Putney,

Putney, a suburb of London, in Surrey, 6 miles WSW. of Waterloo, on the south side of the tidal Thames, which, here nearly 300 yards broad, is crossed by a new granite bridge (1884-86), leading to Fulham, and founded and opened by the Prince of Wales. It is a great rowing place, the starting-point of the Oxford and Cambridge boat-race; and from its ready access to Town, the river, Putney Heath, and Wimbledon Common, has grown rapidly of recent years, its principal feature that there are no poor. The parish church, with a 15th-century tower and the chantry of Bishop West of Ely, was mainly rebuilt in 1836; in the churchyard is Toland's grave. Putney is the birthplace of Thomas Cromwell and Gibbon, the residence of Mr Theodore Watts and Mr Swinburne, and the deathplace of Pitt and Leigh Hunt. From Putney's old bridge Mary Wollstonecraft tried to drown herself; and on Putney Heath Pitt fought his duel with Tierney (1798), Castlereagh his with Canning (1809). Pop. (1851) 5280; (1881) 13,235; (1891) 17,771.