It is thought that as the former Church was built of brick that probably it was not very ancient. A church is mentioned in Doomsday, a most ancient record, made in the time of William 1st, surnamed the _Conqueror_, and containing a survey of all the lands in England. Lysons, from whom we take the liberty of making some liberal quotations, when writing about 85 years ago, says, "The Church of Battersea is dedicated to St. Mary; it is in the Diocese of Winchester, and in the Deanery of Southwark, the benefice is a Vicarage. Lawrence, Abbot of Westminster, first procured the appropriation of the great tithes for that Abbey about the year 1156. The monks of Westminster were to receive out of it two marks, reserving sufficient to the Vicar to support the Episcopal burdens and himself. The Rectory was held by John Bishop of Winchester in the time of Philip and Mary. The principal profits of the Vicarage accrued from the gardens, which rendered the living one of the most valuable in the neighbourhood of London. The gardeners at Battersea paid 7s. 6d. an acre for tithes to the Vicar. The living of Battersea is dated in the King's Book at £13 15s. 2½d." The present living is estimated at about £1,000 with residence. "In the Valor of 1291, usually termed Pope Nicholas' Taxation, the Rectory is valued at 26 marks and a half: the Vicarage at £4 3s. 4d. In 1658 the Rectory was stated as worth £80 a year, and the Vicarage at £100, and in the King's Book the Vicarage stands at £13 15s. 2½d. Battersea was one of those parishes which in memory of the Abbey dedicated to St. Peter, presented to the Abbot and Convent in early times, the tithes of salmon taken in this portion of the river. The Incumbents however of Chelsea, _Battersea_, and Wandsworth endeavoured to shake this custom off as long ago as 1231, but failed: the composition entered into upon the occasion may be seen in Dart's History of Westminster Abbey."--_Ecclesiastical Topography._