Myatt's Fields Park

Myatt's Fields Park is a 14-acre Victorian park in Camberwell, in the London Borough of Lambeth, South London. It lies about 2.9 miles south-east of Charing Cross, which makes it an easy green stop for anyone staying in central London who wants to see a quieter, residential side of the city.

What is Myatt's Fields Park?

It is a public park from the late Victorian period, set among the streets of Camberwell. Its landscape is formal and compact, planned as a place for local people to walk, sit and meet outdoors. The park is still used this way today, and it has kept much of its historic character.

Where does the name come from?

The land was once a market garden. It was leased to a gardener named Myatt between 1818 and 1868, and the park carries his name. Written histories give slightly different first names for him, so it is safest to remember simply "the Myatt market garden". The story is a small reminder that this part of South London was farmland and nursery ground before the terraced streets arrived.

Who created the park?

The site belonged to the family of William Minet, who donated it to the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. The association laid it out as a public park, and in 1889 it was handed over to the newly formed London County Council, which opened it to the public. The design is credited to Fanny Rollo Wilkinson, one of the first professional women landscape gardeners in Britain, so the park is also a piece of landscape-design history.

What is there to see?

• The bandstand. An octagonal bandstand stands in the park and is listed at Grade II. Sources disagree on its exact date. It was probably added a little after the park opened, in the 1890s.
• Formal Victorian layout. Paths, lawns and planting beds follow the structure of a typical late nineteenth-century public garden.
• Restored features. The park was restored in the late 2000s and in 2010, and the bandstand was among the restored elements.

Frequently asked questions

How big is Myatt's Fields Park? It covers around 14 acres.

Which borough is it in? It is in Camberwell, in the London Borough of Lambeth.

When did it open? It passed to the London County Council and opened to the public in 1889.

Who designed it? Fanny Rollo Wilkinson is credited with the design.

Is the bandstand protected? Yes, the octagonal bandstand is a Grade II listed structure.

How far is it from central London? Charing Cross is about 2.9 miles to the north-west.