Streatham Common
Encyclopedia
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:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
It is one of two former areas of common land in the former parish of Streatham. The other is now known as Tooting Bec Common
Tooting Commons
The Tooting Commons consist of two adjacent areas of common land lying between Balham, Streatham and Tooting, in south west London: Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common....
After inclosure, the Common was purchased for use as a public open space under the powers conferred under the Metropolitan Commons Act 1878. The Common was conveyed to the Metropolitan Board of Works
Metropolitan Board of Works
The Metropolitan Board of Works was the principal instrument of London-wide government from 1855 until the establishment of the London County Council in 1889. Its principal responsibility was to provide infrastructure to cope with London's rapid growth, which it successfully accomplished. The MBW...
and was subsequently administered by 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...
and Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
before maintenance responsibility passed to the London Borough of Lambeth
London Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
in 1971.
The Common had a long tradition of cricket playing from the 18th century, and the right to play cricket is enshrined in the Supplementary Act that brought the common into public ownership.
As well as the historic common, there is also an adjacent formal garden, The Rookery, laid out on the site of one of Streatham's historic mineral wells. The Rookery is well known for its old cedar trees and White Garden designed in the same style as that at Sissinghurst Castle. The gently sloping lawns of The Rookery are used as an open air theatre in the summer.
The south east end of Streatham Common and Rookery Gardens abut Norwood Grove within the London Borough of Croydon
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
to form part of a larger series of green spaces along the ridge line from Streatham to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, London
Crystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
.
There is a Management Advisory Committee, which is promoting a Management Plan for the conservation of the Common and Rookery Gardens. A separate Friends of Streatham Common group promotes events on the Common and in the Rookery, including a very successful annual kite festival.
Thomas Ripley
Thomas Ripley (architect)
-Career:He first kept a coffee house in Wood Street, off Cheapside, London and in 1705 was admitted to the Carpenter's Company. An ex-carpenter, he rose by degrees to become an architect and Surveyor in the royal Office of Works...
the famous architect built and lived at 10 Streatham Common South, now known as Ripley House. Henry Tate
Henry Tate
Sir Henry Tate, 1st Baronet was an English sugar merchant and philanthropist, noted for establishing the Tate Gallery, London.-Life and career:...
, founder of the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
and the Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle plc is a British-based multinational agribusiness. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index as of 20 June 2011...
sugar company lived at Park Hill by the Common.
Streatham Common is now under threat of a "temporary" ice rick being built on it while Tesco's re-develop the site of the current Streatham ice rink. A local campaign "Hands Off Our Common" is fighting this proposal by Tesco's and Lambeth Council.