IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Minstead Gardens, LONDON, SW15 4EB

Grade II listed terrace of bungalows of 1958 for old-age pensioners, forming part of Alton West - the extensive public housing development built in Roehampton according to designs drawn up by architects of the London County Council. Description at this https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1246046.

With one of the Alton Estate blocks visible on the skyline.

When one looks at them afresh, difficult in London where they are ubiquitous, one is struck by the extraordinary heights to which planes can grow. Beyond are four of the five slabs of the Alton West Estate. The plane dwarfs the bungalows (another element of the estate and now sheltered housing) huddled at its base.

View of part of the 1950s Alton West Estate in Roehampton. In the foreground the bungalows of Minstead Gardens; in the background a series of point blocks.

A magnificent Cedar of Lebanon, planted, I was told by the gentleman from the University of Roehampton who kindly let me take the photo, at the same time as its parent house, Mount Clare (left), was built. This would make it about 240 years old. He told me that only last month several branches suddenly broke - the stumps are faintly discernible - resulting in remedial treatment including propping up several more. Roehampton was a favoured area for country villas (an unusually high proportion of which survive), and, despite extensive modern development, many fine mature trees from their grounds have been preserved.