Description
Vineyard Passage Burial Ground was created as an extension to the Richmond parish churchyard of St Mary Magdalene. It was consecrated in 1790 and later enlarged in 1823. It includes table tombs, sarcophagi, an obelisk and a large Grecian tomb of T. Cundy, 1825, the architect of Pimlico and his family. There are also monuments to members of the French émigré community who settled in Richmond in the 1790s. The graves line a footpath leading up to The Vineyard, with the vault arches visible in the brick wall alongside the path. The area to the east is grassed with fewer trees, a low wall to the boundary and some seats. It was recently restored with funds donated by the MPGA.
Practical Information
| Site location | Paradise Road, Richmond |
|---|---|
| Postcode | TW10 6PB |
| What3Words | ///tables.elbow.fuzzy |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Richmond |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail/London Overground/Tube (District): Richmond |
| Research Updated | 1 September 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ181747 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.21 |
| Site Ownership | LB Richmond |
| Site Management | Environment Planning and Review, Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1790, 1823 |
| 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 | CA |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Open Land of Townscape Importance |
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
Michel's Almshouses were established in 1695 by Humphrey Michel, the original block of 10 almshouses fronting The Vineyard. They were rebuilt in 1810/11 and are 2-storey, brick buildings with pitched slate roofs comprised of 2 ranges, with a central pediment over a slightly advanced centre with a cartouche containing a carved coat of arms above a large stone inscription. A later block of 6 additional almshouses was built at right angles in 1858-60, similar in appearance including the front wall, railings and entrance gates. The gardens to the front have trees, mixed shrub and flower borders and have won Gold in the Richmond in Bloom communal building category on a number of occasions.
St Mary Magdalene is the old parish church of Richmond. A chapel existed here by 1220 when the parish was known as Shene, later renamed Richmond. The churchyard was enlarged on the west side in 1745, and in 1790 a new burial ground was consecrated nearby at Vineyard Passage. Among the important tombs in the churchyard is that of Sir Matthew Decker and his grandson Viscount Fitzwilliam who founded the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge; and that of Sir Richard Levett of Kew whose estate became part of the Royal Gardens.
Riverside Gardens, or The Riverside, are a series of gardens on the Richmond side of the Thames, all accessed from the Thames Path and situated between Richmond Bridge in the north and Buccleuch Gardens to the south. The Richmond Borough Byelaws of 1933 mention Bridge Gardens, Mears Walk and Riverdale Gardens as pleasure grounds.