CHAPTER VII 



MUNICIPAL PARKS IN SOUTH LONDON 



No freshening breeze — no trell'ised boiver. 

 No bee to chase from Jloiver to Jloiver ; 

 'Tis dimly close — in city pent — 

 But the hearts 'within it are well content. 



— Eliza Cook. 



F the South London Parks Battersea 

 is the largest and most westerly, 

 and the best known to people 

 outside its own district. Batter- 

 sea is entirely new, and has no 

 history as a Park, for before the 

 middle of last century the 

 greater part was nothing but a 

 dismal marsh. The ground had to be raised and 

 entirely made before the planting of it as a park could 

 begin at all. The site was low-lying fields with reeds 

 and swamps near the water, and market-gardens 

 famous for the asparagus, sold as " Battersea bundles," 

 growing around it. In the eighteenth century three 

 windmills were conspicuous from the river. One ground 

 corn, another the colours, and the third served to grind 

 the white lead for the potteries. This was during 

 the time when Battersea enamel was at its height, and 

 snufF-boxes were being turned out in quantities. On 



the banks of the river stood a tavern and Tea Garden, 



155 



