CLAPHAM SOCIETY WALKS 2023

Guided walks programme for the year

These guided walks are available from April to October but for those who like to venture out on historical walks all year long, our self-guided walks leaflets are useful during the winter.
We sell individual guides or a set of self-guided walks leaflets on the Publications Page.
The leaflets are also available from Clapham Books at 26 The Pavement SW4 0JA and there is a free App of the Clapham Ghostsigns Walk, available from the App store.

Walks in Clapham usually last between 60 and 90 minutes. All walks must be booked in advance to restrict numbers for comfort. If you have any questions about a walk, please contact the leader at the email address shown below.

We also organise other events and meetings throughout the year.
The programme for the year is shown on the Events page.

The South London Walks Leaflet is available for April 2022 to 31 March 2023.
Click for details here.

Friday 21 April
The History of Clapham Common. Tom Jansz leads this walk, tracing the history of Clapham Common from medieval grazing ground through place of recreation for 18th century incomers who built villas around it, associations with The Clapham Sect, witness to transformation from rural village to Victorian suburb, home of some notable residents, to its important community role in WW2, and finally to today’s green recreational heart of our thriving and multi-cultural area. Leaving from the Bandstand on Clapham Common at 6 pm.
Free, but book in advance with tom.jansz@hotmail.co.uk

Saturday 22 April
Spring Bat walk led by Dr Iain Boulton from Lambeth Parks and Open Spaces. Always popular, we’ll use bat detectors and our own eyes to look for, listen to and be amazed at these fascinating creatures, and who knows, we might find some new and interesting species as well as the more common ones! Wrap up warm and comfortable for a journey into the world of our night time companions. Leaving from the Bandstand on Clapham Common at 8.15 pm.
Free, but book in advance with iboulton@lambeth.gov.uk

Tuesday 23 May
Medical links in Nightingale Lane. This walk led by Gillian Robinson will take us along Nightingale Lane looking at some of the old and not so old houses with an emphasis on those with a medical history. We shall learn about The Nightingales Home, Queen Elizabeth House and Audiology House finishing at Clapham South Underground Station to look at the former South London Hospital for Women. (now Tesco’s). This walk is part of Wandsworth Heritage Festival Leaving from Wandsworth Common Station at 2.30 pm.
Free, but book in advance with thenightingales95@gmail.com

Monday 5 June
The Development of a Victorian Suburb. Timothy Walker will lead his popular walk tracing the growth of housing ‘Twixt the Commons’ by a series of speculative builders as the older houses were demolished. This walk is part of Wandsworth Heritage Festival. Leaving from Clapham South Underground Station at 6.30 pm.
Free, but book in advance with tehwalker@uwclub.net

Sunday 2 July
Abbeville ‘village’: The making of an Edwardian neighbourhood.
Michael Tuffrey will lead this walk exploring how the streets came to be laid out and introducing the people who made it happen, including Pugin’s master builder, a defrocked lawyer from Norwich and the disgraced linen draper from Tottenham with three wives (or so he claimed).
Meet at the junction of Elms Road and Clapham Common South Side at 3 pm.
Free, but book in advance with mtuffrey@talk21.com

Sunday 13 August
Trees and Landscapes on Clapham Common – a Historical Perspective. Clapham Common is a place where you might imagine nothing’s changed much in the time it has been there. But you’d be wrong. It’s changed many times and, in many ways, especially how it looks, what’s there (and no longer), and especially in its trees, views and landscapes. Dr Iain Boulton’s walk will reveal the Common’s hidden history and discover how it’s evolved and continues to change. Leaving from the Bandstand on Clapham Common at 2 pm.
Free, but book in advance with iboulton@lambeth.gov.uk

Saturday 19 August
Clapham Park: The Cubitt connection. Nigel Bassindale will lead this new walk going back in time to discover Clapham Park and how Thomas Cubitt’s vision became reality. Leaving from the junction of Emmanuel Road and New Park Road at 3 pm.
Free, but book in advance with nigelbassindale@gmail.com

Thursday 24 August
Some Clapham Common North Side People. Alyson Wilson will introduce some of the interesting people who have lived along this stretch of the Common, from Church Buildings to the start of Battersea Rise. Meet at Holy Trinity Church, Clapham Common at 2:30 pm.
Free, but book in advance with alysonwilson.sw4@gmail.com

Friday 8 September
Autumn Bat Walk led by Dr Iain Boulton from Lambeth Parks and Open Spaces. We’ll use bat detectors and our own eyes to look for, listen to and be amazed at these fascinating creatures, and who knows, we might find some new and interesting species as well as the more common ones! As winter approaches, find out what the Common’s bats are up to in order to get ready for hibernation. Wrap up warm and comfortable for a journey into the world of our night time companions. Leaving from the Bandstand on Clapham Common at 7.40 pm.
Free but booking essential with iboulton@lambeth.gov.uk

Sunday 10 September
The History of Clapham Common. Tom Jansz will repeat his walk of 21 April. See above for full details. This walk is part of the Lambeth Heritage Festival. Leaving from the Bandstand on Clapham Common at 2.30 pm.
Free, but booking essential with tom.jansz@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday 13 September
Clapham Old Town. Gillian Robinson will take a fresh look at some familiar places in Old Town, along the first part of North Side and the Pavement. We will discuss the development of Old Town, meet some famous and infamous past residents and look at some interesting buildings. This walk is part of the Lambeth Heritage festival. Leaving from St. Paul’s Churchyard, Rectory Grove at 2.30 pm.
Free but booking essential with thenightingales95@gmail.com

N.B. Remember that we also sell a set of self-guided walks leaflets (see Publications) and there is a free App of the Clapham Ghostsigns Walk, available from the App store. Many guided walks are operated by other South London societies and details can be found on their websites.

We try to have something to suit everyone and hope that you will join us on our walks.
Click Here for The Events programme for the year.