Merton Abbey Mills

Merton Abbey Mills is a bustling weekend market, located on the cusp of Wimbledon and Colliers Wood. It is known as London's alternative market and prides itself on all the lovely arts and crafts it sells. In a leafy, peaceful setting with the River Wandle meandering through the middle of it, Merton Abbey Mills is steeped in history and in the middle ages, a monastery called Merton Priory stood on the site. William Morris (the famous English textile designer) acquired the seven acre site back in 1881 because of the quality of the water in the River Wandle. The site included dye-works, carpet and tapestry weaving, stained-glass window making and textile printing. In fact, all the Liberty silk prints were manufactured at this site from 1940-1972. Apparently 200 years ago, there were around 100 watermills on the River Wandle. The historic old wheelhouse at Merton Abbey is the only one remaining and has been restored so it is still in full working order. Liberty used it to rinse the gum off the printed silk for its fabric designs.

I first visited Merton Abbey Mills back in the early 1990's. It was the day of the Wimbledon tennis men's final, and a scorching one at that. I'd heard there was an arts and crafts market in Wimbledon, so I went to check it out. I got there to find a colourful oasis of stalls selling papier mache gifts, homemade jams, handmade jewellery and ceramics, fresh flowers, herbs and all sorts of other delights. It was a wonderful discovery, so I whiled away a couple of hours, bought myself a bright pink papier mache mirror, and went on my merry way to the tennis, when it used to be free just to walk in (before the days of Henman Hill, endless queuing and tent-pitching). Armed with a picnic, I joined the masses on the grass and watched Pete Sampras beat Jim Courier on the big screen. It was a perfect afternoon.

Last month, I returned to Merton Abbey Mills to meet a friend for lunch.  It was just as I remembered all those years ago, although my penchant for papier mache bowls and incense sticks has thankfully diminished drastically. It was good to have a wander around and see various farmers market stalls selling fresh breads, chutneys, cheeses and cider. The jewellery shop which specialises in crystals and semi-precious stones was still there (I do love a lump of rose quartz or amythest). But my favourite place is without a doubt, The Wheelhouse with the wonderful restored waterwheel still turning after all these years.

There is such a vibrant and buzzing community spirit at Merton Abbey Mills, and apart from the market stalls, there are some great restaurants (we had a good lunch at Ban Yai Thai) and cafes, theatre and music events and a pottery workshop. It's a good place to take kids as there are various activities including a children's theatre. And if you enjoy live music, there's a live Blues Club every Sunday evening! 

Merton Abbey Mills
Merantun Way
London
SW19 2RD

Open Sat & Sun 10am - 5pm

The Chap Olympiad 2011

If like me, you're partial to anything vintage, then you'll love The Chap Olympiad.  In fact, you'll proably love anything to do with The Chap full stop. The Chap is a magazine, or rather a journal, for gentlemen who embrace the lifestyle and attire of the 1930s & 1940s. Wearing bowler hats, colonial garb, monocles, waxed moustaches and of course plenty of tweed, they have impeccable manners, doff their hats to ladies and revel in chivalry. In the words of The Chap itself, "The Chap takes a wry look at the modern world through the steamed-up monocle of a more refined age, occasionally getting its sock suspenders into a twist at the unspeakable vulgarity of the twenty-first century."
 

Every year, The Chap hosts The Chap Olympiad, a wonderfully eccentric sporting event, which takes place in a lovely Georgian square in the heart of Bloomsbury, and all the Chaps and of course, the Chapettes, gather for a day of fun and frivolity. It is an absolute Tweed Fest with everyone dressed in vintage refinery, armed with Fortnum & Mason wicker picnic hampers and hip flasks of gin, as they find a picnic spot and settle in for the afternoon.

My friend Sarah and I attended this year's Olympiad and despite the torrential rainfall, we had an absolute ball, dashing amongst the colourful array of umbrellas, swooning at all the gallant chaps and admiring the pretty frocks and elegant hairstyles of the fellow chapettes, including several with hand-drawn seams on their 'stockings'.  Full of such quirky elegance, this is a fabulous place for people watching!

The games were officially opened by the ceremonial lighting of the pipe, using a special tobacco called 'Brown Study' (a new blend from The Chap). Fortunately The Chap's resident butler, Mr Bell, was on hand to protect the tobacco from getting too moist from the rain. Gustav Temple lit the pipe and passed it around the contestants. Let the games begin!

Fuelled with lashings of Pimms and gin martinis, the crowd cheered on as the games got underway. How we chortled and guffawed as the contestants fought their way to victory during the various events. My favourites included 'Bicycle Jousting' where two contestants armed with brollies and briefcases, ride a bicycle and attempt to knock one another off.  'Shouting At Foreigners' where contestants must negotiate with an unhelpful 'foreign shop assistant' by ordering a specific item from his shop. Points are lost for ungentlemanly language and hitting the foreigner. And 'Moustache Wrestling' where two contestants must pluck a single hair from their opponent’s stiff upper lip ferret. Ouch!

Whilst we took a rest from the madness and sipped our drinks, a dashing chap called 'Viv the Spiv' came over and introduced himself to us. What a character he was, wooing us with his charming wit and cockney banter.

It was soon time to dispense with the brollies as the sun made a vague appearance just in time for the winners medal ceremony. This was followed by some really rather spiffing dancing as various folk all took to the dancefloor, swinging and jiving their partners' brogues off.

And there you have it, a tremendous afternoon of eccentric, vintage fun. If you don't manage to get tickets to London 2012 next year, then I reckon this is a much more civilised, exciting and memorable alternative. I'm definitely keen to go again and just hope the sun shines and they bring back 'Cucumber Sandwich Tossing'. Tally ho!

 

The Chap Magazine

The Chap Olympiad