Reduced pond

When I posted a picture of this pond in Ham Common Woods in spring 24 I commented on how unusually wet the area was but now the story is the exact opposite. As we start the first very hot spell of the year the pond has all but disappeared and I had to get quite close to it to be sure that there was any of it left.

Unusual porch

Ham has several large areas of similar looking brick houses built for social housing and over the years quite a few of these have added porches and most of these have followed the style of the having a brick construction and a sloping roof with terracotta tiles. This one in Lammas Road has taken a very different approach and looks horribly out of keeping as a result.

Missing cap

The simple wood boards have gone from the front of Beaufort House but the wall behind them looks to be unaltered. What has gone is the cap on the pillar on the left. That pillar has been built up to the height of the rest of the wall but this work looks messy and may be unfinished. It would be nice to get the other cap back.

Clarendon SEND School is austere

I was fortunate to walk past the new Clarendon SEND School on Meadlands Drive when both gates were open to allow a large truck out and the man on the gate was away from his post guiding the truck out and away; that gave me a decent view of the frontage for the first time. I am not impressed.

As an office building this is fine but as a school I think that it is too austere and unwelcoming. I appreciate that is sits in a sensitive area but I do not think that is a good enough excuse.

BenForrest refresh

I have been keeping an eye on the former Rowleys shop on Ham Parade as work continues to bring it back in to use and while this is happening BenForrest (or is it Ben Forrest?) next door is getting a refresh. 

This is not unexpected as BenForrest arrived on Ham Parade in 2014 and was last refreshed in 2019.

Ham Open Gardens 2026

Having praised the poster for Ham Open Gardens 2024 for its simplicity, things have taken something of a backwards step this year with the main text relegated to one side and the rest of the poster littered with unnecessary text. It looks like a poster designed by a committee.

Neat gate

Continuing the (short) neat and tidy sequence, this is a gate to a car park in Parkleys which has been well looked after in distinct contrast to the nearby fence and wall.

The keypad is something of a conundrum though. There is an open access for cars just a few metres away so there is no security on the site anyway.

Neat and tidy

This property at the bottom end of Ham Street has always looked neat due to its simplicity and regularity and it looks even better after a recent tidy-up. The fresh paint is the most obvious improvement but the little things matter too, like tidying up the cable that used to come out of the front of the bottom right corner.

31 Ham Farm Road revealed

I have been watching progress on the refurbishment of 31 Ham Farm Road for several years so I was very pleased when the hoardings were removed to reveal the house for the first time. As the front garden is still being worked on it is not possible to make final conclusions but first impressions are not great.

The view from this angle is not disastrous though the grey rendering on the upper level is not very pretty and cheapens the look.

 

The view from this angle is disastrous. The black box has no redeeming features and sits poorly with the rest of the house which it dominates.