, W and R Aviss, whose family tomb is in the cemetery. There are some interesting historic tombs, including that of Sir Alfred Dryden (d.1912), a descendent of John Dryden, the poet. The cemetery is now closed for burials except within privately owned graves. There are a variety of trees including yew and the cemetery is wooded towards the north where the boundary wall abuts Barnes Common.
In 1854 a plot of land in the north-east corner of Barnes Common was enclosed to provide an additional burial ground for St Mary's Barnes, whose churchyard had become overcrowded. The cemetery was laid out with paths, a chapel was built and it was in use until the mid-1950s, with many artists and writers among those buried. After it closed to burials, it was taken over in 1966 by Richmond Borough Council who intended to turn it into a lawn cemetery. The chapel and lodge were demolished, and the boundary railings removed. It was badly vandalised over the ensuing years and many of the headstones broken. The Council has now declared it a nature reserve and it is effectively part of Barnes Common.
Barn Elms Park is essentially a landscaped path between Horne Way near the river and Lower Richmond Road. The OS Map of 1869-74 shows the layout much as it is today with a central path flanked by grass and trees, and a shallow semi-circular entrance at the south, with a small lodge.