Inventory Site Record

St Matthew's Church was one of the four 'Waterloo' churches built in Lambeth following the Napoleonic wars. The churchyard was officially closed for burials in 1853. The southern part of the former burial ground was conveyed to Lambeth Borough Council for a public garden in 1953, the northern part in 1958. Road realignments in 1960 altered the site, extending it to the north-east and reducing it to the north-west. The garden was designated a Peace Garden in the 1980s. At the northern tip of the gardens is a substantial monument to Richard Budd, erected 1825.

Previous / Other name:

St Matthew's Public Open Space

Site location:

St Matthew's Road/Brixton Hill/Effra Road

Postcode:

SW2 1RP

What 3 Words:

songs.ruby.forget

Type of site:

Public Gardens

Borough:

Lambeth

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Children's play area (dog free)

Events:

Public transport:

Rail/Tube: Brixton (Victoria)

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/04/2022

Last minor changes:

18/09/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/parks/st-matthews-church-gardens; www.stmatthewsbrixton.org

The Waterloo churches were built in celebration of the victory over Napoleon following the Battle of Waterloo. It was also a time of social upheaval and political unrest, with a growing population and unemployment, increased by demobilised solders. The Church Commissioners desired to build new churches to counteract 'godless mob violence' and the spread of non-conformism, and in 1818 an Act of Parliament approved a sum of money for the new churches, with £64,000 allocated to Lambeth in 1822. The other three Waterloo churches are St Mark Kennington, St Luke West Norwood and St John Waterloo (q.q.v.).

St Matthew's Church was built in 1822-24 designed by C F Porden, and was consecrated in 1824. The church grounds were originally part of Rush Common (q.v.), a large area of open land that belonged to the historical Manor of Lambeth. When this was eventually enclosed and divided up at the start of C19th, a triangle of land was used to build St Matthew's and its churchyard. At the north tip of the church grounds is the monument to Richard Budd (d.1824), which was erected by his son Henry Budd in 1825, the work of R. Day. Described as the 'finest in the metropolis', the large monument on a stepped plinth is, like the church, in Greek revival style. It was excepted from the later conveyance of the churchyard to Lambeth Borough Council . The southern part of the former burial ground was conveyed to the Borough Council for a public garden in 1953, the northern part in 1958. Road realignments in 1960 altered the garden, extending it to the north-east and reducing it to the north-west. The garden was designated a Peace Garden in c.1985, when it was laid out with flower beds and a water feature, with new trees planted, and plaque set into the paving.

Sources consulted:

Marie Draper 'Lambeth's Open Spaces, An historical account', LB Lambeth 1979; Ian Yarham, Michael Waite, Andrew Simpson, Niall Machin, 'Nature Conservation in Lambeth', Ecology Handbook 26 (London Ecology Unit), 1994

Grid ref:

TQ309750 (530984,175095)

Size in hectares:

0.53

Site ownership:

LB Lambeth

Site management:

Environment Directorate, Parks and Greenspaces Unit (Team Lambeth)

Date(s):

1820s; 1953

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII*: St Matthew's Church; Budd Memorial. LBII: Churchyard Gate Piers to west and east of 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:

No

In Conservation Area:

Yes

Conservation Area name:

Brixton

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Archaeological Priority Area

Other LA designation:

Rush Common Land. Open Space

St Matthew's Church Gardens, February 2022. Photograph Sally Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.