Take a step back in time… here’s a look at some wooden weatherboard buildings, which were once a common design feature that dotted Carshalton High Street, as this old image below shows. To the right of the main pic was once a small maze of worker cottages, such as these … Read More
Like a sect, the Quakers seem a quiet and secretive bunch, controlling where we go and what we do… Stop there. First off, don’t get your hopes up. I’ve found no evidence of a Quaker covenant depriving us of our enjoyment of a pint on every street corner in Carshalton Beeches. But … Read More
I thought it would be interesting to plot the rough location of the old park wall, to scale, and to see that Carshalton park about 120 years ago was 4 – 5 times larger than it is now. You can of course still see some of the original old boundary wall around the area, some … Read More
One of my regular wanders takes in The Grotto at Carshalton Park. Did you know Carshalton’s grotto is even older than other better known ones, such as Stourhead, Goldney and Painshill. 🗝 The Grotto was originally constructed around 1724, and designed by the land owner Thomas Scawen. He lived in Stone Court, a … Read More
Thomas Scawen was the man who created The Grotto in Carshalton Park (see my previous post about The Grotto), and he had inherited the land from his uncle, who had no heirs. 🗝 His uncle Sir William Scawen is pictured here. He once had the prestigious and lucrative role of the Governor of … Read More
This little waterfall has been played on by numerous children over the years, even back in the 1860s when it was still part of Carshalton Park. Who likes a bit of mustard on their roast dinner? You’ve got the little boy on the left of the old waterfall photo to thank for that. … Read More
Ironworks used water to power tools and heat furnaces to build things made of iron, in this case patented products such as early car engines (specifically for this Hyler Whyte – the world’s first kit-car from 1900) and steam-driven pumps etc.
This once grand home stands on a high point in Beddington, it would have had panoramic views over fields and the River Wandle below. In 1906 there was a large bowling green in front. It’s still standing and is situated on The Brandries, off Guy Road in Beddington. 🗝 Brick built, possibly in … Read More