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30, Sheen Lane, SW14. Delicious Italian ice cream (usual disclaimer).
©Mike Quinn
Dist:0.1km<br/>
©Vicky Ayech
Dist:0.1km<br/>See [[911741]].
©Mike Quinn
Dist:0.1km<br/>I don't know whether the local residents hold committee meetings to make sure it stays this way, but most of the front gardens of the Model Cottages have this exotic quality - like a jungle painted by Douanier Rousseau. Here I've wandered on to somebody's car pad (excuse me) and I'm looking north, parallel to the row of cottages - so the view is across a number of gardens. The cottages are arranged along what is not so much a street as a pathway - accessible on foot from Waitrose's car park (at the S end) and from St Leonard's Road at the other. Residents' vehicles have access only via the car park - so that the Cottages exist in a very pleasant, civilised backwater.
©Stefan Czapski
Dist:0.2km<br/>For pedestrians, this path provides a north-south link from St Leonard's Road, by way of Waitrose's car park, to Upper Richmond Road West. The Model Cottages line the path on either side. It is clear from the name that they were a product of the 19th century philanthropic movement which set out to improve the 'morals' of the poor by offering them decent dwellings. Overcrowding, in particular, was seen as a source of moral danger. Trees and shrubs obscure the view, but I think you can see that the cottages are by no means tiny - this was no high density development. A resident told me that the Cottages were built for 'the working poor' over a 30-year period from the 1840's. I wonder whether people moved here from the old centre of Mortlake, which was just a few minutes walk away, by the river. Little trace now remains there of the old medieval street plan http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2518817 but the picture must have been very different 150 years ago.
©Stefan Czapski
Dist:0.2km<br/>For decades this building, with its colourful sign, has been a Sheen landmark, surviving unchanged while much larger buildings grew up around it. Just out of frame to the right is the local branch of Waitrose. The red and white sign says: E.VINE, JUNR. CHIMNEY SWEEPER AND CARPET BEATER. OLD IRON, METAL AND WASTE. RUBBER DEALER. WORK DONE WITH HORSE AND VAN. For all that, the main business carried on here in recent years seemed to be a trade in second-hand bicycles. The premises are at present up for sale, and - sadly - the sign has been taken down.
©Stefan Czapski
Dist:0.2km<br/>Shows the location of [[911726]].
©Mike Quinn
Dist:0.2km<br/>For many years this sign hung on the wall outside Mr. Vine's premises, next to Waitrose in Upper Richmond Road West. It has recently been taken down, as the premises are up for sale. It will prove a hard act to follow. That horse, by the way, has not been seen for quite some time.
©Stefan Czapski
Dist:0.2km<br/>Sheen Lane junction Upper Richmond Road.
©David Howard
Dist:0.2km<br/>Junction of A205 (Upper Richmond Road) and B351 (Sheen Lane)
©Richard Howell
Dist:0.2km<br/>
©Stacey Harris
Dist:0.2km<br/>The location of this postbox is shown in [[911731]].
©Mike Quinn
Dist:0.2km<br/>
©Stacey Harris
Dist:0.3km<br/>
©Stacey Harris
Dist:0.3km<br/>
©Stacey Harris

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