History of St John at Hackney Churchyard Gardens

Introduction

This park has had a long and complex history, and has undergone many changes over 700 years. As a site it is a historical document in itself that helps tell the story of our borough's history. It has survived the transformation of Hackney from small village to part of Europe's largest capital, the coming of transport infrastructure, the disappearance of its local river, the demolition of its original church and its development as a well-loved green space

Key Dates

1275: first records of a church on the site
1520 approx: St Augustine's Tower was substantially rebuilt
1535 approx: Sutton House built east of the churchyard for Tudor courier, Ralph Sadleir
1685: first outside tombstone
1789: churchyard expanded and new church commissioned
1797: new church built
1798: old church demolished with exception of Tower
1802: building that was to become Hackney's first town hall built next to tower
1850: Hackney is connected to the railway network and Hackney Central Station opens
1854: bells moved from the old to the new church
1894: Churchyard cleared to become a park
1900: Hackney Brook next to the churchyard is fully culverted to become part of the sewage network
1929: Council buy the tower from the church
1950s: further improvements of churchyard undertaken, walled garden installed
2007: Heritage Lottery Fund grant to fully restore and improve churchyard