Location of the volunteer fire service set up in 1867 and local wheelwright and Firefighter Tom Preen
*Historical* You probably would have driven past this nondescript building many times, shown on the left of the photo above. It’s situated on the mini-roundabout in Pound Street at the end of West Street. You can just make out the lamp of the old fire station on the left side, of the early 1900s photo […]
Hidden Building at Sutton Ecology Centre that used to be a Chapel
This mini historical fact is, as Sandi Toksvig might say, quite interesting. If you find yourself wandering around Sutton Ecology Centre in Carshalton you’ll come across this little building. I’d thought about the windows in the past and considered the purpose of the place – and have just discovered it was once a Chapel. The […]
Grand house made from the Portland Stone that was destined for a Carshalton Park Mansion that was never built
*Historical* It’s an interesting area all around Westcroft Road in Carshalton, and here’s a closer look at Bramble Haw (or Bramblehaw). Not much remains of the old house. 🗝 The comparison picture above shows you where the entrance gates to Bramble Haw once stood. To the left through the entrance, in the grounds, the Wandle […]
The long lost bridge of Wilderness Island
*Historical* Wilderness Island is nature reserve situated in Mill Lane by Butter Hill Bridge and it’s run by the London Wildlife Trust. The island once had a Victorian woodland garden, reached via the ornate white bridge, pictured above. You can still see remains of the old footbridge on both sides of the River Wandle. Everything […]
The new vintage motorcycle that was conceived in Carshalton 95 years ago
*Historical* The original Wardill Motorcycle began life at this garage workshop that once stood in Pound Street, on the corner of Carshalton Park Road. Pictured is the latest motorbike model, made in Wales. Great grandson of the motorcycle creator, Mark Wardill, who lives in south Wales Valleys is resurrecting the company. He’s been shortlisted for […]
The long lost police station that stood in Carshalton
*Historical* The misty morning provided the perfect atmosphere to capture these shots in Carshalton, of where police officers used to be based. Did you know Carshalton used to have its own police station? 🗝 The Carshalton police station used to be on a grassy area behind the Honeywood museum. For comparison, where the policeman is […]
The Old Wooden Buildings of Carshalton
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 houses at Clark’s Yard in […]
Bank Of England Governor, Sir William Scawen Has An Ornate Memorial At All Saints Carshalton
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 the Bank […]
Kings and Queens of Carshalton – Uncovering 500 years of Royal visits and connections
This is the famous well in the heart of Carshalton village that may be named after Tudor Queen, Anne Boleyn. She possibly stopped at Carshalton, perhaps on the way to Carew Manor in Beddington, where she met King Henry VIII for four days of ‘pleasure’. From Diana, Princess of Wales to the Duke and Duchess […]