Putney is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “Putta’s landing-place”. In mediaeval times, Putney was a settlement on the river round the ferry which crossed the Thames to Fulham and to Westminster. Edward I used it. The land belonged to the church in mediaeval times. The ferry was replaced by a bridge in 1729 which became notorious as a place for duels and for carriages being held up by highwaymen. The present bridge was built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in 1882-6. Putney was a popular place for the rich to have their houses in the 18th century when it was largely owned by the Marlborough (or Spencer) family. When the railway line from Waterloo to Richmond came through the area in 1846, this led to a surge in house building. In the 20th century, further developments took place, such as the Roehampton estate.

There is a little enclave of streets between Lower Richmond Road and the river. At the Putney High Street end stand Star and Garter Mansions, Kenilworth Court and University Mansions, all late Victorian mansion blocks. The roads off Lower Richmond Road to the river generally contain small Victorian houses such as Sefton Street and Commondale. There are purpose-built flats in Festing Road, council flats in Stockhurst Close, and semi-detached houses in Pentlow Street.

On the other side of Lower Richmond Road more residential streets run as far as the railway line, on the other side of which is Upper Richmond Road. Lower Common South contains large detached houses from the late Victorian era with views over Putney Common. The little streets off it such as Chester Close and Sherwood Court have modern townhouses, also with views of the Common. Egliston Road continues the Lower Common South theme of large detached Victorian House, and some semi-detached Edwardian houses. Generally the roads here contain a mixture of Victorian and Edwardian houses, detached or semi-detached, often with large gardens.

In East Putney, the wharves along the river from Putney High Street to Deodar Road has been developed as riverside flats. Deodar Road itself contains large semi-detached houses looking out over the river. Slightly further inland, the streets off Oakhill Road to West Hill contain terraces of large Edwardian houses. Towards Wandsworth there are large numbers of 1930s mansion blocks. There is a little village in the middle of Putney Heath, reached via Telegraph Road and Wildcroft Road. There are very large detached Edwardian houses in streets such as Heathview Gardens and Bristol Gardens, and smaller houses in Bensbury Close, and Art Deco houses in Bowling Green Close. But the main housing is mansion blocks from the 1930s such as Wildcroft Manor and Exeter House on the edge of the Heath. Putney Hill also contains mansion blocks such as Ross Court. Kersfield Road contains blocks from the 1960s, and there are flats from the next decade in Radcliffe Square. Littleton Grove contains large Victorian houses. There are Victorian and Edwardian houses in the neighbouring streets. Keswick Road encloses another enclave of streets. There are some particularly large houses in this area from Victorian through to mock-Tudor.

On the west side of East Putney station there are traditional mansion blocks in St John’s Avenue and 1960s blocks in Carlton Drive. West Putney begins on the west side of Putney Hill. Here there are expansive Victorian houses in large gardens. Four roads, Westleigh Avenue Chartfield Avenue, Hazelwell Road and Howard’s Lane slice up the area with streets running off them. Possibly the largest and most sought-after houses are in Gwendolen Avenue. But the area between Woodborough Road, Malbrook Road and Upper Richmond Road may give it a run for its money. Howard’s Lane is particularly interesting for its wide variety of house styles. Coalecroft Road is a conservation area, containing earlier Victorian houses.