Description
The remains of the former churchyard of St John's Church is a narrow strip of garden that runs around the church perimeter. St John's, Smith Square was designed by Thomas Archer (1668-1743) and was consecrated in 1726. Damaged in WWII, it was restored and is now a concert hall. Mature trees and shrubs are planted within a stone coping, the footings of the former railings, and the garden is now defined with stone bollards. Smith Square, 'an exceptionally well preserved C18th enclave, was laid out by Sir James Smith from c.1715 and has some surviving early C18th terraced houses.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Burial ground of St John's Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Smith Square, Westminster |
| Postcode | SW1P 3HA |
| What3Words | ///kick.basin.hoping |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Westminster |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | café in church crypt, toilets |
| Events | Full concert programme (box office 020 7222 1061) |
| Public Transport | Tube: Westminster (District, Circle, Jubilee), St James's Park (District, Circle). Bus: 3, 87, C10, 507, 88 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The land for the church was sold to the Church Commissioners in 1713 and it was the second of the churches commissioned following the Fifty New Churches Act of 1711 in the reign of Queen Anne, the cost of the churches to be defrayed by a tax on coals brought into the Port of London. Although work was soon underway to build the new church of St John the Evangelist, named after a chapel in Westminster Abbey (q.v.), it was not consecrated until 1728 after George II had acceded to the throne, Queen Anne having died in 1714. The church has the nickname 'Queen Anne's Footstool' because the architect Thomas Archer is said to have sought the Queen's advice on the design at which she reputedly kicked over her footstool so that its four legs were in the air, like the four towers of the church, with the remark 'like that!'. However, it appears that the four towers were added after the original design was drawn up, as a means of balancing the church foundations, necessitated by the swampy land here. Smith Square was known as St John's Churchyard until the early C19th.
An additional burial ground was provided on land to the south, now St John's Gardens (q.v.). Among those buried at St John's was an Indian Chief who died of smallpox in 1734, who was buried according to the custom of his tribe 'sewn up in two blankets, between two deal boards, with his clothes, some silver coins, and a few glass beads' (Walcott, quoted in E Beresford Chancellor). The churchyard was particularly prey to 'resurrection men' or body snatchers, and in 1794 200 coffins were discovered to be empty. Among those buried here were Mrs Susannah Churchill (d.1806), and designer and engraver James Caldwall (d.1822).
An additional burial ground was provided on land to the south, now St John's Gardens (q.v.). Among those buried at St John's was an Indian Chief who died of smallpox in 1734, who was buried according to the custom of his tribe 'sewn up in two blankets, between two deal boards, with his clothes, some silver coins, and a few glass beads' (Walcott, quoted in E Beresford Chancellor). The churchyard was particularly prey to 'resurrection men' or body snatchers, and in 1794 200 coffins were discovered to be empty. Among those buried here were Mrs Susannah Churchill (d.1806), and designer and engraver James Caldwall (d.1822).
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ300791 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | St John's Smith Square |
| Site Management | St John's Smith Square |
| Dates | 1714 |
| Listed Structures | LBI: St John's Church. LBII*: Nos 1-9 Smith Square |
| 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 | Westminster |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Smith Square |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
Victoria Tower Gardens were created in 1864-70, following the embankment of the Thames by MBW's Chief Engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette, although Sir Christopher Wren had conceived of a continuous embankment in 1666. The gardens run south from Black Rod Garden and the Houses of Parliament to Lambeth Bridge and were extended c.1914. The layout comprises a central lawn, with perimeter paths, mature trees and shrubberies. Within the gardens are a statue of Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, Auguste Rodin's Burghers of Calais and the Buxton Memorial Fountain.
Victoria Tower Gardens were created in 1864-70, following the embankment of the Thames by MBW's Chief Engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette, although Sir Christopher Wren had conceived of a continuous embankment in 1666. The gardens run south from Black Rod Garden and the Houses of Parliament to Lambeth Bridge and were extended c.1914. The layout comprises a central lawn, with perimeter paths, mature trees and shrubberies. Within the gardens are a statue of Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, Auguste Rodin's Burghers of Calais and the Buxton Memorial Fountain.
St John's Gardens is the former burial ground of St John's Smith Square, which was consecrated in 1731. It soon became overcrowded and an extension was acquired in 1823, but later closed to burials in 1853. The former burial ground was laid out as a public garden by a local committee with the involvement of the MPGA, and opened in May 1885. Many of the old gravestones were stacked against the perimeter with a few choicer monuments left in place. The garden is raised, surrounded by railings and contains some fine trees. The lawn is traversed by paths, with a central fountain and pool installed in 2001, to replace the C19th one that had become derelict.
The College Garden where medicinal herbs were grown for the monastery since the C11th, remains a private garden of Westminster Abbey although it is accessible to the public. Its name is taken from the old meaning of the word 'college', being a community of clergy. Enclosed by early C14th walls, the garden is ornamented with four weathered statues of the apostles carved in 1686 by Grinling Gibbons and Arnold Quellin that were formerly in the Queen's Chapel in the Palace of Whitehall. The Canon's House in the south-east corner is by J.L. Pearson (1882). Within the garden is a rose garden celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952 and more recently a herb garden was created to celebrate the monks who lived here and the foundation of Westminster School in 1560.
