Description
The terraces of Sutherland Square were built in 1810-30, with a few houses dating from c.1845. The square was truncated when the railway was built across it, separating the east terrace from the rest of the square. In the centre of the west side was a small oval garden area, which was acquired by Southwark Borough Council for public open space and opened in 1922. Surrounded by hawthorn hedge, the garden is largely grass, with small trees and a couple of seats.
Practical Information
| Site location | Sutherland Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SE17 |
| What3Words | ///jams.survey.skins |
| Type of Site | Garden Square; |
| Borough | Southwark |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Public Transport | Rail/Tube: Elephant & Castle (Northern, Bakerloo) then bus. Bus: 12, 35, 40, 45, 68, 171, 176, 468. |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2017 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Sutherland Square was built in 1810-30, with a few houses dating from c.1845. The terraces have cast iron railings with palmette motif. The square was truncated when the railway was built across it, separating the east terrace from the rest of the square, but in the centre of the west side is a small oval garden surrounded by hawthorn hedge, which is largely grass with a few small trees and a couple of seats. Stanford's map of 1862 shows the small oval garden area at the west end of Sutherland Square. The 1928 Report of Royal Commission on London Squares records that the land was acquired by Southwark Borough Council for public open space at a cost of £75 and it opened in 1922. To the east of the railway embankment is a small community garden established by the Sutherland Residents on land leased from Railtrack in 1981. A mature plane tree at the corner of the east terrace of Sutherland Square may have predated the railway.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ322780 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.035 |
| Site Ownership | LB Southwark |
| Site Management | Parks |
| Dates | C19th |
| Listed Structures | LBII: most houses in Sutherland Square |
| 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 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Southwark |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Sutherland Square |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Square, Tier Three; London Squares Preservation Act |
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
Walworth Allotment Association was set up in the 1970s. The site had once been occupied by terraced housing along Olney Street, as marked on the OS map of 1896, and later had industrial usage. Local residents transformed the site into allotments where they could grow their own fruit and vegetables close to home. There are now 16-20 allotment plots and also a wildlife area, pond and beehives.
St Peter's Church, designed by Sir John Soane, was built in 1823-25 and its churchyard was in use until 1853. In 1895 at the instigation of the parish priest, Father Horsley, it was cleared of graves and converted as a public garden for the parishioners. It was laid out by the MPGA with grass and seats, the headstones largely placed around the edge of the garden. Father Horsley also established a small zoo on the rectory garden, nicknamed the Monkey Park, which was landscaped as a community garden with the participation of the local community, a new bench sculpture unveiled in 2005.
Pasley Park is on part of the former site of the Royal Surrey Gardens, which were set up in 1831 by Edward Cross for his new Surrey Zoological Gardens with animals from his existing menagerie at Exeter Exchange on The Strand. In addition to the animals there were ornamental gardens with a large lake and numerous entertainments, which proved very popular with the public. The gardens had declined by 1856 and the animals were sold. Surrey Music Hall was erected on part of the gardens, another popular attraction until 1872. In 1877 the site was sold for development, and terraces of houses built here. In the 1980s part of the former site was laid out as Pasley Park, where in 2010 a Fun Day celebrated the former history of the zoological gardens.