Carshalton
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Carshalton is a suburb of London, part of the London Borough of Sutton, located 10 miles (16.1 km) south south-west of Charing Cross. It is in the UK Parliament constituency of Carshalton and Wallington. It is situated in the valley of the river Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village.[1] Although it is within Greater London boundaries, addresses in the area often still include Carshalton's former postal county of Surrey. The combined population of the five wards comprising Carshalton was 45,525 at the 2001 census.[2]
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[edit] History
Carshalton is mentioned in the Domesday book under the name "Aultone" and owned by Geoffrey de Mandeville. Prior to the Norman Conquest it is recorded that there were five manors in Carshalton owned by five freemen. [3]. Carshalton was also known for its springs and these may have given the place its name Cars - Aul - ton. Aul means well. A ton is a farm which was in some way enclosed. The meaning of the Cars element is uncertain but early spellings (Kersaulton and Cresaulton) may indicate connection with a cross or perhaps cress, watercress having been grown locally.
Land was primarily put to arable use and the river Wandle gave rise to manufacturing using water power. By the end of the 18th Century it was recorded that there was production of paper and parchment, leather, snuff, log-wood and bleaching grounds. [3]
From 1894 to 1965 Carshalton formed part of the Carshalton Urban District.[4]
[edit] Districts
[edit] Carshalton Village
Central Carshalton, around the ponds and High Street, retains a village character, although the busy A232 runs through the area. There are a number of attractive buildings and open spaces protected by the Carshalton Village Conservation Area.[5]
[edit] Carshalton-on-the-Hill
Carshalton-on-the-Hill is the residential area on the high ground to the south of Carshalton Park around Boundary Road, Stanley Road and Stanley Park Road and stretching out toward the smallholdings of Little Woodcote.
[edit] Carshalton Beeches
Carshalton Beeches is the area to the west of Carshalton-on-the-Hill, around Beeches Avenue, Banstead Road and Woodmansterne Road. It grew up around the railway station which was named after Beeches Avenue, the street in which it is located; which, in turn, is named after the beech trees which line it.
[edit] The Wrythe
The Wrythe, or Wrythe Green, lies between Carshalton village to the south and St Helier to the north-west. During the time of the Roman occupation of the British Isles, a small spring was situated near the green, now shadowed by a BP garage. Roman activity in the area is confirmed by the fact that there was once a Roman Villa built in Beddington, just a couple of miles away, and a number of roads in the vicinity of Roman origin. The spring has since disappeared under ground and the culvert it feeds flows into the Wandle near Hackbridge.
[edit] Buildings of interest
[edit] All Saints Church
The parish church of All Saints overlooks Carshalton Ponds. A church has stood on this site since at least Norman times and probably much longer. The current church contains 12th century work but has been much extended over the centuries; most dramatically in 1891 when a new nave and north aisle were added.[6]
Just outside the churchyard wall is a spring locally known as "Anne Boleyn's Well". It is popularly said to have received this name because it appeared when Anne Boleyn's horse kicked a stone and a spring of water appeared. Anne was probably riding to or from an assignation with her would-be lover King Henry VIII at the nearby home of Sir Nicholas Carew.
Another possible explanation is that the name is a corruption of "Boulogne". The Counts of Boulogne owned land here in the 12th century and there may have been a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Boulogne near the well.
[edit] Carshalton House Water Tower
The water tower was built in the early 18th Century primarily to house a water driven pump supplying water to Carshalton House (now St Philomena's School) and its gardens. It was planned as a multi-purpose building, however, and also contains an orangery, a saloon and a bathroom which retains original Delft tiles.
[edit] Little Holland House
Little Holland House in Carshalton Beeches was the home of the artist Frank Dickinson (1874-1961). Dickinson's Arts and Crafts style interior was influenced by John Ruskin and William Morris. The house contains many of his art works. It is now occasionally open to members of the public.[7]
[edit] Honeywood
Honeywood is a large and attractive house at the western end of Carshalton Ponds. At its earliest it dates from the 17th century but has been much extended and restored, particularly in the period 1896 to 1903. It now houses the London Borough of Sutton "Heritage Centre" and has a local history collection, including objects that date back to the Bronze Age.
[edit] The Oaks Bakehouse
The late 19th century Bakehouse in Oaks Park is all that remains of "The Oaks" mansion which burned down and was demolished in the 1950s. The original bread oven remains in situ. Blocks of burnt bricks from the ruins of the great house were used by local builders to construct garden walls for houses all along Woodmansterne Road, and may still be seen today.
[edit] The Orangery
The Orangery in The Square was built in the second half of the 18th Century in Carshalton Park (the section of which between here and Ruskin Road has since been built over.) It is now used as Environment Agency offices.
[edit] Events
Annual events include a fireworks display at Carshalton Park on the first Saturday in November, a summer carnival on the first or second Saturday of June, a beer festival over the first Bank Holiday weekend in May, and an environmental fair on the August Bank Holiday Monday. There are frequent theatrical and musical productions at The Charles Cryer Studio Theatre, which is situated on the High Street.
[edit] Parks
- Carshalton Park
- Grove Park
- Oaks Park
[edit] Transport
Carshalton has two railway stations: Carshalton and Carshalton Beeches. From 1847 to the opening of the current Carshalton in 1868 Wallington railway station was named Carshalton. The closest London Underground station is Morden, which is a 12-21 minute journey from Carshalton by 157 bus.[8]
[edit] Education
- St. Philomena's School (Catholic Girls' High School)
- Carshalton High School for Girls
- Carshalton Boys Sports College (Renamed from Carshalton High School for Boys)
- Stanley Park High School
- Carshalton College
[edit] Sports
Carshalton has two football clubs: Carshalton Athletic F.C. (home ground at The War Memorial Sports Ground, Colston Avenue) and Carshalton FC (at Beddington Park). At the Westcroft Leisure Centre there are health and fitness facilites including two swimming pools, sports hall, squash court and fitness centre.[9] Westcroft is also home to Sutton Pumas basketball club.
[edit] Nearest places
[edit] Notes
- ^ London Biodiversity Partnership - audit of rivers document..
- ^ 2001 Census Data for Carshalton Beeches, Central, South & Clockhouse, North, plus The Wrythe..
- ^ a b "The Environs of London: volume 1 - County of Surrey" by Daniel Lysons published 1792
- ^ A Vision of Britain through Time, University of Portsmouth Department of Geography - unit history of Carshalton, 1801-2001..
- ^ London Borough of Sutton Conservation Areas..
- ^ Carshalton All Saints - History of Church..
- ^ London Borough of Sutton Heritage, Little Holland House..
- ^ 157 Bus timetable..
- ^ L.B. Sutton - Westcroft Leisure Centre..
[edit] External link
- Map of area from Streetmap
