Archbishops Park

A popular medium-sized open space in the heart of Waterloo, with a rich and fascinating history.

Archbishop’s Park sits on what was once part of Lambeth Palace, the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury. In the 19th Century part of the Palace grounds were set aside for use by local people for sports and recreation, and it was opened as a public park in 1901.

The park continues to provide a ‘green lung’ for those who live and work in this busy part of central London. As well as a large and popular children’s playground, it contains an extensive set of bookable sports facilities, including artificial grass sports pitches, cricket nets and tennis courts, along with changing rooms and toilets.

Archbishop’s Park has a vibrant mixture of soft and hard landscaping, including mature trees, herbaceous borders, and numerous wildlife habitats. It also contains a series of community-inspired works of public art, and a small but popular community garden, which is managed by the Friends of Archbishops Park, along with volunteers.

Archbishop's Park is also a Local "Site of Importance for Nature Conservation" (or SINC) for the London Borough of Lambeth, in recognition of its importance not just for wildlife, but also for people living in both Lambeth and London to enjoy access to nature.

Archbishops Park is one of Lambeth's Green Flag Award-winning parks, and a holder of a ‘Park of the Year’ award from London in Bloom. These awards recognise the achievements made to provide visitors to and residents of Lambeth with a clean, safe, welcoming and popular open space they can all be proud of.