Clapham Common Southside

A cloudy dull morning walk along Clapham Common Southside from Clapham South to Clapham Common Tube station.

Clapham South tube station is at the southern edge of Clapham Common. The station was designed by Charles Holden* and was opened on 13 September 1926 as the first station of the Morden extension of the City & South London Railway, which is now part of the Northern Line.

*Charles Henry Holden (12 May 1875 – 1 May 1960) was a Bolton-born English architect who designed  many London Underground stations during the 1920s and 1930s.

The station is one of eight London Underground stations with a deep-level air-raid shelter underneath it (Clapham Common is another). It was built during the eaarly part of the Second World War.

This is one of the entrances which was restored last year.
 

The Euro Hotel - nice brickwork

At one time Clapham Common contained a large number of ponds, many of which were created from extracting gravel for building works. However, over time most were filled in or lost to other uses such as the Clapham Common paddling pool. It now has three, Eagle, Long and Mount Pond. This is Eagle Pond.

 

According to http://www.windmillclapham.co.uk/history.php  The Windmill on the Common has ‘been part of Clapham Common since at least 1665’ but the building dates mainly from the 18^th and 19^th centuries

Clapham Common is one of London's largest open spaces (220 acres). The view below is taken from the junction of Clapham Southside with Rookery Road and looks out across Long Pond which is used for model boating.

Clapham Common Underground Station  was opened in June 1900 as the new southern terminus of the City & South London Railway, which was extended from Stockwell. It remained the terminus until the Morden extension was opened in 1926. All that is visible at street level is the small domed entrance building, the station is entirely underground.

Clapham Common is one of two remaining deep-level stations on the underground that has an island platform in tunnel serving both the northbound and southbound lines, the other being Clapham North. 

 

The Clock Tower, was given to the Parish of Clapham by Alexander Glegg, Mayor of Wandsworth. The tower was constructed in the early 20th Century and unveiled with a large ceremony in 19 July 1906.