End of the line for popular publicans
Sadness is in the air as Judy Dodson announces that she and Mike Jesset will soon leave The Railway Tavern in North Street. Judy announced the departure on 1st April 2026 – exactly 12 years after she signed up as landlady, and nearly 15 years in total serving behind the bar. Mike joined just two […]
Heads or Tails? The Carshalton coin toss that named America’s most famous Horse Race
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest and most prestigious horse race in the United States, but its origins trace back to a small region in England. In 1872, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr, the man behind the Kentucky Derby, travelled to Surrey, England. There, he witnessed first-hand the famous horse race called The Derby and was […]
Carshalton Motor Cycle Club used to meet at the old Fox and Hounds
Start your engines, it’s time for some local history! Carshalton Motor Cycle Club began in 1924, riding the wave of interest in a new sport connected to these two-wheeled wonders. The badge above is dated 1950, and the club still uses the same logo to this day. There are now many motorcycle clubs across the […]
A big iron ring! The little-known history of Carshalton’s Mill Lane
In the 17th Century, Carshalton had a location with the grand name of Pall Mall – still the name of an upmarket area in Central London. You may perhaps think it was the name for a grand drive, but no – it’s much more down to earth than that. The site of Mill Lane was […]
Fancy a plunge in Carshalton’s very own freezing cold ‘Bagnio’?
*Historical* Bathing parties in Carshalton would be held in lavish surroundings, and the Bagnio on the grounds of Carshalton House was visited back in the 1770s by the influential writer Horace Walpole (pictured below). He built and lived in the beautiful gothic Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham. 🗝️ The Carshalton bathhouse was most likely designed […]
A tale of two Swans: uncovering the lost pubs of West Street
Here’s the Swan Inn, that closed around 1908, and was located on the corner of Old Swan Yard. Further up the road is the Old Swan Ale House, which pre-dated this and ceased trading by 1867. Whether they were trading at the same time is unclear. Both buildings still exist, though altered. It’s common for […]