Wimbledon is the adjoining parish to Mortlake, on the right of our road. In all the more ancient records Wimbledon is described as a grange or farm within the manor of Mortlake. In the year 1599 the manor being in the possession of Sir Thomas Cecil, afterwards Earl of Exeter, he entertained Queen Elizabeth at his house at Wimbledon for three days. The Earl of Exeter left this estate to his third son Edward Cecil, who was created a peer, with the title of Viscount Wimbledon and Baron Putney. Immediately after his decease, in 1638, the manor was sold by his representatives to Henry Earl of Holland, and other trustees for Queen Henrietta Maria. The mansion at Wimbledon is mentioned among the houses belonging to the crown in the inventory of Charles the First’s jew els and pictures. "It is worthy of remark, that this unfortunate monarch was so little aware of the fate preparing for him by his enemies, that a few days before he was brought to trial, he ordered the seeds of some Spanish melons to be planted in his garden at Wimbledon."

After the sale of the crown-lands, this manor became the property of Adam Baynes, Esq. who sold it to General Lambert. "Lambert," says Coke, author of a book called the Detection, "after he had been discarded by Cromwell, betook himself to Wimbledon House, where he turned florist, and had the finest tulips and gilliflowers that could be got for money; yet in these outward pleasures he nourished the ambition he entertained before he was cashiered by Cromwell." After the Restoration this manor reverted to the crown. It was sold by the queen, upon whom it had been settled, to the trustees of George Digby, Earl of Bristol, and his heirs. It was afterwards purchased by Sarah Duchess of Marlborough, for 15, 000l. Her grace gave it to her grandson, John Spencer, Esq. grandfather of the Right Honourable John Earl Spencer, the present proprietor.

The following customs formerly prevailed in this manor, some of which have now necessarily ceased. On the first coming of every new archbishop, each customary tenant was obliged to present him with "a gyfte called saddle-sylver, accustomed to be five marks; "every person who held two yard lands, or thirty acres, was liable to serve the office of beadle, and those who held three yard lands, the office of reeve, or provost. Upon the death of every freeholder the lord was entitled to "his best horse, saddyle, brydell, spere, sworde, bootes, spores, and armoure, if any he should have." Lands in this manor descend to the youngest son.

This magnificent structure was pulled down by the Duchess of Marlborough, in the early part of the eighteenth century, and rebuilt, upon or very near the site, after a design of the Earl of Pembroke. This house was unfortunately destroyed by fire on Easter Monday, in the year 1785. Some of the offices, which escaped the flames, were fitted up in a very elegant manner, for the occasional reception of Earl Spencer’s family.

The park contains about 1, 200 acres, and exhibits a great variety of surface: it was planted and laid out with great taste by Brown.

The church stands near the site of the manor- house, at some distance from the principal part of the village. It was rebuilt about thirty years ago, at the expense of about 2, 200l. It is fitted up in the Grecian style, and has galleries on the north-west and south sides. At the west end is a circular projection, on which is a square wooden tower, with Gothic pinnacles of artificial stone, and in the centre a taper spire, covered with copper.

The chancel is part of the old church, and the windows contain some remains of painted glass, consisting chiefly of Gothic canopies. In the north window are the figures of St. John the Baptist and St. Christopher, and that of a crusader in armour. He has a close helmet, and a mail gorget: the rest of his armour is partly mail and partly plated. He is represented with whiskers; his right hand holds a spear, with a banner of the most ancient form, and upon his left arm a shield, with the cross of St. George. In the east window are the arms and quarterings of Sir Thomas Cecil, afterwards Earl of Exeter, and those of Thomas Osborne, the first Duke of Leeds.

On the south side of the chancel is Lord Wimbledon’s chapel; in the centre of which is an altar-tomb of black marble, over which hangs a viscount’s coronet, suspended by a chain from the ceiling.

There is a good charity-school here, supported by the annual contribution of the inhabitants. The house was built in the year 1773, upon a piece of ground given by Lord Spencer. About eighty children of both sexes are educated here.

On the side of the common there are several handsome villas; the most striking is that which some time ago belonged to Mons de Calonne, who purchased it of Benj. Bond Hopkins, Esq. then proprietor of Pains Hill. The pleasure-grounds are spacious and beautiful; they adjoin Lord Spencer’s park.

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WIMBLEDON is one of the oldest historical places in England, and under its earlier name, “Wibbandune,” was, it is believed, in 568, the scene of a battle between Ceawlin, King of Wessex, and Ethelbert, King of Kent, in which the latter was defeated; a circular encampment of 7 acres, called Bensbury,” at the south-west corner of the common, remains, and there is a still lingering tradition that Julius Caesar encamped here B.C. 54. Wimbledon is a parish, 3 miles south-west from Wandsworth and 6 north-east from Kingston, in the North Eastern division of the county, Brixton west hundred, Kingston union and county court district and within the Metropolitan police district, in the rural deanery of Barnes, archdeaconry of Kingston and diocese of Rochester. The South Western main line of railway intersects the parish and has a station here, 7 ¼ miles from Waterloo terminus; and from which branches extend to Leatherhead via Raynes Park, Tulse Hill via Tooting, to Kingston via Malden and another through Putney, across the Thames to the Putney Bridge station of the Metropolitan District railway; the London, Brighton and South Coast railway has a branch from hence to Mitcham junction, where it meets the lines to Croydon, the Crystal Palace and London Bridge, as well as to Epsom and Leatherhead. A small brook skirts the parish. The Local Government Act was adopted here in May 11, 1866, and the town is governed by a Local Board of 15 members and is lighted with oil lamps, and supplied with water from works situated at Brixton, the property of the Lambeth Water Works Company and also by the Southern and Vauxhall Water Works Company: the place is drained and the sewage farm is upwards of 72 ½ acres in extent.

The parish church of St. Mary was built, with the exception of the chancel, in 1788 and rebuilt in 1833 in the Perpendicular style, from designs by Messrs. Scott and Moffat: in 1860 the chancel was rebuilt, at the cost of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, from the designs of the late Sir G. G. Scott R.A., previously of Scott & Moffat: it is faced with cut flints, and consists of chancel, nave of five bays, aisles, north and west porches and an embattled western tower with pinnacles and lofty spire, containing 6 bells and a clock striking the hours and chiming the quarters: there is a small mortuary chapel on the south side of the chancel, erected by Sir Edward Cecil, Viscount Wimbledon, in the early part of the 17th century, containing an altar tomb of black marble to the Viscount, ob. 16 Nov. 1638, and to other members of the Cecil family: there are 1,000 sittings, 300 being free: in the churchyard is the tomb of one Hopkins, a usurer, mentioned by Pope as “Vulture Hopkins.” The register of baptisms dates from the year 1538; marriages and burials from 1594. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £250, in the gift and impropriation of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, and held since 1859 by the Rev. Henry William Haygarth M.A. of Exeter College, Oxford, rural dean of Barnes and hon. canon of Rochester.

Christ Church, Copse hill, erected in 1859, at a cost of about £6,000, as a chapel of ease to St. Mary’s, is a building of Kentish ragstone in the Decorated style, consisting of shallow chancel, transepts, nave of seven bays, aisles, baptistery attached to the north aisle, south and west porches and a central tower with pyramidal roof and a circular turret at the north-east angle containing one bell: the transepts open to the intersection by arcades of two arches: the north transept serves as an organ chamber and vestry; the east window and two others are stained, one of which, erected in 1888, is a memorial to Mrs. R. Hunt; the church was enlarged in 1881 and has 675 sittings, one third of which are free.

St. John the Baptist’s, Spencer hill, a chapel of ease to St. Mary’s, built in 1875, is a structure of brick in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, north aisle, south porch and a western turret on the south side of the chancel, containing one bell,: there are 740 sittings, half of which are free.

St. Mark’s school churchy Wimbledon Hill road, a chapel of ease to St. Mary’s, and erected ill 1880, is a structure of brick in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, north aisle, south porch and an eastern turret containing one bell: there are 630 sittings.

Holy Trinity, South Wimbledon, is an ecclesiastical parish formed February 6, 1873. The church, erected in 1862, is a building of stone in the Early Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave of five bays, aisles, south porch and a western turret containing one bell: the east window is stained and there is one other: there are 767 sittings, half of which are free. The register dates from the year 1872. The living is a perpetual curacy, net yearly value £363, chiefly derived from pew rents, with residence, in the gift of, the vicar of Wimbledon, and held since 1884 by the Rev. Charles Pickering Clarke M.A. of University College, Oxford.

All Saints’ Mission Church, Hubert road, is an iron building, erected in 1887, and will seat 250 persons: Rev, Arthur Milner Pickering M.A. of Clare College, Cambridge, is curate-in-charge.

Emmanuel proprietary chapel, Ridgway, was rebuilt of red brick in 1888 at a cost of £3,200, and consists of chancel, transept, organ chamber and a tower containing a clock: there are about 800 sittings. The living is an perpetual curacy, net yearly value £400, in the gift of trustees, and held since 1887 by the Rev. Edward William Moore M.A. of Wadham College, Oxford.

The Catholic church of Our Lady of the Saored Heart, Edge hill, erected in 1886—7, at a cost of about £8,000, is a building of knapped flints and Ancaster and Beer stone in the Decorated style, from designs by Mr. Frederick A. Walters, architect, of London, and consists at present only of a nave of eight bays, 100 by 29 feet, and 67 feet in height: the arcades, intended to open into the future aisles, but as yet built up, have richly moulded arches springing from clustered piers; above is a lofty clerestory, between the windows of which are wall shafts carrying the massive principals of the open timbered roof; the bases of the wall shafts are adorned by a series of finely carved angels; the two easternmost bays of the nave are inclosed so as to form a provisional chancel, and the high altar of stone and marble is placed against the bricked up chancel arch and overhung by a flat square canopy of 15th century tapestry, and the dossal and other hangings are of the same material: the super-altar and benediction throne are of alabaster, delicately carved; a massive beam, crossing the arch, carries the rood, the group of figures and ornamental work being richly coloured and gilt: the church will hold about 350 persons.

The Catholic chapel of SS. Jerome and Agnes, Cottenham Park road, was erected in 1877 by Madame Arendroup, of Abassa, and is served by the Jesuits of Manresa House, Roehampton.

The Congregational chapel, Worple road, erected in 1889, at a cost of £6,000, is a building of Kentish ragstone and has 800 sittings.

The Wesleyan Methodist church, Worple road, erected in 1886, is a building of red and yellow brick with stone dressings, and has 600 sittings.

The Baptist chapel, Queen’s road, at present unfinished, is of yellow brick and ragstone, and will seat 450 persons.

The Baptist chapel (Strict), Merton road, South Wimbledon, a structure of red brick and stone, erected in 1870, will seat about 350 persons.

The Primitive Methodist chapel, Hubert road, New Wimbledon, is an edifice of brick, erected in 1881, and has 350 sittings.

The cemetery, situated at the eastern extremity of the parish, contains 20 acres and has two mortuary chapels: the Local Board, consisting of 15 members, acts as a Burial Board.

There are nine almshouses, founded in 1838 and supported mainly by an endowment fund, but partly by voluntary contributions; each of the eight inmates receives £20 yearly.

The charities for distribution amount to about £220 yearly.

The Wimbledon Cottage Hospital, Copse hill, was erected in 1869, and comprises four wards, each containing two beds, besides two sitting rooms, a kitchen, laundry and bath room: the hospital is supported by voluntary contributions, and during 1889 had 126 patients.

The Wimbledon Hospital for Infectious Diseases was established in 1877, and contains 25 beds.

The Atkinson Morley Convalescent Hospital, Copse hill, was erected in 1867 and endowed from property left by the late Atkinson Morley esq. for the purpose of receiving, maintaining and generally assisting the convalescent poor patients from St. George’s Hospital, in the governors of which hospital the property and exclusive control and management of this hospital is vested.

A drinking fountain was erected by subscription, in 1868, at the top of Wimbledon hill, in memory of the late Joseph Toynbee esq. F.R.S.

The Free Public Library, Wimbledon Hill road, was erected in 1886—7, at an estimated cost of £2,500, and is a structure of red brick with stone facings from designs by Messrs. Potts, Sulman and Hennings; the building, opened in March, 1887, now (1890) contains 8,000 volumes, and during the year 1888—9 there was a total issue of 91,306 volumes, of which 84,993 were for home reading; the reference library comprises 1,562 volumes 5 the total, number of readers’ visits during the period named was 144,599, giving a daily average of 464. The library is managed by a committee; Mr. H. W. Horne, chairman; Mr. T. H. Rabbit, librarian.

John Home Tooke resided at Wimbledon, in one of the fine old houses on the west side of the common, and died here 19th March, 1812, aged 76: in another, on the south side, the philanthropist, William Wilberforce, spent his boyhood, after the death of his father in 1768; the house being then occupied by his uncle, of the same name, on whose decease, in 1777, the house became his property.

In the Wimbledon Park House Estate, about 100 yards in rear of the parish church, is a well, 563 feet deap, sunk by the late Earl Spencer, but now disused.

Wimbledon Common consists of about 1,000 acres and is now under the control of a Board of Conservators; it adjoins Putney Heath, and the views are picturesque, from the undulating nature of the ground: Caesar’s camp here is a circular entrenchment or earthwork: the National Rifle Association, founded in 1860, to give permanence to volunteer corps and to encourage rifle shooting throughout Her Majesty’s dominions, held from that date its meetings upon the Common annually for 12 days, in the month of July, up to the year 1889, when the meetings were transferred to new ground at Bisley, commencing there in the summer of 1890. The permanent ranges near Roehampton belong to the 2nd and 4th Surrey Rifle Volunteers (Wimbledon Corps) and to the Civil Service are London Scottish Rifles.

Earl Spencer K.G. is lord of the manor, in which the custom of Borough English prevails, viz. the descent of lands to the youngest son or youngest daughter.

The area is 3,173 acres of land and 47 water; rateable value, £186,641, and the population in 1881 was Wimbledon, 7,941, and South Wimbledon, 8,009. Population in 1886, North Wimbledon, 8,898; South Wimbledon, 14,460; present population, 26,000.

Places of Worship, with times of services:-

St. Mary (Parish Church), Wimbledon park, Rev. Canon Henry William Haygarth M.A. vicar; Rev. Clifford Coleridge Chamberlain M.A. Rev. Edward Hutton Bell M.A. Rev. Joseph Kershaw Wilson M.A. & Rev. Robert A. May M.A. curates; 11 a.m. & 3.30 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m.; & saints’ days.

Holy Trinity (District Church), Merton road, South Wimbledon, Rev. Charles Pickering Clarke M.A. incumbent; 8 & 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.; Wed. 11 a.m.; Fri. 10.30 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Christ Church (chapel of ease to parish church), Copse hill, 11 a.m. 3.30 & 7 p.m.; Wed. 10.30 a.m. & 5.30 p.m.; Fri. 10.30 a.m.

Christ Church (Iron), Hartfield road, Rev. A. Treslove Cox M.A.; 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. John the Baptist (chapel of ease to parish church), Spencer hill, 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.; Wed. 11 a.m.; Fri. 7.30 p.m.

All Saints’ Mission Church, Hubert road, Rev. Arthur Milner Pickering M.A.; 8 & 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.

St. Mark (School Church), Wimbledon Hill road, 7 p.m.

Emmanuel (proprietary) Church, Ridgway, Rev. Edward William Moore M.A. minister; Rev. Westley Bothamley M.A. curate; 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Edge hill, Rev, Hy, Kerr S.J. priest; Sun. mass 7.30, 9 & 11 a.m. catechism 3, benediction 3.45, & even. serv. 7 p.m.; holidays of obligation, mass 7.30 & 9 a.m. rosary & benediction 7.30 p.m.; week days, mass 7.30 a.m.; Fri. & feasts of devotion, 7.30 & 9 a.m.; Wed. stations of the cross & benediction 7.30 p.m.; Fri. benediction 4.30 p.m.; the church is open all day except from 12.30 to 2 o’clock.

SS. Jerome & Agnes (Catholic), Cottenham Park rd. served from Manresa, Roehampton; mass, 8.30 a.m.; benediction Tue. 3.45 p.m.; confessions before mass & after benediction.

Baptist (Strict), Merton road, ministers various; 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Baptist, Queen’s road, South Wimbledon, Rev. C. Ingrem, minister; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Congregational, Worple road, Rev. D. Bloomfield James, minister; 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Primitive Methodist, Hubert road. New Wimbledon; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tue. 7.30 p.m.

Wesleyan, Denmark road; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tue. 7 p.m.; Fri. 7.30 p.m.

Wesleyan Methodist Church, Worple road, 11 a.m. & 6 30 p.m.; Tue. 7.15 p.m.

Brethren, Central hall, St. George’s road; 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.; Tue. & Wed. 8 p.m.

London City Mission Room, Thornton road; 3.15 &7 p.m.; Fri. 7.30 p.m.

Mission Hall, Durham road, Cottenham park (undenominational), 7 p.m.; & Tue. 7.30 p.m.

Schools

School Attendance Committee, W. H. Whitfield, 22 Surrey street. Strand, London w c clerk; inquiry & school attendance officer, James Fuller, 2 Churchberry terrace, Haydon’s road.

National, Central Wimbledon common, built in 1786; will hold 245 boys, 207 girls & 213 infants; average attendance, 178 boys, 138 girls & 82 infants; infants’ reerected about 1873.

Industrial, Ridgway terrace. Miss Fanny Foice, matron.

Infants’, Cottenham park, built in 1867, for 130 children; average attendance, 100.

South Wimbledon National, Haydon’s lane, erected in 1868, for 290 boys, 213 girls & 300 infants; average attendance, 205 boys, 165 girls & 176 infants.

Holy Trinity National, Merton road, built in 1874 & recently enlarged to hold 330 boys, 300 girls & 300 infants; average attendance, 240 boys, 210 girls & 240 infants.

St. Mary’s Catholic, Russell road (mixed & infants), erected in 1882 for 175 boys & girls & 73 infants; average attendance, 75 boys & girls &51 infants.