The Earls Spencer owned land in the area during the 19th century, which is probably where the name comes from. It was open land until the London to Southampton Railway came through at the end of the 19th century. Residential construction then took place on either side of the railway lines.

There is a very large council estate between Magdalen Road and Burntwood Lane. This Magdalen Park Estate was built in the 1920s and consists mainly of terraced and semi-detached houses with gardens, and most of it is now privately owned. West of this development near Earlsfield Station the streets running off Tranmere Road to Garratt Lane, such as Quinton, Isis and Littleton Streets contain terraces of Edwardian houses. Commercial premises and schools in this area have been converted into flats in recent years, and there are some new house developments. North of the railway line the streets between Allfarthing Lane and Earlsfield Road contain late Victorian or Edwardian terraces, and a few council blocks. Near Wandsworth Common, there are larger semi-detached houses in streets such as Bucharest, Brocklebank and Swaffield Roads.