Description
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Putney Vale Cemetery was established on former farmland in 1887 when Putney Cemetery was full. The cemetery was laid out by Wandsworth Borough Council Surveyor, who also designed the cemetery chapels and lodge. Planting was carried out by J Melady & Sons of Barnes. It opened in 1891 and was later extended in 1909 and 1912. One of the chapels was converted to a Crematorium in 1938 by E J Elford, who also designed the Garden of Remembrance, laid out in 1935-38. The SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) memorial garden was created 1996. The catacomb range was built in 2003.
Putney Vale Cemetery was established on former farmland in 1887 when Putney Cemetery was full. The cemetery was laid out by Wandsworth Borough Council Surveyor, who also designed the cemetery chapels and lodge. Planting was carried out by J Melady & Sons of Barnes. It opened in 1891 and was later extended in 1909 and 1912. One of the chapels was converted to a Crematorium in 1938 by E J Elford, who also designed the Garden of Remembrance, laid out in 1935-38. The SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) memorial garden was created 1996. The catacomb range was built in 2003.
Practical Information
| Site location | Kingston Road/Stag Lane, Kingston Vale |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW15 3DZ |
| What3Words | ///clay.direct.these |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Wandsworth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Nov-Feb: Mon-Sat 8am-4pm/Sun 10am-4pm; Mar/Oct: closure at 5pm; April/Sept: closure at 6pm; May - August closure at 7pm. Christmas Day 10am-1pm |
| Facilities | toilets, car park |
| Public Transport | Tube: Putney Bridge (District) then bus. Rail: Kingston then bus. Bus: 85, 265, 485 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Site on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens, for Register Entry see https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list. The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England was established in 1984 and was commonly called English Heritage. In April 2015 it split into 2 separate entities, Historic England (HE), which continues to champion and protect the historic environment, and the English Heritage Trust, whose role is to look after the 400+ historic sites and monuments owned by the state. HE manages the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) that includes over 400,000 items ranging from prehistoric monuments to office blocks, battlefields and parks, which benefit from legal protection.
There are a number of notable monuments in Putney Vale Cemetery, including the symbolist monument of Emma Vickery (d.1922) and the tomb of Bruce Ismay (1937), ship owner and Chairman of the White Star Line, whose monument features shipping scenes. Famous people buried here include Howard Carter (d.1939), the archaeologist who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922; Vesta Tilley (d.1952), music hall male impersonator known as 'Burlington Bertie'; the sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein (d.1959) and the novelist Ivy Compton Burnett (d.1969). Among the notable people cremated here are the former Prime Minister Clement Attlee (d.1967) and the wife of Sir Winston Churchill, Clementine Churchill (d.1977).
There are a number of notable monuments in Putney Vale Cemetery, including the symbolist monument of Emma Vickery (d.1922) and the tomb of Bruce Ismay (1937), ship owner and Chairman of the White Star Line, whose monument features shipping scenes. Famous people buried here include Howard Carter (d.1939), the archaeologist who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922; Vesta Tilley (d.1952), music hall male impersonator known as 'Burlington Bertie'; the sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein (d.1959) and the novelist Ivy Compton Burnett (d.1969). Among the notable people cremated here are the former Prime Minister Clement Attlee (d.1967) and the wife of Sir Winston Churchill, Clementine Churchill (d.1977).
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ224727 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 17.9 |
| Site Ownership | LB Wandsworth |
| Site Management | Central Cemeteries Office |
| Dates | 1891; 1909-1912; 1935-8; 1970s |
| Designers | J C Radford, planting by J Melady & Son, Barnes |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Gates, piers and railings on Kingston Road; Gordon Mausoleum; Edwin Tate Mausoleum; Sainsbury Mausoleum |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | Yes |
| NHLE grade | Grade II |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Wandsworth |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance II |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Public Open Space/Cemetery. Historic Parks and Gardens |
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 National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Alton Estate was built by the LCC in the 1950s over a high lying site that contained a number of C18th houses and their gardens, elements of which remain, partly within the housing estate and partly within educational establishments that now occupy the houses. The estate aimed to accommodate 9,500 people and provide schools, community buildings and shops; public open space was included within the overall design, with mature trees from the earlier landscaping retained. It was developed in two phases by different teams of architects. The earlier was Alton East built c.1951-55 under Rosemary Stjernstedt adopting Swedish and picturesque principles of town planning as a setting for the 11-storey point blocks and terraces of maisonettes. Alton West, built c.1954-58 under Colin Lucas on the grounds of Downshire House, Manresa House and Mount Clare, was influenced by Le Corbusier's ideas.
Alton Estate was built by the LCC in the 1950s over a high lying site that contained a number of C18th houses and their gardens, elements of which remain, partly within the housing estate and partly within educational establishments that now occupy the houses. The estate aimed to accommodate 9,500 people and provide schools, community buildings and shops; public open space was included within the overall design, with mature trees from the earlier landscaping retained. It was developed in two phases by different teams of architects. The earlier was Alton East built c.1951-55 under Rosemary Stjernstedt adopting Swedish and picturesque principles of town planning as a setting for the 11-storey point blocks and terraces of maisonettes. Alton West, built c.1954-58 under Colin Lucas on the grounds of Downshire House, Manresa House and Mount Clare, was influenced by Le Corbusier's ideas.
The Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields is a substantial grassed sports facility that has been owned and managed by the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators since 1925. In the north east corner is a circular hedged area at the centre of which is the War Memorial, an austere stone cross on a circular platform reached by short flights of steps. Around the cross the grass is mown, with a number of mown paths radiating to entrance points created by gaps in the perimeter hedge. The paths are flanked by avenues of trees; aside from the mown paths the grass is allowed to grow long and semi-natural. To the north-east are woodlands part of Putney Heath.
Putney Heath is part of Wimbledon and Putney Commons, and adjoins Wimbledon Common to the south, the remains of extensive common lands in the area. In the C18th it was a notorious place for duels and highwaymen and Tibbet's Corner, the site of a gallows, now lies in the centre of a roundabout. The Heath is on undulating land with areas of woods and grassland and has several ponds including Scio Pond. There are a number of memorials on the Heath, including the war memorial to the north near Putney Heath Road, and a memorial to the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment. An obelisk by George Dance was erected in 1788 to commemorate an experimental fire-proof house created by David Hartley in 1776, near Tibbet's Corner. Opposite the Green Man Pub in the north east is the former Pound for stray animals.