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FULHAM

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

Gazetteer

FULHAM, a parish in the Kensington division of the hundred of Ossulstone, county Middlesex, 2 miles S. of Hammersmith, and 6 S.W. of the General Post-Office. It is situated in a bend of the Thames, being bounded on the E., S., and W. by that river, and is opposite Putney, with which it is connected by a bridge. Parsons Green, Walham Green, and North End, are included in the parish, and Hammersmith formed part of it till 1834, when that was made a separate parish.

This place traces its history very far back; towards the close of the 7th century, in the reign of Offa, it is noticed as Fullenham, when it was given to the Bishop of London, and has continued to be the property of that see till the present time. In 879 the Danes established themselves here and formed an encampment. The place was also occupied by the forces of the parliament in the reign of Charles I. A considerable portion of the parish is laid out in nursery grounds and market gardens, producing large quantities of asparagus. The village, situated on the N. bank of the Thames, consists of three irregular built streets, and of several ranges of handsome modern houses in the direction of Walham Green, with detached villas. It is partially paved, lighted with gas, and supplied with water. Here are some potteries for the manufacture of the coarser kinds of earthenware. The Fulham Union workhouse, a modern red brick building, is in this parish, as also four lunatic asylums belonging to private individuals, the principal of which is Dr. Elliot's, Munster House, once a hunting-seat of Charles II. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of London, value £835, in the patronage of the bishop, who is also lord of the manor. The church, an ancient stone edifice, with tower erected in the 14th century, is dedicated to All Saints, and contains tombs, tablets, and other monumental records of many of the bishops of London, and a brass of 1529. There are also two district churches, viz: St. John's, Walham Green, a perpetual curacy,* value £180, in the gift of the vicar; and St. Mary's, North End, a perpetual curacy The endowments of the parish amount to upwards of £600 per annum; the principal of which are Bishop King's, producing £122, Bishop Porteus's £23, and the almshouse, with an income of about £80 per annum. The Roman Catholics have a handsome church, dedicated to St. Thomas. It is a stone structure with tower, and has a cemetery attached. The Wesleyans have two places of worship, and there are National, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan schools in connection with the several churches and chapels. Fulham Palace, the seat of the bishop, is a brick building, commenced in the reign of Henry VII., and has two courts, a chapel, and extensive grounds, in which are many exotic plants and trees. The chapel contains portraits of most of the bishops who have had residence here. In the vicinity are several old family mansions, as Lisle's Place, Stourton House, and Claybrook House, names which indicate the families they have belonged to. Kent, the eminent artist in perspective gardening, lived at Colehill House.

[Description(s) from "The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland" (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]
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