Catford Camelot

Hey, how was Christmas? I’m typing this on Christmas Eve, when I should be making a trifle. I just wanted to share some photographs of the Catford Excalibur Estate, Britain’s largest estate of prefab homes. I went there in the autumn with my friend Meg, the photographer, to take pictures of some of the residents and their homes before the estate is demolished.

Excalibur estate Catford

This is Eddie. At 92 he’s the oldest resident on the estate. He moved there in 1946 after coming home from the war, and Meg and I spent a really lovely, fascinating, moving couple of hours speaking to him about his memories of the estate.

Prefabs Catford

Excalibur prefabs

See more of our pictures and interviews with the residents in today’s Guardian, hopefully here.

6 Responses to “Catford Camelot”

  1. ALoadofOldTat
    December 30, 2012 at 9:49 am #

    How sad that we would wish to destroy such a community. Thank you for sharing the link.

  2. Helene
    January 1, 2013 at 1:39 pm #

    Really great article in the Guardian and nearly all the ninety plus comments were valid and in support of the residents and the preservation of this prefabulous community.

  3. Jo
    January 1, 2013 at 6:43 pm #

    I read that and loved it, didn’t realise you did it! So sad that the houses are going, now I’ve seen them I want to love in one.

  4. Fay @ market magpie
    January 6, 2013 at 9:54 pm #

    So fab that you covered this – fantastic pics, as a South East London girl its great to see the interest generated by the Guardian and yourselves! Thanks

    • myfriendshouse
      January 7, 2013 at 9:39 pm #

      Thanks Market Magpie. The Guardian got loads of comments about it, which I was really pleased about. There is a lot more to the story than I could cover in the design section of the newspaper, but the comments said it all!

  5. Gildera
    February 22, 2014 at 7:35 pm #

    So sad about this house

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