Wandsworth Park
Encyclopedia
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in the Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
district of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 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...
. It is one of two Grade II listed
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
In England, the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by English Heritage under the provisions of the National...
parks in London, the other being Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Battersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
. The park is situated along the south bank 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,...
and bordered to the south by Putney Bridge Road. To the west it backs on to offices on Deodar Road, Putney. At the other end there is a large complex of flats. On the opposite side of the river is the Hurlingham Club
Hurlingham Club
The Hurlingham Club is an exclusive sports club in Fulham in southwest London, England. The club, founded in 1869, is situated by the River Thames in Fulham, West London, and has a Georgian clubhouse set in of grounds...
. The park is 8 hectares in size and is home to over 350 trees of many different species. Putney Sculpture Trail
Putney Sculpture Trail
Putney Sculpture Trail encompasses nine sculptures by British sculptor Alan Thornhill which are permanently publicly sited along the south side of the River Thames to either side of Putney Bridge, in the borough of Wandsworth....
is in the park.
Wandsworth Park was purchased for £33,000 in 1898 by London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
, Wandsworth District Board, and by public subscription. The land was previously allotment gardens. It was designed and constructed under the supervision of Lt Col John James Sexby, the first Parks Superintendent for the London County Council. The design is dominated by a 3.5 hectare playing field in the centre of the park surrounded by an oval path. The south east corner has a more ornamental design, and an avenue of trees form the northern edge along the river. The design has remained largely unchanged since its construction. The park was formally opened on Saturday 28 February 1903. A bowling green, pavilion, and tennis courts were added in the 1920s.
See also
- Wandsworth parks and open spacesWandsworth parks and open spacesThe inner London borough of Wandsworth contains some 670ha of green space in the form of parks, commons, allotments and cemeteries, which is the largest proportion for any London borough....
- List of sites on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens