Burgess Park, London 1968

Burgess Park, located in South London between Camberwell and Walworth, is unlike most of London’s historic parks. Unlike Regent’s Park or Hyde Park, it wasn’t a grand estate or royal hunting ground. Instead, Burgess Park is a remarkable example of post-war urban planning – a park quite literally created from the rubble of war-damaged streets.

The area that is now Burgess Park was once densely packed with Victorian terraces, factories, and a stretch of the Grand Surrey Canal. Following the devastation of the Blitz and growing concern over overcrowding, the London County Council’s 1943 Abercrombie Plan proposed creating more open green space in working-class districts. Burgess Park was born from that vision.

From the 1950s onwards, homes, shops, churches, and warehouses were gradually demolished. Streets vanished, and over decades the land was cleared and reshaped into a public park. Remnants of the old urban landscape still exist – including the preserved lime kiln, the Passmore Edwards library, and parts of St George’s Church.

Named after Councillor Jessie Burgess, Camberwell’s first female mayor, the park today spans over 140 acres. It features lakes, playing fields, community gardens, a BMX track, and one of South London’s most diverse green spaces.

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