Daniella Hodges says, “Londoners get out and discover your city!”
If you live in London, you’re lucky. After all, people travel from all over the world to come here. But if you’re tired of London, simply do a little historical research and you will find plenty that’s new – or old. Here are some of my top tips for walks and places to get you going.
Thames path and beyond
One always great route is the Thames Path. It’s 184 miles in total – but start at Battersea Power Station and work East. See Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Thames Barrier plus loads more of London life.
However – did you know – the path continues beyond its official end. Move through the grounds of the former Royal Arsenal Munitions Factory, past cannons and WWII pill boxes, and further towards Erith you will reach Crossness Pumping Station. This grade 1 listed building, completed in 1865, was a Victorian sewage pumping station. But don’t let that put you off – the interior is a spectacular Victorian showpiece.
While in this corner of East London, Lesnes Abbey is not too far away. Founded in 1178, it was one of the first monasteries to close after the Henry the Eighth shut them down in 1534. Now just ruins remain. Adjacent is the nature reserve of Lesnes Abbey woods, sitting on the Green Chain Walk. It’s always open and free for visitors explore.
A castle & a palace in South East London
For those looking for something a little more intact there’s Severndroog Castle, situated within Oxleas Woods on Shooter’s Hill, on a different branch of the Green Chain Walk. Construction began on this Grade II listed folly in 1784, its stands 19 metres high and is oddly triangular shaped, a hexagonal turret at each corner. There is a viewing platform atop the castle that possesses wonderful views across south east London, seven counties are said to be visible on a clear day.
Close by is Eltham Palace, a large house featuring a medieval great hall and a 1930s Art Deco extension. The house and its gardens are English Heritage run.
Do you dig graves?
For a darker look at London’s history there’s the Crossbones burial ground in Southwark. It was a pauper’s graveyard for centuries, in an area known as The Mint, one of London’s poorest slums. When it closed in 1853 it was estimated to be the resting place for around 15,000 paupers. Part of the graveyard was dug up in the 1990s as part of the Jubilee Line construction. From 2006 to 2012 work took place in the graveyard to create a secret ‘guerilla garden’ that now stands as a quiet place to remember London’s ‘outcast’ dead.
If graveyards are your thing then check out one of the Magnificent Seven. These are seven large private cemeteries in London, opened between 1833 and 1841 and built to deal with the issues of overcrowding in the local parish graveyards. Highgate is the most well known of the seven and the resting place of many famous people, including Karl Marx. Highgate is split in two halves, the east and the west, the west side is only accessible via a guided tour, so is best left to when restrictions are lifted. The other six are just as deserving of a visit. They all feature beautiful monuments surrounded by nature, and are the final resting places of many notable historical figures.
A working windmill – in Brixton!
Something you would not expect to see in London is a windmill, but that’s exactly what you will find in Brixton. Ashby’s Mill, known as Brixton Windmill, is a restored Grade II listed mill, built in 1816 and is the last working windmill in London. The windmill sits in Windmill Gardens, a key location in the local community. Tours are offered in the summer months. Plus, if Brixton Windmill piques your interest there are others to see in London, including the Shirley Windmill in Croydon, and the Upminster Windmill.
Going underground
Of course, no discussion about London is complete without a Clash reference or mentioning the famous London Underground.
Dating all the way back to 1863, it has 270 functioning stations across the network and is the worlds 12th busiest metro system. However there are many underground stations no longer in use where there weren’t enough punters or where routes were changed. Many of the disused stations have been used for other purposes since their closures, such as public shelters and offices for government staff during WWII.
Another station housed the National Gallery’s collection during WWI. The entrances for some of the stations can still be seen if you know where to look, most central of these ghost stations is the former Aldwych Underground Station, which closed in 1994, and is located just off the strand. London Transport hosts the occasional tour inside the stations.
And then there’s London’s smallest police station in Trafalgar Square, the Golden Boy of Pye Corner, and the Soho Water Pump, … … …
London has infinite nooks and crannies to explore so get out there!
