Description
St Philip's Church was built in the centre of St Philip Square as part of the Parktown Estate, a development laid out from 1865 onwards either side of Queenstown Road. St Philip Square was laid out in the early stages of the estate and surrounds the church on three sides. The church was built in 1870 in the centre of the square, set within a raised railed garden that is predominantly grass, with shrubs planted around the church, rose bed, seating and mature London plane trees.
Practical Information
| Site location | Queenstown Road/St Philip Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW8 |
| What3Words | ///harp.sulk.lamps |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Wandsworth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Special Conditions | no dogs |
| Public Transport | Rail: Queenstown Road. Bus: 137 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The overall layout of the Parktown Estate was planned by developer Philip Flower and designer James Thomas Knowles, son of Sir James Knowles who had laid out the Cedars Estate south of Clapham Common and was one of a number of influential members of a committee of Clapham residents who successfully lobbied for a new road link extending Queens Road (now Queenstown Road) to Clapham from Battersea Park, which linked across the river via the new Chelsea Bridge, built in 1858. The new road was financed by the development of the land for housing. Up until then much of this area had been farmland belonging to Longhedge Farm between Battersea Fields to the north and Clapham Common in the south. Its name derived from the northern boundary hedge along what is now Battersea Park Road.
St Philip Square was laid out in the early stages of the Parktown Estate and surrounds the church on three sides. The Kentish ragstone church was built in 1870, designed by Knowles, and is surrounded by a raised railed garden with two series of steps from Queenstown Road to the church entrance.
St Philip Square was laid out in the early stages of the Parktown Estate and surrounds the church on three sides. The Kentish ragstone church was built in 1870, designed by Knowles, and is surrounded by a raised railed garden with two series of steps from Queenstown Road to the church entrance.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ286762 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.08 |
| Site Ownership | Church |
| Site Management | LB Wandsworth Parks Service |
| Dates | 1865-70 |
| Designers | James Thomas Knowles |
| Listed Structures | LBII: St Philip's Church |
| 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 | Parktown Estate |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Incidental Open Space |
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
Montefiore Gardens was laid out at the east side of the Parktown Estate, which was built from 1865 onwards, its overall street layout planned by developer Philip Flower and designer James Thomas Knowles. He was the son of Sir James Knowles who had laid out the Cedars Estate south of Clapham Common. Up until then much of this area had been farmland belonging to Longhedge Farm between Battersea Fields to the north and Clapham Common in the south. Its name derived from the northern boundary hedge along what is now Battersea Park Road. The bombsite on Montefiore Street and Tennyson Street was cleared of prefabs and laid out as Montefiore Gardens. A social services day nursery was built in one quarter with the intention of returning this back to the gardens, if so needed. In fact, when the nursery was finally shut in 1995 the land was sold for development and a row of houses built. Montefiore Gardens is important as an area of public open space in this area.
Heathbrook Park is one of a number of public parks or gardens in Battersea that were created from areas of derelict land following bomb damage in WWII. The land was transferred to LB Wandsworth by the GLC in 1971 and was initially leased to the Metropolitan Police for vehicle storage. It was then laid out for recreation and opened in 1978. The original layout had a lake, café, and aviary but all of these features were lost as a result of vandalism in the 1980s although the small playground survives from the original features.
St Paul's Church was built here in 1815, but was the site of Clapham parish church from the C12th, originally dedicated to St Mary but later Holy Trinity. There are two churchyards, the upper being the oldest, which served the original parish church. The lower churchyard was added behind St Paul's Church on the side of the hill. The churchyards were closed for burials in 1854. With the agreement of the church, Wandsworth Borough Council laid out the lower part as a garden in 1933-4. It became part of LB Lambeth in 1965 as a result of boundary changes. In 1973-4 the lower ground was made into a playground with gravestones ranged along the boundaries, and the upper ground into a garden of rest. In 2000 the church created a new community garden on part of the former burial ground separated from the main churchyard by Matrimony Place. Initially called Eden at St Paul's Community Garden, it was later renamed Eden Nature Garden.