Carshalton Park photos

[brogdale]

Occasionally, in very wet weather, the old, ornamental canal features in Carshalton Park and beyond, through the village, down to Westcroft fill up to reveal something of their former glory. The recent very wet weather has caused them to fill impressively so I took a few pics. I've also included a few 'normal', dry views to compare...

Firstly looking N. from the road bridge on Ruskin road down the Carshalton Place canal:-

...which usually looks like this:-

Then looking S. from the same bridge up the canal towards the Grotto at the S. end of the park:-

...which normally looks like this:-

...and looking N. from the Grotto itself:-

....and the usual view would look like...

Finally, the "Hog pit" pond, (if any of you have been to the fireworks display you'll know the depression where the giant bonfire is held), turned into a pond again...

...normally a dry hollow...

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get down to Honeywood Museum in the village to see if the spring-fed pond known as Margaret's pond in the garden has filled up. If it has I'll try to get some more pics. For those interested "Margaret's Well" is an early example of environmental rehabilitation; in 1876 John Ruskin had the pond cleaned, reclaimed and beautified and (re)named the spring-fed, feeder to the Wandle after his mother, Margaret who came from a family of publicans in Croydon!

 

[Dan U]

don't think i've ever seen them look like that, certainly not the Hog Pit (or knew it was called that even!)

nice one!

 

[TopCat]

The ponds get some unusual users, not just cars being driven into them but elephants too. This is from 1900

 

[Callie]

OH wow, thanks brogdale thats amazing! I might have to pop round there to have a look myself if the weather is OK at the weekend.

Is Margaret's Well the bit near the road along a bit from St Philomena's? Before you get to Carshalton Ponds proper? I recall them doing a lot of work in that bit clearing a lot of the plants etc

 

[Tankus]

This is the way every communities should deal with surface water run off , rather than overload the sewer's and threaten downstream residences .

Nice public space too ...double win

 

[brogdale]

OH wow, thanks brogdale thats amazing! I might have to pop round there to have a look myself if the weather is OK at the weekend.

Is Margaret's Well the bit near the road along a bit from St Philomena's? Before you get to Carshalton Ponds proper? I recall them doing a lot of work in that bit clearing a lot of the plants etc

Yeah, that's it right on the corner, on the roundabout...

In this google street image I don't think it's possible to pick out the memorial stone to Ruskin's mother, but from memory I think it's just down behind that temporary sign on the railings.

According to Bob Steel, from his excellent "River Wandle Companion" , the stone was actually installed, against Ruskin's wishes, by a local historian called George Brightling. The inscription on the stone reads:-

In obedience to the Giver of Life, of the brooks and fruits that feed it, of the peace that ends it, may this well be kept sacred for the service of men, flocks, and flowers, and be by kindness called MARGARET'S WELL.
This pool was beautified and endowed by John Ruskin; M.A., L.L.D.

 

[Dan U]

got to love Bob Steels book selection. big up Bob

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bob-Steel/e/B0034OOMHG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

[brogdale]

got to love Bob Steels book selection. big up Bob

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bob-Steel/e/B0034OOMHG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

As I said before, it is a really good book; highly recommended, especially for those of us who live near/like to walk the Wandle.
The real joy of the guide chapters is the inclusion of excerpts of old (late 19thC & early 20thC) maps, alongside their modern counterparts. Fascinating stuff.

Big up Bob indeed!

 

[Dan U]

As I said before, it is a really good book; highly recommended, especially for those of us who live near/like to walk the Wandle.
The real joy of the guide chapters is the inclusion of excerpts of old (late 19thC & early 20thC) maps, alongside their modern counterparts. Fascinating stuff.

Big up Bob indeed!

I will most certainly get it at some point, as we've discussed i spent a lot of time in Wallington - school, living and working and know the Wandle well.

 

[brogdale]

I will most certainly get it at some point, as we've discussed i spent a lot of time in Wallington - school, living and working and know the Wandle well.

Presumably your cross-country runs went over the thing a few times?

 

[Dan U]

Heh. Yeah. And smoked a few things on the island in the middle of it in the park

 

[Dan U]

Those fucking runs though. Christ.

 

[brogdale]

Those fucking runs though. Christ.

 

[brogdale]

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get down to Honeywood Museum in the village to see if the spring-fed pond known as Margaret's pond in the garden has filled up. If it has I'll try to get some more pics. For those interested "Margaret's Well" is an early example of environmental rehabilitation; in 1876 John Ruskin had the pond cleaned, reclaimed and beautified and (re)named the spring-fed, feeder to the Wandle after his mother, Margaret who came from a family of publicans in Croydon!

OK, so I did get along to Margaret's Well at Honeywood, and the well was obviously alive and...well, well!

I took this photo just above the inscription stone mentioned earlier, (up-thread), and here it is:-

First in colour, and then I thought it might be easier to read in B&W...

Whilst down in the village I did take a few shots of the, now full, Westcroft canal. I think the last time this properly flooded was nearly 15 years ago. The canal was built to provide water for the overshoot water-wheel that powered the old, 19thC iron works that stood on the site of the present Westcroft sports centre in Grove Park.

In this pic you can see the water flowing from the pipes laid under the High Street (between the wars) into the canal. Previously the water had flowed along the side of the street.

Finally, this is the end of the canal, (round the back of the sports centre) where the canal flows into the Wandle proper, and this fall marks the spot of the old over-shoot water wheel of the iron works:-

An image of the old iron works:-

Oh, and just for fun....further round in Grove Park there is the Wandle 'waterfall' that flows out of The Ponds; I don't think I've seen it so full...

 

[TopCat]

Excellent thread.

 

[Callie]

Lots of these bits are part of the Wandle Walk I like to do from Waddon Ponds to Carshalton Ponds. I should get out there and do it today really as the sun is actually making an appearance but Ive got too much stuff to do at home Maybe we should have an urban Wandle stroll one day?

 

[brogdale]

Lots of these bits are part of the Wandle Walk I like to do from Waddon Ponds to Carshalton Ponds. I should get out there and do it today really as the sun is actually making an appearance but Ive got too much stuff to do at home Maybe we should have an urban Wandle stroll one day?

Sorry you were too tied up to get out there today. There'll be other days Callie.

Have to say that I share your passion for the dear old Wandle; I honestly think that I walk parts of it most days and recently it's been interesting to note its response to the rainfall events. In fact you've got me thinking that i might rename the thread something like "The Wandle thread", because I'm bound to want to post pics of other parts of the river/catchment, and I'm sure that other might like to as well. Waddya think?

 

[Callie]

Thats a good idea I think, the Wandle is a great place for bird spotting too although Im crap at taking pictures of fast moving feathered things.

 

[TopCat]

I think a Wandle thread would be great. I am a bit obsessed with the dear old Wandle and have quite a few pictures etc.

 

[Dan U]

bit of urban exploration relating to the Wandle

http://www.silentuk.com/writeups/wandle.html

http://derelictex.wordpress.com/2007/09/29/river-wandle-croydon/

someone else did similar under Purley Way around Waddon but i can't find it atm

 

[Callie]

bit of urban exploration relating to the Wandle

http://www.silentuk.com/writeups/wandle.html

http://derelictex.wordpress.com/2007/09/29/river-wandle-croydon/

someone else did similar under Purley Way around Waddon but i can't find it atm

I dunno about you but Im not overly excited about drains especially boring ones. Theyve opened out the Wandle section through Wandle Park now and the council are looking to encourage more people to use the park. Theres a new play area, the rivery bits, the skate park, a bandstand and theyre opening a cafe there too.



I went not long after they reopened the park with the rivery bits erm working? and it was OK but the water was very shallow. I expect its all filled up now so maybe the lake bit (was all just dry, low bits) is fully functioning now with the rain? Another place to go and have a look at. I have tried to include Wandle Park in my Wandle walk before but you have the Purley Way smack bang through the middle and its not very scenic!

 

[existentialist]

I can remember going to that park as a kid, and being told that there had been an unexploded bomb that landed on/in/near the waterwheel. No idea if it was true, or just one of those bits of accepted wisdom you hear from grownups, but it lent the place an aura of danger and mystery that it held for a long time.

 

[Dan U]

I dunno about you but Im not overly excited about drains especially boring ones. T

the thing i was after - but it seems to be down or perhaps was on an urbex site i am long banned from - was a bit more than drains as such, iirc the river got sent under Purley Way from Waddon Ponds and the underground element was massive with loads of stalagtytes (the down ones, prob got that wrong)

my Step Dad was in that park the other day btw as he is working near by, it was very very wet apparently.

 

[Callie]

tights hang down

 

[brogdale]

I can remember going to that park as a kid, and being told that there had been an unexploded bomb that landed on/in/near the waterwheel. No idea if it was true, or just one of those bits of accepted wisdom you hear from grownups, but it lent the place an aura of danger and mystery that it held for a long time.

No mention of it in this history page, but then it might be less than exhaustive.

Good pic of the 1967 culveting of the river:-

 

[Dan U]

i think this might be a rival for this site

http://www.urbantrout.net/tag/wandle/

 

[brogdale]

the thing i was after - but it seems to be down or perhaps was on an urbex site i am long banned from - was a bit more than drains as such, iirc the river got sent under Purley Way from Waddon Ponds and the underground element was massive with loads of stalagtytes (the down ones, prob got that wrong)

my Step Dad was in that park the other day btw as he is working near by, it was very very wet apparently.

The direction of flow of the Croydon Wandle towards Wandle Park is from the SE, under Roman Way. For many centuries the Croydon Wandle rose from springs near to the 'Swan & Sugarloaf' flowing North roughly along Southbridge road with the bloody great fly-over spanning the old valley of the river. Just to the North it used to fill the fishponds of the Archbishop's palace and then on towards the present-day wandle Park.

 

[existentialist]

Fascinating thread: my mum grew up in Camden Road, and her family were generally around that part of the world, so lots of intriguing, if not exactly fond, memories...

 

[Callie]

I can remember going to that park as a kid, and being told that there had been an unexploded bomb that landed on/in/near the waterwheel. No idea if it was true, or just one of those bits of accepted wisdom you hear from grownups, but it lent the place an aura of danger and mystery that it held for a long time.

Do you mean there was an alleged unexploded bomb in Wandle Park, Croydon or Beddington Park, Sutton? or The Grove in Sutton even

 

[existentialist]

Do you mean there was an alleged unexploded bomb in Wandle Park, Croydon or Beddington Park, Sutton? or The Grove in Sutton even

I dunno. I was about 7. But I thought it was something to do with the waterwheel in Carshalton Park.

Looking that up, what I did discover was that there was a huge air raid shelter under the park, which was only properly discovered well after I was 7 - so perhaps someone was confusing two stories.