Description
St Michael's Convent overlooks Ham Common and is the former grounds of the early C18th Orford Hall. Behind the convent is an extensive garden that includes a walled vegetable garden, orchards, vine house, ancient mulberry tree, extensive borders, a labyrinth, meditation and Bible gardens. The Sisters at St Michael's Convent are members of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, a worldwide Anglican religious order founded in 1870 by Mother Emily Ayckbowm, who opened schools for the education of poor children, first in London, then in other cities.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Orford Hall |
|---|---|
| Site location | 56 Ham Common |
| Postcode | TW10 7JH |
| What3Words | ///zooms.complains.lazy |
| Type of Site | Institutional Grounds |
| Borough | Richmond |
| Open to Public | Occasionally |
| Opening Times | Has opened for London Open Gardens |
| Public Transport | Rail/London Overground/Tube (District): Richmond then bus. Bus: 65 |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Pending further research
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ177721 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1.62 |
| Site Ownership | Sisters of the Church |
| Site Management | Sisters of the Church |
| Listed Structures | LBII: St Michael's Convent (Orford Hall) |
| 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 | Ham Common |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | 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
The Cassel Hospital faces onto the western boundary of Ham Common, near Ham Pond. In 1863 the mid C18th house that still remains as part of the hospital was purchased on his marriage by the Duc de Chartres, exiled prince of Orleans family, and trees that remain on lawns are likely to date from that time. In c.1880 it became West Heath School, and later Lawrence Hall Hotel. In 1947 it was purchased by the Cassel Foundation, whose Cassel Hospital for Functional Nervous Disorders had opened in 1921 in Penshurst Kent. It became part of the NHS and is now West London Mental Health Trust, although its future is uncertain. The grounds comprise lawns with mature trees including oak, sweet chestnut, weeping ash, Scots pine, cedar, and one ancient pollarded oak predating the house. Woodland surrounding the lawn is densest on the north west; an old walled garden is beyond narrow woodland to the south west, with an apple orchard at the rear.
St Andrew's Church was built in 1830/1, a grey brick building with two turrets, and was later enlarged with a south aisle with rose window in 1860. In 1900-01 a red-brick chancel was added, designed by Bodley and Garner. The entrance to the churchyard is through a lych-gate leading to shrub beds around the steps leading to the church door. Within the churchyard are a number of good chest tombs and a War Memorial within railings on 3 sides with a gate onto Ham Common. The churchyard is partly bounded by hedge, with railings to Church Road.
The largest of Eric Lyons' schemes for Span Developments Ltd, Parkleys consists of 169 flats and 6 shops in two and three storey blocks on the main road. Behind this 'protective barrier' two storey terraces are grouped around enclosures, with vistas of the landscaping around and beyond. The landscaping of trees, grass and shrubs emphasise colour, contrast, texture and contour with areas of paving, lawns and planting on rectangular designs. The spirit of the original design is still evident. Prior to housing development the land had been a nursery and a number of existing trees were retained and incorporated into the landscaping.