We spent a pleasant afternoon last Sunday walking around Carshalton as part of London’s enterprising Open House weekend, when many less-well known sights in the capital are open free of charge to the public. We visited the town’s water tower and eighteenth century magnate John Fellowes’ pleasure gazebo with its exquisite Delft-tile decorated plunge bath, an orangery, a gothick hermitage, a sham bridge, the village pond and some sweet cottages.

Our guide around the Carshalton estate was Jean Knight who has written a book on the subject available for purchase at http://www.carshaltonwatertower.org.uk. The estate is now largely occupied by two girls Catholic schools whose headquarters are in the grand house once owned by John Fellowes who made (and lost) a fortune as an international merchant during the infamous 1720 South Sea Bubble.

The gardens comprise a part-time lake based on the original formal canal designed by Charles Bridgewater, the landscape architect.

The water tower and its bagnio, or plunge bath, brought me memories of Bagni di Lucca where I have resided for many years. The water, supplied by the several local springs, however, is rather colder than the hot thermal supply in Italy! I just wonder how Fellowes’ guests, after their grand tour, would have appreciated the rather cooler bathing in England. What I found particularly fascinating was the old water wheel which supplied the bath. I suspect, however, that many guests just turned up for cards and drinks since Fellowes was a convivial host.

The hermitage, a typical eighteenth century gothick folly, might never have had a resident hermit but under the Catholic schools it was adorned by religious statues and pilgrim processions would take place. On this special occasion a resident artist was present.

The bridge is a sham one since it only serves as a dam and water cannot flow under it. It remains very picturesque all the same.

I feel grateful that a local group of volunteers have saved these unique features and been able to continue the originator’s plan of providing a place of delectable bathing and amusement to this day when the water tower and its lovely rooms are now hired out for wedding receptions and period film settings.