Battersea Park
The site of this park was formerly known as Battersea Fields. Part of the ground was used for market gardens, but much of it was a marshy waste reclaimed from the river in the sixteenth century and later used for pigeon shooting, fairs, donkey racing and other amusements. The famous duel between the Duke of Wellington and the Earl of Winchelsea took place here in 1829. In 1846, an act authorised the purchase by H.M. Office of Works of 320 acres in Battersea Fields for a public park. The fields were drained and their level raised by soil excavated from the Victoria Docks. The cost of embanking and laying out the park was covered by the sale of part of the ground for building. The park which is 200 acres in extent, was handed over to the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1887. Transferred to the London County Council in 1889 and the Greater London Council in 1965. Since 1986 it has been managed by Wandsworth Borough Council.
Wandsworth the Brighter Borough
The plaque definitively names Victoria Docks {sic} as the source of the soil used to raise the level of the drained fields. However names the Surrey Docks. The Park was laid out 1846-1864 during which time both Victoria Dock and parts of the Surrey Docks were excavated. Perhaps both supplied the soil.
Site: Battersea Park (1 memorial)
SW11, Carriage Drive North
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of plaquesoflondon.co.uk
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