Wandsworth
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What is Wandsworth?
Wandsworth is an inner borough of London, situated in the historic county of Surrey, England. It is located west of Lambeth and stretches 5 miles along the south bank of the River Thames.
Established in 1965, the borough was formed by merging the former metropolitan borough of Battersea with approximately two-thirds of what was then Wandsworth.
Districts within the present borough include Roehampton, Putney, Wandsworth, Earlsfield, Battersea, Tooting, and parts of Clapham and Balham. The population of Wandsworth is around 307,000.
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Where is Wandsworth located within London?
Wandsworth is an inner borough of London, situated in the historic county of Surrey. It is located west of Lambeth and stretches 5 miles (8 km) along the south bank of the River Thames. The borough was established in 1965 through the merging of Battersea with approximately two-thirds of the former Wandsworth. Wandsworth is one of the inner London boroughs.
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What are some well-known neighborhoods or areas in Wandsworth?
Wandsworth, an inner borough of London, includes several well-known areas. These include Battersea, known for Battersea Park and its power station, and Putney, the site of Iron Age and Roman settlements. Other districts in Wandsworth are Roehampton, Earlsfield, Tooting, and parts of Clapham and Balham.
Putney and Roehampton became fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries, and most of the area was urbanized in the late 19th century with the arrival of the railways.
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What types of people live in Wandsworth?
Wandsworth is an inner borough of London, situated in the historic county of Surrey. It is home to compact houses that became popular with white-collar families, bringing restaurants and antique shops. The population of Wandsworth was approximately 307,000 in 2011. Among notable former residents are novelist William Makepeace Thackeray and French author Voltaire.
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What parks or landmarks can be found in Wandsworth?
Wandsworth, an inner borough of London, has many parks and landmarks. Battersea Park, opened in 1853, features a children’s zoo, boating lake, and the Japanese Buddhist Peace Pagoda. Other green spaces include Wandsworth Common, Tooting Common, Putney Heath, and parts of Clapham and Wimbledon commons. The borough is also home to the historic Battersea Power Station, a well-known London landmark designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott that opened in 1933.
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How has Wandsworth changed over time?
Wandsworth, an inner borough of London, was established in 1965 through the merging of Battersea with two-thirds of the former Wandsworth borough.
Evidence indicates Iron Age and Roman settlement along the Thames at Putney. Wandsworth was under the manors of Allfarthing, Downe, Dunsford, and Wandsworth in Saxon times. Putney and Roehampton became fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries, with urbanization occurring in the late 19th century due to the arrival of railways. A century later, Wandsworth's terraced streets became popular among white-collar families, leading to an increase in restaurants and antique shops.
The River Wandle, which bisects the borough, has strong historical associations with the growth of industry in London.
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Wandsworth, inner borough of London, England, in the historic county of Surrey. It lies west of Lambeth and stretches for 5 miles (8 km) along the south bank of the River Thames. The borough was established in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan borough of Battersea with approximately two-thirds of what then constituted Wandsworth (the remainder of which went to Lambeth). The present borough includes such districts as (roughly from west to east) Roehampton, Putney, Wandsworth, Earlsfield, Battersea, Tooting, and parts of Clapham and Balham.
There is evidence of Iron Age and Roman settlement along the Thames at Putney, which also served as a crossing point for ferries during the Middle Ages. The Roman Stane Street ran through the southeastern portion of the borough. In Saxon times Wandsworth was under the manors of Allfarthing, Downe, Dunsford, and Wandsworth (“Wandelesorde” in Domesday Book of 1086; the parishes of Battersea, Putney, Tooting Graveney, and Balham also were recorded there).
The series of mock elections that took place annually from 1747 to 1796 in the Garratt Lane district of Wandsworth inspired the 18th-century satirical playwright Samuel Foote to write The Mayor of Garratt. Wandsworth Prison (1851; originally named the Surrey House of Correction) held Oscar Wilde in 1895 and was the scene of a sensational escape in 1965 by the train robber Ronnie Biggs. Notable among former Wandsworth residents are the novelist William Makepeace Thackeray and the exiled French author Voltaire.
Both Putney and Roehampton became fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries, and several villas were constructed there. Most of the area was urbanized in the late 19th century with the arrival of the railways. A century later Wandsworth’s terraced streets, with their compact but comfortable houses, became popular with white-collar families, and this influx brought restaurants and antique shops in its wake.
Wandsworth is home to several schools and institutes, and local history exhibits are presented at the Wandsworth Museum. Public open spaces are extensive, covering one-seventh of the land area. Fronting the Thames in the northeastern corner of the borough is the district of Battersea, including the famous Battersea Park, which was opened in 1853. Other green spaces include Wandsworth Common, Tooting Common, Putney Heath, and parts of Clapham and Wimbledon commons. The annual University Boat Race between eight-man rowing crews of Oxford and Cambridge starts near Putney Bridge.
The River Wandle, which bisects the borough, has strong historical associations with the growth of industry in London. From the 13th century it was used by cloth cleaners (fullers) and hatters (hurrers). Huguenot refugees in the 18th century introduced their felt-making techniques along its banks, and waterwheels by the dozen powered Wandsworth’s mills. Some manufacturing (of beer, paint, candles, and computers) survives along the riverside, and services are especially important. New Covent Garden Market (flowers and fruits and vegetables; transferred from Westminster in 1974) occupies more than 55 acres (22 hectares) at Nine Elms in the northeastern corner of the borough.
Wandsworth is linked by five main road bridges over the Thames (Chelsea, Albert, Battersea, Wandsworth, and Putney), and rail lines from London to the south of England converge at Clapham Junction Station. Westland Heliport was opened near Battersea Creek in 1959. Area 13 square miles (34 square km). Pop. (2001) 260,380; (2011) 306,995.
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