There was an expectation that the work at Pen Ponds would be finished in early January. A holiday walk suggested this would be unlikely. A pause in November caused a delay but work has recommenced after being stopped for the holidays. The contractors are now keen to make up for lost time and were in fact working today. It is now hoped that the work will be completed by the end of the month. The work has involved repair to a culvert linking Upper and Lower Ponds, and will now require refilling the water and restocking the fish (and mussels?).

A walk further south west towards Kingston Gate from Thatched House Lodge takes you to the attractive Gallows Pond, probably less well known to Sheen and Mortlake residents than many of the Ponds in the Park. The Pond first appears on maps in 1861 as a watering place for deer and cattle. The Pond was redug in 2015 when it was choked with invasive weed.

So why gallows? There had been gallows at Surbiton, later moved to somewhere near the Ladderstile entrance to the Park. Perhaps they were used for the execution of Jerry Abershawe, who was known as ‘The Laughing Highwayman’ and was even reported to have been laughing while being driven to his execution. His hometown was Kingston upon Thames. He was described as a handsome, dashing young man, but he was also a feared criminal with a reputation for brutality.

In January 1795, Abershawe shot two men who had been sent to arrest him, killing one and injuring the other. Abershawe was strung up on Kennington Common in August 1795 and his body hung in chains on a gallows at Putney Common.

See What’s in a Name: Features of Richmond Park (Lankester, 2023) https://www.frp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1355_Whats_in_a_name_FINAL_4_Dec_2015.pdf