In April 2026, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a documentary The Shadow of The Cutteslowe Walls exploring the history and legacy of the walls that once divided our community.
When two neighbouring housing estates (a private estate and a council estate) were built in the 1930s, the developer built high walls topped with spikes to stop council residents accessing nearby roads and mixing with wealthier neighbours. These walls remained for 25 years, forcing residents to take long detours and live physically separated lives.
Through the childhood memories of a former resident and input from current residents the programme explores the long-term impact of these physical and social barriers to see what has changed – and what hasn’t.
Download The Shadow of The Cutteslowe Walls.