Description
Queen Elizabeth Gardens is a triangle of land laid out formally with paving and a number of raised beds with grass, ornamental planting and seating, surrounded by metal posts of c.1910. At the west apex of the triangle is a statue by Sydney March of Samuel Bourne Bevington (1832-1907), who was the first Mayor of Bermondsey in 1900-1902. It was 'erected by his fellow citizens' in 1910, now surrounded by rose bushes within railings. In the centre of the garden is a bust of Ernest Bevin (1881-1951), prominent Trades Unionist, MP and Labour politician, who was Foreign Secretary from 1945-51. In 1977 the name of this public open space was changed to Queen Elizabeth Gardens for the Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Ernest Bevin Gardens; Queen Elizabeth Street Open Space |
|---|---|
| Site location | Queen Elizabeth Street/Tooley Street |
| Postcode | SE1 |
| What3Words | ///donor.danger.cloak |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Southwark |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Toilets |
| Public Transport | Rail/Tube: London Bridge (Northern, Jubilee), Tower Hill (District, Circle) then bus. Bus: 42, 78, 47, 381, 188. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ335799 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.108 |
| Site Ownership | LB Southwark |
| Site Management | Parks |
| Dates | 1910 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Statue of Samuel Bourne Bevington |
| 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Tower Bridge |
| 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 | Roadside Site, Tier Three. Regeneration Area. Strategic Views Backdrop Consultation Zone |
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 John Horselydown was an early C18th church designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and John James, a prominent local landmark until it was bombed in WWII. It was replaced by a new building in 1976, now London City Mission, which rises out of the remains of the old walls. The churchyard was in use until 1853. Adjoining it was a paupers' burial ground of St Olave's, now part of Potters Fields Park. St John's churchyard was laid out as public gardens in 1882. The C18th Watch House is within the garden, and C18th Vicarage is just outside.
Potters Fields Park is on a site that includes the former burial ground of St Olave's Church to the south, converted into a recreation ground in the late C19th, and riverside wharves and warehouses near the foot of Tower Bridge. When the riverside area became derelict, an ecology park was created here in 1977, remaining until 1985. The park combining these two areas was laid out in 1988 and opened as Potters Fields Park, recalling the pottery works that had existed here in the C17th. The park was re-designed in 2007
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.