please empty your brain below
Ah, autumn. A nip in the air, time to get out the bulky jumpers. The smell of wood fires.

You captured a lovely spread of leaves on Plough Green.

Greg | 29.10.24 - 7:37 a.m. | #

DG visits road that I formerly lived on *insert party hat emoji here*

A3Warrior | 29.10.24 - 8:59 a.m. | #

On some rail lines it is only the first train of the day that is affected by the autumn timetable.

Pedantic of Purley | 29.10.24 - 9:39 a.m. | #

My son goes to school in the area, and it's indeed a lovely walk along the Hogsmill behind the school. The kids do a good job of cleaning up the river trail a few times a year.

The weird mishmash of architecture at St. John's somehow works for it in its setting (being weirdly aligned off the beaten path), but probably wouldn't be quite so charming if moved elsewhere. When I initially stumbled across it, I was actually a bit disappointed that the buildings aren't as ancient as the setting suggests, but they do work together and I've come to appreciate the way the church hall hangs off it.

Chz | 29.10.24 - 10:04 a.m. | #

Reference to Old Malden "knit and natter" should be enough to dispel any lingering doubts about nicheness levels.

cau1khead | 29.10.24 - 10:18 a.m. | #

I'd not seen a hedgehog for many years until this morning when I saw an unfortunately squashed one at Oakfield Playing Fields near Fairlop. I hope the signs in Old Malden provide a greater element of safety for the hedgehogs there.

Alan S | 29.10.24 - 10:54 a.m. | #

I thought that tree in the churchyard had been Halloweenified with fake cobwebs until I zoomed in. That would be another sign of autumn, I suppose.

Jonathan Wadman | 29.10.24 - 11:55 a.m. | #

In the link to the leaf fall timetable it does not even mention the Chessington branch, actually, because much of it is on embankment so leaves just blow away from the track instead of collecting on the rails.

mikeH | 29.10.24 - 12:14 p.m. | #

So long as knit & natter doesn't become stitch & bitch.

Pedantic of Purley | 29.10.24 - 12:54 p.m. | #

Sorry to disappoint, but you can never dampen my interest with signs of Autumn!
Wonderful 1st photo!

Cornish Cockney | 29.10.24 - 2:10 p.m. | #

I grew up on Python and Tolkien and Shakespeare........my entire world is Niche.

Steven | 29.10.24 - 2:18 p.m. | #

Congratulations on yet another gem of a post , particularly the information on Millais - very well researched indeed

David Smith | 29.10.24 - 7:11 p.m. | #

Autumn is a wonderful season; where I live, all the leaves are slowly turning orange, and it's lovely to see.

I enjoyed this blogpost. I've always wondered where Old Malden would be. The area looks charming, the church especially. And I'd argue this blog's nicheness makes it so distinctive; it definitely won't dampen my interest.

All Over 2a | Homepage | 29.10.24 - 7:57 p.m. | #

As well as posing for Ophelia, Lizzie Siddal was muse, model and wife of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and also an artist herself — a key figure in the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Apparently Millais had to keep the bath heated with candles underneath when she posed as Ophelia, which doesn’t sound much fun, but better than lying in the Hogsmill.

Labourer | 29.10.24 - 9:35 p.m. | #

I enjoyed this and look forward to Signs of winter in Pinner in a couple of months.

Alan - I think seeing a squashed hedgehog is a good thing, although not for that particular hedgehog. Presumably the greater the population, the more likely it is that some get squashed. I don't think I'd ever seen a live badger until a few years ago, but often saw their corpses.

Ian | 30.10.24 - 7:21 a.m. | #

I grew up not far from Old Malden and didn't know about the Millais Ophelia connection. I'll be going back to visit the Hogsmill site in the spring to look for the weathered information board. Thank you!

Victoria | 01.11.24 - 6:56 a.m. | #











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