Ewell Court House

On the northern fringe of Ewell there is a place called Ewell Court House, which I had vaguely known was visitable for many years, but which I had never actually visited, although BH had been to the odd meeting there. I think my problem was that I said 'Ewell Court House' with the stress on the 'Court', which made me think of law courts, which was not appropriate at all. Court in the sense of 'Stone Court', another large house, this one from 'Middlemarch', or of 'Court Farm', the farm which used to be somewhere near where the Manor Green Road Costcutter is now. Presumably an allusion to a building with some kind of central courtyard, as at reference 3.

A house which was built in the late nineteenth century by a wealthy gunpowder manufacturer for show-off entertaining. A grand affair, now owned by Epsom Council and, before the plague, hired out for functions, particularly weddings. Which last was very much helped along by the presence of a large and handsome garden, more park than garden, complete with large lake. Quite by chance, BH happened to mention the Wellingtonia count to a neighbour, a neighbour who told her of large Wellingtonia there. So off we went. A slightly awkward place to get to in a car, but we got there in the end via a turning off Ruxley Lane.

Complete with grotto for the amusement of attendant small children. Renovated in 2009 with the help of Professor John Ashurst. A local chap whose obituary in the Times explained: 'Professor John Ashurst’s contribution to the body of knowledge on the preservation of ruins and archaeological sites cannot be overestimated. He was a leading authority on the cleaning and repair of historic stonework, and through his consulting, publications and lectures he touched generations of architects, engineers and others concerned with the physical care of built heritage. He was born in Norwood, Surrey, in 1937. He grew up in Epsom and gained an interest in the technical aspects of building and civil engineering construction from his father who was deputy county engineer for Middlesex'. Also said to have attended Ewell Grammar School of which neither Bing nor Google turns up any trace.

The building proper, with a library and a play group around the back. And a café, presently closed up. 

I dare say that in its day, it was a popular place of a Sunday afternoon as there are plenty of chimney pots round about. Now the resort of dog walkers, older singles, and compulsive duck feeders (CDFD).

A bed of carex pendula, a little overgrown. With a fence which looks entirely modern, not late Victorian ironwork at all.

One of the many specimen trees dotted about the place. This one not a Wellingtonia, but judging by the trunk, possibly its fairly close relative, the Metasequoia, aka the Dawn Redwood. Of which there are a couple of fine examples at Hampton Court. Must take a closer look next time.

Plus an example of the large plastic advertisements which seem to pop up everywhere: whoever made it so cheap to produce such things has a lot to answer for. Perhaps we should make them subject to the planning laws.

References

Reference 1: https://www.ewellcourthouse.org/.

Reference 2: https://www.ewellcourthouse.org/sites/default/files/Ewell%20Court%20House%20brochure.pdf.

Reference 3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtyard.

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