Horse Field

I am not sure how official the name is but some maps label the field between Ham Polo and the river as Horse Field, and to prove the point there was a horse grazing there as I walked through it.

Bridge on Douglas Footpath

After four months, work is finally progressing on the monstrous bridge on Douglas Footpath, viewed here looking towards the river. The picture also shows how unnecessary the bridge is as the path is clearly passable without it.

Neat cottages

These neat cottages are in Ham Street between Ashburnham Road and Evelyn Road.

Shops in Ashburnham Road

There are two parades of shops in Ashburnham Road, this is the one on the junction with Ham Street. There is a steady turnover of shops here, for example the Indian take-away at the far end has changed at least twice in recent years and the hardware shop two doors away from it is fairly new.

Strech Limo

There has often been a Stretch Limo parked in this section of Broughton Avenue in recent months but as the previous one was lurid pink I refused to take a photograph of it.

Update on the Children's Centre

I have been walking past the new Ham Children's Centre in Ashburnham Road for over six months hoping to take some pictures of the completed building but it is not quite there yet.

GXG 1 L abuses space

This is one of the most inconsiderate bad parking incidents that I can recall. On a busy Saturday GXG 1 L is astride two bays and is stuck out into the traffic while the driver remains in the car eating a snack, thus avoiding having to buy a parking permit.

Roof tiles

It may only be a shed on Petersham Road but the curved roof tiles are dramatic and also a little quirky.

German School

The entrance to the German School (Deutsche Schule London) is often locked, it is private property after all, so there are limited opportunities to enter the grounds and take a close look at the still contemporary looking architecture.

T 868 LAN on the pavement

The parking bays on Ham Parade are quite generous so there really is no excuse for T 868 LAN parking on the pavement like this.

Avenue Lodge

Avenue Lodge sits impressively on Ham Common watching over the entrance to Great South Avenue. Sadly the house is obscured by the wall, gates and trees but I'll find a way to get a decent picture one day, even if I have to take a ladder with me!

Path by Petersham Lodge

Douglas Footpath (from the German School to the Thames) has a little connecting path to River Lane that passes next to Petersham Lodge where the boundary wall needs some assistance to keep upright.

Cabbages?

The damper areas of Ham Lands, including sections of the tow path, attract these cabbage-like plants. This patch is next to Tideway Close.

Long and short

I had hoped that Richmond Council had finished mowing for the year, but no such luck. This view of Great South Avenue shows how wild and wonderful the vegetation was (on the far right) before it was butchered back to the tree line.

Sudbrook Lodge

Sudbrook Lodge and its Coach House are on the busy main road but this view of them from Ham Gate Avenue gives a better idea of what they must have looked like in their rural glory.

White vans

This collection of white vans in Craig Road, by the junction with Dukes Avenue, is rather striking against the dark green foliage.

Park Gate House

I like this part of the complex at Park Gate House in Ham Gate Avenue because of the white walls and grey roofs, and also because of the horse's head on the front wall.

Latchmere Lodge

Latchmere Lodge, on the corner of Church Road and Latchmere Lane, is another one of the local building projects that seems to be taking a long time to finish, work started over a year ago. It looks like two semi-detached houses but it is actually seven flats.

Ham Community Bench

This is the new Ham Community Bench in the grounds of Ham Library. The bench was the inspiration of Ham United Group (HUG), which recognised the need for a place outdoors where people could rest and read.

Before it's gone

If Richmond Council gets its way, this is the part of Ham Common Woods that will be cleared, slashed and trimmed just to provide a narrow glimpse of the church.

Mural repaired

The mural by Ham Village Green has now been fully repaired and once again brightens up this corner of Ham.

Ham Street

The south-west end of Ham Street, by the junction with Lock Road, begins with a series of houses made pretty by the colour of their bricks, the sharp white paintwork and the tiled roofs and bays.

Fungi

The recent wet weather has caused the fungi to thrive and there are several large patches of them along Great South Avenue.

Garden at Ham Library

There is a fair amount of open space around Ham Library (on the corners of Ham Street, Ashburnham Road and Back Lane) and it is well looked after. This is the part of the garden next to Back Lane.

Petersham Grange in Sudbrook Gardens

Petersham Grange is not in Petersham, or even very close to it, it is just off Ham Common in Sudbrook Gardens. It is empty at the moment, awaiting new tenants, which is why I was able to get into the front garden to take this picture.

A planning application was submitted earlier this year to demolish this house and to build two detached houses and a block of five flats. This was rejected but a revised application is likely.

Tiles

On Saturday 8 September 2007, a ribbon was cut by Cllr Sue Jones to formally mark the opening of a community bench at Ham Library. It sits on a floor of tiles designed by Ham residents.

Redknap House, Cleves Road

Redknap House, at the end of Cleves Road, is a development of sheltered housing, i.e. it is designed for older people who like living independently with the reassurance that assistance is on hand in case of an emergency.

Sudbrook Lodge

This view of Sudbrook Lodge shows the majesty of the building with its solid shape, neatly arranged windows and lovely expanses of brick.

Green door

The Garden House in Ham Street has had a lick of new paint and some of this has been used on the front gate which now stands out proudly against the dark brick around it.

Plant pots

This distinctive garden in Back Lane makes imaginative use of plant pots.

FitPoint in Riverside Drive

This is a "FitPoint" and has just arrived next to the playground in Riverside Drive. The FitPoint consists of a rowing machine, twisting discs, bench lift, push-up, pull-up and step-ups.

Ladybird and bell

Everything about this bell in Sudbrook Lane is lovely, particularly the flowery bracket. The ladybird also adds a welcome splash of colour.

Extending 7 Pointers Cottages

Pointers Cottages are hidden at the end of Wiggins Lane which, itself, is hidden between Ham Street and Woodville Road. The end cottage, number 7, is now undergoing a major redevelopment that includes side and rear extensions.

Autumn on Ham Common

September begins as August ended, cloudy, wet and miserable, and the trees know that summer has gone and are starting to lose their leaves.

More destruction planned

Having removed a lot of the natural beauty from various parts of Ham Lands, Richmond Council now wants to ruin part of Ham Common Woods too and are consulting on a proposal to clear much of the vegetation between Upper Ham Road and St Andrew's Church.

Berries

Ham Lands is rich with berries that provide food for the local wildlife and a few enterprising children. They also add a seasonal splash of colour against a background of vibrant greens.

LC51 ENO on the pavement

Somebody else who thinks that it is more important that they park on the pavement than people be allowed to walk on it.

Blue streak

This door belongs to a car body workshop (hidden behind Ham Parade) which probably explains the blue streak of paint that gives it a modern art look.

Cleves Road

Cleves Road is the middle of the three similar cul-de-sacs off Back Lane. Here we see a typical terrace of four brick-built houses.

Huf Haus constructed

The new Huf Haus in Petersham Road has been constructed but it looks as though the owners are living in the caravan while it is fitted out inside.