The park covers 8.1 hectares (20 acres)[2] and is on the embanked southern bank of the Tideway. It has a central 3.5 hectares (8.6 acres) playing field in an oval of paths.[3]
History
Until 1897 the land was allotments, it was purchased for £33,000 in 1898 by London County Council, Wandsworth District Board, and by public subscription.[4] The park plans were made by Lt. Col. J. J. Sexby, a horticulturist and London County Council’s then Superintendent of Parks, and in 1903 the park opened on Saturday 28 February.
The Friends of Wandsworth Park are a community organisation set up in 2014 to improve and sustain the park and manage the formal garden areas.[5]
Features
Two pieces from the Putney Sculpture Trail by sculpturer Alan Thornhill are in the park, Nexus is on the southern side by Putney Bridge road and Pygmalion is on the north eastern riverside near the entrance to Prospect Quay.[6][7] There are two Victorian stink pipes to provide ventilation for Joseph Bazalgette's sewer system.[8] A new riverside terrace opened in 2019 on the north west corner of the park, a formally disused area.[9]
Wildlife
Bird barges seen from the park
There are over 350 trees within the park, on the north side is the Lime Avenue.[10] On the river alongside the park are some bird barges, to mitigate habitat lost during building development around Point Pleasant and the Wandsworth Riverside Quarter.[11] The barges have tall posts to attract herons and cormorants, corrugated roofs for lesser black headed gulls and bird boxes for kingfishers and sand martins.[12]
The children's playground established was built in 1960[14] and is a certified Neighbourhood Area Equipped for Play,[15] suitable for 2 to 7 year olds and 8 to 14/16 year olds.[16]
The Luna Cinema has shown films open air in the park.[17]
Sports grounds
The central lawn area includes an 11 a side football pitch and a junior football pitch.[18] The tennis courts and pavilion were added in 1920s,[19] the courts can be booked via All Star Tennis.[20]
The park has flat surfaces for running, the loop by the river is 0.6 mile (1,500-step) in length,[21] and the Wandsworth park 10K is over 5 laps of the whole park.[22]
The park has a 12 hole golf course and cafe run by Putt in the Park[23] which opened in August 2013[24]
