Lavender Hill, SW11

Road in/near Lavender Hill

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(51.46492 -0.15918, 51.464 -0.159) 
MAP YEAR:18001810182018301860190019502025 
 
Road · * · SW11 ·
MARCH
13
2017
Lavender Hill was once famous for the lavender fields which skirted the road.


The name Lavender Hill derives from the use of the fields on either side of this stretch of road for the cultivation of lavender and other herbs, by the nursery business set up in 1820 by William Pamplin. The hill would have been a fragrant and beautiful place until the late 1850s, with a few cottages, several large country houses and small farmsteads here and there along its length. Between the hill and the Common lay tree-fringed meadows, ponds, nursery gardens and country estates. Near the western end was Lavender Sweep, a private carriage drive serving a few Georgian country houses set among lawns, cedar trees and flower gardens.

In 1863 the inaccurately named Clapham Junction station opened and urbanisation began. Within thirty years the entire area had been transformed into a densely populated London suburb.

Near the station is the Falcon Tavern, named after the brook which ran west of the original quaint seventeenth-century coaching inn. The present listed building dates from 1884. This is the hub of Clapham Junction, now a conservation area, as well as an important and thriving shopping centre.

Opposite is the Arding & Hobbs building of 1910, now Debenhams, with its distinctive green copper bellcote, and the crisp red brick and stone terrace balancing it on the other side of St John’s Road. The tall curving shop terrace, 274 - 242 Lavender Hill, marching confidently up the hill, conceals an interesting secret: behind in Mossbury Road is an original farmhouse, The Chestnuts of 1812, which has survived against all the odds. The shopping centre was very late to develop; key sites were occupied by farmland until the Chestnuts Estate was developed by Alfred Heaver from 1887-89.

Up Lavender HIll is the impressive library, 1889, by E W Mountford, and round the corner in Altenburg Gardens, the Reference Library of 1924 by T Hayward - a charming late flowering of Arts and Craft style. Further along this street, 30 - 54 are an interesting late example (1868) of Greek Revival design, with the Catholic Church of 1907 sitting easily amongst them. Lavender Gardens too has grand houses, in Alfred Heaver’s distinctive design and a rare survival - a colossal Empire style house, The Shrubbery, over the grounds of which the rest of the street was built.

Elspeth Road, Mysore Road, Marjorie Grove and part of Sisters Avenue form the Sisters Estate, developed in two phases over the gardens of the surviving Sister house, now Gilmore House on North Side, and the site of its demolished twin. The first part was developed by Thomas Wallis in 1878-80 with the huge gabled houses and wide carriage road at the top of Sisters Avenue and Mysore Road. This grand scale was the result of conditions imposed by Wallis, who lived at Sister House, in the hope of attracting congenial neighbours. The second part was developed by Herbert Shepherd Cross MP, from 1894. Particularly noted are the eccentric 106 Mysore Road of 1896, and Avenue Mansions, 1895, with its fine brickwork and iron balconies.

Back in Lavender Hill, Battersea Town Hall, now Battersea Arts Centre by E W Mountford, 1893, is an early example of Edwardian Baroque. Further along, the Church of the Ascension by James Brooks, 1876-98, is a striking building, best viewed from the east end. The entrance porch has an unfinished appearance since it was originally intended to rise to form a tower. In 1894-95 Longbeach Road and Thirsk Road replaced two eighteenth-century houses and their grounds, Coombe Lodge and Linden Lodge. The Rush Hill Estate, laid out by developer Henry Shadwell Willett from 1872-80 on the site and grounds of Rush Hill House, includes the area bounded by Stormont Road, the north side of Nansen Road, Taybridge Road and part of Lavender Hill. Amongst the good variety of houses those of particular note are 4-8 Stormont Road and 73-83 Lavender Hill. The southern side of Nansen Road, together with Fontarabia Road, Marmion Road and 54-76 Taybridge Road comprise the Northfields Estate, laid out from 1890-94 by HN Corsellis. This area suffered some war damage, but infill housing by Howes & Jackman blends in well. James Holloway, one of the builders of the Rush Hill Estate, laid out Freke Road in 1878-79 on the site of four Georgian houses on Lavender Hill and built Garfield Road, 1882-86, in neo-Queen Anne style.



Lavender Hill in 1911
(click image to enlarge)


Wix’s Lane, part of which is still a footpath, is an ancient boundary and some parish boundary markers can be seen. The lane has had no more than gardens and outbuildings of houses on North Side until the fine Board school and a long terrace of flats by Arthur Balls, were built in 1903-04. The upper end of Taybridge Road was developed by John Cathles Hill in 1894-95 as the Maitland House Estate, whilst the middle part of the street, Meteor Street, Jedburgh Street and Tregarvon Road were developed by H N Corsellis with very simplified red brick houses from 1897-1900 after the demolition of the house called Northside. Corsellis was also responsible for the development of Stormont Road and 20-66 Marney Road on the adjoining Eukestons Estate, 1894-96, after the demolition of the house of that name.

Battersea Rise, like Lavender Hill, is an old coach road. A small hamlet grew up where the Rise was crossed by the Falcon Brook. With the advent of the railway the hamlet expanded and St Mark’s Church and School were built to serve the new community. The church, 1872-74 by William White, is an early example of concrete construction with brick exterior. The tower, with a faintly Germanic-looking timber shingled spire, is a delightful addition to the landscape, especially when viewed from the opposite end of Battersea Rise.

On the death of the most famous resident of Lavender Sweep, Tom Taylor, the area was redeveloped in 1881-83. The new roads were Eccles Road, Parma Crescent, Limburg Road, Hafer Road and Hauberk Road (since destroyed by bombing) and Lavender Sweep itself. The curved layout of the original Sweep dictated the form of the development. Nearby another ancient lane, Lavender Walk, survives. At the same date Alfred Heaver developed Beauchamp Road, Ilminster Gardens, and parts of St John’s Road, in his distinctive style. A pleasant surprise here is the Welsh Chapel. Finally, Barnard Road was laid out as late as 1904, after the death of Noel Whiting of Lavender Lodge.

Over St John’s Road a large meadow belonging to Lavender Lodge was developed, again by Alfred Heaver, in 1885-89 as the St John’s Park Estate. This comprised Aliwal Road, Comyn Road, Boutflower Road, Eckstein Road and Severus Road. St John’s Road probably dates from about 1790. Until the 1880s it was mainly fields, with a few cottages and a hedgerow and brook behind the shops opposite the Arding & Hobbs building.

Source: www.courtenay.co.uk

...

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY


Gillian Jackson   

Wordpress comment (February 10, 2024)
Many Thanks for this Brilliant piece of infomation and photos.
My Mum ( 1930- 2023) reciently passed away. 2023. Looking throught Birth & Marriage certificates i have been trying to see where my Mum and Dad lived and grew up.
Mum,s address on her Birth Certificate is 74 Lavender Hill.
She and my Grandmother must have moved to 21 Lavender Hill as this was the address on Mum and Dads Marriage certificate.
Dad ( 1924-2002) lived at 17 Falcon Grove. My Father,s twin sister is 101 this April.
We imigrated to Australia in 1961. Im coming to London in March and am going to stay and take a look around the Lavender Hill area to get a feel for where Mum and Dad grew up.
Thanks Heaps
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George Nicholas   

Wordpress comment (September 10, 2023)
My parents owned the 3 sons cafe at 244 lavender Hill from 1964 upto 1993,unfortunately a property company ilex Ltd bought the entire parade from the presidential assurance company in 1985. In 1987 the original Alfred heaver lease expired and ilex Ltd stitched all the shop tenants by jacking up the rents 4 fold causing so much unnecessary stress and financial harm to the tenants
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Mr Craig MacDonald   

Wordpress comment (January 29, 2021)
Thank you a very interesting description of the area of London I was born in . I lived at a house on the Shaftesbury estate 131 Sabine Road from 1957 until 1977 and attended Shaftesbury park primary school.
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LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT


   
Added: 9 Jan 2025 18:51 GMT   

Parkers Row, SE1
My great great grandmother, and her soon to be husband, lived in Parker’s Row before their marriage in St James in June 1839. Thier names were - Jane Elizabeth Turner and Charles Frederick Dean. She was a hat trimmer and he was a tailor.

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Comment
Lindsay Trott   
Added: 1 Jan 2025 17:55 GMT   

Lockside not on 1939 Register
I have the Denby family living in Lockside in 1938 but it does not appear on the 1939 Register.

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Janelle Robbins   
Added: 27 Dec 2024 18:47 GMT   

Harriet Robbins
Please get in touch re Harriet Robbins


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Dave Hinves   
Added: 27 Nov 2024 03:55 GMT   

he was a School Teacher
Henry sailed from Graves End 1849 on ’The Woodbridge’ arrived South Australia 1850. In 1858 he married Julia Ann Walsh at Burra, South Australia, they had 3 children, and 36 grand children. Died 24 June 1896 at Wilmington, South Australia. He is my 1st cousin 3x removed.

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Kevin Pont   
Added: 23 Nov 2024 17:03 GMT   

St Georges Square
This is rather lovely and well worth a visit!

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Simon Chapman   
Added: 22 Nov 2024 17:47 GMT   

Blossom Place
My Great Great Grandmother, Harriett Robbins lived in 2 Blossom Place in 1865 before marrying my Great Great Grandfather. They moved to 23 Spitall Square.

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Mark G   
Added: 26 Oct 2024 21:54 GMT   

Skidmore Street, E1
Skidmore Street was located where present day Ernest Street and Solebay Street now stand. They are both located above Shandy Street and Commodore Street.

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Alan Russell   
Added: 26 Oct 2024 14:36 GMT   

Cheshire Street, London E2 - 1969
Cheshire Street, London E2 - 1969

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NEARBY STREETS
, SW11 Lavenders Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Acanthus Road, SW11 The acanthus leaf was one of the most important decorative features of the 19th century (Lavender Hill)
Altenburg Gardens, SW11 Altenburg Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Amies Street, SW11 Amies Street is a small side street running west from Latchmere Road (Lavender Hill)
Antrim House, SW11 Antrim House is a block on Stormont Road (Lavender Hill)
Ashbury Road, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Ashley Crescent, SW11 Ashley Crescent is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Audley Close, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Avenue Mansions, SW11 Avenue Mansions is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Bakery Place, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Barnard Mews, SW11 Barnard Mews is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Clapham Junction)
Barnard Road, SW11 Barnard Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Clapham Junction)
Basnett Road, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Battersea Business Centre, SW11 Battersea Business Centre is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Beauchamp Road, SW11 Beauchamp Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Clapham Junction)
Brassey Square, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Craven Mews, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Crosland Place, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Dorothy Road, SW11 Dorothy Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Dunston Road, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Eccles Road, SW11 Eccles Road is a street south of Clapham Junction station (Clapham Junction)
Eland House, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Eland Road, SW11 Eland Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Elsley Road, SW11 Elsley Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Elspeth Road, SW11 Elspeth Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Evesham Way, SW11 Evesham Way is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Falcon Lane, SW11 Falcon Lane is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Clapham Junction)
Fontarabia Road, SW11 This is a street in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Forthbridge Road, SW11 Forthbridge Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Freke Road, SW4 Freke Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Garfield Mews, SW11 Garfield Mews is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Garfield Road, SW11 Garfield Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Gideon Road, SW11 Gideon Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Glycena Road, SW11 Glycena Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Gowrie Road, SW11 Gowrie Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Grayshott Road, SW11 Grayshott Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Grove Mansions, SW4 Grove Mansions stands on Clapham Common North Side (Lavender Hill)
Grove Road, SW11 Grove Road dated from 1851 (Battersea)
Hafer Road, SW11 Hafer Road originated in 1881 (Clapham Junction)
Hauberk Road, SW11 According to a London County Council guide of 1912, the name was changed from Hauberk Street in 1911. (Clapham Junction)
Heathwall Street, SW11 Heathwall Street follows the line of the Heathwall Ditch (Lavender Hill)
Holden Street, SW11 Holden Street is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Ilminster Gardens, SW11 Ilminster Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Clapham Junction)
Jedburgh Street, SW11 Jedburgh Street is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Kathleen Road, SW11 Kathleen Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Kingsley Street, SW11 Kingsley Street is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Latchmere Road, SW11 Latchmere Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Lavender Gardens, SW11 Lavender Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Lavender Hill, SW11 Lavender Hill was once famous for the lavender fields which skirted the road (Lavender Hill)
Lavender Sweep, SW11 Lavender Sweep is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Clapham Junction)
Lavender Walk, SW11 Lavender Walk is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Clapham Junction)
Lavenham Court, SW11 Lavenham Court is a block on Lavenham Court (Clapham Junction)
Limburg Road, SW11 Limburg Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Clapham Junction)
Longbeach Road, SW11 Longbeach Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Lubeck Street, SW11 Lubeck Street - at first called Lawn Street - dated from 1878 (Battersea)
Marjorie Grove, SW11 Marjorie Grove is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Marmion Mews, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Marmion Road, SW11 Marmion Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Marney Road, SW11 Marney Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Meteor Street, SW11 Meteor Street is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Morrison Street, SW11 Morrison Street is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Mossbury Road, SW11 Mossbury Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Clapham Junction)
Mysore Road, SW11 Mysore Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Nansen Road, SW11 Nansen Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Page Mews, SW11 Page Mews lies at the end of Wycliffe Road (Lavender Hill)
Parma Crescent, SW11 Parma Crescent is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Clapham Junction)
Pountney Road, SW11 Pountney Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Rush Hill Mews, SW11 This is a street in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Rush Hill Road, SW11 Rush Hill Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Sabine Road, SW11 Sabine Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Shirley Grove, SW11 Shirley Grove is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Signalling Centre, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Sisters Avenue, SW11 Sisters Avenue is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Stormont Road, SW11 Stormont Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Stormont Road, SW4 Stormont Road is a road in the SW4 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Sugden Road, SW11 Sugden Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Sugden Road, SW4 Sugden Road is a road in the SW4 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Taybridge Road, SW11 Taybridge Road was first developed in the 1890s as part of the Maitland House Estate (Lavender Hill)
The Arches, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Battersea)
The Bakehouse, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Theatre Street, SW11 Theatre Street is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Thirsk Road, SW11 Thirsk Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Tipthorpe Road, SW11 Tipthorpe Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Town Hall Road, SW11 This is a street in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Tregarvon Road, SW11 Tregarvon Road is a road in the SW11 postcode area (Lavender Hill)
Tyneham Road, SW11 Tyneham Road is one of the streets of London in the SW11 postal area (Lavender Hill)
Visuals, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Lavender Hill)
Webb’s Road, SW11 A street within the SW11 postcode (Clapham Junction)
Willoughby Mews, SW4 Willoughby Mews is a location in London (Lavender Hill)
Wixs Lane, SW11 Wix’s Lane, part of which is still a footpath, is an ancient boundary and some parish boundary markers can be seen here. (Lavender Hill)


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St Johns Road, SW11
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In the neighbourhood...

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Eccles Road, Battersea (1906) - a perfect line of Victorian terraces.This view has not changed much - apart from the cars - in the intervening years.
Credit: Young & Co, Teddington
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