Description
Sutton Ecology Centre opened in 1989 but formerly comprised an area known as The Lodge Lands, previously Cook's Orchard and recorded in use as an orchard since 1590. In the C18th the site was the kitchen garden to Stone Court, which had an extensive estate. Also in the grounds is The Old Rectory, an early C18th house probably built by Rev William Hollier, vicar of All Saints Church.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | The Lodge Lands; Cooks Orchard; The Old Rectory |
|---|---|
| Site location | The Lodge, Festival Walk, Carshalton |
| Postcode | SM5 3NY |
| What3Words | ///causes.agrees.flats |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Sutton |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Events | Guided Walks |
| Public Transport | Rail: Carshalton. Bus: 407, 726, 127, 157. |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2004 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Sutton Ecology Centre, which was opened in 1989 by David Bellamy, is an area re-developed by the Ecology Centre Management that formerly comprised an area known as The Lodge Lands, previously Cook's Orchard and recorded in use as an orchard since 1590. In the C18th the site formed the kitchen garden to Stone Court, which was demolished in c.1800 but whose estate had been extensive. Also within the Ecology Centre grounds and used for its offices and shop is The Old Rectory, an early C18th house probably built by Rev William Hollier, vicar of Carshalton parish church of All Saints (q.v.). The Ecology Centre grounds include ponds, walks, allotments, conservation areas etc., around The Lodge, which was built in 1866 on the site of an earlier house and now in council ownership. There are some mature trees in the grounds and at the southern boundary are remains of a water channel that at one time led to a Bath, shown on the OS map of 1867. Information boards around the site relate to conservation exhibits.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ277645 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 2.2 |
| Site Ownership | LB Sutton |
| Site Management | LBS (Environmental Officer) |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Gate house, Honeywood Walk and wall attached; The Old Rectory, Festival Walk |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Sutton |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance I |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Site of Wild Life Value, Sutton UDP, schedule 4 p315 |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The Garden of Remembrance was formally laid out in c.1951 on two levels with flower beds, seats and flag pole with Carshalton War Memorial to the north, projecting into upper pond and a memorial stone to the rear of the garden. The 1st edition OS map of 1867 shows orchards laid out to the east of The Lodge of which this parcel of land formed a part.
Honeywood Lodge is in the centre of Carshalton village overlooking Carshalton Ponds. Built around the core of a C17th house, and added to in later years, it was purchased by Carshalton UDC in 1939 and is now the borough Heritage Centre. There are public gardens to the south west of the building.
The existence of water in the form of springs and ponds in the centre of the old village of Carshalton dates back many centuries and was probably the reason for the early Saxon settlement here. Once a single sheet of water, its division into two pools dates back to at least the C15th. Historically the upper West Pond was public, while the lower East Pond was owned by Stone Court and then The Grove, and was also the source of power for the Upper Mill that ground corn for Carshalton.