Wandsworth () is a London borough in South West London, England. It forms part of Inner London and has an estimated population of 329,677 inhabitants. Its main communities are Battersea, Balham, Putney, Tooting and Wandsworth Town.
The borough borders the London Borough of Lambeth to the east, the London Borough of Merton and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames to the south, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to the west, and to the north (across the River Thames) three boroughs, namely the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster. The local authority is Wandsworth London Borough Council.
History The area of the modern borough was historically part of the county of Surrey. From 1856 the area was governed by the Metropolitan Board of Works, which was established to provide services across the metropolis of London.Metropolis Management Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict. c. 120) In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the County of London. From 1856 until 1900 the lower tier of local government within the metropolis comprised various parish vestries and district boards. One such district was the Wandsworth District, containing the six parishes of Battersea, Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting Graveney and Wandsworth. In 1888 Battersea was removed from the district to be governed by its own vestry. In 1900 the lower tier was reorganised into metropolitan boroughs. The parish of Battersea became the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and the Wandsworth District became the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth.London Government Act 1899 (62 & 63 Vict. c. 14)
The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963. It covered the former borough of Battersea and the majority of the former borough of Wandsworth, but excluding the Clapham and Streatham areas, which went to Lambeth.
Geography The borough includes the major Clapham Junction railway station, which despite the name is in Battersea not Clapham. There are many new or refurbished buildings along the borough's prosperous riverside including the large Chelsea Bridge Wharf. The Peace Pagoda, one of many such international pagodas, is in Battersea Park, a sprawling rectangle often hosting circuses beside the Thames. The London Heliport, London's main and busiest heliport, is just beyond Battersea Park, and south of this is New Covent Garden Market. In terms of size, South Thames College, Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth and The Exchange Shopping Centre, Putney are among the largest secular structures.
The secular buildings most highly listed for their architecture include: Battersea Power Station, the Battersea Arts Centre (formerly town hall), Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, Wandsworth Town Hall, as well as particularly the interiors of the large Gala Bingo Club, Tooting, the former Granada Theatre, St John's Hill, Clapham Junction by Theodore Komisarjevsky, and in terms of ornate mansions a cluster of five large stone and brick buildings mostly converted to diverse public uses in and around Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton at grade II* or above.Map created by Ordnance Survey of listed buildings courtesy of English Heritage In Old Battersea two fine masonry mansions survived The Blitz: Old Battersea House and Downshire House—both hold rare Grade II* status.
Governance
The local authority is Wandsworth Council, based at Wandsworth Town Hall.
Greater London representation Since 2000, for elections to the London Assembly, the borough forms part of the Merton and Wandsworth constituency.
Westminster Parliament The borough contains three parliamentary constituencies:
Battersea Putney Tooting
Demographics
Population According to the 2021 census, Wandsworth has a population of 327,506. In 2021, 67.8% of the population was white, 10.1% black and 11.6% Asian.
A 2017 study by Trust for London and the New Policy Institute found that Wandsworth has the lowest rate of unemployment of any London borough. It also has the 2nd lowest rate of local employees who are low-paid.
Ethnicity Ethnic GroupYear1966 estimations1971 estimations1981 estimations1991 census2001 census2011 census2021 censusNumber%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%White: Total–93.8%–89.1%200,18481.2%201,82180%202,97878.0%219,21671.4%222,09067.8% White: British–––––––– 168,665 64.8% 163,739 53.3%157,04848.0% White: Irish–4.1%–––––– 8,151 3.1% 7,664 2.5%8,0612.5% White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller–––––––– – – 163 0.1%1200.0%White: Roma––––––––––––1,7300.5% White: Other–––––––– 26,162 10.0% 47,650 15.5%55,13116.8% Asian or Asian British: Total –1.7%––––19,5437.7% 20,271 7.8% 33,338 10.9%38,31411.6% Asian or Asian British: Indian––––––7,700 7,412 2.8% 8,642 2.8%9,5992.9% Asian or Asian British: Pakistani––––––4,198 5,449 2.1% 9,718 3.2%12,2493.7% Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi––––––1,020 1,099 0.4% 1,493 0.5%1,6390.5% Asian or Asian British: Chinese––––––2,077 2,227 0.9% 3,715 1.2%4,6581.4% Asian or Asian British: Other Asian ––––––4,548 4,084 1.6% 9,770 3.2%10,1693.1% Black or Black British: Total –4.5%––––26,81510.6% 25,066 9.6% 32,756 10.7%33,06210.1% Black or Black British: African–1%––––7,303 10,013 3.8% 14,818 4.8%17,3305.3% Black or Black British: Caribbean–3.5%––––15,305 12,665 4.9% 12,297 4.0%11,3563.5% Black or Black British: Other Black––––––4,207 2,388 0.9% 5,641 1.8%4,3761.3% Mixed or British Mixed: Total –––––––– 8,728 3.4% 15,241 5.0%20,5986.3% Mixed: White and Black Caribbean –––––––– 2,893 1.1% 4,642 1.5%5,3401.6% Mixed: White and Black African –––––––– 1,252 0.5% 2,034 0.7%2,4940.8% Mixed: White and Asian –––––––– 2,247 0.9% 3,887 1.3%5,7761.8% Mixed: Other Mixed –––––––– 2,336 0.9% 4,678 1.5%6,9882.1% Other: Total ––––––4,2461.7% 3,337 1.3% 6,444 2.1%13,4424.1% Other: Arab –––––––– – – 2,350 0.8%3,8601.2% Other: Any other ethnic group ––––––4,2461.7% 3,337 1.3% 4,094 1.3%9,5822.9% Ethnic minority: Total –6.2%–10.9%46,490 18.8%50,60420% 57,402 22.1% 87,779 28.7%105,41632.2% Total –100%–100%246,674 100%252,425100% 260,380 100.00% 306,995 100.00%327,506100%
Immigration This list includes top-15 sources of immigration to Borough of Wandsworth for 2021 census: #CountryNumber1 6,8642 6,5333 5,6984 5,0625 4,8606 4,6297 4,4868 4,2809 4,06210 3,85811 3,15612 2,97613 2,94414 2,71315 2,630
Transport
Bridges
Five bridges join Wandsworth to the three London Boroughs on the north side of the Thames (from downstream following the river up):
Chelsea Bridge Albert Bridge Battersea Bridge Wandsworth Bridge Putney Bridge
There are also a number of bridges crossing the River Wandle which runs through the centre of Wandsworth town and divides the borough in two.
National rail stations Clapham Junction Earlsfield Putney Battersea Park Balham Wandsworth Common Tooting (on border with London Borough of Merton) Queenstown Road (Battersea) Wandsworth Town
Underground stations On the Northern line: Battersea Power Station Clapham South Balham Tooting Bec Tooting Broadway On the District line: East Putney Southfields
National Rail services are operated from London Waterloo by South Western Railway to Earlsfield, Putney, Queenstown Road (Battersea), Wandsworth Town and the borough's largest station, Clapham Junction. This last station is also served from London Victoria by Southern as are Balham, Battersea Park and Wandsworth Common.
London Overground services mainly serve Clapham Junction, which is the southern terminus for the West London Line that has services to Stratford via Shepherd's Bush, though some trains terminate at the West London Line's northern terminus at Willesden Junction. The western terminus for the East London Line also is at Clapham Junction that has services to Highbury & Islington via Denmark Hill. There is also a limited one train a day parliamentary train service that terminates at Battersea Park instead of Clapham Junction.
London Underground services are provided on the District line to East Putney and Southfields and on the Northern line to Battersea Power Station, Balham, Clapham South, Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway.
Cycling and walking Wandsworth London Borough Council and Transport for London (TfL) maintain cycling infrastructure in the Borough.
Cycle Superhighway 7 (CS7) is an unbroken, signposted cycle route running through the southeastern portion of the Borough. The route runs along the A24 and A3 roads, through Tooting, Balham, and Clapham. Northbound the route links the Borough directly to the City of London via Kennington, Elephant and Castle, and Southwark. Southbound, the route runs unbroken to Colliers Wood.
Cycle Superhighway 8 (CS8) is an unbroken, signposted cycle route running through the northern edge of Wandsworth, through Battersea. The route runs east–west along the A3205/Battersea Park Road, but the route leaves the Borough to the north over Chelsea Bridge. The route begins in Wandsworth Town and runs to Millbank, City of Westminster, passing Chelsea and the Tate Britain en route.
Although CS8 leaves the Borough to the north, cycling infrastructure is provided along the entire A3205 route between Wandsworth Town and Nine Elms. This means that there is a continuous, signposted cycle route - primarily along designated cycle lanes - from Wandsworth Town and Battersea to Vauxhall, Lambeth, and the South Bank.
Quietway 4 (Q4) runs from Clapham Common to Earlsfield in the Borough, through Wandsworth Common.
The Wandle Trail is a shared-use trail for cyclists and pedestrians between Wandsworth Town and Waddon. The route is signposted and mainly traffic-free. It runs through Earlsfield, Colliers Wood, Morden, Mitcham, and Carshalton along the way.
The Santander Cycles bike-sharing system operates in Putney, Wandsworth Town, and Battersea.
Travel to work
In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were (of all residents aged 16–74): underground, metro, light rail, tram, 20.7%; train, 10.6%; driving a car or van, 10.6%; bus, minibus or coach, 9.7%; on foot, 5.6%; bicycle, 5.4%; work mainly at or from home, 4.0%. Percentages are of all residents aged 16–74 including those not in employment (26.7%). Respondents could only pick one mode, specified as the journey's longest part by distance.
Education
Whitelands College was founded Chelsea in 1842 by the Church of England, and heavily under the influence of John Ruskin. In 1930/1931 the college relocated to West Hill (Wandsworth Borough) and occupied an enormous purpose-built site, with buildings designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. These buildings, now listed, were one of the Borough's largest educational sites until 2005 when the college, again moved, this time to a site in Roehampton, where it is now a constituent College of Roehampton University.
The borough's schools include Emanuel School, Graveney School, Putney High School, Southfields Academy, Burntwood School, Ashcroft Technology Academy, Ernest Bevin Academy, Ark Bolingbroke Academy, Ark Putney Academy and Chestnut Grove Academy.
Religion The dominant religion of the borough is Christianity, although the area is also home to a number of other religious communities. The community is home to a number of Sikhs, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus.
According to the 2011 Census, approximately 35% of Wandsworth identified as being non-religious, or chose not to state their faith.
The following shows the religious identity of residents residing in Wandsworth according to the 2001, 2011 and the 2021 censuses.