Editing Putney (section)

==History==
[[File:Wandsworth Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg|thumb|A map showing the Putney ward of Wandsworth Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916]]
Putney is an ancient parish which covered {{convert|9.11|km2|sqmi|frac=32|abbr=on}} in the [[Hundred of Brixton]] in the county of [[Surrey]]. Its area has been reduced by the loss of [[Roehampton]] to the south-west, an offshoot hamlet that conserved more of its own [[nucleated village|clustered]] historic core.<ref name=Malden>{{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43035|title=Parishes: Putney|editor=H.E. Malden |publisher=Institute of Historical Research|date=1912|work=A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4|pages=78–83|access-date=11 November 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SRY/Putney/ Entry in the National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)], genuki.org.uk; accessed 29 July 2017.</ref>

In 1855 the parish was included in the area of responsibility of the [[Metropolitan Board of Works]] and was grouped into the [[Wandsworth District (Metropolis)|Wandsworth District]]. In 1889 the area was removed from Surrey and became part of the [[County of London]]. The Wandsworth District became the [[Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth]] in 1900. Since 1965 Putney has formed part of the London Borough of Wandsworth in [[Greater London]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.manorfields.co.uk/history/history-putney/|title=The history of Putney &#124; Manor Fields}}</ref>

The [[benefice]] of the parish remains a perpetual curacy whose patron is the [[Worcester Cathedral|Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral]]. The church, founded in the medieval period as a chapel of ease to Wimbledon, was rebuilt in the very early [[Tudor period]] and in 1836 was again rebuilt, and the old tower restored, at an expense of £7,000 (which is approximately {{Inflation|UK|7000|1836|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}) defrayed by subscription, a rate, and a grant of £400 from the Incorporated Society. It has a small [[chantry]] chapel (originally erected by native [[Nicholas West]], Bishop of Ely (d. 1533)) removed from the east end of the south aisle, and rebuilt at the east end of the north side, preserving the old style.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thorne |first1=James |title=Handbook to the Environs of London: Alphabetically Arranged |date=1876 |publisher=[[John Murray (publishing house)|John Murray]] |location=London |oclc=500011461 |page=477|volume=2}}</ref>

In 1684, Thomas Martyn bequeathed lands for the foundation and support of a [[charity school]] for 20 boys, sons of watermen; and by a decree of the court of chancery in 1715, the property was vested in trustees. A charitable [[almshouse]] for 12 men and women, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was erected by Sir Abraham Dawes, who provided it with an endowment.<ref name=lew/>

Putney was the birthplace of [[Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex|Thomas Cromwell]], made [[Earl of Essex]] by [[Henry VIII]]; of [[Edward Gibbon]], author of the ''[[Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]]'', who was born in 1737; and also of [[Clement Attlee]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] 1945–1951 and [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Leader of the Labour Party]] 1935 –1955, born in 1883.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/clement-attlee-2/ |title=Clement Attlee |access-date=31 July 2011 |publisher=www.number10.gov.uk. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004063449/http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/clement-attlee-2/ |archive-date=4 October 2011 }}</ref> [[John Toland]], a noted [[free-thinker]], died and was buried at Putney in 1722. [[Robert Wood (antiquarian)|Robert Wood]], under-[[Secretary of State for the Southern Department]], who published ''The Ruins of Palmyra'' about the Roman ruins he visited at [[Baalbek]] in [[Syria]], and other archæological works lies here. [[Pitt the Elder|William Pitt, Earl of Chatham]], died at a house on Putney Heath.<ref name=lew>{{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51226|title=Putford, East - Pyworthy|author=Samuel Lewis (publisher)|publisher=Institute of Historical Research|date=1848|work=A Topographical Dictionary of England|access-date=4 November 2014|author-link=Samuel Lewis (publisher)}}</ref>

In the 1840s Putney was still a part-wooded, part-agricultural village [[nucleated village|focussed]] closest to the Thames, opposite to Fulham, with which it was connected by a wooden bridge. It was street-lit with gas, partly paved, and well supplied with water.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} In 1840, the [[College for Civil Engineers]] relocated to Putney.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Grattan |first1=James |title=Prospectus |date=1 January 1846 |publisher=College for Civil Engineers, and of General Practical and Scientific Education |location=Putney |oclc=810494704}}</ref>

Putney had a second place of worship for Independents, and [[Roehampton]] achieved separate parish status in 1845. The proprietors of the bridge distributed £31 per annum to [[watermen]], and watermen's widows and children, and the parish received benefit from Henry Smith's and other charities.<ref name=lew/><ref name=Malden/> Putney in 1887 covered {{convert|9|km2|sqmi|frac=4|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/20418|title=History of Putney, in Wandsworth and Surrey - Map and description|website=www.visionofbritain.org.uk}}</ref>

===River crossing===
{{main|Putney Bridge}}
Putney appears in the ''[[Domesday Book]]'' of 1086 as ''Putelei'', although this was "probably a mistake of the Norman scribes".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brayley |first1=E. W. |author-link1=Edward William Brayley |title=A Topographical History of Surrey |date=1841 |publisher=Tilt and Bogue |location=London |oclc=963699411 |volume=3|pages=471–2}}</ref> Ultimately the name derives from the [[Old English|Anglo-Saxon]] ''Puttan [[wikt:hyþ|hythe]]'', meaning Putta's landing place.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mills |first1=Anthony David |title=A Dictionary of London Place-names |date=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199566785 |page=200 |edition=2}}</ref> It was noted that it did not fall into the category of local jurisdictions known as a [[manorialism|manor]], but obtained 20 shillings from the ferry or market [[tariff|toll]] at Putney belonging to the manor of [[Mortlake]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gwp.enta.net/surrnames.htm |title=Domeday Sudrie (Surrey) |access-date=21 September 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030192829/http://www.gwp.enta.net/surrnames.htm |archive-date=30 October 2007 }} Garnons Williams Publications.</ref>

The ferry was mentioned in the household accounts of [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] (reigned 1272–1307): Robert the Ferryman of Putney and other sailors received 3/6d for carrying a great part of the royal family across the Thames and also for taking the king and his family to [[Westminster]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wadmore |first1=James Foster |editor1-last=Welch |editor1-first=Charles |title=Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society |date=1890 |publisher=[[London and Middlesex Archaeological Society]] |location=London |page=404|volume=6}}</ref>

One famous crossing at Putney was that of [[Cardinal Wolsey]] in 1529 upon his 'disgrace' in falling out of favour with Henry VIII and on ceasing to be the holder of the Great Seal of England. As he was riding up Putney Hill, he was overtaken by one of the royal chamberlains who presented him with a ring as a token of the continuance of his majesty's favour. When the Cardinal had heard these words of the king, he quickly lighted from his mule and knelt down upon both knees, holding up his hands for joy, and said "When I consider the joyful news that you have brought to me, I could do no less than greatly rejoice. Every word pierces so my heart, that the sudden joy surmounted my memory, having no regard or respect to the place; but I thought it my duty, that in the same place where I received this comfort, to laud and praise God upon my knees, and most humbly to render unto my sovereign lord my most hearty thanks for the same".<ref name=british>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=45294 |title=Putney |author=Edward Walford |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |date=1878 |work=Old and New London: Volume 6 |access-date=4 November 2014 }}], Putney, [[British History Online]]</ref>

The first bridge of any kind between the two parishes of Fulham and Putney was built during the [[English Civil War|Civil War]]: after the [[Battle of Brentford (1642)|Battle of Brentford]] in 1642, the Parliamentary forces built a [[pontoon bridge|bridge of boats]] between Fulham and Putney. According to an account from the period:<blockquote>The Lord-Generall hath caused a bridge to be built upon barges and lighters over the Thames, between Fulham and Putney, to convey his army and artillery over into Surry, to follow the King's forces; and he hath ordered that forts shall be erected at each end thereof to guard it; but for the present the seamen, with long boats and shallops, full of ordnance and musketeers, lie there upon the river to secure it.<ref>{{Cite book
 | last = Faulkner
 | first = Thomas
 | author-link =
 | year = 1813
 | title = An Historical and Topographical Account of Fulham: Including the Hamlet of Hammersmith

 | publisher = T. Egerton
 | location =
 | isbn =
 | pages =
}}</ref></blockquote>

The first permanent bridge between Fulham and Putney was completed in 1729, and was the second bridge to be built across the Thames in London (after [[London Bridge]]).<ref name="londonist.com">{{cite web|url=https://londonist.com/london/history/secrets-of-putney-bridge|title=8 Secrets Of Putney Bridge|date=29 June 2017|website=londonist.com|access-date=29 March 2018}}</ref>

One story runs that "in 1720 [[Sir Robert Walpole]] was returning from seeing [[George I of Great Britain|George I]] at [[Kingston on Thames|Kingston]] and being in a hurry to get to the House of Commons rode together with his servant to Putney to take the ferry across to Fulham. The ferry boat was on the opposite side, however and the waterman, who was drinking in the Swan, ignored the calls of Sir Robert and his servant and they were obliged to take another route. Walpole vowed that a bridge would replace the ferry."<ref name=dewe>George & Michael Dewe, ''The Predecessor of Putney Bridge – Fulham Bridge 1729–1886'' (1986)<!-- publisher, ISSN/ISBN, page(s) needed --></ref> The Prince of Wales "was often inconvenienced by the ferry when returning from hunting in Richmond Park and asked Walpole to use his influence by supporting the bridge."<ref name=dewe/> The bridge was a wooden structure and lasted for 150 years.<ref name="londonist.com"/> However, by 1886, it was no longer strong enough to withstand increasing road traffic, and was replaced by the stone bridge that stands today.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehistoryoflondon.co.uk/putney-bridge/|title=The History of Putney Bridge|date=13 March 2017 |access-date=1 August 2019}}</ref>

===St Mary's Church===
{{main|St Mary's Church, Putney}}
The parish church of [[St. Mary's Church, Putney|St Mary the Virgin]] became the site of the 1647 [[Putney Debates]]. Towards the end of the [[English Civil War]], with the [[Roundhead]]s looking victorious, some soldiers in the [[New Model Army]] staged a minor mutiny amid fears that a monarchy would be replaced by a new dictatorship. A number, known as the [[Levellers]], complained: "We were not a mere mercenary army hired to serve any arbitrary power of a state, but called forth … to the defence of the people's just right and liberties". 

A manifesto was proposed entitled ''[[An Agreement of the People]]'', and at an open meeting in Putney the officers of the Army Council heard the argument from private soldiers for a transparent, democratic state, without corruption. Proposals included sovereignty for English citizens, Parliamentary seats distributed according to population rather than property ownership, religion made a free choice, equality before the law, conscription abolished and parliamentary elections held every year.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Vernon |first1=Elliot |last2=Baker |first2=Philip |title=What was the first "Agreement of he People"? |journal=The Historical Journal |date=2010 |volume=53 |issue=1 |pages=39–59 |doi=10.1017/S0018246X09990574 |jstor=25643882 |s2cid=159787293 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25643882 |issn=0018-246X}}</ref> While the ideas proved greatly influential, including inspiring much of the language of the [[United States Declaration of Independence]], [[Oliver Cromwell]] would later have the Leveller leaders executed.

The diarist [[Samuel Pepys]] visited St. Mary's Church on several occasions. During one visit on 28 April 1667, he recorded:<blockquote>"and then back to Putney Church, where I saw the girls of the schools, few of which pretty; and there I come into a pew, and met with little James Pierce, which I was much pleased at, the little rogue being very glad to see me: his master, Reader to the Church. Here was a good sermon and much company, but I sleepy, and a little out of order, for my hat falling down through a hole underneath the pulpit, which, however, after sermon, by a stick, and the help of the clerke, I got up again, and then walked out of the church."<ref>[[:s:Diary of Samuel Pepys/1667/April|Diary of Samuel Pepys/1667/April]]</ref></blockquote>

===Open spaces and clean air===
{{more citations needed|section|date=July 2017}}
For centuries, Putney was a place where Londoners came for leisure, to enjoy the open spaces and clean air. Londoners came to Putney to play games. According to John Locke, who writes, in 1679: "The sports of England for a curious stranger to see are horse-racing, hawking, hunting, and bowling; at Putney he may see several persons of quality bowling two or three times a week."

One regular visitor was [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth I]] who frequently visited Putney from 1579 to 1603, often visiting Mr John Lacy. She was said to "honour Lacy with her company more frequently than any of her subjects", often staying for two to three days.<ref name=british/>