Listen to the sounds of Burgess Park
A walk from Walworth Road to Old Kent Road through Burgess Park listening to the sounds of activity all around. The soundscape also incorporates comments from park users recorded as part of the Heritage Lottery oral history project in 2014.
Close your eyes and visualise the walk, starting at the new west-end playground near Addington Square, passing through sports facilities and playgrounds, and the underpass, ending up at the Glengall Wharf Garden. The sounds were recorded by Tom Rodgers over a weekend in June 2019.
WWI Centenary Memorial
A new public art installation for Burgess Park. Ten small replica houses will be placed close to the site of the 1917 Zeppelin bomb. Opening events 2018: 17 and 20 October – more information.
See Friends of Burgess Park Zeppelin 1917 project for more about the history of Burgess Park in the First World War.
Friends of Burgess Park win Mary Boast History Prize
We had great news on 30th September 2018! The Mary Boast Prize, which is organised by the Camberwell Society, has been won by an essay from some of the Friends of Burgess Park ‘Zeppelin 1917’ team. A big thank you to all the volunteer authors including the essay editing team of Judith Barratt, Joan Ashworth and Susan Crisp.
The prizewinning essay, which you can read here, tells the story of the 1917 Zeppelin raid on Burgess Park and the events organised by the Friends of Burgess Park to commemorate that terrible raid. Read more here.
Zeppelin 1917
11 August 2017. One hundred years ago, on October 19 1917, a Zeppelin bomb landed in Calmington Road, Southwark killing 10 people, injuring 24 and demolished a fish and chip shop, doctor’s surgery and houses. The Friends of Burgess Park project “Zeppelin 1917” uncovered the stories of local heroes and pieced together the dramatic raid right over what is now Burgess Park. Press release Zeppelin 1917. Read further details about the events.
The Bridge to Nowhere Podcast is now available!
We’re very excited to announce the launch of the brand new Bridge to Nowhere Podcast!
For the first time we’re bringing all our audio features together in one place in the form of a new podcast series, which will feature the highlights from our previous talks and also all our future audio offerings.
You can download the audio to your own device, and if you choose to subscribe (it’s free!), you’ll be able to receive all our new episodes automatically.
Available are highlights of recent talks including From Bombs to BMX, the excellent Oral Histories series, and if you subscribe you’ll be among the first to receive the next new edition which will form part of the Zeppelin 1917 series of commemorative events this October.
So, please start listening to the Bridge to Nowhere Podcast and let us know what you think!
St George’s War Memorial
2 March 2017. Friends of Burgess Park and the Walworth Society are supporting the application by Historic England to have the World War One war memorial outside St Georges Church listed as having special architectural and historic interest. Some people may be surprised that this wasn’t already done. You can see more information on the bronze sculpture by Danish Arild Rosenkrantz on our page on St George’s Church on the Friends of Burgess Park Bridge to Nowhere website.
Trafalgar Avenue bridge
22 February 2017. There is still a bridge taking Trafalgar Avenue over the route of the former Grand Surrey Canal. Bridges need inspecting periodically, and when that time came around last year, it proved to be a bigger task than at first envisaged. Find out more about the work in progress and see the original bridge.
Glengall Wharf Canal Wall – Update
9 February 2017. The only remaining section of the canal bank, which marked the junction of the Camberwell branch (1810) with the Peckham branch (1830), has probably stood in this position for 120-150 years. However, although still absolutely solid, the surface is beginning to crumble and become unsightly. Southwark Council are replacing it with new concrete sections. Find out more about how it is affecting Glengall Wharf Community Garden and see a picture of a sailing barge moored on the site.
Bridge to Nowhere
Burgess Park Heritage Trail walk maps
In 2014 the Bridge to Nowhere project found out about the history of the park. Find out more with a map of the park download and print a copy. More about the history of Burgess Park is on the Bridge to Nowhere website.
Heritage plaques going-up
Fun and games at the walk launch June 2014FOBP launch of heritage trail 1 June 2014 press release
End of project report for HLF 2508014 Final
Community Asset application Passmore Edwards library, bath and washhouse
The Friends of Burgess Park community asset listing made to Southwark Council has been approved. FOBP now wish to work with other groups to retain these Grade II buildings to be used for activities which contribute to Burgess Park. We have now set up a new project.
Paper to Burgess Park Board March 2014
Community Asset application Feb 2014
Press release website February 2014
Southwark Council Listing Decision Feb2014
Museum of London community dig in Burgess Park,
June-July 2010
Check here to read the report by the Museum of London archaeologists about the finds from the Burgess Park community dig and their follow-up research.
A short overview of the history of Burgess Park.