Putney

From a riverside settlement to a bustling London suburb, Putney’s story unfolds along the bends of the Thames. Putney has been a crossing point since Roman times, its name echoing “Putta’s landing place.” Imagine ferries laden with goods and people, traversing the waters where Putney Bridge now stands. Putney appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, its ferry already a source of revenue. The river shaped Putney’s destiny. In the 17th century, a third of Putney’s households were watermen. The ferry even played a role in royal affairs, recorded in the household accounts of Edward I. Putney’s first “bridge” in 1642 was actually a line of boats, facilitating the Earl of Essex’s Roundhead army across the Thames. A proper wooden bridge followed in 1729, supposedly prompted by Sir Robert Walpole’s frustration with the ferry service. This bridge, designed by Sir Jacob Acworth, became a vital link between London and Kingston. Putney’s connection to power continued. Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s chief minister, was born here around 1485. The Putney Debates of 1647 saw the New Model Army discuss England’s future government in St Mary’s Church, a structure that has been rebuilt and reshaped over centuries. The church, with brasses dating back to 1476, stands as a testament to Putney’s enduring history. Putney’s transformation into a suburb began with the arrival of the railway in 1846. The 1880s marked a pivotal decade, with 27 new streets, shops, the current Putney Bridge, and the District Railway. The Boat Race, starting from Putney since 1845, solidified the district’s association with rowing. Today, numerous rowing clubs line the Embankment, a testament to Putney’s ongoing relationship with the Thames. Putney’s journey is a blend of ancient crossings and modern developments, forever intertwined with the river that flows at its heart.