Image Credit: visionofbritain
Clapham dates back to the Anglo Saxon period, in the late 17th C it became occupied and the first houses were built. Originally a rural village in Surrey, Clapham became very much an area for the upper classes and the affluent in the 18th and 19th century. However, with the introduction of a railway the social class in the area changed, the working class moved in and the upper classes out, as it was ideal for working commuters. Clapham is made up of mainly Victorian properties, although some of these were taken out by the bombings during World War II.
History of Clapham
Cited in the Domesday Book as ‘Clopeham’, Clapham once had the Roman road ‘Stane Street’ running right through it, the road ran the length of Chichester to London. By the end of the 17th C Clapham had established itself as a village and by the late 18th C it was was seen as a fashionable place to live. It was hit hard by the bombings of World War II, particularly Clapham Junction, there are still two air shelters situated under Clapham Common, where residents used to go for safety during air raids.
Modern Day Clapham
There has been investment in developments in the area in recent years, with a new library, community centre and leisure centre all opening in 2014, as well as the development of Mary Seacole House, a mental health care house. Clapham was affected by the 2011 riots that took place in London, but a strong sense of community prevailed, with the neighbourhood collectively coming together to clean the streets. Clapham is a middle-class area these days, and multi-cultural, the area has somewhat blossomed since the 1980s.