PARISH OF SAINT ANDREW, EARLSFIELD
A PARISH AUDIT
EARLSFIELD
Earlsfield is a district of the London Borough of Wandsworth, lying to the East of the River Wandle. It straddles the A217 trunk road (Garratt Lane) between Wandsworth Central and Tooting. It consists of two ecclesiastical parishes, St John the Divine, and St Andrew; and they have as their common boundary the main British Rail line from Clapham Junction to Earlsfield and Wimbledon.
THE PARISH OF ST. ANDREW
This is the Southern of the two parishes, and extends South to the Northern side of Burntwood Lane, and Eastward to Tilehurst Road. On the Western side the boundaries are the Railway line, the River, and the Northern side of Siward Road.
MAIN PHYSICAL FEATURES
The railway line runs on a man-made embankment, which at the Station is well over twenty feet high. More than fifty steps lead to each of the two platforms.
The River Wandle forms a natural and meandering boundary, and from it the ground rises towards the East.
The main roads are Garratt Lane (North to South) and Magdalen Road and Burntwood Lane, both of which run from Garratt Lane in an Easterly direction. There is no road Westward from the parish. The large Wandsworth Cemetery occupies most of the land between Magdalen Road and the railway line.
A large open space, divided between allotment gardens to the North and sportsfields to the South, lies between Openview and Fieldview. A small children's playground stands at the Eastern end of Waynflete Street.
HOUSING
Most of the shops and business premises are on Garratt Lane, and most of these have flats above. The majority of these premises are three storey. There are three storey blocks of flats in St. Andrew's Court and at the Western most end of Magdalen Road. Almost all the other dwellings in the parish are two-storey terraced flats and houses. There are no high-rise blocks, or bungalows. The Vicarage is the only detached house.
BRIEF HISTORICAL NOTES
Great changes have taken place in the past 120 years, and still much is changing. Before Wandsworth began to expand, Earlsfield was just that - fields and farming land. As bridges multiplied over the Thames, London began its sweeping Southwards expansion, and new parishes were formed as the population grew and new houses were built. St. Andrew's Parish Church was built, and the parish constituted, in 1890. It was probably fifty years after that that the homes on the Eastern side of the parish were built.
Today, as they become vacant, both private and council owned property - always previously rented - are being sold. This means that with prices very high indeed, those moving into the parish are from a much higher income bracket than was previously the case. Professional people occupy homes that were once rented to artisans and local authority manual staff. We can envisage that within the next ten to fifteen years a completely different social mix will prevail throughout the parish.
COMMUNICATIONS
The Railway gives easy access to many parts of the capital, and the country - especially the South East - and also other countries.
Clapham Junction (reputed to be the largest railway junction in the world) is only four minutes from Earlsfield. From there, connections can be made to almost every part of the Southern Region. The main South London Termini are all within easy reach for the commuter, and connections with the London Underground system are easily made.
There are two large disadvantages for residents in the parish. The first is that many roads in the parish are used as a commuter car-park - and that can make it very difficult for those who drive or even walk through the parish. The second is that by its position and design, the railway station is quite inaccessible to the disabled and elderly.
It is possible to take through trains from Clapham Junction to some of the Northern cities in the country; and a fast regular service direct to Gatwick Airport means that travel to many other parts of the world are facilitated. Should current proposals for the Channel Tunnel be put into operation, access via the same from Earlsfield will put all the major parts of Europe within easy reach.
Garratt Lane is the major route South, and is some twelve miles from the M25 London Orbital Motorway. The South Circular Road can be reached easily in both Eastern and Western directions
Many L.R.T. bus routes run along Garratt Lane and one route uses Burntwood Lane. There are no other roads in the parish over which public transport moves.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
There are only two Christian Church buildings in the parish. These are the Baptist Church in Magdalen Road and the Parish Church in Garratt lane. The Bible Way Church uses St. Andrew's premises for its worship. Just outside its boundary are the Roman Catholic Church of St Gregory and the United Reformed Church in Earlsfield Road.
AMENITIES
The River Wandle has not been developed as a public amenity.
The Parish Hall is used largely by the Community.
Earlsfield Library is in Magdalen Road.
The Police Station in Garratt Lane is a branch of the Tooting Station.
The Council run Caravan site for travellers is in Trewint Street.
[Date unknown]