Inventory Site Record

St Peter's Church, built in 1840-41 and designed by Lewis Vulliamy, was originally the centre of a square of terraced houses, now surrounded by modern flats. The church building was considerably refurbished from 1905 onwards under the then vicar Revd W H Maynard. The churchyard, closed to burial, was laid out as a public garden under the auspices of the Kyrle Society in 1883/84 and is surrounded by iron railings with hedging and has a number of mature plane trees.

Previous / Other name:

St Peter with St Thomas Churchyard, Bethnal Green

Site location:

St Peter's Square/St Peter's Close, Bethnal Green

Postcode:

E2 7AE

What 3 Words:

wiser.churn.noon

Type of site:

Churchyard

Borough:

Tower Hamlets

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

Open on Sundays (pop-up garden café - check website)
Has taken part in Open Garden Squares Weekend 4 times, most recently in 2022.

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

Various events throughout the week (see website for details). Has opened for OGSW

Public transport:

Tube: Bethnal Green (Central) then walk

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/06/2016

Last minor changes:

14/07/2022

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.stpetersbethnalgreen.org

St Peter's Church was the first of 10 new churches to be built in Bethnal Green to serve the growing population. Originally the centre of a square of terraced houses, St Peter's Church is now surrounded by modern flats although the Vicarage, albeit enlarged in the early C20th, and a school contemporary with the church remain. The building is constructed of knapped flint and stock brick, with stucco and terracotta trim, and has a tall tower. The churchyard was laid out as a public garden under the auspices of the Kyrle Society in 1883/84, possibly the work of landscape gardener Miss Fanny Wilkinson. The Kyrle Society was founded in 1877 by Octavia and Miranda Hill, its main aim to improve the lives of the poor. This was to be achieved through a number of means, which included the provision of playgrounds for children and the creation of public gardens on unused spaces, with an emphasis on converting the numerous disused burial grounds that had closed as a result of the Burial Acts of 1852 and subsequent years. In 1896 Mrs Basil Holmes reported that the quarter acre churchyard of St Peter's was 'maintained as a public garden by the vicar, who opens it during the summer months', also commenting that there were 'not many tombstones'. The railed churchyard garden today has mature plane trees, a few gravestones by the flagstone paths and shrub planting on the north, west and south sides, with a small area of garden at the east of the church, although this area is partly concrete. In 2010 a new initiative was set up in partnership with St Paul Shadwell (q.v.) to bring new energy to the church's work in Bethnal Green. Work has been carried out in the garden in recent years, and in 2015 the railings on the south side of the churchyard were restored and new gates were created. They were officially opened by the Lady Mayoress of the City, the Chief Commoner, and the Prime Warden of the Ironmongers' Company, which had funded the project. In summer 2015 a pop-up garden café was run on Sunday afternoons.

Sources consulted:

Bridget Cherry, Charles O'Brien, Nikolaus Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England, London 5: East', Yale University Press, 2005; Elizabeth Crawford, 'Enterprising Women: The Garretts and their Circle' (Francis Boutle Publishers, 2nd ed. 2009)

Grid ref:

TQ343830 (534366,183033)

Size in hectares:

Site ownership:

Diocese of London

Site management:

Church

Date(s):

1840-41; 1883/4

Designer(s):

Garden: Kyrle Society (possibly Fanny Wilkinson)

Listed structures:

LBII: St Peter's Church, railings and gate piers to north, west and south of churchyard

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:

Jesus Hospital Estate

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

None

St Peter's Church, May 2009. Photo: S Williams

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