Wandle Industrial Museum

River Wandle Walks in April - September 2025

All walks to start at 12.00. The walks generally take 90 minutes to two hours.

The walks are free. Donations to the Wandle Industrial museum are welcome but not obligatory.

Please book places by email to John.sheridan08@gmail.com

Details of the Walks

Sun 27 April - Morden Hall Park stableyard to Merton Abbey Mills.

Begin this illustrated walk by inspecting the buildings and machinery of the former snuff mills, which were owned by the Hatfeild dynasty who donated Morden Hall Park to the National Trust. Then learn about innovations in textile printing that took place in mills on the route alongside the Wandle to Merton Abbey Mills, passing Deen City Farm and Phipps Bridge on the way. Finish by browsing the shops and having lunch at a venue at Merton Abbey Mills.

Sun 1 June - Colliers Wood station to Plough Lane and back via Waterside Way and Chaucer Way.

Learn about Wandle industries on this illustrated walk which takes in the former Merton Mill, which became Connolly's Leather Works and now contains apartments, and continues through Wandle Meadow Nature Park to The Old Copper Mill near the AFC Wimbledon stadium. We return along the route of the early 19th century Surrey Iron Railway passing near the site of the works of the fine art potter William De Morgan.

Thurs 3 July - Earlsfield station to the mouth of the Wandle.

This popular illustrated walk covers a wide range of sites and industries, including textile printing and dyeing, corn milling, copper and iron smelting and brewing, along the River Wandle from the Domesday Book to the arrival of the Huguenots in the late 17th century to the 20th century, We also pass the site of factories formerly occupied by the Columbia Gramophone Company and Airfix.

Sun 14 Sept - Mitcham tram stop to Morden Hall Park.

An illustrated walk covering the rich history of Mitcham industries, including brewing, corn milling, textile printing, tobacco and snuff milling, and the cultivation of liquorice and lavender. Learn about the history of Ravensbury Park and cross into Morden Hall Park, where the Hatfeilds obtained the lordship of the manor from the profits of their tobacco importation and snuff milling business. The park is now owned by the National Trust and contains a garden centre, a bookshop and refreshment outlets. Phipps Bridge tram stop is nearby.

All walks to start at 12.00.

Please book places by email to John.sheridan08@gmail.com. The walks generally take 90 minutes to two hours, except the shorter walk on 23 March which might take about an hour. The walks are free. Donations to the Wandle Industrial museum are welcome but not obligatory.

The Wandle industrial Museum mission is to preserve, store, and interpret the heritage and history of the industries and people of the River Wandle.