Lavender Hill
Encyclopedia
Lavender Hill is a hill
near Clapham Junction in South London
, England
. The street name Lavender Hill is a continuation of St John's Hill and forms the section of the A3036 as it rises eastwards out of the Falconbrook
valley at Clapham Junction, and retains that name for approximately 1.5 km to the corner of Queenstown Road in Battersea
, beyond which it is called Wandsworth Road
towards Vauxhall
.
there in the pre-industrial era. Several other smaller streets including Lavender Gardens and Lavender Sweep (Lavender Gardens was the former home of Sarah, Duchess of York
where she lived in a flat before her marriage) also bear the reference and can be seen on 18th century maps as being largely farmland, with the earliest reference to the still-existing Falcon public house
at the west end of the street in 1767.
The opening of Clapham Junction railway station
in 1863 led to rapid residential and commercial development along the street and by 1885 it was such a busy commercial district that Arding and Hobbs, the largest department store
south of the River Thames
, was built. The street also features the imposing Church of the Ascension
, built in 1883 to cater to the growing population of the neighbouring Shaftesbury Estate, as well as a Welsh Baptist chapel (on Beauchamp Road) reflecting what was once a significant Welsh
population.
(so-named because the lead character lived in a seedy boarding house on the street). It is also featured with a chapter of its own in the historical novel "London" by Edward Rutherfurd
, with descriptions of it in the 18th century from the pre-industrial era. English group The Kinks
made a song entitled Lavender Hill, which appeared on several collections of material not from albums including The Great Lost Kinks Album
.
Lavender Hill has featured as a site location for many British TV shows, including 'On The Buses' and 'The Sweeney', in the 1970s.
), a number of specialist food and music outlets, a large supermarket, many (c.15) estate agents including Courtenay, Winkworth and many other well known companies. There is a larger concentration of restaurants and bars along the flatter section atop the hill, where Lavender Hill police station
and the Battersea Arts Centre
are to be found and towards the eastern end of the street.
The traders' association runs the annual Lavender Festival, to raise the profile of the street as a shopping and entertainment destination.
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
near Clapham Junction in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The street name Lavender Hill is a continuation of St John's Hill and forms the section of the A3036 as it rises eastwards out of the Falconbrook
Falconbrook
The Falconbrook is a subterranean river that flows under Balham and Battersea where it enters the River Thames.-Course:The Falconbrook is underground along its entire length, but is reflected by the naming of several local features , and the significant valley under Northcote Road in Battersea...
valley at Clapham Junction, and retains that name for approximately 1.5 km to the corner of Queenstown Road in Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, beyond which it is called Wandsworth Road
Wandsworth Road
Wandsworth Road could refer to either:*Part of the A3036 road.*Wandsworth Road railway station....
towards Vauxhall
Vauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
.
History of the street
The geographical feature is named Lavender Hill due to the commercial cultivation of lavenderLavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
there in the pre-industrial era. Several other smaller streets including Lavender Gardens and Lavender Sweep (Lavender Gardens was the former home of Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
where she lived in a flat before her marriage) also bear the reference and can be seen on 18th century maps as being largely farmland, with the earliest reference to the still-existing Falcon public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
at the west end of the street in 1767.
The opening of Clapham Junction railway station
Clapham Junction railway station
Clapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction....
in 1863 led to rapid residential and commercial development along the street and by 1885 it was such a busy commercial district that Arding and Hobbs, the largest department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
south of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, was built. The street also features the imposing Church of the Ascension
The Ascension, Lavender Hill
The Ascension of The Lord, Lavender Hill is an Anglo-Catholic church situated on Lavender Hill, in Battersea, South West London. It is thought to be the first church in England dedicated to The Ascension of The Lord....
, built in 1883 to cater to the growing population of the neighbouring Shaftesbury Estate, as well as a Welsh Baptist chapel (on Beauchamp Road) reflecting what was once a significant Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
population.
Lavender Hill in popular culture
The street is known in popular culture thanks to the Ealing comedy The Lavender Hill MobThe Lavender Hill Mob
The Lavender Hill Mob is a 1951 comedy film from Ealing Studios, written by T.E.B. Clarke, directed by Charles Crichton, starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway and featuring Sid James and Alfie Bass...
(so-named because the lead character lived in a seedy boarding house on the street). It is also featured with a chapter of its own in the historical novel "London" by Edward Rutherfurd
Edward Rutherfurd
Edward Rutherfurd is a pen name for Francis Edward Wintle known primarily as a writer of epic historical novels...
, with descriptions of it in the 18th century from the pre-industrial era. English group The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
made a song entitled Lavender Hill, which appeared on several collections of material not from albums including The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album is a 1973 LP of unreleased material issued by Reprise Records after The Kinks had moved to RCA. The tracks were recorded between 1966 and 1970 and master tapes were shipped to the US Reprise Label in the early 1970s to fulfill contractual obligations with that label...
.
Lavender Hill has featured as a site location for many British TV shows, including 'On The Buses' and 'The Sweeney', in the 1970s.
Contemporary Lavender Hill
Lavender Hill is now principally a shopping street along much of its length, starting from the landmark Arding and Hobbs building (now part of DebenhamsDebenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
), a number of specialist food and music outlets, a large supermarket, many (c.15) estate agents including Courtenay, Winkworth and many other well known companies. There is a larger concentration of restaurants and bars along the flatter section atop the hill, where Lavender Hill police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
and the Battersea Arts Centre
Battersea Arts Centre
The Battersea Arts Centre is a performance space near Clapham Junction in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth that specialises in music and theatre productions.-History:...
are to be found and towards the eastern end of the street.
The traders' association runs the annual Lavender Festival, to raise the profile of the street as a shopping and entertainment destination.