CHAPTER II - Vauxhall and South Lambeth
The description of the development of this
area is keyed to a plan (fig. 19) which is
based on the map of Vauxhall Manor
drawn by Thomas Hill in 1681. (ref. 1) The numbers
in brackets in the text which follows refer to the
plot numbers marked on the plan.
The map of 1681 shows the Manor bounded on
the west by the Thames and the common sewer
called Battersea ditch. The ditch was also the
boundary between the parishes of Lambeth and
Battersea, and the borough boundary follows its
course. In 1584 it was the subject of a lawsuit
brought by Elizabeth Roydon, who held the
Manor of Battersea, against Laurence Palmer and
others, owners and occupiers of land in Lambeth
and Clapham. (ref. 2) The dispute concerned the responsibility for paying for the scouring of the ditch
and the maintenance of two sluices. According
to the evidence submitted in the case, the sewer
drained lands in Battersea, Clapham and Lambeth, which were “drowned” if the sluices were
not kept in good repair. On the north the Manor
was separated from Kennington Manor by the
northern arm of Vauxhall Creek (sometimes
called the River Effra) which divided into two
streams, just west of where the Oval now lies,
before entering the Thames. The three main
roads shown on the plan—Wandsworth Road,
South Lambeth Road, and Clapham Road—are
all of considerable antiquity (see fig. 1); the
bridges which carried them over Vauxhall Creek
are also shown. At the junction of Wandsworth
Road and South Lambeth Road, where the railway bridge now stands, was Cox’s Bridge, sometimes called Vauxhall Bridge. (ref. 3) In 1340 the
Abbot of Westminster was charged with the
repair of “cokkesbrugge”, (ref. 4) and in 1504 one of his
successors was paying rent to the Prior and Convent of Christ Church, Canterbury, for a wharf
which he held at “cokkes brugge”. (ref. 5) At the beginning of the 17th century a dispute arose about the
maintenance of the bridge, for by reason of the
“enundacion and outrage of waters” it had become “prostrate and throwne downe” and the
fallen stones were hindering the flow of water. (ref. 6)
The Commissioners of Sewers judged that the
responsibility for repair lay with the Crown and
referred to land previously held by the Abbot of
Westminster then in the hands of the King, but
the surveyor appointed to examine the case
could not find the land in question, even by
“dilligent enquiery”, and denied the Crown’s
liability. The bridge over Vauxhall Creek in
Clapham Road is also shown on the map; it was
called Merton Bridge and took its name from the
Merton Road, i.e. Clapham Road. A lane is also
shown marking the line of the present Lansdowne
Way (Green Lane).
VAUXHALL MANOR
The area beside the Thames near the present
Vauxhall Bridge known as “Vauxhall” seems
originally to have been part of the extensive
Manor of South Lambeth, which was held in the
13th century by the de Redvers family. (ref. 7) The
name “Vauxhall” (Fauxhall) is derived from Falkes
de Breaute, the second husband of Margaret,
widow of Baldwin de Redvers. (ref. 8) According to an
inquisition relating to the de Redvers’ possessions
taken in 1263, (ref. 9) the Manor of South Lambeth
included lands at Streatham and Mitcham, but
no mention is made of Vauxhall, though de
Bréaute’s lands had reverted to the de Redvers
family after his death. (ref. 10) In 1293 South Lambeth
Manor and the Manor of “la Sale Faukes”
passed, probably by trickery, to Edward I. (ref. 11)
Whilst the Manor of South Lambeth disappeared
almost immediately afterwards, Vauxhall acquired
a definite manorial status which there is no
evidence that it possessed hitherto. Courts were
held there from 1340 onwards (ref. 12) and in 1362 the
Manor was granted by Edward the Black Prince
to the Prior and Convent of Christ Church,
Canterbury, to maintain a chantry in the Cathedral
crypt. (ref. 13) From this date Vauxhall Manor included
the areas now known as Vauxhall and South
Lambeth, and (more significant) lands in Streatham and Mitcham.
Figure 19.:
Vauxhall Manor. The plots are referred to in the text by the numbers on this plan, which is based on a map of Vauxhall Manors drawn by Thomas Hill in 1681. Plots 3 consists of a detached portion of Stockwell Manor and a piece of copyhold of Vauxhall Manor
A grant of land in Stockwell made by William
de Redvers early in the 13th century, (ref. 14) and the
fact that Isabel de Fortibus (who, as Baldwin de
Redvers’ sister, held South Lambeth Manor) died
at Stockwell in 1293, (ref. 11) both suggest that at this
date Stockwell was also part of South Lambeth
Manor, but there is evidence that about 1294
Stockwell also became a separate manor (see
page 81).
The conclusion which may be tentatively
drawn from the fragmentary evidence is that until
the end of the 13th century the de Redvers’
Manor of South Lambeth included the areas now
known as Vauxhall and Stockwell as well as certain
lands in Streatham and Mitcham; that it was split
up soon after it came into the hands of the King
in 1293—hence its disappearance as a Manor—
and that the Manors of Vauxhall (which included
lands in Streatham and Mitcham) and Stockwell
took its place. The term “South Lambeth” has
survived as a vague geographical expression denoting the area on either side of South Lambeth
Road; this district was part of Vauxhall Manor.
The lands belonging to the Manor in Streatham
and Mitcham do not fall within the scope of this
volume.
Vauxhall Manor was transferred after the
Dissolution to the Dean and Chapter of Christ
Church, Canterbury, (ref. 15) but some lands in Lambeth
Marsh, originally belonging to the Manor, were
granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury (ref. 16) and
absorbed into the demesne lands of Lambeth
Manor. (ref. 17) Most of the demesne lands of Vauxhall
were sold off at the beginning of the 19th century
but the copyhold lands remained part of the
capitular estates until vested in the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners in 1862. (ref. 18) No trace has been
found of a sale of the Manor during the Commonwealth period, but from 1651–2 John
Adrian, and from 1653–9 Henry Hampson,
appear in the court rolls as Lords of the Manor. (ref. 19)
Manorial administration is not a matter of
primary concern in a work of this nature, but one
or two points of general interest emerge from the
records consulted. When Vauxhall was still
part of South Lambeth Manor the freeholders
had to perform certain services. They had
to plough twice a year, provide two oxen for one
day in the autumn to carry the Lord’s hay, and to
provide two boon-days at which all their tenants
were to attend, and carry the Lord’s hay one day
in the year. (ref. 9) For all except the last service they
were provided with their estovers (food and drink).
These services were eventually commuted. In
the 16th century freeholders still owed suit of
court, and paid heriots and reliefs when they fell
due. (ref. 5) Copyhold tenure was by Borough English,
i.e. the youngest son inherited, and if there were
no sons, the property was divided among the
daughters. The fine series of manorial accounts
and rentals preserved in the Library of the Dean
and Chapter include accounts for the repair of
the barn, which had a mud wall and was thatched
with reeds. (ref. 20) The office of bedell for both the
Manors of Vauxhall and Walworth (which was
also owned by the Dean and Chapter) was usually
held by the same person, often a tenant. (ref. 21)
In Vauxhall, inclosure was well advanced by
the beginning of the 16th century. (ref. 22) The Prior
and Convent owned many manors scattered
throughout south-east England which were administered by laymen on the spot, and were
visited perhaps only once or twice a year by the
Convent’s officers. After inclosure the closes
were leased, and the rents provided a regular
income which was of more use to absentee landlords than the old services in kind.