Tag Archives: Mitcham Common

Notes on Mitcham Common by H.G. Winbow

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Published in the South Warder, the newsletter of the South Ward Residents Association in August 1962.

Recently the question arose about the origin of the footpath near the Garden Village from Cranmer Bridge to Mitcham Junction. This path is on the site of the old road and when the London and Portsmouth Railway was constructed across the Common in 1863, the present Cranmer Road was realigned, owing to the sharp curve made to approach the junction of the Wimbledon/West Croydon line which was constructed in 1844.

Recently cars appeared to be using this footpath as a short cut from Willow Lane to Cranmer Bridge, and it is satisfactory to note that the Conservators agreed to the Preservation Society’s request to erect posts here.

Walking round the Common, you notice several old cart tracks, one just the other side of the bridge at Mitcham Junction led to a farm near the railway, this is now known as Aspen Gardens. Further on we come to the concrete road, which is called Drakes Road but nobody seems to know how this road got its name, except that it was the entry to the gravel pits which were worked here for many years.

A short distance from here we see another rough track across the Common, this is called Arneys Lane. At one time this went across the fields to some old cottages near the River Wandle. This track now stops at the footpath which runs along the rear of the houses; the footpath is believed to be on the site of the Surrey Iron Railway branch to Hackbridge.

Not far from here is the “Goat Inn”. Beyond here this part of the Common is called Mill Green and is maintained by Beddington and Wallington Borough Council. But opposite this inn there is another track which follows the southern boundary of the Common. This track ends at the railway, but there is a footbridge here, so one can continue the walk on to Beddington Lane Halt. This is one of the best parts of the Common, right away from any roads.

Some years ago a small area was added, so one can now walk through the avenue of trees to the footpath to Beddington Lane, a very pleasant walk in the summer. From here there is no need to follow the road to the Windmill House, but walk across the Common past the one-island pond, and across the Croydon Road to Commonside East,

Proceeding westwards, we come to the new factory of Tower Creameries, this is on the site of the old workhouse which was built about 1790 and for many years was used by the Woodite Rubber Company’s works. Sections of the first Atlantic submarine cable was supposed to have been made here.

Just near here we see two old cart tracks crossing the recently reclaimed part of the Common, these were used as the entrance to Sherwood Farm.
Crossing Manor Road we come to the rough road which runs along the Common to Commonside East; many years ago some wooden cottages stood here, which might explain how this road came into existence.

Owing to building development on the boundary of the Common, these old cart tracks present a problem. As they are all on Common land the question of keeping them in repair is a difficult point.

Further along Commonside East there is a small pond, known as “Pinnocks Pond”. Years ago opposite here there was a small cottage and market gardens, owned by a Mr. Walsh and later by a Mr. Pinnock; this explains how the pond became known by this name. The road from here across the Common to the “Blue House”, now called Cedars Avenue, was called the New Road by the old inhabitants. The end of this road, of course, brings us to the roundabout and the old wooden cottages, shown on old maps as “The Blue Houses”. It has been said that employees of the Surrey Iron Railway stabled their horses here. This could be true because these cottages are not far from the site of the old iron road.

The old “Ravensbury Arms” was the same as these cottages, the present public house was built in 1906. But a shorter walk can be made by taking the footpath from Beddington Lane over the Common and following the railway, this brings us out via the Golf Club House to Carshalton Road.

This is a nice walk, but I would not advise this way in wet weather as this part of the Common is very rough, owing to the extensive gravel digging that took place here before the Common was controlled by the Conservators. Along this path is where the new footbridge over the West Croydon line has been erected by the Golf Club and which is open to the public.

Mill House – Windmill Road

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Currently a restaurant.

1950 sketch of Mill House by Gemini

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 12 January 1950

1950 sketch of Mill House by Gemini

Mill House may be bought by Council

MILL HOUSE, which may be utilised by Mitcham Council to ‘accommodate local youth organisations, was an early Victorian mansion situated on a particularly bleak part of Mitcham Common near the Croydon boundary. It is of no particular historical interest, but stands on the site of the famous old wooden post windmill, which was demolished at the beginning of the ceatury. The round, red brick base of the mill still stands in the – garden of the house. Mitcham Council is, at present, negotiating with the Ministry of Health for permission to buy the property, which covers an area of slightly iess than an acre. During the period between the two wars, the house was used as a remand home for dllrla. and a laundry outbuilding was added. It is thought that this will provide a large hall, suitable for all club activities. The first floor of the house has been converted into three self-contained flats, Mr. Tom Francis, an authority on local history, told an “ Advertiser ” reporter that for centuries the windmill had been a picturesque landmark on the common, Permission to erect it was given by the Lords of the Manors, Biggin and Tamworth. Under the terms of the grant the miller had to grind the villagers’ corn on three dayvs a week for “ever and ever.” During a violent thunderstorm about 1862 the mill was struck by “a ball of fire ” that travelled across the common, and two of its four sails were destroyed. The mill was finally dismantled in 1906. Mr. Francis has a watercolour of the mill, painted in 1870 by Mr. George Haite, a Mitcham artist, who afterwards became a president of the Society of English Decorators. The present house, which was built for a wealthy family named Watson about 1860, is much larger than the original miller’s house. Its garden, although somewhat overgrown, is still attractive, and the Victorian stone statues and grotto that are a feature of it, if not to modern taste, have been agreeably softened in outline by wind and rain.

In the 1970 edition of the History of Mitcham Common, by Eric Montague:

In January 1936 Mill House was bought by the London Female Preventive and Reformatory Institution for the Holt-Yates Memorial Home for Girls’ and was occupied by them until evacuation was thought desirable at the outbreak of war in 1939.

Female Preventive ad from 25th December 1936 in the Truth

Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper – Sunday 15 April 1877

THE HOLT YATES MEMORIAL HOME.
The London Female Preventive end Reformatory institution was founded upon small beginnings 20 years ago. It now possesses seven establishments, which, in the various forms of night refuges, asylums, and reformatories, are busy in the prevention and cure of immorality in women and girls. The night refuges are open to all; but the asylums are devoted to females of good character who are-thrown friendless upon their own resources, end there is of course a wide distinction resources, end there is of course a wide distinction between them and the reformatories, which are avowedly for the recovery of the fallen. The inmates of the last are received at their own wish but have to submit to a mild restrictive treatment, and to fit them- selves by work for domestic service or otherwise, .accord- ing to their capacity. In return they find they have no difficulty in procuring respectable employment as soon as they have proved themselves reliable; and it speaks well for the usefulness of the institution that, so far as can be ascertained 75 per cent of the persons who have taken advantage of it have turned out satisfactorily. By the kindness of the late Dr. Holt Yates the houses and grounds occupied by the society at Parsons-green were, during his lifetime, let to it at a merely nominal rent, and, his widow sharing his sympathy, the whole property has now been handed over to the trustees at a price which makes it almost a gift, hence the new reformatory opened yesterday is called the “Holt Yates Memorial.” It is a substantial building, capable of accommodating 30 persons, who will not be much more contlned than in an ordinary dwelling-house; rangemente in this department, which embrace a wonder- the plurality of neat little beds in the upper rooms As the business of a laundry will be carried on, the ar an acre of ground. The ensemble was offered full drying chamber, are on a large scale, the washhouse extending far back ioto the gardens, which cover about an acre of ground. The ensemble was offered for the inspection of visitors yesterday; and a number of at half-pest three, when Sir Wm. Rose, K.C.B. (the chair- penitents themselves gave the rooms almost the appear- ance of a fancy fair. The business of the day commenced at half-pest three, when Sir Wm. Rose, K.C.B. (the chair- head of the meeting-room. After a prayer and a hymn Rev. Mr. Barnes, Messrs. G. Startin, A. O. Charles, H. G. Weakley, A. Madison, &c. took their seats at the head of the meeting-room. After a prayer and a hymn in which the large number of ladles and gentlemen present joined, the chairman introduces Mrs. Yates, who declared tion since its foundation, 7,OOv were domestic servants- a circumstance which elicited a strong appeal from Sir W. that of the 8,505 fallen women admitted to the institution since its foundation, 7,000 were domestic servants- the dismissels were only 815;and the rather smaill Rose for consideration and forbearance by employers. The re-admissions reached the large number of 1,880, but the dismissals were only 315; and the rather small number of 54 marriages had been recorded. The present ginning of the present year, so thlat the promlpt and cluding whet was earned by the women thermselves, ‘a £5,000; but there was only a balance of £441 at the be- ginning of the present year, so that the prompt and active support of the public is, in spite of the good re- sults already attained still needed. It is bardly neces- sary to point out that these good results should stimulate the well disposed.