The station is at the eastern tip of Clapham Common and was opened in June 1900 as the new southern terminus of the City & South London Railway, which was extended from Stockwell. It remained the terminus until the Morden extension was opened in 1926.
It is one of eight London Underground stations which has a deep-level air-raid shelter underneath it. Both entrances to the shelter are north of the station on Clapham High Street.