The History of Wandsworth Common


David Batten, Boundaries &c, from Clapham with its Common and Environs, 1841, pp.107-111






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BOUNDARIES, &c.

The Boundaries of the Parish, according to the oldest documents of the Parish and Manor, when taken, have iusually commenced at the comer of Wix's Lane formerly called Browmell's Corner, proceeding northward down the lane, the whole of which is Battersea Parish, down to the Wandsworth Road, which it crosses to a meadow called Brick ^lead, down to the water course, called the North Shore; the fence of this meadow is n Battersea, the water course then forming" the joundary in a north easterly direction through Brick Mead, i3rick Clamp, Knight's Meads, and Pedders

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Chase, where the foot-way to Eattersea crosses, keep- ing along- the water course throug:h Hewer's Meadows, across the Lady Acre, to the north east angle, where it meets the Lambeth boundary; it then follows the water course to the south east, leaving the Battersea shore up the Lady Acre, the east fence of which is in Clapham parish, to the Wandsworth Road turning a few paces

;

along the north foot-path to the north side of a bridge, where a post is placed, then proceeding along the watercourse, the centre of which is the boundary of Lambeth and Clapham as settled by the two parishes in 1806 and the boundary marks were put down at the joint expense of each parish, proceeding along the west side of the water course to Lark Hall Lane, crossing it at the bridge and keeping the course to Union Place, asfar as Mr. Taylor's eoach-house, part of which is built over the water course, and a small part of the yard is in Clapham Parish; the water course being the proper boundary, but in order to prevent disputes it was ag-reed that the whole of the coach-house and yard should be considered in Lambeth parish with this proviso, that if that part of the coach-house standing to the north of the course should be taken down and not rebuilt, the divi- sion line of the parish should revert as before to the water course; it then quits the water course to the east end of the above coach-house, skirting along the north side of the building and front yard, then joining the water course again at the north east end of the bridge, where a mark is cut in stone, over the centre of the bridge; after following the water course a few feet far- ther, it finally leaves it and skirts the south-east side of the glebe land called Parson's Field, belonging to the

rectory of Clapham *, the old hedge of the glebe having been taken away, and the land laid into the adjoining field on the south east, the boundary is determined by an imaginary line passing from the boundary post that is situated a short distance to the south, from the south

west end of the bridge at Union Place, to a stone put

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down in the next field on the east side of Mrs.Sketchley's premises; from theuce running in a direct line to the door of the house at that time in the occupation of Mr. Willimott, crossing the London Road to the south- east side of the foot-way, where in the wall the hound- arylineofLambethismarked; turningatrightangles westward, and then skirting along the south-east side of the turnpike road to the post at the north-east corner of the poor house, the whole of the houses on the south- east side of the road are in Lambeth, the opposite in

Clapham parish.

The Rise here was originally called Broom Hill. Going on with the boundary from the poor-house,

which is determined by the lane now called Bedford New Road, formerly the Back Lane, or Leigham Lane, leading to Bleak Hall, a distance of about \^ mile; by an agreement with Lambeth in 1666, it was determined that the whole of this lane should be in Lr.mbeth parish, the west fence being the boundary, and within Clapham having proceeded along the side of the west fence cross- ing Acre Lane at Bedford House, to the extremity at the south end of the lane, crossing a piece of waste, Avhere a boundary stone is fixed, marked C.P. and L.P. here turning to the right and proceeding a few paces westward, another stone marks the final boundary of Lambeth with Clapham here meeting Streatham *, the boundaries of Streatham and Clapham were mutually adjusted in 1807.

Proceeding in a south westerly direction along the side of the hedge of the waste, opposite Bleak Hall Farm, the whole of which is in Clapham parish; at the south- east angle of this waste is a boundary post, from which begins a narrow lane leading to Tooting Common, with the parishes of Streatham and Clapham on each side for the greater part of its distance, therefore liable to be kept in repair at the joint expense of the parishes; it was, however, agreed by the two parishes, that each should take half : Streaiham repairing that half next

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Tooting Common, and Clapham from Bleak Hall to meet it.

Proceeding a sliort distance down the lane on the south east side to a field belonging to Bleak Hall, this is the only field on that side the lane belonging to Clapham, and the entrance is marked by a boundary- post. Skirting along the east side to the south-east angle, and here turning to the right and proceeding along the curving boundary of the field until it joins the lane, and proceeds along the south side of the lane about 58 yards, where the boundary turns to the north crossing the lane, and two stones are here set,- one on each side, marking the boundaries of the two parishes; from hence to Tooting Common the road is repaired by the parish of Streatham.

It then proceeds along the north side of the lane to the gate opening on the Common, near which gate is a cottage and garden, between it and Hyde Farm; the cottage has lately been built on the waste, and is en- tirely with its garden in the parish of Streatham. The boundary post shews the line here running to another post, placed near the gate of Hyde Farm, which Farm belongs to Emmanuel College, Cambridge proceeding

;

along the south and west sides of Hyde Farm on the Common to the gate entrance to Dragmore Lane, lead- ing from Streatham to Clapham, where a post is fixed, from which it turns at right angles in a direction to the east, and proceeds along the southern boundary of two fields called Friday Groves, containing about 15 acres, whicliarewhollyinStreathamparish; andatthesouth- east angle of the farther field, where Bleak-Hall and Hyde Farms intersect each other, a boundary post is placed then turning from it to the north and to the north-east angle of the field, passing along its northern boundary, which is very irregular, till it joins Dragmore Lane, here crossing the lane to the west side, from this the whole of the lane to Clapham Common is in the parish of Clapham, the western fence being the bound-

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ary; formerly the boundary was irregular, and a small part cf the waste was taken in by Mr, Whittridge, forwhich his estate pays a quit rent to the INIanor of Clap- ham. Itisnowagreed,thatthepresentfenceshallbe the boundary; but, as the lane has always been repair- ed at the joint expense of both parishes, and certain posts having been placed to mark the limits of the road to be repaired by each, it is agreed that the same shall remain for that purpose, and for that alone. At 498 yards from these posts, turning to the left, leaving the lane, and following the south-west boundary line of the

IManor Estate, formerly the Hon. Henry Cavendish's, turning about 98 yards to the right, then to the left, on a line to the Epsom road, in a north-westerly direc- tion, between the gardens formerly I\Ir. Samler's and that of Mr. Cavendish (the whole of Mr. Samler's be- ing in Streatham), till the line crosses the south-east wall of Mr. Samler's front lawn, marked by a stone with S. Sc C. P. tliereon. From this point the bound- ary is determined by an imaginary line drawn across the lawn to the north-west wall, separating it from the

Epsom road, which was identified by a mark in the wall on stone, as well as by a channel in the wall. The whole of Mr. Samler's wall and offices, and part of his lawn are within Claphsm, and the remainder of the lawn and garden in Streatham.

Crossing the high road from Epsom, and proceeding by the south-west edge of Clapham Common, taking in part of the front lawns of each of the houses to B. Karri- son's, Esq., which was oiiginally part of the Common. At the west side of Mr. Harrison's front lavm, a stone isplacedinthewall. Here it turns at right angles to the left, and passes between the house and the stables (the latter being in Clapham, and the former in Streatham), into the back garden. A mark is built in the eastern wall of this garden, about /C yards from its entrance, to which the boundary proceeds obliquely, from hence it turns to the right, crossing the middle of the garden

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and an adjoining" field to an oak tree and to a stone in the eastern wfiU of Mr. Bellamy's garden, where it turns to the left in a direction nearly south, by Mr. Bellamy's garden wall, and by the side of Mr. Ripley's garden wall, leaving Mr. Bellamy's field on the right, the boundary of which field is the boundary of the parish to the south-east angle of that field. From this it turns to the right, proceeding along the south side of the field, to a post put down, where another turn at right angles is made proceeding along the east side of another field to its south-east angle, here it turns to the right in a westerly direction for 35 yards, then again to the left, crossing the hedge at a post, into a meadow belonging to Emmanuel College, and proceeds by its eastern fence to the brook, which bounds it on the south.

This brook is the boundary of Streatham and Clapham , for the remainder of the space in which they join each other, until it comes to the lane called Balham or Nightingale Lane (where the parish of Battersea again joins Clapham); passing alongan other meadow be- longing to Emmanuel College, the grounds of Mr. Lynn, and a field, garden, and cottage, belonging to Mr. Bellamy, returning up the north side of Nightingale Lane to the Common.


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