Sewer Ventilation Column Number 26

The sewer ventilation column, built between 1896 and 1903, is located on the south side of Westcroft Road, near the corner with Manor Road North 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 high and features a moulded base on a cylindrical pedestal topped with a Corinthian capital. The shaft consists of two lengths of pipe joined by a flanged joint. Above the capital, there is an ornate arrow, which may indicate the sewer line or direct the vent according to the wind direction. The arrow is topped with a ball that has circular vents facing all four directions, and a tall finial is encircled with a pierced coronet. The column is inscribed with the name ‘W MACFARLANE & CO, GLASGOW’.