Description
St James's Church was built in 1828 on the last area of open space here, once extensive commonland. From 1890-1920 half an acre of the churchyard became the responsibility of Croydon Corporation to provide much-needed public open space. Finally, in 1959, it was agreed that the whole churchyard should become a public garden, although this was not laid out until 1966. The old churchyard walls remain and gravestones were laid as a paved area adjacent to the church.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St James Churchyard |
|---|---|
| Site location | St James Road/Dingwall Road, Croydon |
| Postcode | CR0 2AU |
| What3Words | ///hats.tilt.shaped |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Bus: 60, 64, 250, 289, 450 |
| Research Updated | 9 July 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
St James' Church was built in 1828, the first Anglican church to be erected since the founding of the Parish of Croydon. The church and churchyard were sited on the last area of open space here, which had once been part of the extensive commonland. As the area became built up, no provision was made for recreation in the locality and in 1890 an agreement was reached between the church and Croydon Corporation for the latter to maintain half an acre of the churchyard as public open space although games were prohibited. This agreement came to an end in 1920 by which time the building was in a poor state. It was not until 1959 that the Corporation was asked to take on the whole churchyard under the 1906 Open Spaces Act. The original design included an ornamental garden and garden for the blind, although work was delayed and the garden was finally completed in 1966, the cost of layout was £9000, more than double the original estimate. The old walls remain and the gravestones were lifted and laid as a paved area adjacent to the church. The gravestones were lifted and laid as a paved area adjacent to the church. Among those buried here was Revd RC Fell after whom Fell Road was named. Another regular member of St James' Church was John Morland, after whom Morland Road is named. The redundant church has since been converted into sheltered housing.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ326664 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.81 |
| Site Ownership | LB Croydon |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1829 (churchyard) 1966 (public garden) |
| Listed Structures | Local List: St James's Church; The Vicarage |
| 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 | Croydon |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Open Land. Ancient Monument |
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
The Whitgift Almshouses were founded in 1596 by Archbishop of Canterbury John Whitgift, who gained Elizabeth I's permission to build a hospital and boys school in Croydon. They continue to be used as homes for the elderly with admission qualifications virtually unchanged and Elizabeth II has visited in 1983 and 1996. The buildings were completed in 1599, a 2-storey quadrangle surrounding a central garden, with a small chapel in the north-east corner. The garden layout has little changed since at least the 1880s, a lawn with flower borders and beds divided by a central path between 2 archways, surrounded by paving stones with benches set against the walls. A modern sundial is set into the central path.
The site of Whitehorse Road Recreation Ground was acquired by Croydon Corporation in 1888 as an informal play area for local children in a densely populated district and work was completed by 1891. It was laid out with a perimeter gravel path, 250 trees and grass, and a clump of trees, seat and drinking fountain were moved. In 1936 an enclosed rest garden was created for the elderly, which had circular raised areas of planting and a shelter, the latter later removed. Opposite the recreation ground there used to be a large fishpond, now grassed over as Boulogne Road Playground.
The Fair Field was the site for Croydon's annual fair from at least early Tudor times. The 'Great Fair' was an important cattle fair as well as an occasion for popular entertainment, although this was discontinued after 1868 when rioting took place. Despite local protest, the Croydon Board of Health sold the Fair Field to Brighton Railway Company. The ground was also used for gravel extraction, and later as a car park until the 1960s. Croydon College of Technology and the Fairfield Halls opened in 1962 and Fairfield Gardens were laid out as ornamental gardens and ponds over an underground car park, designed in the modernist geometric style that was gaining popularity.