Coalholes, Manholes, Lightwells and Drains

This is a section for all those wonderful lumps of ironmongery that we spend all our time walking over without really taking the time to look a little closer. Just walk ten yards down any street and marvel at the variety of lids you pass by... there's a whole new world under there!

Luckily I'm not the only one who finds them interesting as can be seen by these photos and the text that puts them in their historical context. Although he travels the world on this Ruavista site it seems London was the main birthplace of the industrial manhole cover, although Japan seems to have the most striking modern examples. Well, now that you're up to speed on the whole topic have a look at some local lids

Church Road SW19 Originally this was probably a coal hole that also let some light in. Now there's no coal and it leaks whenever it rains! No markings sadly...
Wimbledon High Street SW19 'Globe Foundry Ltd. Battersea'
Church Road SW19 A 'Marlborough' from the "Improved Pavement Light Co. Ltd."London Road SM4 A 'Rapid 40 Slideout'Wimbledon Chase Woodrow's Civic
Wimbledon High Street SW19 Improved Patent Safety Plate
Wimbledon High Street SW19 Aspinall and Fenton, London
Wimbledon High Street SW19 Haywards Patent Self Locking Plate, Borough, London