WANDSWORTH COMMON. 99 



the National Rifle Association to fence off a large part 

 of the Common annually for their Volunteer Camp, 

 and to erect targets for rifle practice. This was con- 

 tinued for some years ; but in consequence of the 

 objections of the Duke of Cambridge, the owner of 

 the adjoining estate at Coombe, owing to the increased 

 range of rifles, and to other difficulties which had 

 arisen, it was ultimately found necessary to discontinue 

 these meetings, and they are now held at Bisley 

 Common. Wimbledon Common has been left to the 

 enjoyment of the neighbourhood and public at all 

 times of the year, subject only to the reservation of 

 certain rifle ranges in favour of a few Metropolitan 

 Volunteer Corps. Nothing can work better or more 

 smoothly, or more for the interest of the public, and of 

 the Commoners and inhabitants of Wimbledon, than the 

 scheme of management, thus generously conceded by 

 Lord^ Spencer. 



WANDSWORTH COMMON. 



The settlement of the Wimbledon dispute had the 

 fortunate effect of making a precedent for a similar 

 settlement of a dispute between the Commoners of the 

 adjoining Common of Wands worth and Lord Spencer, 

 who was also Lord of the Manor of Battersea and 

 Wandsworth. This Manor was, we learn from 

 Domesday Book, given by William the Conqueror to 

 the Abbot of Westminster, in exchange for the Manor 

 of Windsor. It remained in the possession of the Abbey 

 till the Dissolution of the Religious Houses by Henry 

 VIII. James I. settled it, on the death of his eldest 

 h 2 



