Battersea

An Inventory of the Ancient and Historical Monuments in West London Accredited to a Date Anterior to 1714, Arranged by Boroughs.

(Unless otherwise stated, the dimensions given in the Inventory are internal. Monuments with titles printed in italics are covered by an introductory sentence to which reference should be made. The key-plans of those churches which are not illustrated by historically hatched plans are drawn to a uniform scale of 48 ft. to the inch, with the monumental portions shown in solid black.

1. BATTERSEA.

(O.S. 6 in. London, Sheet N.)

The borough of Battersea is conterminous with the civil parish of Battersea. Terrace House is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary was entirely rebuilt in 1775–77, but contains from the old church the following:—

Fittings—Coffin-plates: In crypt—(1) to Sir Oliver St. John, Viscount Grandison, etc., 1630; (2) to Francis, infant son of Edward Henry [Lee], Earl of Litchfield, 1686. Glass: In E. window (Plate 9)—figures of Henry VII, Margaret Beauchamp and Queen Elizabeth surrounded by many small shields of St. John heraldry with badges, large achievement of the royal (Stuart) arms, with elaborate canopy and two full achievements of St. John in tracery—crowned Tudor rose, crests and cherub-heads, all late 17th-century set up by the St. John family. Monuments: On E. wall of gallery—N. of chancel, (1) to Sir John Fleet, 1712, Lord Mayor of London, large marble tablet (Plate 10) with carved and draped border, achievement, two shields-of-arms and a cartouche with the sword, mace and cap of the city. On N. wall—(2) of Sir Oliver St. John, Viscount Grandison, etc., 1630, Lord Deputy of Ireland, wall-monument (Plate 11) of various marbles with Ionic side-pilasters, busts of man and wife, segmental pediment and cartouche-of-arms. On S. wall—(3) of Edward Wynter, 1685–6, marble tablet with segmental head, bust, two shields-of-arms and apron carved with figure-subjects of man fighting tiger and Moors. In S.W. porch— on S. wall, (4) to James Bull, 1713, and another later, draped marble tablet (Plate 10) with cherubheads, fruit, flowers, achievement and two shields-of-arms. In churchyard—at E. end, (5) to Jacob Wall (?). early 18th-century head-stone; on S. side, (6) to Thomas Harding, [1700], low table-tomb. Plate: includes a cup and cover-paten of 1678, given in 1682, and a cup, cover-paten and dish, all of 1678, and given in 1736.

Condition—Rebuilt.

Secular

(2). Bolingbroke House, now offices, 50 yards N.N.E. of the church, is of two storeys with attics and cellars; the walls are of brick covered with stucco and the roofs are covered with slates. The remaining part of the house formed part of a large late 16th or early 17th-century mansion, mostly demolished in 1793. The surviving wing has modern buildings on the S. and W.

The ceilings, staircase and panelling are noteworthy.

The elevations have no ancient features.

Interior—The passage E. of the office on the ground-floor has early 18th-century panelling with two segmental-headed windows now blocked. The office itself has rather later panelling. The Cedar Room is lined with panelling mainly of cedar-wood and of early 17th-century date; it is of curious herring-bone form, and is divided into bays by fluted and enriched pilasters supporting a continuous entablature. The Staircase is of c. 1700 and has turned and twisted balusters, moulded rails and strings and square newels; the walls have panelling and dadoes of the same date. On the first floor the former three rooms are now undivided except by the plaster cornices of the ceilings; these ceilings are similar and have each rich early 17th-century strapwork surrounding a round, oval and square panel, respectively. The walls are covered with panelling of c. 1700, and in the N. room is a fireplace of the same date with a marble architrave and a carved wood mantel-shelf. Another room has similar panelling and fireplace.

Condition—Bad, most of the fittings have recently been removed.

(3). Raven Inn at N.E. junction of Church Road and Bridge Road West, 130 yards S.S.E. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. The walls are of plastered brickwork; the roofs are tiled. It was built in the latter half of the 17th century on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N.E. and N.W. and has small modern additions at the back. The front to Church Road is carried up in two, and the front to Bridge Road West in three, shaped gables, and at the N.E. end of the latter front is a carriageway with the wall above carried on a chamfered bressummer at the back with two moulded gateposts. Inside the building on the first floor is a chamfered ceiling-beam, and on the top landing of the stairs to the attics a short length of balustrading with moulded handrail and turned balusters.

Condition—Good.

(4). House, No. 130, Bridge Road West, 40 yards E.N.E. of (3), is of two storeys. The walls are partly of plastered brickwork and partly of weather-boarded timber-framing; the roofs are tiled. It was built late in the 17th century. The front has a brick string-course between the storeys. Inside the building are some heavy wind-braces to the roof.

Condition—Good.

(5). Terrace House, now part of college buildings, about 275 yards S. of the parish church, is of two storeys with basement and attics; the walls are of brick and the roofs are covered with slates. The house was built c. 1699, the date on a sundial, and has been little altered. It is a good example of its period.

The Elevations have a moulded brick band between the storeys, an eaves-cornice of wood and hipped roofs with gabled dormers. The dressings generally are of red brick. The N.E. front has a central doorway with an elliptical arch with moulded imposts; it is flanked by Doric pilasters on which rest scrolled and carved brackets supporting a pedimented hood; below the hood is a frieze carved with geometrical instruments, a globe, etc. The window above the doorway has a rubbed-brick architrave. The N.W. side has, at the first-floor level, a rectangular stone sundial with the motto and date "Pereunt et imputantur, 1699." The S.W. front has projecting side wings; in the middle of the main block is a doorway with a square head, Doric side pilasters and a flat hood with carved and scrolled brackets; the frieze under the hood is carved with a dolphin and conventional foliage. The S.E. side is largely covered by modern buildings.

Interior—Most of the rooms on both the ground and first floor retain their original panelling and cornices. Some of the rooms on the ground-floor have original marble architraves to the fireplace openings. The doorway between the central hall and the main room to the N.E. of it, has a round panelled arch and is flanked by fluted Corinthian pilasters on panelled pedestals; the spandrels are carved with scrolled ornament. The original staircase has turned and twisted balusters, close strings, panelled newels and a moulded handrail, ramped over the newels; across the top of the stairs, at the first-floor level, is a gate.

Condition.—Good.

(6). Devonshire House, on the S.E. side of Vicarage Road, 230 yards S. of the church, is of three storeys with attics and cellars. It was built probably early in the 18th century and is of simple rectangular plan. The walls are of brick and the roofs are covered with slates. The N.W. front is plastered and has an enriched eaves-cornice with modillions. The other elevations are not plastered; they have brick bands between the storeys. Inside the building many of the rooms retain their original panelling and doorways. The staircase has turned and twisted balusters, cut strings and a moulded rail carried over the newels. The staircase to the attics has turned balusters and close strings.

The railings and gate in front of the house are of early 18th-century date; the gate has scrolled standards and overthrow.

Condition—Good.