New project in Dickens Close

Dickens Close makes little sense within the context of Ham and Petersham, there is no where else like it though you could argue that the mock-Georgian look is at least similar to the many Georgian properties in the area.

This house is at the entrance to the close and I have featured it before because of the shrubs in the front garden. Now it gets featured again as something quite big is going on there.

The marks above the front window suggest that the appearance from the front is changing and if it is then I'll post an update in due course. 

New gate

Montrose House had been without a gate for a few weeks during which time work was done on the pillars and the foundations. The gate itself has now been retuned.

As far as I can tell, by referring to older photographs, it is the same gate and as it now looks pristine and very black I presume that it spent its time away being spruced up ready for a few more years of defending Montrose House from the onslaught on Petersham Road.

FC Barcelona

These two FC Barcelona flags look striking against the white wall of this house in Ashfield Close so they can be forgiven, even though everyone knows that Leeds United are the best!

Black and white house

I have taken several pictures of this house in Cedar Heights over the years, simply because I love it. These pictures are often taken from odd angles to exclude cars parked either on the drive and/or the road so I was delighted to find no cars nearby when on a recent walk.

Petersham Lodge Woods

Petersham Lodge Woods is in the north-east corner of the area that I cover in Ham Photos with River Lane forming part of my boundary. There is only one path through it and I always choose to use the path rather than use the road, which does not have much of a pavement anyway.

The woods continue to the right to Douglas Footpath and with no paths to disturb that large section of woods the wildlife has the area to itself with only the regular flooding to concern it. 

Empty plot

This empty plot sits on the edge of Wates Estate between Perryfield Way and Stuart Road and visually belongs to neither. It looks forgotten and unloved. Some landscaping and a tree or two would improve the appearance of the plot and would bring it into Wates Estate. 

Cottage garden

Fanshawe Road covers the short distance between Beaufort Road and Maguire Drive and consists of a few houses like these. I took this picture of Number 4 because of the vitality of the south-facing garden.

The white fence is unusual for this area where walls are the norm but I can forgive that as the gaps in it allow the sunlight through and without the sunlight the garden would suffer.

Rebuilding in Maguire Drive

Judging by the extent of the scaffolding this is another big project, this time in Maguire Drive.

The house is on the bend of Maguire Drive that faces the footpath that has now been closed while houses are constructed on the site of the former garages.

Pristine pavement

This is not the first time that I have been surprised by the decision to resurface a road or pavement though it may be the most surprising.

There are long stretches of Church Road that have no pavement and another section that has a narrow uneven rocky path so I find it extraordinary that somebody has decided to redo the one section of decent pavement that there was.