Description
Rutlish School was established in 1895 at the instigation of John Innes, funded through the Rutlish Charity of which he was then Chairman. William Rutlish had left £400 in his will of 1687 for apprenticing poor children and by 1894 the charity's funds had grown to around £6,000. Rutlish Science School opened in 1895 on a site off Kingston Road to the north-east. In 1957 the school relocated to the current site, which had been that of the John Innes Horticultural Institution from 1910-1953. The Manor House, where Innes lived until his death in 1904, remains in the school grounds. The gates from the old Rutlish Science School were re-installed in the quad surrounded by trees. Also in the school grounds is Blenkinsop Memorial Garden, laid out to commemorate an ex-teacher of the 1970s.
Practical Information
| Site location | Watery Lane |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW20 9AD |
| What3Words | ///admire.fades.status |
| Type of Site | Institutional Grounds |
| Borough | Merton |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private |
| Public Transport | Rail: Wimbledon Chase, South Merton. Tramlink: Merton Park. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
William Rutlish became the official embroiderer to Charles II in 1661, a lucrative position that enabled him to purchase property and land in Merton. When he died in 1687 he was buried in Merton Park parish churchyard of Mary's (q.v.), and under his will he left money for poor and deserving children in Merton who were 'the worthiest and most suitable objects of charity'. The trustees of his charity decided that the provision of education would be a suitable way of carrying out the terms of his will. William Rutlish is remembered each year by pupils of Rutlish School at the annual Commemoration Day Service in St Mary's Church when a wreath is laid on his tomb.
In 1887 John Innes, was appointed Chairman of the Rutlish Trustees, and agreed to use the money accumulated from the Rutlish bequest to set up Rutlish Science School. On 26 September 1895 Rutlish Science School was officially opened. The school was designed to provide a “thorough, modern, practical education for boys aged between 10 and 17 years of age”. On his death in 1904, John Innes bequeathed the Manor House, its grounds and funds to create a park and a school of horticulture. The John Innes Horticultural Institution was established in 1910 and remained here until 1949 when it moved to Hertfordshire and then to Norwich. The land vacated by the Horticultural Institute and the Manor House were given to the school which moved from its original site. John Innes Park and Recreation Ground (q.v.) adjacent to the school was laid out as a public park on the former grounds of the Manor House and opened in 1909.
A map from 1951 shows ruins and a grotto (presumably from the old Manor) in the grounds of the School with a triangle of nurseries still functioning - Google Earth satellite images suggest that these are now under new school buildings.
In 1887 John Innes, was appointed Chairman of the Rutlish Trustees, and agreed to use the money accumulated from the Rutlish bequest to set up Rutlish Science School. On 26 September 1895 Rutlish Science School was officially opened. The school was designed to provide a “thorough, modern, practical education for boys aged between 10 and 17 years of age”. On his death in 1904, John Innes bequeathed the Manor House, its grounds and funds to create a park and a school of horticulture. The John Innes Horticultural Institution was established in 1910 and remained here until 1949 when it moved to Hertfordshire and then to Norwich. The land vacated by the Horticultural Institute and the Manor House were given to the school which moved from its original site. John Innes Park and Recreation Ground (q.v.) adjacent to the school was laid out as a public park on the former grounds of the Manor House and opened in 1909.
A map from 1951 shows ruins and a grotto (presumably from the old Manor) in the grounds of the School with a triangle of nurseries still functioning - Google Earth satellite images suggest that these are now under new school buildings.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ246693 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Rutlish School |
| Site Management | Rutlish School |
| Dates | 1910; 1957 |
| 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 | Merton |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Merton Park |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority 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
This (2.28 ha) park and associated recreation ground (1.75 ha of playing field) linked by a footpath were originally the grounds of the Manor House, home of John Innes. On his death in 1904 he left the house, grounds and most of his money to found a school of horticulture, if possible, or a museum and other charitable schemes. The layout of the park was adapted from the original manor house gardens by the architect J S Brocklesby and was formally opened to the public in 1909. The Recreation Ground, which is connected by public footpath to John Innes Park, was established at the same time. The Park and Recreation Ground were transferred by way of deed of gift to the Urban District Council in 1949. They are currently both managed and maintained by the London Borough of Merton’s Greenspaces teams
Screened by evergreen hedges and shrubs and secluded evergreen walks the park has an intimate character. The layout of 1909 is little altered today although the bowling green has been relocated in the south-east corner. Buildings predating the park layout include the entrance lodge on the junction of Church Path and Mostyn Road, a two-storey lodge and an archway, both inside the park. The bandstand, cricket pavilion and toilet block all date from the 1909 layout. More recent works have sought to reinstate original features with a substantial replanting of the rockery in 2004.
Screened by evergreen hedges and shrubs and secluded evergreen walks the park has an intimate character. The layout of 1909 is little altered today although the bowling green has been relocated in the south-east corner. Buildings predating the park layout include the entrance lodge on the junction of Church Path and Mostyn Road, a two-storey lodge and an archway, both inside the park. The bandstand, cricket pavilion and toilet block all date from the 1909 layout. More recent works have sought to reinstate original features with a substantial replanting of the rockery in 2004.
Greystones, an Arts & Crafts style house at 29 Mostyn Road, Merton Park, was built in 1913 and its gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll. They survived for half a century and although destroyed in the 1970s, were partly restored in 1992 by the then owners. Jekyll’s distinctive box and yew hedging has since been re-established as have the original broad shapes of the beds containing shrubs and flowers. However, subsequent owners have chosen not to allow access of any kind and it is not possible to check whether Jekyll’s detailed plant listings are still maintained. Nevertheless the site was once part of the John Innes estate and remains within the John Innes Conservation Area today. Its architect, JS Brocklesby, also designed John Innes Park, virtually next door to Greystones, which opened to the public in 1909.
Church Lane Playing Field is 1.8 hectares of land lying north of St Mary's Church and has C17th and C18th Grade II listed enclosing walls, probably those of a C17th house, Merton Place, which was later Church House. It was demolished in the 1920s and replaced by two houses. During the course of its history the site became a workhouse, a school and later occupied by the John Innes Horticultural Institute before being acquired by the Council Council becoming a public recreation ground. The site is grassland with trees generally around the perimeter, with a few recently planted scattered trees and an old mulberry near the entrance gate on Church Lane.