106-597: Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon , southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath , and Putney Lower Common , which together are managed under the name Wimbledon and Putney Commons totalling 460 hectares (1,140 acres). Putney Lower Common is set apart from the rest of the Common by a minimum of 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) of the built-up western end of Putney . Wimbledon Common, together with Putney Heath and Putney Lower Common,
212-591: A 'Privilege Card' which provides discounts and benefits within the town centre. The UK's leading car-sharing company Zipcar has its UK headquarters in Wimbledon. Other notable organisations with head offices in Wimbledon include CIPD , Ipsotek, United Response , the Communication Workers Union (United Kingdom) and, until 2022, Lidl . The Wimbledon Times (formerly Wimbledon Guardian ) provides local news in print and online. In
318-453: A King's plate." However, he gives no further details and does not say how successful horse racing was or how long it lasted. Bisley Camp The National Shooting Centre , often referred to simply as Bisley , is the UK's largest shooting sports complex, comprising several shooting ranges as well as the large Bisley Camp complex of accommodation, clubhouses and support services. The centre
424-519: A century earlier the property was noted for "deep play". Pitt died in the house in 1806 from typhus. It was later owned by Henry Lewis Doulton, son of Henry Doulton of pottery fame. It was demolished and an art deco style residence rebuilt on the site in 1933. Nearby stands Bristol House, which owes its name to the Bristol family. James Macpherson , the translator and author of the Ossian's Poems , had
530-520: A duel between George, the third Lord Chandos, and Colonel Henry Compton ended with Compton being killed. On a Sunday afternoon in May 1798 William Pitt , the then Prime Minister, who lived in Bowling-Green House on the heath, fought a bloodless battle with William Tierney, MP. The house derived its name from the bowling-green formerly attached to it, and for more than sixty years (1690–1750) was
636-535: A figure which has remained reasonably stable since. Wimbledon is covered by several wards in the London Borough of Merton, making it difficult to produce statistics for the town as a whole. The largest ethnic groups (up to 10%) in the wards according to the 2011 census are: At the time the Domesday Book was compiled (around 1086), Wimbledon was part of the manor of Mortlake. From 1328 to 1536,
742-595: A high-profile battle in the media, having rejected the outcome of arbitration. It was eventually established that the NRA did own the building, although improvements made by the tenant were to be accounted for in setting the rent. This episode was misreported in national press as involving the "Regimental Clubhouse" of the Artists Rifles Regiment, but the Artists Rifle Club had in fact vacated
848-633: A manor of Wimbledon was recorded as belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury . The manor of Wimbledon changed hands many times during its history. Wimbledon was an Ancient Parish from the medieval period, later being re-organised as the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon within the county of Surrey . In 1965, the London Government Act 1963 abolished the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon, Merton and Morden Urban District and
954-478: A new site. It has two teams in the highly competitive Fullers Surrey County League and a Sunday side that plays on a more social level. In 1900, a decade after the death of his multimillionaire father Junius Morgan , J. P. Morgan had already gained a fondness for the sport and was made an honorary member. Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton , who presided at the club dinner in 1910, allowed his two young children – Raymond and Cecily – to play cowboys and Indians on
1060-634: A provision to allow the Conservators to have Officers attested as constables for the purposes of enforcing the provisions of the Act and all bylaws made there under. There was resistance at the time to a similar provision in the draft Bill that preceded the Act, whereby an article in The Spectator in January 1865 objected to the creation of 'Spencerian Police'. The article refers to draft Bill as it
1166-470: A public appeal to fund their legal challenge, raising £25,000 from a few dozen donors. The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators joined forces legally with Wandsworth, appointing Wandsworth to build the roads. The land sold by the Conservators to the council will be tarmacked for some 110 metres (120 yards), and lined with bollards, in addition to street lighting, tarmacked footpaths and electronic barriers, which objectors say will suburbanise and alter
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#17327733918251272-543: A small valley. These were often referred to as "Pen Ponds". Beverley Brook runs along the western edge of Wimbledon Common. The watercourse was the historic south west London boundary, and is paralleled by the Beverley Brook Walk . Near Beverley Brook and Warren Farm are two Local Nature Reserves managed by the London Wildlife Trust : Farm Bog and Fishpond Wood and Beverley Meads . At
1378-500: A stable rural population coexisting with nobility and wealthy merchants from the city. In the 18th century the Dog and Fox public house became a stop on the stagecoach run from London to Portsmouth , then in 1838 the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) opened a station to the southeast of the village at the bottom of Wimbledon Hill. The location of the station shifted the focus of
1484-570: A villa on Putney Heath. The heath near the Telegraph pub was also the venue for the September 1809 duel between Cabinet ministers George Canning and Lord Castlereagh . Scio House was the last villa on Portsmouth Road abutting the heath: it eventually became a hospital and was known as Scio House Hospital for Officers, Putney. It has since been redeveloped as a gated community of 70 neo-Georgian homes divided into two streets. Putney Heath
1590-591: Is 7 miles (11.3 km) south-west of Charing Cross . The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. It is considered an affluent suburb with its grand Victorian houses, modern housing and low-rise apartments. The residential area splits into two sections: the village and the town, with the village near the common centred on the High Street, being part of
1696-633: Is a district and town of south-west London, England, 7.0 miles (11.3 km) southwest of the centre of London at Charing Cross ; it is the main commercial centre of the London Borough of Merton . Wimbledon had a population of 68,187 in 2011 which includes the electoral wards of Abbey, Wimbledon Town and Dundonald, Hillside, Wandle, Village, Raynes Park and Wimbledon Park. It is home to the Wimbledon Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre , and contains Wimbledon Common , one of
1802-614: Is around 160 hectares (400 acres) in size and sits at approximately 45 metres (148 feet) above sea level. Because of its elevation, from 1796 to 1816 Putney Heath hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain , which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in Portsmouth . This was replaced by a semaphore station, which was part of a semaphore line that operated between 1822 and 1847. Thomas Cromwell , 1st Earl of Essex,
1908-586: Is famous within shooting circles and has been described as the "marksman's Mecca ". Some of the buildings within the grounds are from the Victorian era, having been transported there in the re-location from Wimbledon Common . These were previously erected annually at Wimbledon, but were now sited permanently. The clock tower, Fulton's Gun Shop and the Exhibition Pavilion are particularly fine examples which survive to this day. Several buildings on
2014-732: Is located between the villages of Bisley (from which it takes it colloquial name) and Brookwood in Surrey . The site is wholly owned by the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA Imperial Meeting (the Association's national championship) was first held on Wimbledon Common in 1860. In 1890, the village of Bisley became the location for the Imperial Meeting. The headquarters of the British NRA
2120-648: Is now approved by the British Horse Society and the Association of British Riding Schools. It offers horse-riding lessons and hacks on Wimbledon Common and in Richmond Park. In 1792 the Rev. Daniel Lysons published The Environs of London: being a historical account of the towns, villages, and hamlets, within twelve miles of that capital in which he wrote: "In the early part of the present century there were annual races upon this common, which had then
2226-467: Is protected by the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act of 1871 from being enclosed or built upon. The common is for the benefit of the general public for informal recreation, and for the preservation of natural flora and fauna. It is the largest expanse of heathland in London, with an area of bog with a flora that is rare in the region. The western slopes, which lie on London Clay , support mature mixed woodland . The Commons are also an important site for
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#17327733918252332-441: Is the only known instance of a team called Putney and of a match at this venue. Old Central School , situated in the south west of Wimbledon Common, provided a former pupils football team in the late 19th century which played on the common and used the "Fox and Grapes" public house as a changing room. At first called "The Old Centrals", this club later became Wimbledon F.C. Putney Lower Common hosted Fulham F.C. 's home games in
2438-410: Is thought to have been constructed. In 1086 when the Domesday Book was compiled, Wimbledon was part of the manor of Mortlake . The ownership of the manor of Wimbledon changed between various wealthy families many times during its history, and the area also attracted other wealthy families who built large houses such as Eagle House, Wimbledon Manor House and Warren House . The village developed with
2544-648: The Conference South League ) play their home matches at the Richmond Park entrance/Robin Hood roundabout corner of the common on Sunday mornings. A Parkrun is held on the common every Saturday morning which usually sees in excess of 300 runners complete 5 kilometres. The course starts and finishes at the Windmill. Today, as well as being a popular place for cycling, jogging and walking,
2650-472: The Dog and Fox made the journey to London routine, although not without the risk of being held-up by highwaymen , such as Jerry Abershawe on the Portsmouth Road. The stagecoach horses would be stabled at the rear of the pub in what are now named Wimbledon Village Stables. The 1735 manor house burnt down in the 1780s and was replaced in 1801 by Wimbledon Park House, built by the second Earl . At
2756-572: The Great Fire of London , to coincide with the invention of the Hartley fire plates by David Hartley , near a spot where his fireproof house was built. The obelisk, with the ornately detailed foundation stone, is still standing and can be accessed via the car park adjacent to The Telegraph public house, off Wildcroft Road, SW15. The lower part of this house was repeatedly set on fire in the presence, among others, of George III and Queen Charlotte ,
2862-792: The Invasion of Britain by Claudius . It may have been taken by the Legio II Augusta under Vespasian in their push westwards in AD 44. It is possible the site was settled as far back as the Bronze Age , but it and the surrounding barrows were deliberately destroyed by John Erle-Drax in 1875. During World War One, an area of the common known as The Plain was used as one of ten air bases protecting London. In 1914 and before, model aircraft were flown here. Charles II reviewed his forces on Putney Heath in 1684; in May 1767, George III reviewed
2968-519: The Iron Age when the hill fort on Wimbledon Common , the second-largest in London, is thought to have been constructed. The original nucleus of Wimbledon was at the top of the hill close to the common – the area now known locally as "the village". The village is referred to as "Wimbedounyng" in a charter signed by King Edgar the Peaceful in 967. The name Wimbledon means "Wynnman's hill", with
3074-672: The Municipal Borough of Mitcham , creating instead the London Borough of Merton. Initially, the new administrative centre was at Wimbledon Town Hall, but it moved to the 14-storey Crown House in Morden in the early 1990s. It is now in the Parliamentary constituency of Wimbledon , and since 2005 has been represented by the Conservative MP Stephen Hammond . Since 2005, the north and west of
3180-713: The Worshipful Company of Girdlers and a director of the British East India Company built Eagle House as a home at an easy distance from London. The Cecil family retained the manor for fifty years, before it was bought by Charles I in 1638 for his Queen, Henrietta Maria . Following the King's execution in 1649, the manor passed rapidly among various parliamentarian owners, including the Leeds Member of Parliament (MP) Adam Baynes and
3286-530: The civil war general John Lambert ; Lambert drafted the Instrument of Government , the founding document of the Protectorate , at Wimbledon. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, it was returned to Henrietta Maria (now as mother of the new King, Charles II ). The Dowager Queen sold the manor in 1661 to George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol , who employed John Evelyn to improve and update
Wimbledon Common - Misplaced Pages Continue
3392-401: The lord of the manor , Earl Spencer , who owned Wimbledon manor , attempted to pass a private parliamentary bill to enclose the Common for the creation of a new park with a house and gardens and to sell part for building. In a landmark decision for English common land , and following an enquiry, permission was refused and a board of conservators was established in 1871 to take ownership of
3498-474: The second Marquis of Exeter . Grantham House had a large fountain in its grounds between road and residence, while across the road on the heath was a large, shallow rectangular pond used for ice skating. Grantham House stood east of both Exeter and Ashburton houses, on the site of the present-day Hayward Gardens. The skating pond was filled in post-WWII. George Cokayne , author of peerage and baronetage publications, died at Exeter House in 1911. Nearby Gifford House
3604-511: The stag beetle . Most of the Common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest , and a Special Area of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive . English Nature works with the Conservators on the management plan for the area. Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath are also a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation . The Commons are administered by eight Conservators . Five of them are elected triennially and
3710-608: The "Bisley Bullet". Services operated for just two weeks a year to support the Imperial Meeting. During the First World War, the line was extended to Pirbright, Deepcut and Blackdown Camps by the War Office. In 1918 is passed into the control of the London & South Western Railway. The Bisley branch was requisitioned again by the military during the Second World War. The extension was dismantled in 1950 and
3816-537: The 1820s employed a young Joseph Paxton as one of his gardeners, but in the 1840s the Spencer family sold the park off as building land. A period of residential development began with large detached houses in the north of the park. In 1864, the Spencers attempted to get parliamentary permission to enclose the common as a new park with a house and gardens and to sell part for building. Following an enquiry, permission
3922-534: The 1870s, at the bottom of the hill on land between the railway line and Worple Road, the All-England Croquet Club had begun to hold its annual championships. But the popularity of croquet was waning as the new sport of lawn tennis began to spread, and after initially setting aside just one of its lawns for tennis, the club decided to hold its first Lawn Tennis Championship in July 1877 . By 1922,
4028-698: The 1870s. We are not prepared to stand by and see it destroyed now." In August 2016 the Charity Commission announced a Statutory Inquiry into the potential loss due to granting of an easement for access rights to Putney Lower Common. In July 2020, nearly four years after the Inquiry commenced, the Charity Commission published the results of their Statutory Inquiry, concluding that the easement may have been transferred at an undervalue. Charity Commission Statutory Inquiry Conclusion On 4 August 2020, The Times newspaper published an article suggesting that
4134-700: The 1885–1886 season. The Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields, which form part of the Commons and are situated in Kingston Vale, provide football and rugby pitches for local schools and clubs. The grounds are currently home to London Cornish RFC , and was the training ground for Harlequins RL . It also hosts the annual National Schools Sevens rugby tournament. The grounds can also accommodate many different sports such as Australian Rules Football and Ultimate Frisbee. Hampton and Richmond Borough Juniors FC (Colts section of Hampton & Richmond Borough of
4240-530: The 1930s, residential expansion had peaked in Wimbledon and the new focus for local growth had moved to neighbouring Morden , which had remained rural until the arrival of the Underground at Morden station in 1926. Wimbledon station was rebuilt by the Southern Railway with a simple Portland stone facade for the opening of a new railway branch line from Wimbledon to Sutton in 1930. In 1931,
4346-511: The 1990s and 2000s, the condition of the camp declined due to financial difficulties at the NRA. The 2002 Commonwealth Games saw some capital investment to the sports facilities, including the construction of the National Clay Shooting Centre. However, other facilities including the accommodation and camping ablutions declined, with the NRA making significant redundancies in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, new management within
Wimbledon Common - Misplaced Pages Continue
4452-399: The Act creates a power of arrest for any officer of the Conservators or a constable when the details of a person suspected of committing a byelaws offences cannot be obtained (e.g. details refused or suspected of being false). Whilst it is unlikely that this power would be used by anyone other than a Keeper in modern times, a theoretical power of arrest exists for any staff and for any member or
4558-614: The Annual Rifle Match between the Houses of Lords and Commons." The Association left Wimbledon in 1889 as the Meeting outgrew the ranges there, relocating for the 1890 Meeting at a new complex near Bisley , Surrey. Two broad, shallow pools, Kingsmere and Rushmere, lie near roads on the higher parts of Wimbledon Common and seem to be the result of gravel extraction. The more remote Queensmere is somewhat deeper, being impounded in
4664-651: The Bald Face Stag Inn. The inn was later knocked down and became the KLG factory, founded by Kenelm Lee Guinness , part of the famous brewing dynasty and a noted early motor racer before developing highly reliable auto and aero spark plugs. The factory site is now occupied by an Asda supermarket. Above the hill peak of the A3 at Tibbet's Corner – on the A219 towards Putney – stands an ancient wood fence cattle pound opposite
4770-601: The Bisley Complex, Stickledown is a Gallery Range with 50 targets to be shot at distances from 800 to 1,200 yards (730 to 1,100 metres). Stickledown is also the home of the Bisley Buffalo. Following successful trials in the Spring of 2017, the NRA purchased 11 electronic targets for installation on Stickledown. The NRA has installed a steel silhouette of a buffalo on its Stickledown range, allowing Bisley shooters
4876-511: The Charity Commission's Statutory Inquiry was a whitewash, as criticism of the deal and trustees was removed when the report was challenged by lawyers acting for Sir Ian Andrews. In the article the Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge questioned whether the commission was 'fit for purpose', due to the changes. Putney's MP, Fleur Anderson described the report as a 'whitewash'. The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act 1871 contains
4982-541: The Common is home to The Wimbledon Common Golf Club and London Scottish Golf Club . The first University Golf Match was played on Wimbledon Common in 1878, courtesy of the LSGC. It also is the base for Thames Hare and Hounds , the oldest cross country running club in the world. Annually Thames Hare and Hounds host the 1st team (Blues) Varsity cross-country match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The Commons also provide some 16 miles of horse rides. In early 2012
5088-539: The Estate's accounts of 1236–37. Stables on the current site, behind the Dog & Fox pub in the High Street, were founded in 1915 by William Kirkpatrick and named Hilcote Stables; William's daughter Jean took over on his retirement and continued to visit the stables until her death in 2005. From 1969 Hilcote Stables were leased to Colin Crawford, and when they came up for sale in 1980 renamed Wimbledon Village Stables. It
5194-540: The Green Man, adjacent to two huge plane trees near the bus terminus. This simple wood fence structure, used historically to contain lost livestock, has been listed as a Grade II listed structure since 1983. A number of fine homes lined Putney Hill and the north face of the heath, west of the Green Man. All had semi-circular carriageway entrances and exits. These included Grantham House, the residence of Lady Grantham; Ripon House; Ashburton House; and Exeter House, occupied by
5300-641: The Guards, and the Surrey Volunteers at the same spot in 1799. The 300th anniversary of the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment was marked in 1961 when a tercentenary monument was unveiled and blessed on the heath. According to Samuel Pepys , Charles II and his brother, the Duke of York used to run horses on the heath. A stone and brick obelisk was erected on Putney Heath in 1770, marking the 110th anniversary of
5406-427: The Imperial Meeting - the Association's National Championship. "These annual gatherings are attended by the élite of fashion, and always include a large number of ladies, who generally evince the greatest interest in the target practice of the various competitors, whether it be for the honour of carrying off the Elcho Shield, the Queen's or the Prince of Wales's Prize, or the shield shot for by our great Public Schools, or
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#17327733918255512-418: The Keepers on mounted patrol. The Conservators are responsible for the annual budget of around £1m. Most of the revenue comes from an annual levy on houses within 3 ⁄ 4 mile (1.2 kilometres) of the Commons. The levy payers are entitled to vote for the five elected Conservators. The levy payers fall within three London boroughs: Merton , Wandsworth (which includes Putney ) and Kingston . In 1864,
5618-466: The NRA saw a wholesale change in approach to estate management and a new focus on housekeeping the ablutions and catching up with overdue site maintenance. Many derelict static caravans were evicted from pitches where they had been allowed to stand in arrears, and new stands of "serviced" cabins were constructed, providing mains electricity and plumbing - existing caravans had no utility hookups. Controversially, clubhouse leases were also updated to include
5724-478: The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators agreed to sell the access rights across Putney Common to Wandsworth Council, having been threatened with a Compulsory Purchase Order if they refused. Without public consultation the Conservators entered into legal agreements, in return for a payment of £350,000. Some local residents who objected to the sale of the access and loss of common to facilitate what they saw as an unattractive and over-intensive development challenged
5830-407: The area in World War II . One destroyed the club's pavilion, opposite the Telegraph pub, in July 1944, near the reservoir. Wildcroft Road, turning into Portsmouth Road and further along into the future A3, was the main thoroughfare into SW London and became a stop-off point for American serviceman who alighted from their jeeps to "taste this crazy cricket game". On the south side of the reservoir, in
5936-413: The borough council, to house some of those who had lost their homes. During the 1970s and 1980s, Wimbledon town centre struggled to compete commercially with more developed centres at Kingston and Sutton . Part of the problem was the shortage of locations for large anchor stores to attract customers. After some years in which the council seemed unable to find a solution, The Centre Court shopping centre
6042-446: The borough have been represented in Westminster by Paul Kohler , a Liberal Democrat MP. The east and south of the Borough are represented by Siobhain McDonagh , a Labour MP. In 2012 the businesses in Wimbledon voted to introduce a Business Improvement District. "Love Wimbledon" was formed in April 2012, funded and managed by the business community to promote and enhance the town centre. Those who work within Wimbledon can apply for
6148-422: The building in 1967. The tenant was not connected with the SAS, Artists Rifle Club or the Regimental Association. The NSC is also the location of Army Operational Shooting Competition , in which members of the British army compete for the King's Medal . The National Shooting Centre has a number of ranges to cater for differing firearms and shooting disciplines. Short Siberia is situated furthest away from
6254-422: The chance to use a reactive target at long range for the first time. "Target 51" on Stickledown consists of a 2.4-by-1.7-metre (7.9 ft × 5.6 ft) steel buffalo silhouette, painted white. It is available from 800, 900 and 1,000 yards (730, 820 and 910 metres) and was installed after consultation with the Single Shot Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Club of Great Britain. Any rifle that fits within
6360-401: The city. Renewed upheaval came in 1838, when the opening of the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) brought a station to the south-east of the village, at the bottom of Wimbledon Hill. The location of the station shifted the focus of the town's subsequent growth away from the original village centre. For several years Wimbledon Park was leased to the Duke of Somerset , who briefly in
6466-460: The common and preserve it in its natural condition. The windmill stands near the centre of Wimbledon Common as usually understood; in fact the unmarked parish boundary with Putney Common runs right past it (line marked --- on the map). Here Robert Baden-Powell wrote parts of Scouting for Boys , which was published in 1908. In the 19th century the windmill was the headquarters of the National Rifle Association and drew large crowds each July for
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#17327733918256572-454: The company meant it was never finished. The next owner was Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough , who increased the land belonging to the manor and completed the construction of a house to replace Jansen's unfinished effort in 1735. On her death in 1744, the property passed to her grandson, John Spencer, and subsequently to the first Earl Spencer . The village continued to grow and the 18th-century introduction of stagecoach services from
6678-581: The council built a new red brick and Portland stone Town Hall next to the station, on the corner of Queen's Road and Wimbledon Bridge. The architects were Bradshaw Gass & Hope . Damage to housing stock in Wimbledon and other parts of London during World War II led to a final major building phase when many earlier Victorian houses with large grounds in Wimbledon Park were sub-divided into flats or demolished and replaced with apartment blocks. Other parts of Wimbledon Park, which had previously escaped being built upon, saw local authority estates constructed by
6784-489: The cricket green during the week. This groundkeeper's transgression was later believed to have been a privilege of him being an honorary member. The Chelsea Water Company originally owned the reservoir site and allowed construction of the club pavilion on its property. The covered reservoir is now owned by Thames Water. Cricket matches continued during the war although some games started late or were drawn due to late starts or air raid sirens. Four German V-1 flying bombs struck
6890-430: The early 20th century, as was recognised in 1905, when the urban district was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon , with the power to select a mayor. By 1910, Wimbledon had established the beginnings of the Wimbledon School of Art at the Gladstone Road Technical Institute and acquired its first cinema and the theatre. Unusually, the facilities at its opening included Victorian-style Turkish baths . By
6996-432: The existing Stickledown range restrictions may be used to engage the buffalo. This range is 71 ft 7 in (21.82 m) long and is available for fullbore rifle prone shooting only. This range is only available to shooters who are also booked to use another range, as it is intended solely for the safe zeroing of a rifle prior to use. This range has three prone only bays, and one benched bay. Situated next to
7102-433: The final element of the name being the Celtic "dun" (hill). The name is shown on J. Cary's 1786 map of the London area as "Wimbleton", and the current spelling appears to have been settled on relatively recently in the early 19th century, the last in a long line of variations. At the time the Domesday Book was compiled (around 1086), Wimbledon was part of the manor of Mortlake , and so was not recorded. The ownership of
7208-417: The future Edward VIII . The hospital was founded by malariologist Ronald Ross , who discovered that malaria was transmitted by mosquitoes. He won the 1902 Nobel Prize for his discovery. After his death and burial at nearby Putney Vale Cemetery in 1932, the financially strapped hospital was incorporated into the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in Keppel Street, central London. Bath House
7314-412: The landscape in accordance with the latest fashions, including grottos and fountains. After his death in 1677, the manor was sold again to the Lord High Treasurer , Thomas Osborne , Earl of Danby . The Osborne family sold the manor to Sir Theodore Janssen in 1712. Janssen, a director of the South Sea Company , began a new house to replace the one built by the Cecils, but the spectacular collapse of
7420-420: The largest areas of common land in London. The residential and retail area is split into two sections known as the "village" and the "town", with the High Street being the rebuilding of the original medieval village, and the "town" having first developed gradually after the building of the railway station in 1838. Wimbledon has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age when the hill fort on Wimbledon Common
7526-417: The last train to Bisley ran on 19 July 1952. In 1894 Colt , the US firearms manufacturer, introduced and sold the Bisley Model of its famous Single Action Army revolver specifically designed for target shooting. This revolver featured a longer grip, a wider hammer spur, a wider trigger and adjustable sights. It was offered in a variety of calibres including .32–20, .38–40, .45 Colt, .44-40. Through
7632-533: The main Camp area on the far side of Century Range. It is a rifle range with twenty-seven 100-yard (91 m) targets and nine 200-yard (180 m) targets. Century Range was the first range built at Bisley when the NRA moved to the site in 1890. It has 108 targets and firing points at distances between 100 and 600 yards (91 and 549 m). Century Range also has facilities for the 300 m discipline and has several butts of electronic targets. The longest range on
7738-417: The manor of Wimbledon changed hands many times during its history. The manor was held by the church until 1398 when Thomas Arundel , Archbishop of Canterbury fell out of favour with Richard II and was exiled. The manor was confiscated and became crown property. The manor remained crown property until the reign of Henry VIII when it was granted briefly to Thomas Cromwell , Earl of Essex , until Cromwell
7844-524: The members of Parliament, the Lord Mayor, and the Aldermen. Since 1955 the obelisk has been a Grade II listed building. The adjacent Wildcroft Manor was formerly in the ownership of publishing magnate George Newnes , builder of Putney Library . In 1895 he was created a baronet "of Wildcroft, in the parish of Putney , in the county of London ". Many duels were fought on Putney Heath. In May 1652,
7950-428: The most famous green in the neighbourhood of London. "In the early days of George III's reign it was celebrated for its public breakfasts and evening assemblies during the summer season. It was occupied for some time by Archbishop Cornwallis previous to Pitt taking up his residence there. During Pitt's ownership the house had large rooms for public breakfasts and assemblies, was a fashionable place of entertainment". Nearly
8056-441: The mother of the writer Frederick Marryat . Their association with the area is recorded in the names of nearby Calonne and Marryat roads. Directly south of the common, the early 18th-century Warren House ( Cannizaro House from 1841) was home to a series of grand residents. The first decades of the 19th century were relatively quiet for Wimbledon, with a stable rural population coexisting alongside nobility and wealthy merchants from
8162-539: The natural state of the Common. The Conservators refused the sustainable transport charity Sustrans permission to upgrade an adjacent path to a cycle path on the grounds that it would "alter the natural state of the commons". The Open Spaces Society gave financial support to the residents in taking the case to the Court of Appeal, saying in December 2013: "This is a unique green lung, which the society helped to save back in
8268-413: The north side of the heath where Putney Hill meets Tibbet's Ride. After Abershaw's execution at Kennington, his body was hung in a chain gibbet on the heath, as a warning to others. The location on the heath is known as Jerry's Hill. It is viewable from the A3 near Putney Vale , slightly uphill from Putney Vale Cemetery where a number of famous people have since been buried or cremated. Abershaw frequented
8374-473: The original medieval village, and now a prime residential area of London commanding high prices, and the "town" being part of the modern development, centred on The Broadway, since the building of the railway station in 1838. The majority of the adult population of around 68,200 adults belong to the ABC1 social group. The population grew from around 1,000 at the start of the 19th century to around 55,000 in 1911,
8480-426: The popularity of tennis had grown to the extent that the club's small ground could no longer cope with the numbers of spectators and the renamed All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club moved to new grounds close to Wimbledon Park. Wimbledon historian Richard Milward recounts how King George V opened the new courts. "He (the king) gave three blows on a gong, the tarpaulins were removed, the first match started – and
8586-516: The property until 1574 when she gave the manor house (but not the manor) to Christopher Hatton , who sold it in the same year to Sir Thomas Cecil , Earl of Exeter . The lands of the manor were given to the Cecil family in 1588 and a new manor house, Wimbledon Palace , was constructed and gardens laid out in the formal Elizabethan style. Wimbledon's proximity to the capital was beginning to attract other wealthy families. In 1613 Robert Bell, Master of
8692-664: The public that they call upon for assistance. The historic role of the Keeper was captured in a 1959 British Pathé film, which showed them dressed in bowler hats and tweeds being inspected by the Warden (a former Lieutenant Colonel) before going about their daily routine of tackling summer fires and challenging golfers who were not in appropriate attire. 51°25′47″N 0°14′18″W / 51.42972°N 0.23833°W / 51.42972; -0.23833 Wimbledon, London Wimbledon ( / ˈ w ɪ m b əl d ə n / )
8798-558: The rain came down." The club's old grounds continue to be used as the sports ground for Wimbledon High School . Wimbledon Village Stables is the oldest recorded riding stables in England. The late Richard Milward MA, a local historian, researched the background of horses in Wimbledon over the years and found that the first recorded stables belonged to the Lord of the Manor, and are detailed in
8904-659: The rebuilding of St Mary's Church in 1849 and the construction of Christ Church (1859) and Trinity Church (1862). Street names reflect events: Denmark Road, Denmark Avenue and the Alexandra pub on Wimbledon Hill mark the marriage of Edward, Prince of Wales , to Princess Alexandra of Denmark . The change of character of Wimbledon from village to small town was recognised under the Local Government Act 1894 , which formed Wimbledon Urban District with an elected council . Wimbledon's population continued to grow in
9010-706: The remaining three are appointed by three government departments: the Department of the Environment , Ministry of Defence and Home Office . The Commons are managed by the Clerk and Ranger, supported by a Deputy, a Wildlife & Conservation Officer and a personal assistant. There are seven Mounted Keepers (who deal with public safety and security), two groundsmen (for the playing fields), six maintenance workers and one property maintenance worker – some 23 employees in total. There are at least four horses which are used by
9116-519: The roads from the centre towards neighbouring Putney, Merton Park and Raynes Park . Transport links improved further with railway lines to Croydon (Wimbledon and Croydon Railway, opened in 1855) and Tooting (Tooting, Merton and Wimbledon Railway, opened in 1868). The District Railway (now the London Underground District line ) extended its service over new tracks from Putney in 1889. The commercial and civic development of
9222-502: The sale in the High Court, which ruled that the Conservators had not acted beyond their powers. Some local residents also objected to Wandsworth's planning permissions for the site (where Wandsworth were both the applicant and planning authority), and two permissions were quashed by the High Court in early 2013 over technicalities. The technicalities were corrected and the planning permission subsequently re-obtained. The residents made
9328-651: The site are listed, including Fulton's, and the Macdonald Stewart Pavilion. Better known as "Canada House", the Pavilion was constructed in 1897 by the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association as a home-away-from-home for the Canadian national team when they attended the Imperial Meeting. The camp originally had its own railway branch line which ran from nearby Brookwood station , and was known as
9434-467: The smith's shop, lying west of the highway from Richmond to Wandsworth, being the sign of the Anchor.' The plot of ground here referred to is now covered by the Green Man public house." The wilderness was for many years a noted rendezvous for highwaymen. In 1795, the notorious highwayman Jeremiah Abershaw – also known as Jerry Avershaw – was caught in the pub (now owned by Wandsworth brewery Young's ,) on
9540-547: The southern end of the common on the part used by the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club , but with a public footpath running through the middle, are the remains of an Iron Age hill fort known (in fact only since the 19th century) as Caesar's Camp. Though the main period of use as an oppidum seems to have been the 6th to 4th centuries BC, there is some evidence that it was indeed stormed by the Romans, probably in
9646-414: The time the manor estate included Wimbledon Common (as a heath ) and the enclosed parkland around the manor house. Its area corresponded to the modern Wimbledon Park . The house stood east of St Mary's church . Wimbledon House, a separate residence close to the village at the south end of Parkside (near Peek Crescent), was home in the 1790s to the exiled French statesman Vicomte de Calonne , and later to
9752-399: The town also accelerated. Ely's department store opened in 1876 and shops began to stretch along Broadway towards Merton. Wimbledon built its first police station in 1870. Cultural developments included a Literary Institute by the early 1860s and the opening of Wimbledon Library in 1887. The religious needs of the growing population led to an Anglican church-building programme, starting with
9858-493: The town's subsequent growth away from the original village centre. Wimbledon was a municipal borough in the county of Surrey from 1905 to 1965, when it became part of the London Borough of Merton as part of the creation of Greater London . Wimbledon has established minority groups ; among the prominent ones being British Asians (mainly British Pakistanis and British Sri Lankans ), British Ghanaians , Poles and Irish people . Wimbledon has been inhabited since at least
9964-428: The triangle of land between Wildcroft Road, Tibbet's Ride and the Green Man, is a large clearing of land. A funfair is set up on the grounds each October, lasting for one week. Ground rent is paid by the touring company to the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators, as part of the income of the charity. In August 1730 a cricket match between Putney and Fulham was played, reportedly for "50 guineas per side". It
10070-564: The value of the buildings, increasing the leasehold significantly. Since 1890, clubs had paid a ground rent and had built their own clubhouses on the site, but in 2013 the NRA took the view that the landlord (the NRA) ;– not the tenant – owned the building, with lease renewals reflecting this. Several clubs surrendered their clubhouses, unable to afford the new rates. The tenant of the Artists Rifles Clubhouse fought
10176-445: The whole area of Putney Hill and West Hill, leading into Putney Heath, as wealthy or well-to-do. Despite a full array of places of worship, he said the area was noted for low church attendance with all denominations "struggling for the souls of pleasure-seeking Putney ... the middle class here are as indifferent as the poor elsewhere." At the top of Putney Hill, the road taking that name veers off Tibbet's Ride at Putney Heath Lane (which
10282-728: The zero range, Winans is a no-danger-area (NDA) range divided into two independent bays. Bay A offers 10 turning targets out to 25 metres (82 feet). Bay B offers 6 static targets out to 25 metres (82 feet) and contains a high-velocity canopy and rubber granulate trap. Both bays are suitable for gallery rifle and pistol shooting as well as shotgun slug . Melville range has a total of five bays. One bay contains seven targets with retrievable mechanisms out to 50 metres (55 yards). Four bays offer gallery rifle and pistol turning targets at 25 and 50 metres (27 and 55 yards). Gallery rifles and pistols only can be shot on this range. Prone .22 calibre rifles can be shot by special arrangement. Cheylesmore range
10388-651: Was also moved from Wimbledon to Bisley Camp at that time. Bisley hosted most of the shooting events in the 1908 Olympic Games , and all the shooting for the 2002 Commonwealth Games . During the 2012 Olympic Games the shooting was held at the Royal Artillery Barracks , Woolwich . As well as the rifle ranges, there are two clay target shooting complexes; The National Clay Shooting Centre, which caters for trap disciplines such as skeet and down-the-line , and Bisley Shooting Ground, which caters for sporting clays, or simulated game shooting. Bisley
10494-411: Was born on the north side of the heath circa 1485. He became a statesman who served as chief minister of Henry VIII and an agent of Cardinal Wolsey . In the 19th century his birthplace was still a place of note. "The site of Cromwell's birthplace is still pointed out by tradition, and is in some measure confirmed by the survey of Wimbledon Manor... for it describes on that spot 'an ancient cottage called
10600-680: Was developed on land next to the station, providing a much-needed focus, and opened in 1990. The shopping centre incorporated the old town hall building. A new portico, in keeping with the old work, was designed by Sir George Grenfell-Baines , who had worked on the original designs over fifty years before. Wimbledon lies in the south-west area of London, three miles (4.8 km) south of Wandsworth , two miles (3.2 km) south-west of Tooting , three miles west of Mitcham , four miles (6.4 km) north of Sutton and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Kingston upon Thames , in Greater London . It
10706-400: Was executed in 1540 and the land was again confiscated. The manor was next held by Henry VIII's last wife and widow Catherine Parr until her death in 1548 when it again reverted to the monarch. In the 1550s, Henry's daughter, Mary I , granted the manor to Cardinal Reginald Pole who held it until his death in 1558 when it once again become royal property. Mary's sister, Elizabeth I held
10812-478: Was formerly known as Cut-Through Lane). Seven grand homes once lined the east side of this part of Putney Hill. It is now a no-through-road leading to Tibbet's Corner. Several of the mansions remain. The most southern of the homes was named Bath House, which included a keeper's lodge and large grounds. In 1926 it was opened as the Ross Institute and Hospital for Tropical Diseases by the then Prince of Wales,
10918-421: Was later demolished and mansion flats built on the property. In memory of its history the block was named Ross Court. Within the grounds remains an older dwelling named Ross Cottage. The village green at the corner of Wildcroft and Telegraph roads is still used by Roehampton Cricket Club, established in 1842. The club has played there continuously since 1859 when the lord of the manor, Earl Spencer, suggested it as
11024-469: Was owned by J. D. Charrington of brewing fame; and Dover House was the seat originally of Lord Dover , afterwards of Lord Clifden . With the development of transport routes for the growing financial sector, Putney Heath became highly desirable for City gentlemen in the 1890s, and they were initially known as "outsiders". Dover House was owned at the turn of the 20th century by the famous US financier J. P. Morgan . Social researcher Charles Booth classified
11130-467: Was published in draft in 1864, whereby the article suggests that the Bill contained a provision for the appointment of Special Constables with full police powers. It would seem that this provision was removed in favour of the provision that allowed the attestation of constables just for the purposes of enforcing the Act itself and the byelaws made there under. In addition to the ability to swear in constables,
11236-470: Was refused and a board of conservators was established in 1871 to take ownership of the common and preserve it in its natural condition. In the second half of the century, Wimbledon experienced a very rapid expansion of its population. From under 2,700 residents recorded in the 1851 census, the population grew by a minimum of 60 per cent each decade up to 1901, to increase fifteen-fold in fifty years. Large numbers of villas and terraced houses were built along
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