Garratt Lane
Encyclopedia
Garratt Lane is a road in the borough of Wandsworth
, London. It connects Wandsworth High Street to Tooting
Broadway and is approximately four kilometres long. It passes through both Earlsfield
and Summerstown
.
.
The Southern-most part of Garratt Lane is unusual in that two parallel streets exchanged names. The original Garratt Lane was a narrower street than Garratt Terrace, which was the main connection to Tooting Broadway. Many people mistakenly called it Garratt Lane, so it was agreed to exchange the names.
There are a number of public houses along the length of the lane, including the Old Sergeant
and the Leather Bottle, both of which date to the 18th Century. The latter figured in the election of the Mayor of Garratt
See the play entitled 'The Mayor of Garratt' by Samuel Foote
at http://books.google.ca/books?id=6X4-AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=mayor+of+garratt&source=bl&ots=YTxFx4Mv_d&sig=CvXjPmvO1EcCtj0rIgjtDuGD6vQ&hl=en&ei=7jFzS5reLIyWtge4urmCCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false
. This is due to the Lane following the banks of the River Wandle
, and consequently having no hill in its length. Industries grew up in the 18th and 19th centuries along the eastern side of the Wandle, which caused the country lane to become a high traffic road. A 1786 map shows and names Garratt Lane running approximately on its present route. This map also shows two roads that intersect with Garratt Lane, Half Farthing Lane (now Allfarthing Lane) and Burnt Wood Lane (now Burntwood Lane). The only village on its length was Garratt Green. In 1803 the first commercial railway in Britain was opened along much of the northern part of what is now Garratt Lane. This was the Surrey Iron Railway which connected the Thames at Wandsworth with these industries, and those in Merton
and Croydon
. No sign remains of the railway which was horse drawn.
Public transport in the form of horse busses were placed on the street in the latter part of the 19th century, and in 1903 the London County Council
(LCC) extended and electrified the tram
ways. The trams started at the Thames near Westminster
and went west and southwest on three route, one through Clapham Junction to Wandsworth, another through Brixton to Streatham
, and one through Balham
to Wimbledon
. The routes through Garratt Lane connected all three with the focal point being Tooting.
When the London Passenger Transport Board
was formed in 1933 to control all of London's transport, route 12 (from Tooting to London Bridge via Wandsworth & Battersea
) and route 30 (from Tooting to Shepherds Bush via Putney
) ran the length of Garratt Lane. These routes were transformed to trolleybus (612 and 630) routes in 1937. Again the mode of transport changed in 1960s, with busses (No 44 & 220 (later replaced by the 270) respectively) replacing the trolleybuses. This pattern of change occurred throughout London although now there is a tendency towards tramway (or street railways) existing in in Croydon and proposed elsewhere.
The railway crosses Garratt Lane at Earlsfield Station and the nearest Underground station is Tooting Broadway just opposite the south end of Garratt Lane.
Garratt Lane in part of the British Numbered Roads
system, being part of the A217.
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
, London. It connects Wandsworth High Street to Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
Broadway and is approximately four kilometres long. It passes through both Earlsfield
Earlsfield
Earlsfield is an area within the London Borough of Wandsworth, London, England.Earlsfield is a typical London suburb and comprises mostly residential Victorian terraced houses with a high street of shops, bars, and restaurants between Garratt Lane, Allfarthing Lane, and Burntwood Lane...
and Summerstown
Summerstown, London
Summerstown is a district in southwest London.Summerstown lies east of Wimbledon south of Earlsfield, west of Tooting and north of Collier's Wood. The district is bisected by the main A217 road and bordered by the River Wandle...
.
Description
Garratt Lane has mixed usage along its length. In the north it contains newly developed stores including a large inside shopping mall. The stretch between Allfarthing Lane and Burntwood Lane is mainly shops of the individually owned type. The southern portion is mainly residential, although around Summertown there are a few light industries and the Wimbledon StadiumWimbledon Stadium
Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Wimbledon in southwest London, England. It also hosts speedway, stock car and other racing events....
.
The Southern-most part of Garratt Lane is unusual in that two parallel streets exchanged names. The original Garratt Lane was a narrower street than Garratt Terrace, which was the main connection to Tooting Broadway. Many people mistakenly called it Garratt Lane, so it was agreed to exchange the names.
There are a number of public houses along the length of the lane, including the Old Sergeant
Old Sergeant (Pub)
- History :The Old Sergeant is a small public house, typical of the 'local' in many poorer parts of London. It is situated on Garratt Lane in Wandsworth, which in the 18th and 19 centuries was an exit road to the south. It is known to have existed under the same name in 1785, when a John Nash...
and the Leather Bottle, both of which date to the 18th Century. The latter figured in the election of the Mayor of Garratt
See the play entitled 'The Mayor of Garratt' by Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote was a British dramatist, actor and theatre manager from Cornwall.-Early life:Born into a well-to-do family, Foote was baptized in Truro, Cornwall on 27 January 1720. His father, John Foote, held several public positions, including mayor of Truro, Member of Parliament representing...
at http://books.google.ca/books?id=6X4-AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=mayor+of+garratt&source=bl&ots=YTxFx4Mv_d&sig=CvXjPmvO1EcCtj0rIgjtDuGD6vQ&hl=en&ei=7jFzS5reLIyWtge4urmCCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Transportation
Garratt Lane is the major north-south route in West london,south of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. This is due to the Lane following the banks of the River Wandle
River Wandle
The River Wandle is a river in south-east England. The names of the river and of Wandsworth are thought to have derived from the Old English "Wendlesworth" meaning "Wendle's Settlement". The river runs through southwest London and is about long...
, and consequently having no hill in its length. Industries grew up in the 18th and 19th centuries along the eastern side of the Wandle, which caused the country lane to become a high traffic road. A 1786 map shows and names Garratt Lane running approximately on its present route. This map also shows two roads that intersect with Garratt Lane, Half Farthing Lane (now Allfarthing Lane) and Burnt Wood Lane (now Burntwood Lane). The only village on its length was Garratt Green. In 1803 the first commercial railway in Britain was opened along much of the northern part of what is now Garratt Lane. This was the Surrey Iron Railway which connected the Thames at Wandsworth with these industries, and those in Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
and Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. No sign remains of the railway which was horse drawn.
Public transport in the form of horse busses were placed on the street in the latter part of the 19th century, and in 1903 the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
(LCC) extended and electrified the tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
ways. The trams started at the Thames near Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
and went west and southwest on three route, one through Clapham Junction to Wandsworth, another through Brixton to Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, and one through Balham
Balham, London
Balham is a neighbourhood of south London, England, and is part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Lambeth.-History:...
to Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
. The routes through Garratt Lane connected all three with the focal point being Tooting.
When the London Passenger Transport Board
London Passenger Transport Board
The London Passenger Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1933 to 1948...
was formed in 1933 to control all of London's transport, route 12 (from Tooting to London Bridge via Wandsworth & Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
) and route 30 (from Tooting to Shepherds Bush via Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
) ran the length of Garratt Lane. These routes were transformed to trolleybus (612 and 630) routes in 1937. Again the mode of transport changed in 1960s, with busses (No 44 & 220 (later replaced by the 270) respectively) replacing the trolleybuses. This pattern of change occurred throughout London although now there is a tendency towards tramway (or street railways) existing in in Croydon and proposed elsewhere.
The railway crosses Garratt Lane at Earlsfield Station and the nearest Underground station is Tooting Broadway just opposite the south end of Garratt Lane.
Garratt Lane in part of the British Numbered Roads
Road number
A road number is often assigned to a stretch of public roadway. The number chosen is often dependent on the type of road, with numbers differentiating between interstates, motorways, arterial thoroughfares, two-lane roads, and so forth.-United Kingdom:...
system, being part of the A217.
Buildings listed by the Borough
There are four listed properties on Garratt Lane:- The Old Court House near Wandsworth High Street is set back from Garratt Lane by a small public garden. It held the Wandsworth Museum until 2008, when it was converted into a public library.
- St Andrews Church is in Earlsfield and is the Church of England parish church
- The Leather Bottle Public House, at Summers Green, has historic connections. It is documented as being in existence in 1745, but is probably older. Its appearance has changed little over the last 150 years. One of the engravings by Valentine GreenValentine GreenValentine Green was a British engraver.-Biography:Born in Salford Priors, he was placed by his father in a solicitor's office at Evesham, where he remained for two years; but ultimately he decided, on his own responsibility, to abandon the legal profession and became a pupil of a line engraver at...
, shows electionGarrat ElectionsThe Garrat Elections were a carnival of mock elections in 18th century Surrey, England.The events were organized around May 20.People of the village of Garrat, Surrey had met in a conclave and elected a president to obtain rights in a small common...
of a Mayor of Garratt (1781) in front of the Leather Bottle. - St Clement Danes Almshouses is also known as Diprose Lodge. It is within a walled estate in Earlsfield. The Almshouses are now owned and operated by the Borough of MertonLondon Borough of MertonThe London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
.