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Local History of (North) Battersea

Celtic | Anglo-Saxon | Later Medieval | Early Modern | Modern

Battersea first emerges into written history at the end of the seventh century.  Anglo-Saxon charters and land deeds make it clear that 'Battersea' (or Badric's Isle, later 'Patrisey') referred to the area bounded on the north and west by the river, on the east by the marshes of the south Thames (where Battersea Park now stands) and in the south by the gentle slopes leading up to Lavender Hill, which gave way in turn to untamed heath-land sweeping away to wilds of early Surrey.  To the south lay the settlements of 'Wassingham' or 'Watsingham' (around modern Nightingale Lane), and further minor settlements at 'Clopeham' and 'Baleham'.  To the West 'Wendleswurthe' (Wandsworth) was known as a sub-division of the Manor of Battersea.    

Prehistoric and Celtic Battersea

Battersea Shield, now on display in the British Museum

People lived in Battersea before then.  A spectacular Celtic shield was discovered in the river in   Dating from the first century AD, it is regarded as one of the finest examples of Early Celtic craftsmanship. What is was doing in the river is less clear.  It is well known that Celts deposited objects of wealth into rivers as a sacrifice to their gods.  Perhaps this was one such sacrifice.

The original inhabitants were fishermen.  John Taylor, in his history, Our Lady of Batersey suggests that no place in modern Battersea has so ancient a history of human use as the slipway beside the present church, known still in the thirteenth century as the porta or Church Bridge, the usual place of arrival and departure from Battersea.   

At an early stage, perhaps during the Roman occupation, the marsh to the East was protected by an embanking wall and drained.  This provided a common-field of rich alluvial deposits. Farming and fishing remained the foundation of Battersea's economy for centuries, and the registers of the parish show that in c. 1700 AD, forty percent of the inhabitants were still described as farmers, agricultural labourers or fishermen. 

Anglo-Saxon Battersea

In 693 AD a land charter records that the manor of Battersea was given as a gift by King Cædwalla, King of the West Saxons.  Unfortunately, the recipient of this gift is harder to determine.  The original name has been erased and the name of Westminster Abbey inserted.