Inventory Site Record

St Peter's Churchyard is a well-planted churchyard, now closed to burial. St Peter's Church was built in 1849-51, later rebuilt in 1865, and is on a prominent site. The land for the churchyard was given by John Russell who died in 1864 and is buried near the tower. The churchyard has flint boundary walls and a good coverage of mature tree, its path layout little changed. Among those buried here are a number of prominent local businessmen, a former huntsman turned inn-keeper of the Stag and Hounds, and Colonel Edward Kelly, who fought in the Battle of Waterloo. A yew tree was planted to the south east side of the church to mark the Millennium.

Site location:

St Peter's Road, South Croydon

Postcode:

CR0 1HG

What 3 Words:

depend.asks.hails

Type of site:

Churchyard

Borough:

Croydon

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: Croydon c.100m to east. Bus: 403, 412, 455, 64, T33

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Research updated:

01/12/2008

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.southcroydonbenefice.org.uk/friends

St Peter's Churchyard is a well-planted flint-walled churchyard, now closed to burial. St Peter's Church was built in 1849-51 designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, one of whose aunts was buried here and Sir George himself had lived at Blunt House in the parish. A spire was placed on the tower in 1864 but was burnt down before it was finished, and the church was rebuilt and completed in 1865. On a prominent site, St Peter's can be seen from many vantage points in Croydon. After Sir George Gilbert Scott's death in 1878, his son John Oldrid Scott took over his father's business and later designed St Augustine's Church (q.v.), which was built in 1884 as the population of South Croydon expanded. The parish of St Peter's is part of the South Croydon Benefice alongside the parish of St Augustine's. 

The land for the churchyard was given by John Russell of Dunlewey House, Bedford Park who died in July 1864 and is buried near the northern side of the tower. There are a number of local businessmen buried in the churchyard including on the south-east side of the church. Among them are Mr Budgen, principal watch maker of Croydon; Mr Cuthbert William Johnson, Chairman on the Local Board of Health; and Mr Bartlett, who has a street nearby named after him. Several local publicans' graves are here including that of James Roffey, huntsman to the stag hounds kept in the neighbourhood who then became inn-keeper of the Stag and Hounds, a local public house. There is a also a memorial to Colonel Edward Kelly, who took an active part in the Battle of Waterloo, was praised by the Duke of Wellington in his dispatches, and died in India in 1828. A gravestone on the south west side of the church marks the grave of Colonel Alfred Bate Richards, editor of the Morning Advertiser, and author of a play called 'Cromwell' performed at the Queen’s Theatre, London.

The churchyard has good coverage of mature trees, which include holly, yew in abundance, specimen trees, lime, Lombardy poplar; there are curving paths running through the ground and some with candy-twist edging tiles. The original layout of the paths remains, although a new ramped path has been added to the vestry entrance in 2008. The churchyard is closed to burials and is looked after by LB Croydon and a voluntary church gardening group (since 1999). A yew tree was planted to the south east side of the church to mark the Millennium. The shrub beds around the church were replanted in 2001 by the voluntary group with a grant from the council as part of the Smarter Croydon initiative. See booklet (1960s) giving information on graves.

Sources consulted:

Cherry, B and Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England London 2: South (1983) p211; LB Croydon, 'Local List of Historic Parks & Gardens', December 2008

Grid ref:

TQ327644 (532685,164424)

Size in hectares:

0.5

Site ownership:

Church of England, Diocese of Southwark

Site management:

LB Croydon Parks and Open Spaces; Friends of St Peter's Church; GASP (Gardeners of St Peters)

Date(s):

1850s

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII: St Peter'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 Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

Yes

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Local Area of Special Character

Other LA designation:

Local Open Land. In AP2.