Lesnes Abbey, Bexley

The view across the Courtyard towards the Monk's Garden.

Lesnes Abbey.

In 1178, Richard de Luci founded Lesnes Abbey, probably as penance for his involvement in the death of the Archbishop Thomas Beckett, who had been murdered in Canterbury Cathedral, in 1170.

Richard de Luci was Lord of the Manor of Erith and Chief Justiciar of England, a post he shared with Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester. Upon Robert's death, in 1168, Richard held the post alone until he stepped down in 1178. The Chief Justiciar was second only to the King of England, making it a powerful role.

Lesnes Abbey was dedicated to St Mary and St Thomas, the martyr, and belonged to the order of Augustinian canons whose duty it was to baptise, preach, give penance and bury the dead. Belonging to the Augustinian order the Abbey was never wealthy,  largely due to the expense of repairing and maintaining the adjacent river walls.

The Abbey was an impressive building, with huge columns supporting the high ceilings, while highly decorated tiles covered the floors of some of the rooms. 

Looking east along the Nave.

The most important areas of the Abbey were the church, the buildings around the cloister, the infirmary and the great court. It was in these areas that the monks (canons) lived and worked, looked after the sick, showed hospitality to guests, made contact with the outside world and carried out day-to-day administration of the monastery and its estates. These estates included the marshland that stretched north to the River Thames.

A spring-filled pond, situated close to the Monk's Garden, provided fresh water for the monastery.

Garden Museum, Lambeth

In what was St Mary-at-Lambeth church resides the world's first Garden Museum.

John and Rosemary Nicholson, who were keen garden lovers, rediscovered the tombs of two 17th century Royal gardeners, John Tradescant the Elder and the Younger in the churchyard garden, in 1976. This same year the church, by now roofless and crumbling, was scheduled for demolition, so the Nicholsons set up the Tradescant Trust as a way of saving the tombs and the church buildings, with plans to open a museum to the history of gardening.

The Museum of Garden History opened in 1977, with much of its original collection being donated by friends and Londoners. When it opened it had wooden and earth floors, no heating or lighting and no drainage. As such the museum was unable to exhibit works of art or precious artefacts that needed to be securely displayed.

In the 1980s the Knot Garden, created and designed by Lady Salisbury, President of the Garden Museum, offering a place of quiet reflection, away from the hustle and bustle of London life.

In 1990 the Museum of Garden History looked to expand, not just its collection but also spaces within which to display it, so plans were drawn up that included a mezzanine level.

In 2002 the museum set a target to raise £600,000 to pay for a general overhaul of the facilities.

In 2008 Phase I of the refurbishment began, with the museum's interior being transformed to include exhibition, event and gallery spaces. On November 18 the Museum of Garden History reopened as the Garden Museum.