Description
Vine Road Recreation Ground was laid out in 1926 on a former orchard, sandwiched between railway lines. The park has a small timber pavilion with pitched roof and small central clock that overlooks an open bowling green, which is backed by hedging with seating around it on 3 sides. Beyond the bowling green the park is laid out as a recreation ground. An adventure playground opened here in July 1967. An area of ornamental planting is in front of the pavilion.
Practical Information
| Site location | Vine Road, Barnes |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW13 0NE |
| What3Words | ///token.index.flag |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Richmond |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Mon - Sat: 7.30am - dusk/Sun & Bank Hols: 9am - dusk |
| Facilities | Playground, paddling pool (summer), toilets, bowling green, car park |
| Public Transport | Rail: Barnes. Bus: 33, 72, 485 |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ218758 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 2.29 |
| Site Ownership | LB Richmond |
| Site Management | Environment Planning & Review, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1926 |
| 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 | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | 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
Barnes Common was used jointly by the people of Barnes and Putney until 1589 when a dispute arose and the people of Putney denied access. Until the area was drained in c.1880 the common was mainly marshland. It was almost entirely treeless, as shown on the OS of 1870 but today is largely woodland, coppice and heathland with some open areas of grass where cricket is played. Avenues and roadside planting took place in the late C19th. In the centre of the common is Mill Hill, an island of houses at the site of a former windmill.
Barnes remained a rather inaccessible village until the railway arrived in 1846. The village centre is marked by Barnes Green and Pond where there are a variety of mature trees. The leafy character of Barnes is enhanced by Barnes Common to the south, to which the Green is connected via a small bridge over Beverley Brook. The Green is traversed by paths, most of which are flanked by mature trees including horse chestnut, London plane, and there are a number of seats, particularly around the pond, which provides a good habitat for water birds.
The Priory was one of a number of villas built on the northern part of Roehampton Park after the estate was broken up between 1770-88. Roehampton had become a popular place for the wealthy to build country retreats in the C18th, attracted by the healthy and beautifaul sitution, the attraction no doubt enhanced by the fact that 'adjacent villas being inhabited by families of fashion and distinction' (George Richardson referring to Dover House in 1810). In the latter part of the C19th this exclusivity waned as suburban development was encouraged by the opening of the railways and a number of former villas became institutions of one sort of another. The Priory has been a private nursing home since 1871.
