Narrow Wall, SE1

Road in/near South Bank, existed between the 16th century and 1824.

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(51.50305 -0.11772, 51.503 -0.117) 
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Road · * · SE1 ·
November
2
2023
Narrow Wall was, by the Tudor period, a road on the line of the old earth embankment of the River Thames.

By 1593, there was a wide border of marshy ground between Narrow Wall and the water on the sharp bend of the Thames between Stangate and Paris Garden. This indicates that a considerable amount of silting up had occurred there during the mediaeval period.

By the 16th century, the foreshore along this area was covered in rushes and willows, but it was still prone to frequent flooding at high tide. No buildings were constructed there, although there were some attempts to drain the land through several ditches leading to the river. This land was considered "property" and most of it was regarded as "waste" belonging to the manor of Lambeth, hence the property of the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, by 1504, a portion of it, just over an acre in size near Stangate, had been given to Lambeth Church. It was known as the Church Osiers or Church Hope, with "hope" indicating a piece of enclosed ground in the midst of fens, marshes or wasteland. In the late 17th century, the name was changed to Pedlar’s Acre. After passing through the same hands as the three acres of Cuper’s Gardens on the site of Waterloo Road, it was bequeathed in 1685 by Sir Leoline Jenkins to Jesus College, Oxford.

The land between Stangate and Pedlar’s Acre was sold to the Trustees for Westminster Bridge. The area between Pedlar’s Acre and the Hopes (known as Bishop’s Acre and the Four Acres) and between the Hopes and Cuper’s Bridge (part of Float Mead) was leased in the early 18th century to Sir William East. At this time, it was described as a wall and bank leading from Stangate to the bank and wall called Prince’s Wall, with all the properties on or near the wall being used as timber yards, wharves, etc., and sublet to several tenants. Some of these tenants are named on Morden and Lea’s map printed in 1682, which clearly shows that while the riverfront was in use, the hinterland remained open marsh and pasture land with numerous drainage ditches.

From 1760 onward, Thomas James, the lessee of the Feathers Tavern near Cuper’s Bridge and others, sought permission from the Sewer Commissioners to "arch over" or pipe the sewers or ditches by their houses on Narrow Wall. Several industrial projects were initiated in the area, but the general appearance remained largely unchanged until the formation of Waterloo Bridge approach between 1813 and 1816 and the widening and straightening of Narrow Wall to create Belvedere Road between 1824 and 1829.

During the excavations for the Festival of Britain buildings and the new river wall, efforts were made to keep watch for archaeological finds. These findings, in conjunction with recorded sources, have contributed to the detailed story of the development of this riverside area.


Main source: Survey of London | British History Online
Further citations and sources


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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY

None so far :(
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Comment
Wendy    
Added: 22 Mar 2024 15:33 GMT   

Polygon Buildings
Following the demolition of the Polygon, and prior to the construction of Oakshott Court in 1974, 4 tenement type blocks of flats were built on the site at Clarendon Sq/Phoenix Rd called Polygon Buildings. These were primarily for people working for the Midland Railway and subsequently British Rail. My family lived for 5 years in Block C in the 1950s. It seems that very few photos exist of these buildings.

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Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:42 GMT   

Road construction and houses completed
New Charleville Circus road layout shown on Stanford’s Library Map Of London And Its Suburbs 1879 with access via West Hill only.

Plans showing street numbering were recorded in 1888 so we can concluded the houses in Charleville Circus were built by this date.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Comment
Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:04 GMT   

Charleville Circus, Sydenham: One Place Study (OPS)
One Place Study’s (OPS) are a recent innovation to research and record historical facts/events/people focused on a single place �’ building, street, town etc.

I have created an open access OPS of Charleville Circus on WikiTree that has over a million members across the globe working on a single family tree for everyone to enjoy, for free, forever.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Comment
Charles   
Added: 8 Mar 2024 20:45 GMT   

My House
I want to know who lived in my house in the 1860’s.

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NH   
Added: 7 Mar 2024 11:41 GMT   

Telephone House
Donald Hunter House, formerly Telephone House, was the BT Offices closed in 2000

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Comment
Paul Cox   
Added: 5 Mar 2024 22:18 GMT   

War damage reinstatement plans of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street
Whilst clearing my elderly Mothers house of general detritus, I’ve come across original plans (one on acetate) of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street. Might they be of interest or should I just dispose of them? There are 4 copies seemingly from the one single acetate example. Seems a shame to just junk them as the level of detail is exquisite. No worries if of no interest, but thought I’d put it out there.

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Comment
Diana   
Added: 28 Feb 2024 13:52 GMT   

New Inn Yard, E1
My great grandparents x 6 lived in New Inn Yard. On this date, their son was baptised in nearby St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch

Source: BDM London, Cripplegate and Shoreditch registers written by church clerk.

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Comment
Vic Stanley   
Added: 24 Feb 2024 17:38 GMT   

Postcose
The postcode is SE15, NOT SE1

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LOCAL PHOTOS
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William Shakespeare
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In the neighbourhood...

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William Shakespeare
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The Hole In The Wall, Waterloo. A noted venue for many a traveller awaiting their train or ending their evening.
Credit: Virtual Tourist
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1893 programme cover - Canterbury Theatre
Credit: London Borough of Lambeth
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Waterloo Bridge on an 1810 map.
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Hungerford Stairs circa 1828 Hungerford Stairs led down to the water, where landings could be made. The formation of floating piers at the quay facilitated the arrival and departure of numerous steam boats that left during the summer months every quarter of an hour, for the City, Westminster, and Vauxhall, and at other times for Greenwich and Woolwich. When Hungerford Market was sold to the South Eastern Railway, the railway company demolished the stairs, building Charing Cross railway station over the top of the site.
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The Sea Life London Aquarium is located on the ground floor of County Hall on the South Bank of the River Thames, near the London Eye. It opened in March 1997 as the London Aquarium and hosts about one million visitors each year.
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The Adelphi Building on Savoy Place, looking north from Victoria Embankment Gardens (2018)
Credit: Wiki Commons/Acabashi
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The original, Brunel-built Hungerford Bridge.
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Blackout in London, Crescent Moon and Street Lamp, The Adelphi (1939)
Credit: Bill Brandt
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Newspaper seller on Horse Guards Avenue (1937) A reminder that newspapers invented ’clickbait’. From the archive of amateur London photographer, John Turner
Credit: John Turner/Museum of London
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