The name Battersea (in medieval times Batricheseie, Batricesege or variants) is likely to refer to the gravel ‘island’ next to the River Thames on which the manor house, church and principle arable land lay. The crown owned the manor of Battersea until 1066, but shortly after the conquest William the Conqueror passed ownership to Westminster Abbey. It was one of the main manors supporting monks there.
In 1540, when the dissolution of the monasteries took place, the manor reverted to crown ownership and was eventually purchased by the St John family. Towards the end of the eighteenth century it became property of the Spencer family, and remains their property to this day.
Battersea was well known for the supply of vegetables, fruit and flowers to the London markets from the early seventeenth to the early nineteenth century, in addition to supplying plants to the colonies in America. The village nucleus itself was by the river, near the parish church, with various industries along the riverside.
Battersea’s population increased hugely from 6,617 in 1841 to 168,907 in 1901 due to the construction of railways and the resulting suburbanisation of London. By this time it was a Metropolitan Borough. Four railway companies occupied a large amount of the open land, and various new industries replaced the wharves and riverside windmills. These included Prices Candles, Morgan’s Crucible works, Garton’s Glucose factory, flour mills, breweries and the Nine Elms Gas Works. Battersea Park was built in time to rescue Thames-side Battersea from being overwhelmed by industry.
Higher quality suburban housing was built along Battersea Rise and beyond after 1870. Despite this development, the conditions in the north of the parish remained extremely impoverished indeed. Battersea remained largely the same for the next half a century, until the World War Two bombing destroyed or damaged a great deal of the riverside property there and in the surrounding areas.
After the Second World War, much of the area was re-developed in a very large scale municipal rebuilding plan. Simultaneously, industries on the riverside, west of Albert Bridge began to relocate or close down, with housing taking its place, including high rise apartment blocks, such as the Trade Tower on Plantation Wharf, with the intention of appealing to young professionals.
The Royal College of Arts continued expansion in Battersea has encouraged newer industries to move into the area, with the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station and the reinvention of Nine Elms, which the new US embassy will call home. As a result, property prices in the area are beginning to compete with those in nearby Kensington and Chelsea.
Estates such as Winstanley, Doddington and Patmore are still deprived areas, and despite the insatiable demand for cheaper social housing, this shows no indication of being met in the near future. The opening of an over ground line has improved transport links from Clapham Junction to Surrey Quays and beyond. Much remains to be done, but there are many signs that positive change is around the corner for Battersea and the surrounding area.
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