Old Malden
Old Malden is a ward of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames situated ten miles (16 km) south west of Charing Cross. Its population in 2001 was 9,012, out of a total of 147,273 for the whole Royal Borough. [1]
Orientation
At the heart of Old Malden is Plough Green, a traditional village green, surrounded by:
- The Plough, a 15th century public house, containing a Harvester restaurant [2]
- Plough Bakery
- a small parade of shops
- two Indian restaurants, the Rupali and the Shalimar
- an Italian restaurant, the A Roma
- a pond, home to a colony of coots
To the west of Plough Green is Old Malden Library. [3]
Old Malden is served by Malden Manor station to the north and Worcester Park station to the south, both 25 minutes from Waterloo. Malden Road, joining the green and Worcester Park station is flanked by two rows of over forty mature poplar trees. A minor tributary of the River Thames, the Hogsmill, flows through the west of Old Malden.
History
The area is informally referred to as Worcester Park, after the post town, although it has a long history as 'Malden' derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'mael duna', meaning 'the cross on the hill'.
Malden appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Meldone. It was held partly by William de Wateville and partly by Robert de Wateville. Its domesday assets were: 4 hides and 3 virgates; 1 chapel, 1 mill worth 12s, 6½ ploughs, 5 acres of meadow, woodland worth 1 hog out of 7 hogs. It rendered £7 12s 0d.[4]
St John the Baptist Church, close to the Hogsmill, dates back to Saxon times. In 1611 the chancel's old flint walls were repaired and the nave and the tower rebuilt in brick. In 1875 a new nave and chancel were added, and in 2004 a two storey extension was completed. [5]
The Grade II listed Manor House, next to St John's, is also mentioned in the Domesday Book; in 1264 Walter de Merton, Bishop of Rochester, founded a college here that was later moved to Oxford as Merton College. The house was later used as a court in the reign of Henry VIII, and in the mid 18th century the house was the home of Captain Cook. In 1852 the Hogsmill river was the setting for the background of Ophelia painted by John Everett Millais.
The development of New Malden, two miles (3 km) to the north, in necessitated the addition of the "Old" prefix in 1870.
Conservation Area
Old Malden Conservation Area was created in March 1971, designating the area as being “of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. (Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, Section 69). It contains two distinct parts, St Johns’ and Plough Green, whose special character is summarised in the designation as:
St Johns’: A medieval village centre above the Hogsmill River, containing the Saxon Church of St. John the Baptist, the site of its vicarage, the 18th century Manor House and ancient fields.
Plough Green: A village green with a pond, a 15th century public house, and a picturesque group of mainly 19th century cottages.
Notable residents
- Daley Thompson, British double-Olympic champion decathlete, lived near The Plough.
- Ian Hutchinson, former Chelsea F.C. player, lived in 'The Glebe' during the 1970s.
- Jim Huckle of DHL lived next door but one to The Plough during the 1970s.
Education
- For education in Old Malden see the main Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames article.
Nearby places
- To the west: Ewell, Tolworth
- To the south: Worcester Park
- To the east: Raynes Park, Sutton
- To the north: New Malden, Motspur Park
Notable open spaces close by
- Wimbledon Common
- Richmond Park
Bushy Park - Nonsuch Park
References
- ^ http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=3&b=5941935&c=KT4+7RH&d=14&e=13&g=340254&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1
- ^ http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/44/4461/Plough_Harvester_/Worcester_Park
- ^ http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/leisure/libraries/branches/old_malden_library.htm
- ^ Surrey Domesday Book
- ^ http://www.southwark.anglican.org/parishes/163j_a.htm
External links
- Map of the village in 1871 at oldmaps.co.uk. Accessed March 2007
| Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames | ||
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| Districts |
Berrylands · Chessington · Coombe · Kingston upon Thames · Kingston Vale · Motspur Park · New Malden · Norbiton · Old Malden · Surbiton · Tolworth |
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| Attractions |
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| Constituencies | ||
| Parks and open spaces in Kingston upon Thames | ||
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