Number 13 Sewer ventilation column on Laburnum Avenue

Number 13 is a sewer ventilation column located on Laburnum Avenue, built around 1896-1903 by W Macfarlane & Co for a sewerage scheme designed by Baldwin Latham. It is one of approximately 28 such columns remaining in Carshalton.

This cast-iron column stands about 9 meters high and is designed to resemble a Classical column, featuring a pedestal, a moulded base, and an enriched capital. The column consists of two conjoined lengths of pipe connected by a flanged joint. Above the capital is an ornate arrow, which is believed to either help orient the vent into the wind or indicate the line of the sewer. At the top, there is a ball with vents facing in four directions, topped by a tall finial encircled with a filigree coronet. Although there is no visible manufacturer stamp on this column, many similar examples in Carshalton are marked with the name ‘W MACFARLANE & CO, GLASGOW’.