Ewell Court House had two lakes in its grounds, one was used for punting when the Bridges held garden parties. Occasionally the locals were allowed to skate on the pond. The other was a millpond where the Ordanance Survey Map of 1894 shows that the old corning house, a gunpowder mill building, had been converted to a small electricity generating station (“electric light works”). This was to supply power to Ewell Court House. Inquisitive youngsters who investigated the site before it became open as public parkland reported in later years that there was a battery room in the old conservatory for storing the charge, presumably for use in the evening. Observers also think that there may have been river different channels in use for day and night generation of power.
The Bridges family lost a son died in the Great War and around 1920 sold the house to a family of race horse owners called the Stodert's. The council took it over in the 1930’s, during the period 1945-48 the grounds were laid out to their present form.
The Corning House/electric light works was the last remaining building part of the mills and was demolished sometime between 1910 and the 1950’s.
We moved to Shawford Road (pre fab)just after the war. Our garden ran down to a hedge and field that divided us from the Hogsmill.
The library was in Ewell Court where I would be taken to choose books for myself. There was also ballet classes held in the Court, I used to envy the girls who were allowed to join!
I started school at Peter Pan Kindergarten run by a Mrs Elliott. We eventually outgrew her house and the school moved to the Church Hall. Does anyone remember it?
For many years in the 50s there were some very large old trees between the house and the lake. During my youth these were said to have been used to chain prisoners to during the Napoleonic Wars. I never understood how or why this myth persisted does anyone know whether there was any truth behind this?
Ewell Court House
Posted - 30 Mar 2005 : 04:49:36 AM
