Wandsworth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wandsworth is a town on the south bank of the River Thames in south-west London. It is at the centre of the London Borough of Wandsworth, made up of Balham, Battersea, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Nine Elms, Putney, Roehampton, Southfields, and Tooting. Wandsworth takes its name from the River Wandle, which enters the Thames at Wandsworth. Many people say they live in Wandsworth, but are referring to the borough rather than the town. Wandsworth town is a relatively small, roughly triangular-shaped stretch of land, running down to the Thames.
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[edit] Description
Wandsworth like its neighbor Battersea is a town of extremes (a fact highlighted in the popular film Love Actually) containing some light industry and warehouse sites, rapidly being surrounded by luxury riverside housing. The last twenty years has seen Wandsworth join the ranks of the most expensive and desirable south London towns. In February 2007 the Evening Standard placed Wandsworth as a borough with the third most million pound property sales in the capital, behind Chelsea and Westminster. A great deal of these sales are due to Wandsworth's ( The Town) rapid riverside development, catering for the Chelsea overspill. Since at least the early 16th century, Wandsworth has offered accommodation to consecutive waves of immigration; from Protestant Dutch metalworkers fleeing persecution in the 1590s, to recent Eastern European members of the European Union.[1] An influx of French Huguenot refugees in the early 17th century is remembered in many local street names. There is a band of small and expensive terraced housing (known as The Tonsleys) behind Old York Road - the former centre of old Wandsworth - rising to an area of grander, terraced, semi-detached and detached housing along the roads bounded by West Side Wandsworth Common, Earlsfield Road and East Hill. In contrast, at the base of East Hill is a collection of high-rise council blocks.
Wandsworth Riverfront, a former wharf area, is now lined with bars, restaurants and new apartment blocks. Set back from the river, at the top of East Hill, is Wandsworth Common which contains an area known locally as "the Toast Rack" containing some of the most expensive townhouses in London[1] across from the beautiful Bellevue Road containing many boutiques and the famous Chez Bruce, formerly Harveys, where renowned chef Gordon Ramsay learned his trade, and voted one of London's favorite restaurants in 2006.[citation needed]
There are many individually owned cafés, bars and restaurants occupying St John's Hill and Old York Road (Tonsleys), reflecting the local government's policy of restricting chain stores to the newly-regenerated Southside shopping centre, cinema and restaurant complex (formerly and more commonly referred to as the Arndale Centre). Wandsworth has two pubs featured in the Good Pub Guide: The Ship Inn (popular with local families); and The Alma (popular with post-work city workers and rugby fans).
Nearby is Wandsworth prison, which is the largest prison in the London area, and the second largest in Britain, after Liverpool.[citation needed]
Between the town centre and the river lies the site of Young's Ram Brewery, in the heart of Wandsworth. Traditional draught beer was produced on the site from 1581, which made the Ram Brewery the oldest site in Britain on which beer had been brewed continuously.[citation needed] Until late in 2006, shire horse-drawn brewery drays were still used to deliver beer to local pubs. However, beer production was halted in September 2006 and a new use for the site is being discussed.
Wandsworth roundabout underpass was used in the opening scene of A Clockwork Orange, when the gang of youths beat up a man using baseball bats.
In December 2006, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of Wandsworth were the 7th most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 27.2% of the population participate at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.[2]
[edit] Famous residents
- Voltaire — French philosopher
- William Makepeace Thackery — Novelist
- Gordon Ramsay — Chef
- David Lloyd George — former Prime Minister
- Johnny Vaughan — television presenter
- Mark Owen — singer
- Jack Dee — comedian/actor
- Ainsley Harriott — TV Chef
- Prunella Scales — actor
- Timothy West — actor
- Alun Armstrong- actor
- Emma Ferguson -Actress
- Natalie Pinkham- Tabloid favourite
[edit] Nearest places
[edit] Notable restaurants
- Chez Bruce, Wandsworth Common
- Ditto Wandsworth, East Hill
- Konnigans,Old York Rd.
- The Waterfront, Battersea reach, York road
[edit] Transport
Nearest railway stations:
- Wandsworth Town railway station
- Wandsworth Common train station, (one stop from Clapham Junction, and 12 minutes' train ride from Victoria.)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b (2006) Time Out London for Londoners. London: Ebury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-904978-52-7.
- ^ Sport England. Active People Survey. Retrieved on Error: invalid time.
