Number 10 Sewer Ventilation Column at the junction of Grovesnor Road and Glebe Road

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 there is a ball with vents facing in all four directions (two missing). Above the ventilator there is a tall finial, coronet and 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. There is no visible manufacture stamp, although a number of similar examples in Carshalton are marked with the name ‘W MACFARLANE & CO, GLASGOW’.