Ham Close exposed

For two years the work on the first phase of the Ham Close redevelopment has been largely hidden behind boards but these have now been replaced by a metal chain-link fence exposing the ground floor to full scrutiny for the first time.

This block is facing on to Woodville Road and the entrance appears to be in the recessed section as that is where the letterboxes are.

Exceptionally lovely bricks

Having commented on some nice bricks yesterday I thought I would follow that with a return to The Cottage on Ham Common.

On my previous visit, not long ago, the extension was defined by blocks and these have been clothed with bricks, and exceptionally lovely bricks they are too (a zoom in is recommended). The mix of colours and the rough texture give them character that is completely lacking in the building on the left.

Murray Road extension

I make a point of visiting quieter places like Murray Road regularly just to see if there is anything new and this time it was an extension being built. As always, I like to mark projects like this in case the change is dramatic and also because I like all the physical things associated with these building projects. 

In this case I also very much like the end wall of the house, the bricks are a lovely colour and the contintion of the motar suggests that it was well built.

Little Free Library in Lock Road

The first Little Free Library in the area is in Ashburnham Road and now there is a second one in Lock Road.

Long grass and more

The linear part through Royal Park Gate is looking wonderful in spring and the many small flowers amongst the grasses (zoom in to see the better) are attracting bees and butterflies,

Unfortunately in the time between me taking this photo and then posting it, Kingston Council has brutally mown this area and a misguided resident has swept up the loose grass to prevent the organic matter from enriching the soil.

It used to look natural and lovely and now it looks like the managed garden of somebody who has no interest in wildlife.

Work underway at St Richards

St Richards Church in Ashburnham Road is, I would argue, the most iconic building in Ham so it is good to see the work begin to repair it after much planning and fundraising.

I believe that the plan is to replace the copper roof with a zinc one so it will look different when the work is complete but it will retain its shape and still be just as iconic.

Wrong place, wrong time

My brief investigation of signs on Ham Common ends with this one by Ham Ponds. The two things to notice are that it is not on a formal noticeboard, despite there being several nearby, and it is out of date. 

Given that HAPA&AG organise litter picks in that area every month it is a little surprising that it has not been removed yet.

Undulations

The landscaping of Wates Estate is a constant joy and I wanted to highlight this area, approaching the entrance to TYM from the south, because unlike most of the landscaped areas it is not flat. The recent mowing helps to show the contours but the best way to appreciate the undulations is to walk past it.

Lack of Information Board

Richmond Council went through a spell of introducing new signs for open spaces several years ago (I had a little moan then) and now I am moaning about the way that ones with display areas are updated.

This board on the southern tip of Ham Common is close to a Community Board on Ham Parade which may explain why it is not updated regularly, though that is no excuse for the lack of eye-catching content. I find it hard to believe that anyone ever reads these notices. 

 

The largest notice on display is a text-heavy announcement for last year's Ham Fair.