Description
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
The Rookery was a private house with fine gardens that was on the site of a spa in the C18th after mineral springs were discovered. The principal mineral well was situated near the centre of the present gardens, to the north of the formal pond. Following a successful campaign to save it for public open space, the property was presented to the LCC in 1912 and opened as public gardens in 1913. The house was demolished and an Old English Garden was created in the former kitchen garden, with rockeries, a wild garden and a white garden planted. The sloping grounds also had a woodland walk, grass terraces and 2 fine cedar trees, one of which survives.
The Rookery was a private house with fine gardens that was on the site of a spa in the C18th after mineral springs were discovered. The principal mineral well was situated near the centre of the present gardens, to the north of the formal pond. Following a successful campaign to save it for public open space, the property was presented to the LCC in 1912 and opened as public gardens in 1913. The house was demolished and an Old English Garden was created in the former kitchen garden, with rockeries, a wild garden and a white garden planted. The sloping grounds also had a woodland walk, grass terraces and 2 fine cedar trees, one of which survives.
Practical Information
| Site location | Covington Way/Streatham Common South |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW16 3BX |
| What3Words | ///agents.socket.loops |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Lambeth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - 15 minutes before sunset |
| Special Conditions | dogs on leads only on top terrace |
| Facilities | Rookery café adjacent; toilets, sports pitches, tennis courts |
| Events | Events run by SCCoop - see website for details |
| Public Transport | Rail: Streatham Common, Streatham. Bus: 50, 60, 109, 118, 159, 249, 255 |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2023 |
| 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.
Mineral springs were discovered at Streatham in 1659 and the Well House, or Streatham Wells, was built in the early C18th to house visitors to the spa. The adjacent house was rebuilt and enlarged to cater for the spa's many visitors and was later converted to a private residence and renamed The Rookery in 1826. The property came up for sale in 1910 and, in order to save it from development, it was purchased in 1911 with money raised by public subscription through a Local Committee chaired by Stenton Covington. It was presented to the London County Council in 1912 and added to Streatham Common. The house was demolished, an Old English Garden laid out on the walled kitchen garden and the gardens were opened to the public 0n 23 July 1913. In the LCC's handbook of its parks and gardens, published in 1924, the garden features were described, which included 'small strips outside the walls . . . laid out as a rockery, a wild garden, and a white garden [. . . ] a unique feature in the Council's parks'. In addition there was a woodland walk and sloping lawn with two 'majestic cedars'; a flight of steps gave access to the terrace walk, where there was a shelter presented by Stenton Covington.
The sloping grounds remain much the same today and have a terrace to the north-west with bedding displays overlooking formal lawns with a fine mature cedar of Lebanon surviving. To the north is a rock garden, with a stream, rhododendron, heathers and spring bulbs. To the south-east the Old English Garden in the former kitchen garden has an ornamental layout of paved geometrical paths, central pond and rose pergola. There are exuberant floral displays, and the white garden remains to the south-east.
The Friends of Streatham Common was set up with the aims of preserving, protecting and improving The Rookery as well as Streatham Common (q.v.). In July 2013, the Rookery celebrated its centenary as a public garden, and the Friends, along with Lambeth Council and the Streatham Society, planned various improvements in advance of this and an event to mark it.
In 2015 Streatham Common Cooperative (SCCoop) was established, a community-run social enterprise, which began managing services from gardening to litter-picking in The Rookery as part of Lambeth's Co-operative Parks Programme. The Rookery is now directly managed by SCCoop, which employs staff and works with volunteers to maintain the horticultural, landscape, heritage and wildlife features. Other partners who play a role in how the Rookery is managed and used include the Friends of Streatham Common, local businesses and residents. In 2018 SCCoop restored the Rookery cascade and stream garden, co-funded by money has raised from the community, the HLF and Lambeth Council. They run events in the Rookery including the Rookery Christmas Fair and The Rookery Market, and have supported local businesses such as the Inkspot Brewery providing further income for the park.
In 2013 part of the Rookery was declared a Local Nature Reserve along with Streatham Common. It is a Green Flag Award-winning park, as well as a holder of ‘Park of the Year’ award from London In Bloom.
Mineral springs were discovered at Streatham in 1659 and the Well House, or Streatham Wells, was built in the early C18th to house visitors to the spa. The adjacent house was rebuilt and enlarged to cater for the spa's many visitors and was later converted to a private residence and renamed The Rookery in 1826. The property came up for sale in 1910 and, in order to save it from development, it was purchased in 1911 with money raised by public subscription through a Local Committee chaired by Stenton Covington. It was presented to the London County Council in 1912 and added to Streatham Common. The house was demolished, an Old English Garden laid out on the walled kitchen garden and the gardens were opened to the public 0n 23 July 1913. In the LCC's handbook of its parks and gardens, published in 1924, the garden features were described, which included 'small strips outside the walls . . . laid out as a rockery, a wild garden, and a white garden [. . . ] a unique feature in the Council's parks'. In addition there was a woodland walk and sloping lawn with two 'majestic cedars'; a flight of steps gave access to the terrace walk, where there was a shelter presented by Stenton Covington.
The sloping grounds remain much the same today and have a terrace to the north-west with bedding displays overlooking formal lawns with a fine mature cedar of Lebanon surviving. To the north is a rock garden, with a stream, rhododendron, heathers and spring bulbs. To the south-east the Old English Garden in the former kitchen garden has an ornamental layout of paved geometrical paths, central pond and rose pergola. There are exuberant floral displays, and the white garden remains to the south-east.
The Friends of Streatham Common was set up with the aims of preserving, protecting and improving The Rookery as well as Streatham Common (q.v.). In July 2013, the Rookery celebrated its centenary as a public garden, and the Friends, along with Lambeth Council and the Streatham Society, planned various improvements in advance of this and an event to mark it.
In 2015 Streatham Common Cooperative (SCCoop) was established, a community-run social enterprise, which began managing services from gardening to litter-picking in The Rookery as part of Lambeth's Co-operative Parks Programme. The Rookery is now directly managed by SCCoop, which employs staff and works with volunteers to maintain the horticultural, landscape, heritage and wildlife features. Other partners who play a role in how the Rookery is managed and used include the Friends of Streatham Common, local businesses and residents. In 2018 SCCoop restored the Rookery cascade and stream garden, co-funded by money has raised from the community, the HLF and Lambeth Council. They run events in the Rookery including the Rookery Christmas Fair and The Rookery Market, and have supported local businesses such as the Inkspot Brewery providing further income for the park.
In 2013 part of the Rookery was declared a Local Nature Reserve along with Streatham Common. It is a Green Flag Award-winning park, as well as a holder of ‘Park of the Year’ award from London In Bloom.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ310708 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 3.88 |
| Site Ownership | LB Lambeth (part owned, remainder registered under Land Registration Acts) |
| Site Management | Environment Directorate, Parks and Greenspaces Unit (Team Lambeth). SCCoop |
| Dates | 1912/3 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | Yes |
| NHLE grade | Grade II |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Yes: Common (CL29) |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Lambeth |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Streatham Common |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance I (with Common) |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | 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 The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Tate Gardens Streatham is a remnant of a villa garden laid out from 1835 that was improved in the 1880s for Sir Henry Tate. In the C20th it was occupied by St Michael's Convent and in 2000 developed for private housing. Although some of the features are lost there are remnants of the C19th layout. This includes a small summerhouse and the long terrace with low stucco wall, flights of steps and sphinxes that overlooks the main lawn, below which is the small lake. In the grounds are an octagonal gothic castle, Pulhamite rockwork resembling a gorge and other artificial stonework. The remains of the original kitchen garden and a 1930s orchard are also evident. Mature trees include Wellingtonia and holm oak.
Tate Gardens Streatham is a remnant of a villa garden laid out from 1835 that was improved in the 1880s for Sir Henry Tate. In the C20th it was occupied by St Michael's Convent and in 2000 developed for private housing. Although some of the features are lost there are remnants of the C19th layout. This includes a small summerhouse and the long terrace with low stucco wall, flights of steps and sphinxes that overlooks the main lawn, below which is the small lake. In the grounds are an octagonal gothic castle, Pulhamite rockwork resembling a gorge and other artificial stonework. The remains of the original kitchen garden and a 1930s orchard are also evident. Mature trees include Wellingtonia and holm oak.
Streatham Common is ancient commonland that was once part of the Manor of South Streatham, which stretched from Norwood to Tulse Hill. At one time known as Lime Common, it was owned by the church from 1362, at the Dissolution of the Monasteries passing to the Dean and Chapter, and in 1862 to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. It was managed from 1866 by a Committee of Management of local inhabitants. In 1883 it was taken over by the MBW and an Act of Parliament ensured its protection in perpetuity, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners selling c.26.5 hectares to the MBW for £5. Trees were planted around the perimeter and part of the common was mowed, part allowed to become woodland. Most of the lower part was used as allotments during WWII with temporary housing erected around the perimeter. A picturesque landscape sloping from north to south, the upper edges are covered with trees, bracken, copses and gorse.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Norwood Grove was once within Great Streatham Common, partly enclosed in 1635 by the Duke of Portland. In the mid C18th a house called Copgate was on the site of the current early C19th mansion. The estate passed through various owners and in 1913 the mansion was sold to Croydon Corporation. In 1924 the estate, then called Streatham Grove, was saved from development by the actions of Norwood Grove Acquisition Committee, originally formed in 1910 to safeguard local open space from development. It raised funds and persuaded the owners to sell 32 acres of estate parkland for public open space. Norwood Grove, with the house, its ornamental gardens and grounds, was opened on 16 November 1926 by The Prince of Wales.
Norwood Grove was once within Great Streatham Common, partly enclosed in 1635 by the Duke of Portland. In the mid C18th a house called Copgate was on the site of the current early C19th mansion. The estate passed through various owners and in 1913 the mansion was sold to Croydon Corporation. In 1924 the estate, then called Streatham Grove, was saved from development by the actions of Norwood Grove Acquisition Committee, originally formed in 1910 to safeguard local open space from development. It raised funds and persuaded the owners to sell 32 acres of estate parkland for public open space. Norwood Grove, with the house, its ornamental gardens and grounds, was opened on 16 November 1926 by The Prince of Wales.