St Paul's Churchyard - Eden at St Paul's
A small open space surrounding St. Paul's Church, Clapham and also home to 'Eden at St. Paul's', a popular community garden. St. Paul's Churchyard is one of Lambeth's nine Green Flag Award-winning sites, and has held this prestigious award for three consecutive years. Green Flag Award recognises the considerable achievements made by residents, church parish and council to provide the local community with a green space we can all be proud of.
Address: Rectory Grove, SW4
Tube: Clapham Common (Northern Line), 0.5 miles (0.7 km)
Rail: Clapham Town (South Eastern Trains), 0.3 miles (0.4 km)
Buses: 77, 87, 88, 322 and 417 (from Brixton, Clapham Junction, Stockwell, Vauxhall and Waterloo)
See a location map of St Paul's Churchyard - Eden at St Paul's
St Paul's Churchyard
St Paul's Churchyard is a small open space surrounding the Church of St. Paul, which used to be the original parish church for Clapham until the building of Holy Trinity on Clapham Common in the late 17th Century. When the churchyard was closed to burials in 1854, its care passed through a number of organisations, until it came under the responsibility of Lambeth Council in 1965. The lower part of the churchyard was made into a children's play area, and the upper section as a garden of rest.
A public footpath, Matrimony Place, passes straight down the middle of the churchyard between Rectory Grove and Wandsworth Road. This path was recently improved with new fencing, lighting and surfacing by a partnership of Lambeth Council and the Parish Council.
Eden at St Paul's Community Garden
The churchyard is home to Eden at St. Paul's Community Garden, an innovative scheme which operates a wildlife-friendly, environmentally sustainable garden and community resource. The garden features a composting club, recycled art projects, informal training in horticulture and a safe free play area for local children. The project, which occupies an area of land to the north of Matrimony Place, also offers opportunities for organic vegetable growing and a place for peaceful contemplation.
Eden at St Paul's was originally set up with support from Lambeth Council and Church Parish Council to offer training in horticulture for people with long term mental health issues, and has been widely recognised for its achievements.
Eden at St Paul's is currently one of Lambeth's two Green Pennant Award sites, a scheme which recognises the efforts being made by a community group to manage their local open spaces. The Green Pennant Award is part of the Green Flag Award scheme, the national standard for quality parks and green spaces.
Help us look after St Paul's Churchyard
St. Paul's Churchyard is managed by Lambeth Parks and Greenspaces in partnership with Eden at St Paul's and the Church Parish Council. It also comes within the area patrolled by the Clapham Town Safer Neighbourhoods Team of Lambeth Borough Police, who work in partnership with the council and Church Council to ensure the site is safe and welcoming for everybody.
Please remember that dogs are not allowed in most of the churchyard, especially Eden at St Paul's and the formal gardens. This is for the comfort and safety of children and their carers and also helps to protect local wildlife.
For more information on St Paul's Churchyard and Eden at St Paul's, and how to help keep the site clean, green and safe please contact us on 020 7926 9000 or email us at parks@lambeth.gov.uk
How can I find out more?
You can find out more about the St. Paul’s Churchyard, Eden at St. Paul's, the Green Flag/Pennant Award schemes, and what we can do for our parks and open spaces by clicking on the following links.