Wandsworth Park Explained

Wandsworth Park is a Grade II listed [1] public urban park on the banks of the River Thames in the London Borough of Wandsworth, situated between Putney and Wandsworth town centres.

Geography

The park covers [2] and is on the embanked southern bank of the Tideway. It has a central playing field in an oval of paths.[3]

History

Until 1897 the land was allotments, it was purchased for £33,000 in 1898 by London County Council, Wandsworth District Board, and by public subscription.[4] The park plans were made by Lt. Col. J. J. Sexby, a horticulturist and London County Council’s then Superintendent of Parks, and in 1903 the park opened on Saturday 28 February.

The Friends of Wandsworth Park are a community organisation set up in 2014 to improve and sustain the park and manage the formal garden areas.[5]

Features

Two pieces from the Putney Sculpture Trail by sculpturer Alan Thornhill are in the park, Nexus is on the southern side by Putney Bridge road and Pygmalion is on the north eastern riverside near the entrance to Prospect Quay.[6] [7] There are two Victorian stink pipes to provide ventilation for Joseph Bazalgette's sewer system.[8] A new riverside terrace opened in 2019 on the north west corner of the park, a formally disused area.[9]

Wildlife

There are over 350 trees within the park, on the north side is the Lime Avenue.[10] On the river alongside the park are some bird barges, to mitigate habitat lost during building development around Point Pleasant and the Wandsworth Riverside Quarter.[11] The barges have tall posts to attract herons and cormorants, corrugated roofs for lesser black headed gulls and bird boxes for kingfishers and sand martins.[12]

Amenities

The park has public toilets near to the cafe.[13]

The children's playground established was built in 1960[14] and is a certified Neighbourhood Area Equipped for Play,[15] suitable for 2 to 7 year olds and 8 to 14/16 year olds.[16]

The Luna Cinema has shown films open air in the park.[17]

Sports grounds

The central lawn area includes an 11 a side football pitch and a junior football pitch.[18] The tennis courts and pavilion were added in 1920s,[19] the courts can be booked via All Star Tennis.[20]

The park has flat surfaces for running, the loop by the river is 0.6 mile (1,500-step) in length,[21] and the Wandsworth park 10K is over 5 laps of the whole park.[22]

The park has a 12 hole golf course and cafe run by Putt in the Park[23] which opened in August 2013[24]

Transport

The park is served by Transport for London buses 220 and 270 which stop on Putney Bridge Road, Putney Bridge tube station (District line) and Putney railway station (Southwestern Railway) are both half a mile walk from the park,[25] there are Santander Cycles docking stations on the south side and the south western side of the park.[26]

External links

51.4623°N -0.2043°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WANDSWORTH PARK Historic England . historicengland.org.uk . 1 April 2021 . en.
  2. Web site: Inventory Site Record . londongardenstrust.org/ . London Gardens Trust . 1 April 2021.
  3. Web site: WANDSWORTH PARK Historic England . historicengland.org.uk . 1 April 2021 . en.
  4. Web site: Wandsworth Park • Wandle Valley . Wandle Valley . 1 April 2021 . en.
  5. Web site: Wandsworth Park Green Flag Management Plan . wandsworth.gov.uk/ . Wandsworth Council . 1 April 2021.
  6. Web site: Putney sculpture trail . www.wandsworth.gov.uk/ . Wandsworth Borough Council . 1 April 2021 . en-gb.
  7. Web site: Putney Sculpture Trail . www.alanthornhill.co.uk . Alan Thornhill . 1 April 2021 . 8 August 2013.
  8. Web site: Stink pipes . wandsworthpark.weebly.com/ . Friends of Wandsworth Park . 1 April 2021.
  9. Web site: New Riverside Terrace for Wandsworth Park : Enable . enablelc.org . enable . 1 April 2021 . 13 July 2019.
  10. Web site: WANDSWORTH PARK Historic England . historicengland.org.uk . 1 April 2021 . en.
  11. Web site: Wandsworth Riverside Quarter . beckettrankine.com/ . Beckett Rankine . 1 April 2021 . 1 June 2001.
  12. Web site: Bird Barges on the Thames . wandsworthpark.weebly.com/ . Friends of Wandsworth Park . 1 April 2021.
  13. Web site: Public toilets . www.wandsworth.gov.uk/ . Wandsworth Borough Council . 1 April 2021 . en-gb.
  14. Web site: WANDSWORTH PARK Historic England . historicengland.org.uk . 1 April 2021 . en.
  15. Web site: Wandsworth Park Green Flag Management Plan . wandsworth.gov.uk/ . Wandsworth Council . 1 April 2021.
  16. Web site: Wandsworth Park Playground . wandsworth.gov.uk/ . Wandsworth Borough Council . 1 April 2021 . en-gb.
  17. Web site: Enjoy open air film screenings in Wandsworth Park . Wandsworth Borough Council . 1 April 2021 . en-gb . 22 July 2015.
  18. Web site: Wandsworth Park - Putney Bridge Road Wandsworth Greater London SW15 1PR : sports facility book online . www.openplay.co.uk . Open Play . 1 April 2021 . en.
  19. Web site: Wandsworth Park • Wandle Valley . Wandle Valley . 1 April 2021 . en.
  20. Web site: Wandsworth Park Tennis Courts . www.allstartennis.co.uk . Thrive Wandsworth . 1 April 2021 . en.
  21. Web site: Wandsworth Park Walking and Running . www.mypacer.com . Pacer . 1 April 2021.
  22. Web site: Wandsworth Park 10k . racecheck.com/ . Race Check . 1 April 2021 . en.
  23. Web site: Wandsworth Park Mini Golf Course . puttinthepark.com . Putt in the Park . 1 April 2021.
  24. Web site: Wandsworth Park Green Flag Management Plan . wandsworth.gov.uk/ . Wandsworth Council . 1 April 2021.
  25. Web site: How to get to Wandsworth Park in Wandsworth by Bus, Train or Tube . moovitapp.com . moovit . 1 April 2021.
  26. Web site: Find a docking station . tfl.gov.uk/ . Transport for London . 1 April 2021.

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