Smashing pumpkins

Halloween is a justifiable excuse for some flamboyant decorations and these are some of the very best on show this year.

A large tree is coming down

The mature tree on the junction of Dukes Avenue and Broughton Avenue is coming down. While this is obviously sad I am happy to accept that the experts know what they are doing. It is a big tree on a busy junction and if it did fall down then it could be quite disruptive, and dangerous.

 

The fungi growing from the base of the tree are a symptom of its poor health.

 

When the tree comes down, so will these shoes.

LV15 XLC

Dartboard

I do not expect to see children playing in the street with hoops any more and I did not expect them to be playing darts either. The large wooden gate makes this a safe place to play though the owner of the gate might not be as impressed with the idea.

This unexpected game can be played at the very far end of Martingales Close, far away from all but the most determined to prying eyes.

Gate House Garden in October

I have almost been taking Gate House Garden (on the corner of Ham Common, opposite The Hand and Flower) for granted despite the pleasure it gives me whenever I walk past, which is many times a week. I am rectifying that by posting some seasonal photographs to show that it is still delightful in late autumn.

These are the two main views of the Garden and I plan to take similar pictures through the seasons to show both the changes and the enduring charm.

Visitors welcome to Ham Polo

Ham Polo has placed a few signs like this on the border of their site to advise that they are open to various kinds of hospitality business.

It had been my attention for several years to go to one of their play days but I have never managed to do so. When that plan started, a non-member's ticket was only £2 and could be bought on the day but now it is £16 if booked in advance and £26 on the day. I suspect that I will never get to go there now.

Hornbeams

I have posted a picture of the Hornbeams at Ham House before but that was over ten years ago and was of the path on the other side of the Cherry Garden. Besides, the light was ideal and I had no option other than to take a picture.

Topiary

This topiary is a little hard to find but is worth the effort. The wall on the right is the east wall of Ham House and the hedge on the left is one side of the path past the Cherry Garden. I also had to stretch a little over another hedge to get a decent view.

Extending The Cottage

The Cottage in Sudbrook Lane is being extended but it is frustratingly difficult to see what they are doing thanks to the very tall hoardings across the front of the property, the high wall next door and a large tree. I spent several minutes walking up and down Sudbrook Lane suspiciously looking for the best angle to take a picture and this was the best that I could come up with.

Cherry Garden at Ham House

The Cherry Garden on the east side of Ham House is a geometric pleasure and I like the way that the late afternoon sun (it was almost 5pm) lit the far corner.

The best view of Ham House

While the front of Ham House is hidden behind scaffolding the back is as delightful as it always is. This is the best view of Ham House and I make no excuses for posting another picture of it.

Exterior decorations at Ham House

I like the shapes made by scaffolding and the impact is even greater when the building behind them  is as grand as Ham House/

 

A notice explains that the work being done is essential maintenance to protect the building and its contents.

32 Sandy Lane

It may be a little dated but there is not a lot wrong with 32 Sandy Lane, however it is about to be demolished anyway. The new house, according to the planning application, will be much bigger internally thanks to using the full width of the plot and being taller to allow for a second floor.

Ken Knight fondly remembered

Ken Knight must indeed be fondly remembered by his colleagues to justify such an impressive memorial bench. The inscription reads "Ken Knight, 'endearingly grumpy' Lock Keeper 1965 - 2003. Fondly remembered."

Pavement repaired in Sudbrook Gardens

The pavement repairs in Sudbrook Gardens have finished and very nice they look to with the two lines of brick flanking the paving stones. I am sure that the very few people who walk along there will appreciate the work while everyone else queries the value of it.

 

Unfortunately the refreshed pavement is impossible to use in some places due to encroaching vegetation. I am surprised that they managed to work on the pavement here and did not insist that the owner cleared the way first.

Croft Way blocked

Sadly, I could probably fill this blog with pictures of obstructed pavements but I would just find that depressing and most people would find it boring, so I only show a few of the worst cases.

Croft Way is the main walking route from the centre of Ham to Ham Lands, the riverside and Teddington and that makes this complete obstruction of the pavement very annoying. I have reported this to Richmond Council, using FixMyStreet, and I am interested to see if/when it gets fixed.

SP62 MYJ

Opening Soon!

The grand reopening of The Hand and Flower is scheduled for Saturday 5 November though the sign only admits to it being "soon". I am very much looking forward to getting my local pub back and hope the what lies hidden behind the still shuttered windows is something that looks like a pub with a space for those of us that just want to drink while talking to friends.

Montrose House with ivy

I had no plans to photograph autumn leaves this year but walking past Montrose House (on my way to West Hampstead) the combination of the ivy, house and gate was compelling.

Approaching Richmond Chase

The approach to Richmond Chase from Church Road is rather attractive with the trees almost masking the houses. There is some irony in that these houses with the natural aspect and open space in front of them are the social houses while the very expensive houses behind them are confined to a narrow brick canyon.

Work in progress

A few of the houses in Sandpits Road are below street level, presumably they are in a former sand pit, which means it is not that easy to see when things are being done to them. Luckily this one left plenty of evidence at the upper level.

As is often the case, it is the jumble that attracted me but I also welcomed the excuse to photograph these houses.

Lost arch

There is not a great deal to see in this picture, and that is the problem.

I took a photograph of the entrance to this house in Sudbrook Gardens way back in 2010 (and had an odd encounter with the owner while doing so) because there was a delightful arch there and this has been demolished.

I will keep my fingers cross that the new entrance is equally interesting but I am not hopeful.

The Vicarage in Church Road

I had an interesting encounter in Church Road the other night. I was walking back from the pub just after midnight when I was stopped by a confused delivery driver who was looking for Ham Glebe. They stopped the right person because not only did I know exactly where the house was I was also able to describe the location and appearance of the house sign. That reinforced my belief in the need for clear house signs and recently refurbished house next to Ham Glebe has a new sign announcing that it is called The Vicarage.

That got me thinking about the addresses in Church Road so I did a post code search to see if they also had numbers, but they do not. Royal Mail gives the official address as St. Andrews Vicarage, Church Road, Ham, RICHMOND TW10 5HG so I hope that the new owners will let them know the new name.

Ham Scout Group sign

When I last posted a picture of the Ham Scout Group a year ago hut in was to highlight the new official looking sign to the right of the entrance and now it is to highlight the newer and much more obvious one on the left.

Single porch

The few houses on Meadlands Drive between Clifford Road and Sandpits Lane have seen much work done to them in the last couple of years and that work is continuing. When these houses were done at the same time, in 2019, they were not given porches, unlike their two neighbours. Now one of the houses has broken ranks and is having a porch added.

It looks as though the other house is being prepared for a porch too and I hope it is otherwise they will look a very odd pair.

Roof revealed

I have been waiting for this roof, on the new house being built on the junction of Sandy Lane and Clifford Road. to be revealed for many months, and now it has. In some ways it is a little disappointing in its plainness but that is better than being ugly.

The trees are something of a mixed blessing in that they mask the bulk of the large house but the bit they hide is the more interesting part.

Leaning post

One of the complaints made against Petersham Nurseries is the impact of the traffic on the access track that passes St Peter's Church on the main walking route to Richmond and the state of this signpost helps to support those arguments.

Scaffolding returns to Sandpits Road

This house in Sandpits Road is another example of a recently built or refurbished house that has needed scaffolding back again soon after completion. There are no obvious defects on the house but I am not looking for those, I am looking at, and enjoying, the scaffolding.

New wall in Evelyn Road

Evelyn Road, off Ham Street, is a short road that goes nowhere so I rarely walk down it. Luckily this new wall and gate is at the Ham Street end of the road and so can be seen, and appreciated, when walking past.

Wildlife corridor destroyed

The destruction of the wildlife corridor through Royal Park Gate is all but complete with no response from Kingston Council (who own the land) and with much anger amongst residents and passers by.

Saxby House

The trend of having simple and easy to read house signs is one I heartily approve of and Saxby House at 50 Ham Street is a fine example.

Park Lane Stables RDA

Park Lane Stables RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) used to be based in Teddington (I often walked past them on my lunchtime walks) until they were unceremoniously thrown out by their then landlord. The story has a happy ending and the Stables have managed to secure the ownership of their site and are currently in the process of renovating it.

While this work is being done they have decamped to Manor Farm Stables by Ham Polo, as directed by this smart sign.

Maranda Court courtyard

A couple of months ago I welcomed the repainting of the once shabby Maranda Court in New Road and now it is the turn of its courtyard to get some praise. This is something of a nothing space that has been brilliantly transformed through the addition of several pots and a few hanging baskets.