Wallington, London
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wallington is a town in the London Borough of Sutton situated 10.3 miles (16.6 km) south south-west of Charing Cross.
[edit] History
The name "Wallington" derives from the Anglo Saxon "Waletone" meaning "village of the Britons" and it is listed as such as a royal estate in the Domesday Book, 1086.
The historic village was situated somewhat to the north of the current town centre around what is now Wallington Bridge over the River Wandle.
What was then called "Carshalton" railway station was opened in 1847 in the open fields to the south of Wallington because the owner of Carshalton Park objected to it being built near to Carshalton village. This acted as a spur to the development of the area and in the 1860s Nathaniel Bridges created a prestigious housing estate of gothic revival villas (architect E. L. Brock) and a new church (Holy Trinity). This southward development continued towards Woodcote and by the time of the first world war the section of Woodcote Road to the south of the station had become the new high street.
Beddington and Wallington Urban District Council was created in 1915 and a town hall (architect Robert Atkinson) and public library were built in Wallington town centre in the 1930s.
Wallington County Grammar School (for Boys) was opened on London Road, close to Beddington Park, in 1935.
Wallington was an important centre for the production of lavender oil until about the time of the first world war. This is remembered in a number of ways, for example:
- There is a large sculpture at the junction of Woodcote Road and Stafford Road representing a lavender plant.
- The Christmas lights also represent lavender plants.
- One of the local lavender farmers - John Jakson of Little Woodcote Farm - lent his name to a public house in Woodcote Road.
[edit] Famous residents
- Mervyn Peake once lived in Woodcote Road, Wallington but his house has since been demolished to make way for a block of flats.
- Eileen Shanahan, Irish poet, lived with her family in Blenheim Gardens.
- Jeff Beck of The Yardbirds lived on Demesne Road.
- Will Owen, Member of Parliament for Morpeth, Co. Durham, also lived in Wallington.
