Description
Teddington was a medieval fishing village, and the old church of St Mary has brickwork in the south aisle that may date from the C16th. The remainder of the building dates from the 1753-4 apart from the chancel, which is C19th. St Mary's became too small for the growing population as Teddington developed from the 1860s and a new large church of St Alban replaced it in 1888. However it was rededicated in 1938 and now once again serves the parish of Teddington. St Mary's small burial ground was enlarged over the years and the earliest legible tombstones date from the mid C18th and are in the north-west part of the churchyard. The most recent date on a gravestone is 1952. Mature trees include lime and yew and the churchyard is managed in parts, and left wilder elsewhere. The churchyard of St Alban across Ferry Road was cleared in 1991 and has been built on although some of the larger, mature trees remain.
Practical Information
| Site location | Ferry Road/Manor Road, Teddington |
|---|---|
| Postcode | TW11 9NN |
| What3Words | ///filed.wiping.first |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Richmond |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Teddington then bus. Bus: 281, 285, R68. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Manor of Teddington was owned from medieval times by the Abbey of Westminster, then passed to the monarchy after the Dissolution of the Monasteries and from 1603 until the C18th was leased to the Hill family. Teddington developed from a riverside village in the C19th following the arrival of the railway in 1863. St Mary's became too small to serve the growing population and a new, huge church of St Alban was built across Ferry Road in 1886, designed by William Niven. It was consecrated in 1888, whereupon St Mary's closed in 1889 and became neglected. An appeal to restore St Mary's was successful and it was rededicated in 1938 and used occasionally. St Alban's Church gradually declined and is no longer in use as a church, the smaller St Mary now back in use as St Mary with St Alban.
Early memorials inside St Mary's Church include a brass to John Goodyere (d.1506) and his wife, and a monument to Sir Orlando Bridgman (d.1674). Under the church are two sealed vaults, the Manor vault and the Town vault. Beneath the church tower is the burial place of Stephen Hales (1677-1761), one of the foremost British scientists of his day. He was also a philanthropist and conscientious clergyman, ordained in 1709 and inducted to the 'Perpetual Curacy' of Teddington, which he held until he died. His scientific interests included research on animal and plant physiology and on the nature of air. Made a Fellow of the Royal Society for his experiments on the circulation of the blood, Hales came to public notice in 1719 when he delivered a paper to the Royal Society on the effect of the sun's rays on the sap of plants. He wrote numerous scientific books and published articles in magazines and newspapers on his inventions and his other life-long campaign against the evils of excessive alcohol. There is a monument to him in Westminster Abbey.
Early memorials inside St Mary's Church include a brass to John Goodyere (d.1506) and his wife, and a monument to Sir Orlando Bridgman (d.1674). Under the church are two sealed vaults, the Manor vault and the Town vault. Beneath the church tower is the burial place of Stephen Hales (1677-1761), one of the foremost British scientists of his day. He was also a philanthropist and conscientious clergyman, ordained in 1709 and inducted to the 'Perpetual Curacy' of Teddington, which he held until he died. His scientific interests included research on animal and plant physiology and on the nature of air. Made a Fellow of the Royal Society for his experiments on the circulation of the blood, Hales came to public notice in 1719 when he delivered a paper to the Royal Society on the effect of the sun's rays on the sap of plants. He wrote numerous scientific books and published articles in magazines and newspapers on his inventions and his other life-long campaign against the evils of excessive alcohol. There is a monument to him in Westminster Abbey.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ165712 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.4 |
| Site Ownership | Church (Diocese of London) |
| Site Management | LB Richmond: Environment Planning and Review, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: St Alban |
| 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 | Richmond |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | High Street Teddington |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Thames Policy Area |
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
Udney Hall Gardens is a fragment of the grounds of Teddington Place, former seat of the C18th magnate Sir Charles Dunscombe, one of the richest men of his day and Lord Mayor of London in 1709. Udney Hall was the original name given to the house, which was built In c.1700 but eventually demolished in 1946. The gardens today are an open area of grass, with some mature trees and paths running across it, adjacent to the large church of St Alban.
Providing a rare opening to the Thames in this stretch of the river, Manor Road Recreation Ground has fine mature horse-chestnuts in a short avenue of three trees leading towards the river where a tarmac terrace with seating runs along the front, looking across to Teddington Lock. The park is largely grassed, with a raised area running across the site, either side of which are curious brick semi-circular structures set into the slope. Along the road-side of the park are a number of trees (sweet chestnut) planted on 31 January 1995 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. The plaque set into a tree stump for this occasion is the only indication of the park's name.
Grove Gardens were provided as a secluded public green as part of a cottage housing estate built by the Royal Dutch Shell Company in the 1920s. The small estate was designed along 'garden suburb' principles. The railed gardens are surrounded by mature pine trees, with grass and shrubs, seats and paths. The garden has a bowling green, with two timber pavilions between which is a sculpture of a huntress or goddess with a deer. The garden at one time had a putting green.