Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Wandsworth is a town in Surrey, forming a south-western suburb of London. Wandsworth takes its name from the River Wandle, which enters the Thames here. Wandsworth was a Saxon era manor and subsequently a parish. The village developed on the Wandle and along the Roman road from London to Kingston upon Thames. From ancient times, the Wandle provided power for flour mills and, from the 17th century, for powering new industries (iron and copper working, leather working, oil dressing etc.). The Ram Brewery existed by 1576 and closed in 2006. From the 1680s there was an important community of French Protestants, or Huguenots. Transport improvements in the 19th century made Wandsworth a viable place of residence for City workers and during Victoria’s reign the district filled with housing, together with new public buildings and parks. Wandsworth Prison opened in 1851. War-time bomb damage was the spur to an extensive programme of post-war redevelopment. Wandsworth Town Hall (1937) was designed by Edward A. Hunt in the International Moderne style. All Saints' Church dates from 1630, though there has been a church on the site since at least 1234. The town is within the council area of Wandsworth.

Place Type: Town
Historic County: Surrey
Lat, Long: 51.456774,-0.19274244
Grid Reference: TQ 2566 7463
Council Area: Wandsworth CA
Strategic Authority Area: Greater London SA
Police Area: Metropolitan PA

GBPN ID: 47714
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Wandsworth,_Surrey_47714

 Explore Wandsworth on Wikishire
 Peruse Surrey on Wikishire