FULHAM, a western metropolitan borough of London, Eng land, bounded north-west by Hammersmith, north-east by Ken sington, east by Chelsea, and south-east, south and south-west by a wide loop of the river Thames. Pop. (I 931) 150,940. In the north Fulham includes the residential district known as West Kensington, and farther south that of Walham Green. It lies almost entirely on a low gravel terrace north of the Thames. The lowest part, the riverside district adjoining Chelsea, is liable to flood, and suffered in the floods of Jan. 1928. Chelsea basin is in this part; and there are many wharves along the river front, which is longer than that of any other London borough. The borough has no outstanding industries, but many men are employed on the railways, and there are also motor works, breweries and wallpaper, tobacco, biscuit and pickle factories. The manor house or palace of the bishops of London stands in grounds, beautifully planted and surrounded by a moat, believed to be a Danish work, near the river west of Putney bridge. Its oldest portion is the picturesque western quadrangle, built by Bishop Fitzjames (1506-22). The public recreation grounds include the embankment and gardens be tween the river and the palace grounds, and there are also two well-known enclosures used for sports within the borough. Of these Hurlingham park is the headquarters of the Hurlingham Polo club and a fashionable resort; and Queen's club, West Ken sington, has tennis and other courts for the use of members, and was also the scene of important football matches, and of the ath letic meetings between Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and those between the English and American universities held in England. In Seagrave road is the Western fever hospital. The parliamentary boroughs of Fulham east and west each return one member. Area, 1,703.5 ac.
Fulham, or in its earliest form Fullanfiiam, is uncertainly stated to signify "the place" either "of fowls" or "of dirt." The manor is said to have been given to Bishop Erkenwald about the year 691 for himself and his successors in the see of London, and Holinshed relates that the bishop of London was lodging in his manor place in 1141 when Geoffrey de Mandeville, riding out from the Tower of London, took him prisoner. There is no record of the first erection of a parish church, but the first known rector was appointed in 1242.