Walcot Estate

Lettings

We own property which forms part of our income-generating assets and helps fund our charitable work

In January 2022 we completed six newly-built properties: all three bedroom, architect-designed.

The Walcot Foundation owns property in Kennington, nearby the Imperial War Museum. Property forms part of our historic assets and is used to generate income for our grant making in Lambeth.
If you are interested in renting a property, please get in touch with our property team on 02033713200, 09-17 Monday to Friday or email

Property Information

Our residential properties are let unfurnished but include kitchen appliances. Rents do not include council tax, water rates, utility bills or contents insurance.
When renting one of our properties, we ask for references to include current landlord, employer and a personal reference, we will also undertake a credit check and check your 'right to rent' in the UK.
Once referring has been successfully completed, we require one month’s rent in advance and a deposit equal to one month's rent. Deposits are held securely by the Deposit Protection service.
When tenants move in, we recommend they arrange contents insurance. You should also familiarise yourself with the location of the mains water stop cock, the electricity consumer unit ) and gas valve in your property.
Related pages
Resources and information for our tenants

Charles Booth's Poverty Map (1880s) showing Walcot Square and the surrounding area

The Walcot Estate
The Hayle's and Walcot charities built hundreds of local properties in the 18th and 19th centuries, including Walcot Square and some surrounding streets in the 1830s.

In the 1980s and 1990s some houses in and around Walcot Square were sold and the proceeds re-invested in other assets. Today the Foundation owns c80 local houses, flats and commercial properties. It also owns and maintains the greens in Walcot Square and St Mary's Gardens. Our present policy is to retain our local property holdings, which generate roughly half our annual income and directly fund our charitable work.

Walcot Square was laid out and the houses erected in 1837–39, numbers 9–81 by John Woodward of Paradise Street, 16–24 by Charles Newnham of Newnham Place, Paris Street, and 26–50 by John Chapman of Waterloo Road, builder. The houses are of simple terrace type in yellow stock brick with stucco surrounds to the entrances and a plain coping above the parapets.
Number 19 (formerly No. 60) was occupied in 1870 by William Henry Rich Jones (1817–85), antiquary. He was born in Christ Church parish, Blackfriars. He was vicar of Bradford-on-Avon in 1851–85 and published several antiquarian works.
Number 20 (formerly 4) was occupied in 1840–41(?) by William Hosking (1800–1861), architect and civil engineer. Apprenticed in Sydney to a builder, he came to England in 1819. He was engineer to the West London Railway and later held a professorship at King's College, London. He designed Trinity Chapel, Poplar, and buildings in Abney Park cemetery. His most important publication was a work on bridges; he claimed to have originated the design for the British Museum Reading Room. He married a daughter of William Clowes, the printer.
At number 77 (formerly 31) in 1840–41 lived Thomas Barnes (1785–1841), editor of The Times.

External link: The Walcot Estate in Vol XXIII of The Survey of London

There is often interest in our local history

See here for material about specific addresses and streets, as well as recollections about the Walcot Estate during WW2
Download Maud Zimmermann's 1996 Edmund Walcot's Estate booklet (PDF)

Restrictive covenants
If you are the owner of a property which once belonged to the Foundation it is highly likely that a restrictive covenant attaches to it. This places certain obligations on you. Further information

"I have some connexion," pursued Mr. Guppy, "and it lays in the direction of Walcot Square, Lambeth. I have therefore taken a 'ouse in that locality, which, in the opinion of my friends, is a hollow bargain (taxes ridiculous, and use of fixtures included in the rent), and intend setting up professionally for myself there forthwith." Here Mr. Guppy's mother fell into an extraordinary passion of rolling her head and smiling waggishly at anybody who would look at her. "It's a six-roomer, exclusive of kitchens," said Mr. Guppy, "and in the opinion of my friends, a commodious tenement. When I mention my friends, I refer principally to my friend Jobling, who I believe has known me," Mr. Guppy looked at him with a sentimental air, "from boyhood's hour." Mr. Jobling confirmed this with a sliding movement of his legs. "My friend Jobling will render me his assistance in the capacity of clerk and will live in the 'ouse," said Mr. Guppy. "My mother will likewise live in the 'ouse when her present quarter in the Old Street Road shall have ceased and expired; and consequently there will be no want of society. My friend Jobling is naturally aristocratic by taste, and besides being acquainted with the movements of the upper circles, fully backs me in the intentions I am now developing."
Bleak House, Charles Dickens

Walcot charities staff outing - c1930s (click to enlarge)

restrictive covenants

If you own a property which once belonged to the Foundation it is highly likely that it is the subject of a restrictive covenant. This limits your freedom in choice of exterior paint colours, in the putting up of aerials, satellite dishes, external alarm fittings and some other matters. It will also mean that the consent of the Foundation. more...

Walcot Mews Development

This page contains information about the planning and construction of six new properties on a site that originally had housing and after WW2 bombing had garages. The Foundation planned for its development from around 2010. The aim was to make the best use of land and to increase income for our charitable work. more...

Tenant resources

Out of Hours
If you have a genuine property related emergency outside office hours, please contact our out of hours contractor Daisy on 07449308616.
If you are unable to get through to our out of hours contractor please search for a local contractor and more...

Bishop's Terrace Development

Bishop's Terrace SE11

The Walcot Foundation Governors appointed a number of professional partners to develop proposals for building homes on the site of two adjoining garage compounds on Bishop’s Terrace. This is part of the Foundation's programme to grow income for its charitable purposes, and to ensure we’re making the best use of our assets. Houses and a commercial property stood on the sites before destruction by bombing in WW2.

Professional Partners

Fathom Architects
JacksonColes (Project Manager)
KANDA Consulting
Landmark Trees
Mileu Consult
Morph Structures
Point 2 Surveyors
SM Planning
The Heritage Practice
Vectos

KANDA Consulting circulated initial information to those living in the vicinity of the proposed development (see downloads, right). Also available for download is a PDF of the presentation made in July 2020.

DOCUMENTS
Letter to neighbours Nov 2019
PDF of presentation 15 July 2020

Please use the contact form below for send KANDA a message.

Historic information on particular properties

House at corner of Kennington Road and Walcot Square being repaired after WW2 bomb damage. We were delighted to meet Mrs Ella Underwood who as a child and young adult lived on the Walcot Estate (including in this property) and who recounted stories of the Estate during war time. more...

There are no longer any shops in Walcot Square. In the past there was a grocery shop (corner of Sullivan Road and Walcot Square) and backing on to it a hardware shop which also sold oil (and coal in small quantities when the old-fashioned delivery carts and vans vanished). more...