🎥 History sleuth tracks down family of long-lost photo album
*Video* A chance purchase led Chris Pocock on a journey through time. He discovered this beautiful leather-bound book, packed with nostalgic Victorian images from the 1880s, and just had to find out more… So Chris began to trace the story of the album’s owner, Lydia Wiles. Lydia taught at the Female Orphan Asylum, which was […]
Islands in the stream
People don’t usually think of Carshalton and Beddington as places with islands. But follow the River Wandle and its ponds, channels and lakes and you’ll find a surprising number of them. Some were created by the river, others by people diverting water to power mills or shaping the landscape. This isn’t an exhaustive list — […]
Bongs on Carshalton High Street? When did that happen?
Have you noticed something slightly unexpected appearing on Carshalton High Street? Bongs. Yes, those glass smoking devices that you might once have associated with student bedrooms, festivals or rather more alternative corners of society are now being sold on the High Street. So what’s a bong, exactly? It’s basically a pipe with a chamber of […]
Tree-mendous! New measurement finally announced for Carshalton’s giant tree
EXCLUSIVE Carshalton’s much-loved giant tree has been officially measured again – and the results show it has grown significantly since it was last measured more than 60 years ago. The impressive London plane beside the stream that feeds Carshalton Ponds has been remeasured following a request to the Forestry Commission, with the official results now […]
Which is Carshalton’s BEST coffee shop?
Yes, it’s finally here. The vote to end all votes. Which is Carshalton’s BEST coffee shop? It’s the 16th Secret Carshalton LIVE Poll. Yes, we’ve been doing them for ages – and a big thank you for voting over the years, and welcome if you’re new here. Remember, you can cast your vote just once […]
The bountiful resource growing all around us that often goes to waste. Not anymore!
A new Carshalton volunteer group is harvesting unwanted fruit from gardens and public spaces and sharing it with schools, food banks and community groups.
Carshalton church scores 750,000-view TikTok hit as vicars go viral
Church of England priests are finding huge audiences on TikTok by showing an unexpected side of church life — and All Saints’ Carshalton has one of the accounts leading the way.
Why isn’t Carshalton Railway Station on STATION ROAD?
We investigate the road that leads to nowhere. Through a variety of maps and historical commentary, we inspect the evidence surrounding whether there was ever a railway station on Station Road in Carshalton. It’s a hot topic of debate amongst locals, and we’ve compiled everything we know as of 2026. Spoiler alert – there was […]
Did you know the water in Carshalton Ponds gets pumped in from 1.5 miles away?
We tend to think of Carshalton Ponds as a permanent feature of village life. The water flowing through The Grove feels as though it has always been there and always will be. But the reality is very different. Today, the ponds continue to receive water from natural springs and rainfall, but they are also supported […]