Clapham Common was once the waste land of the Manors of Clapham and Battersea. Here the villagers grazed their livestock and gathered brushwood for their fires, while the ponds supplied good drinking water. Rights over the western half were claimed by both the parishes of Clapham and Battersea, and in the 17th century, the parishes contested ownership with fisticuffs and lawsuits. The disputed boundary, running north to south across the Common, is the modern boundary between the Boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth.

1889 

In 2012, a new library was opened in Clapham High Street, and the old building was taken over by a locally formed trust, which has transformed it into an arts centre. The former use is recorded by a Clapham Society green plaque.

Tucked away in the garden outside is a Roman memorial stone, now illegible, which came here via Cavendish House on South Side, but was earlier in the Tower of London.

The large drinking fountain is by August von Kreling, cast in 1884 by F Miller of Munich. It depicts a woman giving water to a beggar.

Originally erected by the United Kingdom Temperance and General Provident Society on the northern approach to London Bridge, it was moved here in 1895 when it is said that its weight had begun to crack the bridge approach.

Close to the fountain is a large black poplar behind an iron fence.

Its predecessor was known as Captain Cook's tree although as far as is known he never lived in Clapham.

The UK TOTAL ABSTINENCE LIFE was formed in London, 1840. As the group grew and progressively expanded, it changed its name in 1849. Later, it became the UK PROVIDENT INSTITUTION

Its products were aimed initially to teatotallers

Once called COCK POND, after the tavern opposite, it came into being in the 18th c. as a result of quarrying for soil and gravel to raise the site of the new parish  church (thence, the PIT POND)it was cratered by a V2 in Jan. ‘45. O

A church with an active community and normally open to the public, or often in used.

Open  for worship in 1776, plain, simple…reflecting the calm spirit of those rational and enlightened times. The old church (where ST.PAUL’s stands) existed from the M.A., it had grown in a haphazard sort of way,  I it was in a poor state of repair, and it was too small.

After descussions, an Act of Parliament was obtained to buy land  from the manorial family. A trust was set up, headed by the the speaker of the Commons and JOHN THORNTON, the merchant banker, in a meeting in the PLOUGH INN. The architect chosen was KENTON COUSE, from the office of works (DOWNING STREET façade).

Simple design, 3 doors, galleries, stubby tower, a clock by THAWAITES of CLERKENWELL, a pearl of 4 bells.

A bigger congregation was attracted by JOHN VENN, rector from 1792. New vestries, porch (shelter for those alighting from their carriages) and a big organ.

The seats in the nave were box pews, for which occupants paid rent (thus the church was funded). The poor occupied plain benches in the middle.

Venn introduced the reform of holding communion services only once a month. The few who took com. gathered at the e.e. in front of the beautiful mahogany table of 1776, and still in use each Sunday

The church has changed to reflect changes in approach to worship. During the 19th c. the emphasis shirted away from a long sermon and more  towards a participofnteh congregation in hymn and music.

In 1875 the box pews were reduced in heigh and converted into the present bench pews.

The big three decker pulpit was cut down and moved to the N side, allowing room for a choir.

The new font a the w.e., in a sort of medieval style,  saw the baptism of EM FORSTER ( the first!).

Later in the century there was a move to pull it down and building a new Gothic Revival church, as this one was seen as ugly.

In 1903, the e.e. was reconstructed and enlarged, in a sympathetic way with the plainness of the original, by  BERESFORD PITE. But the richness preferred in Edwardian times was brought in.

During WW2 the windows were destroyed, the Lady Chapel gutted, the main roof nearly collapsed. The congregation sat under the galleries!. The restoration was completed in 1952

The struggle to end the transatlantic slave trade and slavery was achieved by African resistance and economic factors as well as through humanitarian campaigns.

The most prominent abolitionists in Britain, notably Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce, were great publicists. Wilberforce (1759-1833) led the British parliamentary campaign to abolish the transatlantic slave trade and slavery.

Opinion in Europe was also changing. Moral, religious and humanitarian arguments found more and more support. A vigorous campaign to achieve abolition began in Britain in 1783 and also developed in North America and the Caribbean, often led by the Black churches. In Britain, Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846) was another prominent campaigner who was principally responsible for collecting evidence against the trade. Clarkson was a founder member of the society for effecting the abolition of the slave trade in 1787.

1930s block of flats.

Pl.: MARIE KENDALL lived here

Art Deco, with strong horizontal lines.. JJ DE SEGRAIS. Original gates

1700, with later additions 

On, or near the LODGE serving CLAPHAM PLACE

B. 1754 for THOMAS PAGE.

Pl.: CHARLES BARRY, lived here 1853~50.

Classical porch, Doric columns, pediment.

This house was built in the garden of CLAPHAM PLACE, the house of DENIS GAUDEN, VICTUALLER to the RN. Later bout by WILLIAM HEWER, S.P’s clerk and friend. Pepys spent here the last 3 years of his life. He died here in 1703.

Remains of CLAPHAM PLACE have been found in THE CHASE.

Bought in 1900 by the NATIONAL FREE HOME for the DYING.

Converted into flats to raise income

Here, GEORGE HIBBERT created a garden  which rivalled KEW.

Architect JT KNOWLES (1831-1901) lived here

Lions and urns

Bigger house, double por porch. Designed by L’ANSON for himself. 20th infillings and excrescences.

Site of THE WILDERNESS (H.FLITZCROFT). Little London house of HENRY HOARE, the banger

KNOWLES Junior. 1860. The last of the grand houses

6 storey towers, Fr aren’t roofs, cast iron balusters, ivy leaf decorations 

Planned as gateway to PARK TOWN, a huge development to stretch down to the THAMES. Though mostly unbuilt a stretch of i y leaves can be see down CEDARS ROAD

No. 47. AUGENER, publicist

PL.: EDWARD GRIEG

Market gardener, Mr. Wix.

Boundary between CL. and BATTERSEA. See IRON BOUNDARY MARKER

STONELEY was the home of J.HATCHARD, the PICCADILLY bookseller

A remain of NIRTHSIDE, JOHN CARR’s (biscuit manufacturer) villa.

Rests of east wing

Terrace houses b. on grounds

ROGER LEE

During Inter-war period an open air school for children with TB

Residence of the Founder of the China manufacture

Mr.GLADSTONE opening speech of his IRELAND HOME RULE campaign

PL.: JOHN BURNS, MP., tradeunionist, lived here

Pl.: JOHN WALTERS founder of the DAILY UNIVERSAL REGISTER

Pre-Raphaelite chapel: PHILIP WEBB, BURNE-JONES

For ISABELLA GILMORE, W.M’s sister, f.of the Anglican Order of DEACONESES. Some fittings are in the V&A M.

Summer concerts

https://www.fishprep.com/water/eagle-pond-clapham-common/

“At the garden we grow everything from squash to salad, right in the centre of Clapham Common on the formerly derelict land on Lambeth Council’s waste storage site”

However, an interesting diversion here would be towards CLAPHAM SOUTH LU STATION and the area around  NIGHTINGALE LANE (see chapter)

Below, two 1,400 foot long tunnels of 16'6" diameter, beneath the tube tunnels. Used as air raid shelters in 1944, they housed the 240 people from the West Indies, who sailed on the Empire Windrush in 1948.

Until 2015 an archive store. Listed Grade II in 1998.

The tube reached here in 1926 originally planned as Nightingale Lane station - entrance building by Charles Holden, more famous for the later, curvy, Arnos Grove.

Octagonal hall with period detailing: detailing: stonework, wooden shop fronts, black fluted tiled walls, iron chandelier echoing the restored exterior London Transport logo.

The former South London Hospital for Women was  founded by Dr Maud Chadburn. It opened in 1916 and closed in 1984 after 68 years of care of women by women. Redeveloped by Tesco (2006), incorporating the fine hospital facade (Sir Edwin Cooper, 1935).

Neo-Georgian, with some original stone window and door cases. Chimneys, the west wing, entry staircase and anachronistic urns are new.

Looking over South Side, Cavendish Parade is called after Henry Cavendish, 18th century scientist. In his house on this site, in 1798, he was the first to measure the earth's density, with remarkable accuracy, using a torsion balance.

Opposite and beyond are terraced houses, built from 1885 on the site of the Clock House Estate, once (1775-95) home of the King's printer, Charles Eyre.

Later, members of the CLAPHAM ATHENEAUM  marvelled at demonstrations conducted in its extensive grounds showing the ability of a new phenomenon, electric light, to illuminate over long distances (1853).

In the streets behind can be seen decorative door cases, stained glass, ceramic porch columns, urns on gables and carved headstones.

Originally called 'Den Haag' (arch. George Scott 1888)  in Arts and Crafts style, stands out in bright red brick, with its projecting octagonal turret, banding of scalloped tiles on the roof and walls, ironwork roof feature and unusual drainpipes. It was originally built for William de Wilde Cater, an army uniform outfitter who later went bankrupt.

One of the four ponds remaining, of eleven. They were formed by gravel extraction. Now it is a fishing pond, where competitions are held.

A small adjacent wetlands area has been added, amongst other recent improvements 

Back to the tour route: Cross over CLAPHAM COMMON SOUTH SIDE

You are following the LBTC SOUTH LONDON VILLAGES route

Stone arch with its Tuscan columns… EAGLE HOUSE  was one of the original grand 18th c. Mansions on the SOUTH SIDE.

As this is the West wing, the house would have stood across where NARBONNE AVENUE is now. It was the residence of WILLIAM EDGAR, owner of the SWAN & EDGAR DEPARTMENT STONE.

Structural engineer SINCLAIR JOHNSTON rescued it from dereliction in 1989. Replica eagles are perched on the roof. Originally a pair of bronze ones graced the gateposts.

Arch. BURKE-DOWNING, 1912-13. B. in a Gothic style, In homage to CANON PHILIP GREEN, rector of Clapham, on land he had bought for the purpose.

Rose window. Landmark turret.

BETJEMAN called the interior tall, Bodley-esque, lofty and restrained.