Sewer Ventilation Column Number 27

The sewer ventilation column, built between 1896 and 1903, is located on Wrythe Green, opposite 14-16 Green Wrythe Lane in Carshalton, London Borough of Sutton. It was manufactured by W Macfarlane & Co for a sewerage scheme designed by Baldwin Latham and is one of about 28 remaining in Carshalton.

This cast-iron column stands approximately 9 meters tall and features a moulded base on a cylindrical pedestal topped with a Corinthian capital. The shaft consists of two lengths of pipe connected by a flanged joint. Above the capital is an ornate arrow, which may indicate the sewer line or help orient the vent in the wind. The arrow is topped with a ball that has circular vents facing in all four directions and a tall finial surrounded by a pierced coronet. While there is no visible manufacturer stamp on this column, many similar examples in Carshalton bear the name ‘W MACFARLANE & CO, GLASGOW’.