Guided walk around Ham by Paul Lang

We met outside the New Inn public house, and walked to St. Andrew’s church where we were shown the important monuments, stained glass windows and other features in the church. We also looked at the important gravestones in the churchyard, including those of Violet Hyacinth Bowes-Lyon, the eldest sister of the Queen Mother, Admiral Hyde-Parker, to whom Nelson put the telescope to his blind eye, at the Battle of Copenhagen. Professor Richard Owen one of the founders of the Natural History Museum and Hesba Stretton, a Victorian children’s writer, who contributed articles to Charles Dickens ‘Household Words’ and ‘All the Year Round’. We then walked around Ham Common, noting the large number of historical houses and proceeded up Ham Street as far as Wiggins Lane, to admire the charming old cottages. We then returned on the other side of the common and had lunch in Ham Parade.

St Andrew’s Church & graveyard

St Andrew’s Church, stained glass window

Interior view of St Andrew’s

Altar of St Andrew’s Church

Grave of Violet Hyacinth Bowes-Lyon (Eldest sister of the Queen Mother)

Memorial to Admiral Hyde Parker ( to whom Nelson turned his blind eye at the Battle of Copenhagen)

Stafford Cottages, Ham (17th century)

Tollemache Almshouses in Ham Street

The New Inn Pub, on corner of Ham Common

Newman House