Wimbledon Park, Then And Now

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A history of Capability Brown’s Wimbledon Park at Putney Library

Wimbledon Park is known to have one of the largest lakes in South London, but did you know that the lake and much of the landscape you see was created by England’s famous landscape gardener Lancelot (Capability) Brown?

From beginnings as the seat of the Manor of Wimbledon, the park, in the 18th Century belonged to the first Earl Spencer. In 1764 he commissioned the fashionable Brown to improve his 900 acre park. It was one of Brown’s largest contracts.

The park extended from today’s Tibbet’s Corner to Wimbledon Station. Today only 15% survives, at the heart of which is Brown’s lake.

Come to Putney Library on Wednesday 11 September at 6.30pm and hear more in this talk by Dr. Dave Dawson who is working on a history of Brown’s Wimbledon Park. Find out about the original park design and the changes since then, as housing and public transport come to the area. This history involves large areas of Wimbledon, Southfields and Putney Hill.

The remaining open space is a fine landscape and important for nature, but its future is uncertain because of the plans of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the owner of the public park, the London Borough of Merton.



A free event from The Friends of Putney Library - 11th September 2019, 6.30pm at Putney Library. Refreshments from 6.00pm. Donations to FoPL welcome.

All welcome, but advance booking appreciated. Call 020 8780 3085 or
email Charlene.coleman@gll.org

August 2, 2019