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Battersea Park is a 200-acre
(83-hectare) green space at Battersea in the London Borough of
Wandsworth in London. It is situated on the south bank of the
River Thames opposite Chelsea and was opened in 1858.
The park occupies marshland reclaimed from the Thames and land
formerly used for market gardens.
The park is Grade II* listed on the Register of Historic Parks
and Gardens.
Prior to 1846 the area now covered by the park was known as
Battersea fields, a popular spot for duelling. On 21 March 1829,
the Duke of Wellington and the Earl of Winchilsea met on
Battersea fields to settle a matter of honour. When it came time
to fire, the duke aimed his duelling pistol wide and Winchilsea
fired his into the air. Winchilsea later wrote the duke a
groveling apology.
Separated from the river by a narrow raised causeway, the fields
consisted of low, fertile marshes intersected by streams and
ditches with the chief crops being carrots, melons, lavender
(all the way up to Lavender Hill) and the famous 'Battersea
Bunches' of asparagus.
Running along the riverside from the fields were industrial
concerns and wharves, including a pottery, copper works, lime
kiln, chemical works, and, increasingly, railways. The site of
Battersea Power Station was partly occupied by the famously
bawdy Red House Tavern, patronised by Charles Dickens. Access
was via the rickety wooden Battersea Bridge or by ferry from the
Chelsea bank.
In 1845, spurred partly by the local vicar and partly by Thomas
Cubitt, the builder and developer, whose yards were across the
river in the still marshy and undeveloped area of Pimlico, a
bill was submitted to Parliament to form a royal park of 320
acres. The Battersea Park Act was passed in 1846 and £200,000
was promised for the purchase of the land. The Commission for
Improving the Metropolis acquired 320 acres of Battersea fields,
of which 198 acres became Battersea Park, opened in 1858, and
the remainder was let on building leases.
The park was laid out by Sir James Pennethorne between 1846 and
1864, although the park which was opened in 1858 varied somewhat
from Pennethorne's vision.
The park's success depended on the successful completion of the
Chelsea Bridge, declared open in 1858 by Queen Victoria. In her
honour, the road alongside the eastern edge of the park was
called Victoria Road, linked to Queens Road by Victoria Circus
(now Queen's Circus). Victoria Road and Queens Road later became
Queenstown Road. Prince of Wales Road (now Prince of Wales
Drive) was laid out along the southern boundary and Albert
Bridge Road constructed along the western side. The park came
under the management of the newly formed London County Council
in 1889.
The park hosted the first exhibition football game played under
the rules of the recently formed Football Association on 9
January 1864. The members of the teams were chosen by the
President of the FA (A. Pember) and the Secretary (E. C. Morley)
and included many well-known footballers of the day.
From the 1860s, the park was home to the leading amateur
football team Wanderers F.C., winners of the first FA Cup, in
1872. The park also hosted the historic London v Sheffield
football match in March 1866.
In 1924, the 24th East Surrey Division War Memorial by Eric
Kennington was unveiled by Field Marshal Lord Plumer and the
Anglican Bishop of Southwark Cyril Garbett. It commemorates the
over 10,000 men killed or listed as "missing presumed dead"
whilst serving with the 24th East Surrey Division. It is now
Grade II* listed.
During both wars, anti-aircraft guns and barrage balloons were
installed to help protect London from enemy air raids. Shelters
were dug, part of the park was turned over to allotments for
much needed vegetables and a pig farm was also set up.
Maintenance of the park was reduced as the war effort took
priority.
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