Beating the Bounds: A walking tour along the parish boundary
Roe Bridge, Corner of Streatham Road and Rural Way, Streatham, SW16 6PE
Saturday 9th May 2026
Join the Streatham Society and Tooting History Group for a tour around Streatham's parish boundary with Tooting Graveney.
Starting at the historic Roe Bridge in Streatham Road, this walk will trace the old Streatham parish boundary to Lambeth Cemetery in Tooting. The route begins along one of London's ancient water courses, the River Graveney. Leaving the river valley we walk to Tooting Bec Common via Rectory Lane and the old St Benedict's Hospital site.
We then retrace part of a precise description of a Tooting Graveney Parish Boundary walk published in 1884. This is a great opportunity to recall the vastly different Victorian landscape of Tooting - think fields and watercress beds rather than rows of houses.
The walk ends at Lambeth Cemetery opened in 1854 to help combat London's overcrowded burial grounds.
Led by Trudy Kuhn of the Streatham Society and Philip Bradley of the Tooting History Group, we will make short stops to view boundary markers and places of interest. Please bring some food and drinks. There will be a refuelling and toilet stop at Tooting Bec Common. The walk will end at 2 cafes where there are also toilets and several bus routes for travel home.
The walk is approximately 4.5 miles. A reasonable level of fitness is required - Rectory Lane is an uphill climb.
Starting at the historic Roe Bridge in Streatham Road, this walk will trace the old Streatham parish boundary to Lambeth Cemetery in Tooting. The route begins along one of London's ancient water courses, the River Graveney. Leaving the river valley we walk to Tooting Bec Common via Rectory Lane and the old St Benedict's Hospital site.
We then retrace part of a precise description of a Tooting Graveney Parish Boundary walk published in 1884. This is a great opportunity to recall the vastly different Victorian landscape of Tooting - think fields and watercress beds rather than rows of houses.
The walk ends at Lambeth Cemetery opened in 1854 to help combat London's overcrowded burial grounds.
Led by Trudy Kuhn of the Streatham Society and Philip Bradley of the Tooting History Group, we will make short stops to view boundary markers and places of interest. Please bring some food and drinks. There will be a refuelling and toilet stop at Tooting Bec Common. The walk will end at 2 cafes where there are also toilets and several bus routes for travel home.
The walk is approximately 4.5 miles. A reasonable level of fitness is required - Rectory Lane is an uphill climb.
