London’s Alleys: St James’s Cottages, Richmond, TW9

This row of Victorian cottages sits on the edge of Richmond town centre, with a mix of old on one side and modern on the other.The alley looks like a row of cottages that should be facing another row that has long succumbed to the bulldozer – but no, this has always been a one-sided passageway. It’s just that where modern buildings line one side used to be back walls of gardens for houses facing away from the alley.
At the entrance to the alley, used to stand St Mary’s Parochia