Clapham

Clapham ( /ˈklæpəm/) is a district in south west London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.

Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According to the 2001 census Clapham and Stockwell town centre had a joint population of 65,513 inhabitants. Clapham is made up of Clapham Common and Clapham Town and the northern part of Thornton ward (the southern part is in Balham). Parts of Clapham North lie within the Brixton electoral ward of Ferndale and the Stockwell electoral ward of Larkhall.

Clapham is well known for its extensive 220 acre green space Clapham Common, which features three ponds and is overlooked by large Georgian and Victorian mansions, and the village-like atmosphere of its historic Old Town. Clapham is famous as the home of Holy Trinity Clapham the Georgian Church on Clapham Common, from where The Clapham Sect led by William Wilberforce and a group of upper class evangelical Christians campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade in the 19th century. Abbeville or the Village is an affluent district within Clapham lying between Clapham Common South Side and Clarence Avenue and is synonymous with the Clapham Common Ward. The area is centred around small parades of mainly upmarket independent shops and restaurants within a longer, otherwise residential road and has a village-like feel. Clapham South is a largely residential area encompassing the Southern parts of the Common including Clapham Common Westside and the streets radiating off the Southside and Cavendish Road including the Southern section of Kings Avenue leading up to Balham. Clapham Town consists of Clapham High Street and the residential streets running off the high street including Venn Street Market and Clapham Manor Road. Some of South London's priciest residential streets can be found in Clapham, including The Chase, Macaulay Road, Orlando Road, Grafton Square, Elms Grove, Elms Road and Rodenhurst Road as well as the North, South and West sides of Clapham Common.

Clapham North lies on either side of Clapham Road and borders Stockwell on Union Road and Stirling Road. There is a Stockwell Town Partnership sign north of Union Road demarcating the boundary between Clapham North and Stockwell. The northern part of Clapham North lying within the Larkhall Ward includes the architecturally significant Sibella conservation area which is generally considered more affluent, whilst the southern part lies within Ferndale ward and includes Landor, Ferndale and Bedford roads. This area borders on to Brixton SW9 and is generally considered less affluent, with a mix of council blocks and private converted Victorian housing.

Clapham has excellent transport links to the rest of London and the UK. Three tube stations - Clapham North, Clapham Common and Clapham South - serve the area, in addition to the Victoria Line stations in nearby Stockwell and Brixton. There are railway stations at Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road which link Clapham to Victoria, London Bridge and Clapham Junction. The Overground East London tube line is due to be extended to Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road in the Old Town, on 9 December 2012. This will link Clapham to places like the Docklands, Shoreditch, Highbury and Islington.

Read more about Clapham:  History, Famous Former and Current Residents, Transport, Shopping, Nearest Places, Sport