Sewer Ventilation Column Number 28

The sewer ventilation column, built between 1896 and 1903, is located on the north side of Wales Avenue, outside 20 Wales Avenue in Carshalton, London Borough of Sutton. It was manufactured by W Macfarlane & Co as part of 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 joined by a flanged joint. Above the capital, there is an ornate arrow that may indicate the sewer's direction or help orient the vent with the wind. The arrow is topped with a ball that has circular vents facing all four directions and a tall finial encircled with 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’.