Wrythe Lane
The route to Morden
Until the late 19th century, this lane had been known as Spartelmy or Sparkelmy Green Lane. Wrythe Green itself was called Sparkman's Green. Wrythe Lane was wide and lined by hedges. It was the most direct route from Carshalton to Morden, via Rose Hill. Writing in April 1933, a local Carshalton artist described a walk over the new estate.
Our way took us along the Wrythe Lane, until recently a winding lane bordered by the dear old double hedges of Surrey. Here, at one time, we used to ramble, picking "pussy willows", acorns or blackberries with which to fill our baskets.*
Wrythe Lane circa 1919
Sutton Local Studies and Archives
Derby Week
Most of the time it would have been very quiet with the occasional farm cart, gentleman's carriage or pedestrian but during race week it probably carried a great deal of traffic as people thronged to Epsom. Local schools had real problems with absenteeism during race week. During the 1860s the children were given the day off for Derby Day and Oaks Day. A description of the lanes near Carshalton tells how children would run alongside the carriages and toss in little posies of flowers in the hopes of being thrown pennies for them. The week after the races, the hedges on either side of the lanes were covered in powdery, white dust raised from the wheels of all the vehicles.