Description
There has been a church on the site since at least the C13th and parts of the medieval church of St Mary the Virgin survive in the present church. The old parish of Putney extended from the Thames to Tibbet's Corner on Putney Heath in the south, with Beverley Brook to the west and Deodar Road its eastern boundary. The church played an important role in the Civil War when Cromwell's army was located at Putney and the Army Council held meetings here. The churchyard is smaller than it once was as a result of land taken for the first and second Putney Bridges. Tombstones have been moved and piled in one corner of the churchyard apart from one railed chest tomb by the Putney Bridge boundary, and there is a war memorial. The churchyard railings date from mid C19th.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Putney Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Putney High Street |
| Postcode | SW15 |
| What3Words | ///edges.caller.funded |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Wandsworth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Events | Events in church; weekly Farmers' Market in forecourt |
| Public Transport | Tube: Putney Bridge (District). Rail: Putney. Bus: 14, 22, 39, 74, 85, 93, 220, 265, 270 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Archbishop of Canterbury was Lord of the Manor of Putney and the parish was in the See of Canterbury until 1846 when it became part of the Diocese of London, then transferred to that of Rochester in 1877 and finally to the Diocese of Southwark in 1905. As the population of the area grew, separate parishes were created at Roehampton in 1845 and Putney Park in 1923. Parts of the medieval church of St Mary the Virgin survive in the tower, the nave, which has mid C15th arcading, and the early C16th Bishop West Chapel, although this was originally on the south side of the church, moved to the north in the 1870s. This has the coat of arms of Bishop Nicholas West (1461-1533), who became Bishop of Ely in 1515 and was an advisor of Henry VIII. He was born in Putney and was a protégé of Sir Thomas More. During the Civil War Cromwell's army was located at Putney for a time and in 1647 the Army Council held meetings in the then Chancel of St Mary's, their discussions on the future government of the country published as the Putney Debates. Samuel Pepys refers to a visit to St Mary's in 1667, and in Charles Dickens' 'David Copperfield', Dora Spenlow marries here.
St Mary's was rebuilt in 1836 by Edward Lapidge, but it was gutted by fire in 1973 after which it was substantially rebuilt and re-ordered by Ronald Sims; the church was re-hallowed by the Bishop of Woolwich in February 1982. Six bells were installed in the tower between 1582 and 1674, recast in 1836 when two more were added, these were later recast in 1972 and again in the 1980s following the fire.
Part of the churchyard was taken when the approach to the first, wooden, Putney Bridge was built in 1729, the land later partly restored when that bridge demolished. A larger portion was lost when the stone bridge, built in 1886 to designs of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, was widened and extended east in 1931-33. Adjacent to Putney High Street is a paved area with a small area of grass to the north alongside the river where there are a number of trees and shrubs by the bridge.
St Mary's was rebuilt in 1836 by Edward Lapidge, but it was gutted by fire in 1973 after which it was substantially rebuilt and re-ordered by Ronald Sims; the church was re-hallowed by the Bishop of Woolwich in February 1982. Six bells were installed in the tower between 1582 and 1674, recast in 1836 when two more were added, these were later recast in 1972 and again in the 1980s following the fire.
Part of the churchyard was taken when the approach to the first, wooden, Putney Bridge was built in 1729, the land later partly restored when that bridge demolished. A larger portion was lost when the stone bridge, built in 1886 to designs of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, was widened and extended east in 1931-33. Adjacent to Putney High Street is a paved area with a small area of grass to the north alongside the river where there are a number of trees and shrubs by the bridge.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ241756 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.06 |
| Site Ownership | Diocese of Southwark |
| Site Management | LB Wandsworth, Parks Service |
| Dates | 1836, 1980-2 |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: St Mary's Church. LBII: Putney Bridge |
| 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 | Wandsworth |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Putney Embankment |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Area/Wandsworth Thames Policy Area |
| Other LA Designation | Incidental Open Space. Area with Development Potential |
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
Putney Bridge Shrubbery at the south-west corner of Putney Bridge was formed on land purchased in connection with the erection of Putney Bridge in 1882-6 by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, which replaced an earlier bridge of 1727-9. The site is railed with grass, trees and shrubs. It was formerly the responsibility of the LCC and later passed to LB Wandsworth. It is deemed too small to be open to the public. In c.2004 it was renamed Waterman's Green.
Kenilworth Court is an Edwardian red-brick and terracotta mansion block of 150 flats in 'exuberant Northern Renaissance/Queen Anne style', which was aimed at professional people and families. A grand entrance arch off Lower Richmond Road leads to an internal courtyard overlooked by the blocks laid out with a communal garden, landscaped with lawns, shrub and flower beds, and an ornamental fountain. The garden was used for vegetable growing during WWII. There were formerly tennis courts in the courtyard, but these later gave way to parking spaces.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Pryor's Bank house and garden was sold by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to Fulham Vestry in 1894. The river wall was extended to the bridge and the area was cleared and laid out to extend Bishop's Park. A refreshment pavilion was built on the site of the house and the garden opened in 1900. The east garden contains a fountain and modern statuary and to the west of the house are rising formal terraces with rose gardens and a memorial to local residents who fought in the Spanish Civil War in 1936-39.
Pryor's Bank house and garden was sold by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to Fulham Vestry in 1894. The river wall was extended to the bridge and the area was cleared and laid out to extend Bishop's Park. A refreshment pavilion was built on the site of the house and the garden opened in 1900. The east garden contains a fountain and modern statuary and to the west of the house are rising formal terraces with rose gardens and a memorial to local residents who fought in the Spanish Civil War in 1936-39.