Rush Common is a linear protected open space and former

common land Common land is land owned by a person or collectively by a number of persons, over which other persons have certain common rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect wood, or to cut turf for fuel. A person who has a ...

in Brixton, London, England. It was enclosed in 1806 with the sections fronting public highways protected from development as proscribed land. Most of this land now forms private gardens, forecourts and portions on Brixton Hill are a public park managed by Lambeth Council. There have been several encroachments on the protected land, including small sections of St Matthew's Estate and part of St Matthew's Church. Lambeth Council holds enforcement powers to prevent building of permanent structures on the proscribed land.

History

Rush Common was

in the parish of Lambeth. The former common land was a triangle bounded by Brixton Hill, Effra Road and Josephine Avenue. It also continued in a salient down Brixton Hill reaching the parish of Streatham. It was

enclosed Enclosure or Inclosure is a term, used in English landownership, that refers to the appropriation of "waste" or "common land" enclosing it and by doing so depriving commoners of their rights of access and privilege. Agreements to enclose land ...

by the Rush Common Act 1806. However, the legislation also prohibited building on all of the edges fronting public highways regardless of the ownership of the of proscribed land. The proscribed land reached a point outside 405 Brixton Road, just to the north of Brixton Station Road. There have been several encroachments on the land that were not permitted by legislation or prevented by private action. In 1821 land was used by the Commissioners for Building New Churches to construct St Matthew's Church. When the Brixton Tate Library was constructed the forecourt was part of the proscribed land and was used to provide public gardens which are now part of

Windrush Square Windrush Square (often referred to by its original name, Brixton Oval) is an open public space in the centre of Brixton, South London, occupying an area in front of the Brixton Tate Library. After changing its name to Tate Gardens, it was again ...

. Local government gained the ability to enforce proscription of the land through the London County Council (General Powers) Act 1947. In the post-war period when land was acquired for council housing estates in the area, the proscribed land that had been private gardens and forecourts was turned into public open space.

Geography

Sections are privately owned (such as Josephine Avenue) whereas the section along Brixton Hill has been purchased by

Lambeth London Borough Council Lambeth London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Lambeth in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, and one of the 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council meets at Lambeth Town Ha ...

and operated as a public open space. Limited building on the land and fragmented ownership means the publicly accessible space now consists of disconnected portions stretching along

Brixton Hill Brixton Hill is the name given to a section of road between Brixton and Streatham Hill in south London, England. Brixton Hill and Streatham Hill form part of the traditional main London to Brighton road (A23). The road follows the line of a ...

References

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External links

Friends of Rush Common
Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Lambeth