Description
St Mark's Church was built in 1845 and remodelled in 1855 by P C Hardwick but it was almost completely destroyed in WWII, except for the tower and spire of 1860, and was rebuilt in 1960. Most of the gravestones were damaged or broken and were removed from the churchyard, which is on a hilly site with terraced lawns, a few rose beds and tombs within the grass and to the west are mature yews. A path leads from the church via short flights of steps down to the entrance gate on Church Hill Road with an avenue of yews. Wooden paling fence forms the boundary to the main road, St Mark's Hill.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Surbiton Parish Church of Andrew and St Mark |
|---|---|
| Site location | St Mark's Hill/Church Hill Road, Surbiton |
| Postcode | KT6 4LS |
| What3Words | ///brief.career.unless |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Kingston |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Surbiton. Bus: K4, 281, 406, 418. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
A settlement at Surbiton is referred to soon after the Domesday Survey, but significant development did not take place in the area until the late 1830s. In 1838 the town was called Kingston-New-Town, and then Kingston-on-Railway after the station was opened in 1841, only later becoming Surbiton. Due to its easy rail access to London and its pleasant countryside, it became a popular place for the wealthy and middle-classes to move to, becoming known as the 'Queen of the Suburbs' and by 1855 it was large enough to merit becoming a local authority independent of Kingston. In 1974 Surbiton and Kingston came together again when the Royal Borough of Kingston on Thames was formed. St Mark's Church is now one of two churches within the Surbiton parish, along with St Andrew's.
200 burials were exhumed as part of an Archaeological Watching Brief in 2009 by HOC Archaeology; 36 burials of C19th date were osteologically assessed and grave markers recorded. The church's Book of Remembrance indicates that burials took place between 1848 and 1940 when the church was bombed. In 2011 St Mark's closed while new facilities were created in the existing building, and a new hall built on the north side, the re-dedication taking place on 24 June 2012.
200 burials were exhumed as part of an Archaeological Watching Brief in 2009 by HOC Archaeology; 36 burials of C19th date were osteologically assessed and grave markers recorded. The church's Book of Remembrance indicates that burials took place between 1848 and 1940 when the church was bombed. In 2011 St Mark's closed while new facilities were created in the existing building, and a new hall built on the north side, the re-dedication taking place on 24 June 2012.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ182675 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.27 |
| Site Ownership | Church/RB Kingston |
| Site Management | Grounds maintenance contractor: Quadron Services Ltd |
| Dates | 1845; 1960 |
| 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 | Kingston |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| 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
Allbury House dates from 1856, a grand house with an entrance porch with 4 Ionic columns. The OS Map of 1895-98 shows a lodge on the main road and a curving drive leading to the house. In 1926, no longer in use as a private house, it became Surbiton County School. It is now part of The Hollyfield School, which was established in 1937, since 2011 an Academy Trust. Fine mature trees including cedar and evergreen oak remain within the sweeping lawns in front of the house, with gardens behind.
The Crescent was built in the early 1840s; a map of Surbiton Estate in 1847 shows the gardens fronting The Crescent informally laid out with a simple path meandering through them; trees were later planted and by 1910 the gardens were railed and the clock tower had been built to the south. The railings were later removed as part of the WWII war effort. A large circular paddling pool was constructed by the early 1930s. The gardens were re-landscaped in the 1990s when a new water feature and pergola were constructed, an earlier rock feature recreated, new paths and planting.
Surbiton War Memorial Gardens were laid out after WWI and the War Memorial was unveiled in July 1921. The Memorial Gardens surround the central memorial cross, with areas of lawn and paths and a few seats, backed by a hedge and also hedged to the road. The garden was extended in 1952 when a general inscription commemorating those who died in WWII was added to the War Memorial; further memorials were added to the garden in later years.
