Description
Fountain Road Recreation Ground was laid out in 1932 as part of the adjacent Council housing development of Anderson House. The site had once been a clay quarry for brickworks, replaced in 1898 when the Council's 'dust destructor' was built here, the scheme for disposing of rubbish by incineration. The 153 foot high chimney was eventually demolished on 30 October 1930 and the recreation ground was laid out through a scheme for the relief of unemployment. It was partly grassed with the remainder paved and provided with see-saws and swings.
Practical Information
| Site location | Fountain Road/Alston Road/Bertal Road, Tooting |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW17 |
| What3Words | ///prices.round.deflection |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Wandsworth |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Facilities | Playground, games area |
| Public Transport | Tube: Tooting Broadway (Northern) then bus. Bus: 44, 77, 155, 270, 280, G1 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Anderson House is named after Revd J H A Anderson who was Mayor of Tooting in 1904-5. The recreation ground was laid out as part of slum clearance in Tooting. Unlike other sites, this was not originally intended and was never used as 'detached gardens' for individual flats. The site had once been a clay quarry for brickworks, which was replaced in 1898 by the Council's 'dust destructor', the scheme for disposing of rubbish by incineration. The 153 foot high chimney was eventually demolished on 30 October 1930, although it had ceased to be used some years previously. In December 1929 the Highways Committee had handed over the site to the Parks and Open Spaces Committee and the land was then prepared for use as a recreation ground. It was laid out as part of a scheme for the relief of unemployment. It was partly grassed with the remainder paved and provided with see-saws and swings. The preparation of the former clinker dump was described as follows: 'The surface was levelled, covered with 6 " layer of ashes, treated with Terolas and sealed with Colas, blinded with granite dust'. The park remains much as originally laid out with grass area, small play area and hard surfaced ball games area. Around the boundary are mature trees and shrubs and it is overlooked on three sides by housing. One of the residents of Fountain Road was Corporal Foster of Wandsworth Regiment, winner of the Victoria Cross in 1917, who was a dustman before WWI and later became the Council's dust inspector.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ266714 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.6 |
| Site Ownership | LB Wandsworth |
| Site Management | Parks Service |
| Dates | 1932 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Wandsworth |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Other LA Designation | Other Larger Protected Open Space Sites |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
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