The Summerhouse
Bramblehaw Cottage, 40 Westcroft Road, Carshalton, Greater London, SM5 2TG
The Summerhouse stands in the grounds of Gardener’s Cottage, a private residence and once part of the Bramblehaw mansion site, which is now long gone. It is likely the design of Liverpool-born architect R. Frank Atkinson (1869-1923), who lived at Bramblehaw between 1905-8, and who was consulted by Carshalton Urban District Council over designs for new Public Offices, built 1908-9. Both buildings exhibit the use of variable coloured bricks, termed ‘broken coloured brickwork’ by the architect; adopted here to reflect Carshalton being (as he stated) ‘‘a purely Georgian or earlier – partly classic – district, the Georgian was the simplification of the classic” as “most old walls in the district were built in that way.”
Not usually open to the public, the residents of Gardener’s Cottage are kindly inviting visitors to view this wonderful structure in their garden as part of the festival. Fairtrade tea, coffee, soft drinks and biscuits will be on sale in the Summerhouse for visitors.
Bramblehaw Cottage, 40 Westcroft Road, Carshalton, Greater London, SM5 2TG