On the 26.10.2016, we visited a row of Sutton Council-controlled homes – dedicated to the housing of the elderly, disabled, and vulnerable – and documented the two extraordinary “eagles” that were sitting on plinths built into the exterior wall. These two stone birds looked completely out of place and when I wrote to Sutton Council enquiring as to what these two eagles where – and received a reply stating they had no idea (but they thanked me for my email) and that was that. The article I penned then can be read HERE. We could find NOTHING about these statues – but today (13.8.2025) – this problem was solved:
Why did a Sutton Town Planner come up with the idea of a) demolishing the Old Rectory (which should have been a listed building), and b) placing the Gate-Eagles on two-plinths jutting-out of Council Flat walls? Was this an example of Free Masonry gone mad – or madder than their usual schemes? I spent about 15-minutes talking with a local historian in St Nicholas Church, Sutton, during an exhibition of the stain-glassed window and various stones. He told me that the Rectory Gates were originally in West Street – but the eagles ended up on the main road situated on the exterior walls of the new Council Houses – now named “Beech Tree Place” – effectively around the corner in a different street (St Nicholas Way).
I remember reading in 2020 that due to Tory government cuts effecting the elderly and disabled, this Sheltered Housing complex was shut-down and the occupants evicted. Since then, the area has been sold-off to some type of corporation or other and thoroughly destroyed.
Today, completely to my surprised, I relocated the now thoroughly (professionally) cleaned eagles perched on top of two purpose-built plinths inside St Nicholas Church – together with an explanation as to the history of these two interesting objects. I will address the stain-glass aspect of this visit on another post – but the stones section of this exhibition consisted of these two eagles – and a 14th century stone bowl (found buried in the graveyard) used by the Catholic Priests to wash their hands during Services!
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 