Number 16 Sewer Ventilation Column on Mill Lane

A sewer ventilation column of around 1896-1903, constructed by W Macfarlane & Co, for a sewerage scheme by Baldwin Latham (1836-1917) and one of around 28 remaining in Carshalton.   MATERIALS: cast-iron   DESCRIPTION: the cylindrical sewer ventilation column is around 9m high. It is designed to resemble a Classical column with pedestal, moulded base and enriched capital. It is constructed of two conjoined lengths of pipe, linked with a flanged joint. On top of the capital is an ornate arrow, the purpose of which is thought to be to orientate the vent into the wind or to indicate the line of the sewer. This in turn is surmounted by a ball with vents facing in all four directions. The sewer ventilation column would have originally had a tall finial encircled with a coronet, but these decorative features are no longer present. There is no visible manufacture stamp, although a number of similar examples in Carshalton are marked with the name ‘W MACFARLANE & CO, GLASGOW’.