Putney Vale

Putney Vale is a small community at the foot of Roehampton Vale, just off the A3. It is part of the Roehampton Ward of the London Borough of Wandsworth.

The area is bordered by:

• Roehampton
• Putney
• Putney Heath
• Kingston
• Richmond Park
• Wimbledon Common

Geographically, Putney Vale is effectively surrounded by Richmond Park and Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common, with the A3 separating the two.

The primary local landmarks are non-denominational Putney Vale Cemetery & Crematorium, where a number of notable burials and funerals have taken place, and an Asda supermarket.

There is a large residential estate, called Putney Vale Estate, tucked away behind the supermarket and cemetery. Built in the mid-1950s, the housing consists mainly of ex-local authority masionettes and some semi-detached housing. Today, most of the dwellings are in private hands, but some are still with the local authority. Also on the Estate is a private school, Hall School Wimbledon.

The Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields are popular with Saturday/Sunday league football teams, and the NEC Harlequins who train there.

A 1928 copy of Punch magazine published an advertisement for KLG "'fit and forget' sparking plugs", with the manufacturer's works being in Putney Vale, with its telephone numbers being Putney 2132 and 2133. Founded by Kenelm Lee Guinness, part of the famous brewing dynasty, he was a noted early motor racer before developing highly reliable auto and aero spark plugs. The company grew from the disused Bald Face Stag pub in Putney Vale into works reputedly employing more than 1,500 people. The site is now the Asda supermarket. After a serious motorsport accident Guinness committed suicide by gassing himself at his nearby home in 1937. He is buried in the cemetery.

In former times Putney Vale was known as Putney Bottom, as it resides at the base the long incline to Tibbet's Corner at the top of Putney Heath.

• Map sources for Putney Vale

Coordinates: 51°26′05″N 0°15′02″W / 51.43484°N 0.25060°W / 51.43484; -0.25060