St John at Hackney Churchyard Gardens

St John at Hackney Churchyard gardens is a green space at the heart of Hackney accessed from Lower Clapton Road, the Narrow way, Sutton Place and Morning Lane.

Rich in history, it was a burial ground for over 500 years and has been managed as a park since 1894. It has undergone many changes throughout its history, most recently in 2007 when it benefited from a £1.79 million HLF grant. It is now a well-loved, beautiful spot all year round.

Bordering on a busy shopping street, it is an ideal place for some peace and quiet or a gentle stroll. The children's play area is perfect for families to enjoy some outdoor time together. Nearby there are several buildings of historic interest -

Image gallery

To view images of St John at Hackney Churchyard Gardens watch our flickr slideshow. If you would like to send any pictures of the churchyard for inclusion on our flickr gallery, please email them to emily.jost@hackney.gov.uk

Amenities

walled garden
children's play area
seating
dog-free areas
St Augustine's Tower. Open last Sunday of the month 2 - 4.30pm
St John at Hackney Church. See website for opening times
300 tomb stones
200 trees
information panels about the site's history and burials
public pay toilets (next to the bus station)
public pay carpark in front of church
CCTV and security lighting for visitor safety

Water play facility

The water play facility in the walled garden has developed a fault and is currently turned off. We are working with contractors to work out the problem and aim to fix it as soon as possible. Updates on the repair will be posted on this page. If you have any questions, please contact bruce.irving@hackney.gov.uk.

Get Walking, Keep Walking

A mainly urban walk of under an hour which visits the green, historic, village centre of Hackney, which is adjacent to the main shopping street. The route includes quiet roads, paths, main roads and shops and passes Clapton Square which has a new play area. This walk visits St John-at-Hackney Church and St Augustine's Church Tower. For more information see the Get Walking, Keep Walking website.

Events

St John at Hackney Churchyard's Heritage Officer runs a programme of events at the site for families, adults and school groups.

To find out what's on see the Hackney Museum events page.

See pictures from earlier events and activities at Past events.

Learning

The Heritage Officer offers free local history sessions to schools as part of the Hackney Museum learning programme. Contact the Heritage Officer Email emily.jost@hackney .gov.uk to discuss information about special projects or visits.