Inventory Site Record

Mitcham Greens are remnants of a series of village greens around the old village of Mitcham, which were part of Mitcham Common until 1924. They had been vested in the Board of Mitcham Common Conservators in 1891 and were taken over by Mitcham UDC following a private Act in 1923. Upper Green was the central green of the village of Upper Mitcham, which attracted industrial development due to its position on the Wandle River. A short row of lime trees on the south side may be remains of more extensive formal planting from the late C19th. Cricket Green includes the oldest cricket ground in the world where the game has been played every year since 1685.

Site location:

Upper Green West, Upper Green East, Commonside West, Cricket Green, London Road, Lower Green, Lower Green West

Postcode:

CR4 3ND

What 3 Words:

camp.miss.divisions

Type of site:

Public Open Land

Borough:

Merton

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Cricket on Cricket Green, football pitches on Cranmer Green

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: Mitcham Junction. Bus: 200, 118, 280, 127, 264, 201, 270, 355. Tram: Mitcham

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

10/07/2025

Last minor changes:

16/01/2026

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.merton.gov.uk/environment/openspaces/parks/parks_in_the_mitcham_area

Mitcham Greens are remnants of a series of village greens around the old village of Mitcham, which were part of Mitcham Common until 1924. They had been vested in the Board of Mitcham Common Conservators in 1891 and were taken over by Mitcham UDC following a private Act in 1923, which allowed the UDC to buy from the Conservators the open spaces of Upper (or Fair) Green, Lower (or Cricket) Green, Figges Marsh, Three Kings Piece and Canons Piece. These open spaces were then referred to in this Act as the “Mitcham Greens”. The Greater London Council Commons Registration Act 1965 refers to Mitcham Common as exempt from registration, but does add the 'Town Greens' of Upper Green, Lower and Cricket Green, and Figges Marsh.

Fair Green (Upper Green) to the north has a clock tower of 1897. Upper Green was the central green of the village of Upper Mitcham, which attracted industrial development due to its position on the Wandle River. A short row of lime trees on the south side may be remains of more extensive formal planting from the late C19th. Re-landscaped in recent years, Fair Green is named for the Goose Fairs that were held here by Charter.

Three Kings Piece takes its name from the nearby Three Kings Pub. The Pond, which has a feature showing Three Kings, is the oldest of the ponds around Mitcham Common and was probably once a village pond, shown on a map of 1685 as Heatherdernderry Pond. Since WWI Three Kings Pond has had a concrete and brick surround.

Cranmer Green or Piece is a registered town green, and is located to the south of The Canons (q.v.). It takes its name from the Cranmer family, Lords of the Manor of Mitcham, who lived at The Canons from 1761-1843. Cranmer Green Pond is in the corner of Cranmer Green, and evidence from maps shows it dates from some time between 1717 and 1823. It was probably created to enable livestock to drink and its main source is via rainfall. In 1991 restoration took place by removing large quantities of silt and much of the vegetation. Much of Cranmer Green was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2003.

Cricket Green (Lower Green) is the oldest cricket ground in the world, where the game has been played every year since 1685. On the green is the Ruff Memorial stone. Overlooking Cricket Green are Mary Tate's Almshouses (q.v.) built here in 1829 on the site of an C18th house owned by the donor's family. Another small green, Police Green is part of Cricket Green.

Lower Green West is separated by road from Cricket Green and includes Mitcham's Vestry Hall and the Grade II listed Mitcham War Memorial. A War Memorial for Mitcham's dead was first proposed in early 1919 and the original location chosen was the parish churchyard, but on Peace Day 19 July 1919 a temporary memorial was erected on Lower Green. The War Memorial Committee decided that the permanent memorial should be erected on Lower Green and 552 names were submitted. 5000 people attended the unveiling by Major General Sir Herbert Edward Watts on 21 November 1920. An additional panel was added to record those who died in World War II, and railings were erected around the memorial in c.1950. The memorial was restored in 1962.

Sources consulted:

Ian Yarham, Dave Dawson, Martin Boyle, Rebecca Holliday 'Nature Conservation in Merton, Ecology Handbook 29', London Ecology Unit, 1998; The Parks Agency 'Commons, Heaths and Greens in Greater London. A short report for English Heritage', 2005; Barry Nicholson & Alan Scott for LB Merton 'Nature Conservation Management Plan for Cranmer Green' (2001); LB Merton 'Mitcham Cricket Green Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan' Draft Consultation Document, Sept 2010. Information from Mitcham Cricket Green Community & Heritage: https://mitchamcricketgreen.org.uk/;  Ownership of Mitcham’s Town Greens | Mitcham History Notes; Mitcham War Memorial, Non Civil Parish - 1448269 | Historic England

Grid ref:

TQ275685 (527574,168543)

Size in hectares:

c.17.99

Site ownership:

LB Merton

Site management:

Leisure and Culture Services

Date(s):

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII: Cricket Green: Elm Lodge, The White House, Chestnut Cottages, Obelisk at junction of Madeira Road; Tate Almshouses, Drinking Fountain & Horse Trough. Fair Green: Mitcham Clock Tower at Upper Green East. Lower Green West: War Memorial; Mitcham Parish Rooms, remains of Hall Place

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

Yes: Green (TVG4,7,8 Lower&Cricket/Upper/3 Kings)

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:

Mitcham Cricket Green

Tree Preservation Order:

Not known

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes - Local Importance (Cranmer/3 Kings Ponds)

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

Yes

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Archaeological Priority Zone

Other LA designation:

Public Open Space. Green Corridor. Local Nature Reserve (Cranmer Green)

Cricket Green, Mitcham - Photo: Colin Wing
Date taken: 04/08/13 13:45

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