Battersea is an area of London lying on the south bank of the River Thames. Vaguely triangular in shape, its northern boundary is the Thames, as it runs first north-east, and then east, before turning north again to pass Westminster. Its north eastern corner is one mile (1.6 km) due south of the Palace of Westminster; the north western corner is demarcated by Wandsworth Bridge and Battersea tapers south to a point roughly three miles (5 km) from the north eastern corner and two miles (3 km) from the north west. The area takes its name from the old village of Battersea, an island settlement on the Thames marked now, especially, by St. Mary's Church. William Blake was married, and Benedict Arnold and his wife and daughter are buried in the crypt of the church. Battersea is mentioned in Anglo-Saxon time as Badrices īeg = "Badric's Island" and later "Patrisey". As with many former Thames island settlements, Battersea was reclaimed by draining marshland and building culverts for streams. The settlement appears in Domesday Book as Patricesy. It was held by St Peter's Abbey, Westminster. Its Domesday Assets were: 18 hides; 7 mills worth £42 9s 8d, 17 ploughs, 82 acres of meadow, woodland worth 50 hogs. It rendered (in total): £75 9s 8d. Following her husband's death in 1890, Charlotte Despard devoted her time and money to helping the poor of Little Ireland in Nine Elms, Battersea. More on Battersea 

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