Description
The site was once part of Little Common of Kennington Manor also called Gallows Common or Gallows Green due to the executions that took place here. St Mark's Church was one of the four 'Waterloo' churches built in the early 1820s under the auspices of the Church Commissioners. By 1881 the churchyard was neglected but a bid by the MPGA to turn it into a public garden in 1885 failed. In 1950 the vicar conveyed it to Lambeth Borough Council to lay out as a public garden; the headstones were removed against walls and it was grassed over. There are a number of old plane trees within the garden, which has fine railings and piers on the boundaries. A children's play area is in the south-west corner of the garden.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Kennington Little Common |
|---|---|
| Site location | Kennington Park Road/Camberwell New Road |
| Postcode | SE11 4PW |
| What3Words | ///wished.wiser.bars |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Lambeth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Kingfisher Play Area |
| Events | Oval Farmers' Market (most Saturdays) |
| Public Transport | Tube: Oval (Northern). Bus: 3, 36, 59, 133, 155, 159, 185, 333, 436 |
| Research Updated | 5 September 2023 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The site was once part of Little Common of Kennington Manor also called Gallows Common or Gallows Green, which was cut in two when Camberwell New Road was built in 1818 and then reduced in size when Kennington Park (q.v.) was laid out in 1852-4 and Brixton Road realigned. The earliest execution here was in 1678 when Sarah Elston was burnt at the stake for murdering her husband; it was the site of execution of highwaymen, thieves and murderers sentenced by Surrey Assize Courts. In 1746 rebels in the '45 Jacobite plot were hung, drawn and quartered here.
In 1818 the Act for building new churches, which included the four Waterloo churches in Lambeth, was passed and the southern portion of the common was chosen for St Mark's. It was then owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and royal assent enabling the sale of land was received only a few days before the church was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 30 June 1824. St Mark's was designed by architect D R Roper and cost £16,093 4s 3d to build. Its first vicar was the Revd William Otter, who later became Bishop of Chichester. A later vicar, Revd Henry Montgomery became Bishop of Tasmania, and was the father of Field Marshal Montgomery, popularly known as 'Monty' and famous in WWII.
In October 1916 a timber 'war shrine' was erected in the churchyard, a report of which is found in the South London Press on 20 October 1916: 'The shrine faces the Oval railway station and is of stained wood, a prominent feature being the representation of a cross, on each side of which is inscribed the names of the 65 gallant men who have given themselves to their country's service...' After the war this was replaced by a granite memorial, erected to the west of the church, which takes the form of a large cross set on a high tapering plinth. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Southwark and unveiled by Mr H.G. Purchase, MP for Kennington, on 29 October 1921. Around 300 names are listed on the memorial, including VC winner George Jarratt, who died on 3 May 1917 during the Battle of Arras. The church was badly bombed in WWII, and threatened with demolition after the war, but permission was finally granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury for the church to be restored, and St Mark's re-opened in 1960.
In the churchyard is a children's playground, now named Kingfisher Play Area. From 2007 Oval Farmers' Market has been held in the churchyard on most Saturdays, a partnership between the church and Lambeth Council.
Opposite the churchyard is the remaining part of Little Common, paved and fringed with plane trees on an island which for a time housed a toll house and turnpike gates, re-sited here when Kennington Park was laid out but finally removed in 1865. It now houses the Kennington Oval obelisk and fountain erected in c.1990.
In 1818 the Act for building new churches, which included the four Waterloo churches in Lambeth, was passed and the southern portion of the common was chosen for St Mark's. It was then owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and royal assent enabling the sale of land was received only a few days before the church was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 30 June 1824. St Mark's was designed by architect D R Roper and cost £16,093 4s 3d to build. Its first vicar was the Revd William Otter, who later became Bishop of Chichester. A later vicar, Revd Henry Montgomery became Bishop of Tasmania, and was the father of Field Marshal Montgomery, popularly known as 'Monty' and famous in WWII.
In October 1916 a timber 'war shrine' was erected in the churchyard, a report of which is found in the South London Press on 20 October 1916: 'The shrine faces the Oval railway station and is of stained wood, a prominent feature being the representation of a cross, on each side of which is inscribed the names of the 65 gallant men who have given themselves to their country's service...' After the war this was replaced by a granite memorial, erected to the west of the church, which takes the form of a large cross set on a high tapering plinth. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Southwark and unveiled by Mr H.G. Purchase, MP for Kennington, on 29 October 1921. Around 300 names are listed on the memorial, including VC winner George Jarratt, who died on 3 May 1917 during the Battle of Arras. The church was badly bombed in WWII, and threatened with demolition after the war, but permission was finally granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury for the church to be restored, and St Mark's re-opened in 1960.
In the churchyard is a children's playground, now named Kingfisher Play Area. From 2007 Oval Farmers' Market has been held in the churchyard on most Saturdays, a partnership between the church and Lambeth Council.
Opposite the churchyard is the remaining part of Little Common, paved and fringed with plane trees on an island which for a time housed a toll house and turnpike gates, re-sited here when Kennington Park was laid out but finally removed in 1865. It now houses the Kennington Oval obelisk and fountain erected in c.1990.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ312775 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.53 |
| Site Ownership | LB Lambeth |
| Site Management | Environment Directorate, Parks and Greenspaces Unit (Team Lambeth) |
| Dates | 1824; 1950 |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: St Mark's Church. LBII: War Memorial; Georgian walls. |
| 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 | Lambeth |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | St Mark's |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Area (Roman Road) |
| Other LA Designation | Open Space |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
Hanover Gardens was developed in c.1850 by the Islington builder, John Glenn, who also developed Albert Square in Lambeth. This scheme, however, was far more modest in its proportions. The terraced houses enclose a pleasant green area planted with trees and grass. The garden was initially maintained by covenants paid by the lessees but by 1928 the owner, a Miss M A V Bate, maintained it at her own cost, employing a gardener. At that time it was described as 'a small enclosure at the end of a cul-de-sac. Rough grass with a few trees. Overlooked by dwelling-houses'.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Kennington Park was created when part of Kennington Common was enclosed by Act of Parliament in 1852. It opened to the public in 1854, laid out with a central area of lawns enclosed by tree-lined paths, with trees and shrubs on most boundaries, and sunken gardens with massed bedding. Further land was acquired in 1888 and 1921 as a result of which an enclosed Old English Garden was laid out, as well as a swimming pool with extensive playground. Other facilities provided over the years included a children's gymnasium, bandstand, refreshment house, drinking fountains and sports facilities. In the 1970s further land was added to the south-east.
Kennington Park was created when part of Kennington Common was enclosed by Act of Parliament in 1852. It opened to the public in 1854, laid out with a central area of lawns enclosed by tree-lined paths, with trees and shrubs on most boundaries, and sunken gardens with massed bedding. Further land was acquired in 1888 and 1921 as a result of which an enclosed Old English Garden was laid out, as well as a swimming pool with extensive playground. Other facilities provided over the years included a children's gymnasium, bandstand, refreshment house, drinking fountains and sports facilities. In the 1970s further land was added to the south-east.
Kennington Green came into being as a result of the opening of Westminster Bridge in 1750. The land was left as waste land and was subsequently maintained by the Duchy of Cornwall as Lord of the Manor. In 1928 it was described as a 'very attractive [. . . ] triangular area maintained as a lawn with trees around the border'. The MPGA acquired the site from the Duchy for £5 and it was transferred to Lambeth Borough Council in 1938. It was re-landscaped for the Festival of Britain in 1951, when it was enclosed with a dwarf brick wall and iron railings, planted with crab apple trees and provided with seating. It was re-landscaped following closure during a major Transport for London scheme in 2015-2022.
