Take a peek at this video of Eltham Palace for a sneak preview!

Why Visit Eltham Palace?

Few historic buildings in London pay testament to the passage of time quite as blatantly as Eltham Palace. There’s been an important house on these grounds since Saxon times, and you can still see the medieval hall of 1475, complete with its stunning hammerbeam ceiling in all its glory. 

So far, pretty standard – until you explore the maximalist Art Deco grandeur of the rest of the palace.

For all its history and position as the preferred palace of many historic monarchs from Edward II right up to Henry VIII, until he decided that he liked the palace at Greenwich better, Eltham Palace fell into disrepair, appearing in history under the various guises of a farm, artist’s muse and gentleman’s residence. 

Art Deco Regeneration 

In 1933, the palace was leased by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld – wealthy socialites who set about transforming and extending the palace to create the jaw-dropping Art Deco interiors you can find today. 

They restored the medieval hall, supplementing that building with a much larger series of 1930s structures that together form the palace we see today. Relatively bland on the outside, it’s the interiors – complete with domed roofs and intricate marquetry, that attest the Courtauld vision. 

The couple even built a small jungle-decorated room for their pet lemur Mahjongg (who, incidentally wasn’t very popular with guests due to his habit of nipping them at the ankles under the dining table). It all verges on bonkers and is all the better for it. 

The Gardens at Eltham Palace

Just as striking as the interior of the palace, the gardens at Eltham Palace are worth the trip alone. The Courtaulds took the scope of the existing gardens and set on a project of extending and improving them. 

Weaving mature plants and trees into a new layout with a number of formal and informal  gardens, a larger moat, and other (now lost) features including a swimming pool and tennis courts. 

After the Courtaulds 

Sadly, the Courtaulds didn’t spend long in the finished product – by 1944, tired of the bombing that plagued the palace, the Courtaulds had sold the remainder of the lease to the Army Education Corps who used it as a base until 1992. 

The site has been owned and managed by English Heritage since 1995. 

Practical Information and Map 

Address: Court Yard, London SE9 5QE

Opening Times: Gardens: 10:00 – 17:00. House: 11:00 – 17:00

Website

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During a normal summer, parks are the playground in which we enjoy basking in the sun, the spots where we festival hard, picnic and spend lazy days enjoying the greenery. 

Over the past few years, it’s become clear that parks are the glue holding us all together – they were the places where we saw the first people outside of our household and the backdrop to so many social meetups. 

Regular readers will know that South London is my stomping ground – the area where I grew up and know like the back of my hand. So when it came to picking the best parks in South London, I was rigorous and ruthless in my choices. 

Just because something is a green space, doesn’t make it a park and we’re not just going to regurgitate the same 5 spots literally everyone has heard of. Yawn.

These 23 spots vary from vast green spaces to pretty floral gardens – there’s even a cemetery turned nature reserve in there too. We’ve split the guide between South East and South West London to help you find ones nearby.

Now, let’s just hope for a summer of sunny weather and we’re good to go!

Best Parks in South East London

Crystal Palace Park 

Crystal Palace

Let’s start with a biggie. Crystal Palace Park is one of the best-known parks in South London… and for good reason. Created as a Victorian pleasure ground to house the long destroyed Crystal Palace it’s still a hub of London life. 

This isn’t just your average park – mooch around and you will see the former site of the Crystal Palace, Italian gardens, a maze, skate park, athletics club and, of course, those famous dinosaurs. 

Which dinosaurs you ask? The full-size models are positioned in lifelike postures around one of the park’s many lakes, naturally. 

Address: Thicket Rd, London SE19 2GA

Greenwich Park

Greenwich

Boasting gorgeous views over to Canary Wharf and home to its own herd of free-roaming deer, it’s no wonder that Greenwich Park is a south London fave. 

It’s one of London’s Royal Parks, thanks to Greenwich’s widespread royal connections – in fact, it’s the oldest enclosed Royal Park in the UK, providing a backdrop for the rather cheeky flirtations between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. 

Luckily for us the park came out of it unscathed, though the same cannot be said for Boleyn. No need to dwell on that.

Today, it boasts tree-lined pathways the ‘Grammers go gaga for during blossom season and a scented herb garden you should pop into during the summer months. 

Address: Greenwich, London SE10 8QY

Dulwich Park 

Dulwich 

It’s hard to believe that the leafy, well-landscaped environs of Dulwich Park used to be farmland, but it’s true. Prior to the park’s creation in 1890, it and the surrounding areas were farmland and meadows. 

Today it’s one of the prettiest parks in the south. It’s manicured without being too formal and with a number of different gardens including a dry garden and a winter garden for you to take a peek at. 

Want to do more than just mooch around? There’s a boating lake with pedalos and rowing boats and the tennis courts are free to use. 

Address: College Rd, Dulwich, London SE21

One Tree Hill

Honor Oak Park

Not a park per se, but rather a nature reserve tucked in the midst of Honor Oak Park, One Tree Hill is one of South London’s prettiest hidden gems.

The woodland nature reserve is the perfect spot for a quiet walk among the trees – there are a number of paths (some steep, some not) from which to choose. 

The name’s misleading. There are many, many trees, but one noted for rumours of providing Elizabeth I with shelter as she made a journey through what was then The Great North Wood. 

One Tree Hill’s high position and hilly aspect means it also just so happens to boast some of the best views of central London. 

Address: 69 Honor Oak Rise, London SE23 3RA

Nunhead Cemetery 

Nunhead

Another leftfield entry, Nunhead Cemetery is one of our favourite spots – a place where history and nature merge to create one of the most unusual outdoor spaces in South London.

Yes, it’s a cemetery, so if you get freaked out by the sight of graves, this one’s not for you… For everyone else, it’s a rare sight – a spot where woodland has reclaimed the vast part of the cemetery. 

It says everything that a large part of Nunhead Cemetery is officially a nature reserve. Expect ivy creeping over statues, dappled light from the dense canopy and small paths that meander throughout it all. 

Address: Linden Grove, London SE15 3LP

Lloyd Park 

Croydon

Lloyd Park is one of the most bucolic parks in south east London, but somehow one of its least known. 

Maybe it’s the Croydon location – perched on the outskirts of South London just at the tipping point before it becomes full-blown suburbia. 

That location is a boon and translates to 114 acres of rolling parkland, meadow and woodland for you to explore. Formerly part of the grounds of the Coombe Estate, it’s a part-landscaped, part wild playground for adults and children alike. 

Even on the busiest days, you’re guaranteed to find ample space to chill in solitude.  

Address: Coombe Road, Croydon, CR0 5BT

Brockwell Park 

Herne Hill 

Brockwell Park may not be well-known outside of the surrounding areas – a shame as this is a beaut of a park and one of the more unconventional ones you’ll find in South London. 

It was created largely by the champion efforts of MP Thomas Bristowe, who sadly died moments after the park’s opening ceremony in 1892. His efforts have been richly rewarded: today the park sits at the heart of local life. 

There’s certainly no shortage of things to do – start with the walled formal garden, BMX track, tennis courts and everyone’s favourite London lido. The green-fingered among you might also want to try your hand at growing some produce in the community greenhouse. 

Address: Brockwell Park Gardens, London SE24 9BJ

Peckham Rye 

Combining Peckham Rye Park and Peckham Rye Common – a visit to Peckham Rye will put 113 acres of grassland, ornamental gardens, lakes and woodland at your fingertips. 

Facilities-wise, there are a number of children’s adventure playgrounds, joined by a bowling green, skate park and community gardens – not to mention a gorgeous ornamental garden, Sexby Garden, that’s filled with a variety of roses and shrubs. 

Address: 34 Straker’s Rd, London SE15 3UA

Beckenham Place Park 

Beckenham 

London’s newest green space was transformed from a golf course to a brand new park last year, complete with a 283-metre long swimming lake that quickly saw it become the talk of the town. 

Beckenham Place Park may be new but it’s already become one of south London’s go-to open air spaces, thanks to the combination of woodlands, meadows and gardens. 

It’s a beautiful spot with a rural feel that makes it difficult to believe you’re less than 9 miles from the centre of town. Plus they hold some brilliant festivals (including the cool Hospitality festival pictured above) in the park each summer.

Address: Beckenham Hill Rd, Beckenham BR3 5BS

Burgess Park 

Camberwell 

Burgess Park is one of the younger parks in South London having been created between the 1950s and 1980s. It’s got an interesting story behind it – with whole areas, including residential buildings, churches and canals removed piecemeal for the park’s creation.

The result is one of London’s biggest parks, combining open grass areas with ornamental gardens and allotments – there’s even a specified barbecue area too. 

Address: Albany Rd, London SE5 0AL

Southwark Park 

Rotherhithe 

Nestled in the area of Rotherhithe, Southwark Park is a Green Flag award-winning park dating back to 1869. It was restored in the early noughties and today is one of the nicest (not to mention little visited) parks in south east London. 

Aside from the normal grassy areas and lakes, the park is also home to two galleries, the Lake Gallery and Dilston Gallery (closed at the time of writing), each presenting innovative programmes of works by local artists. 

Address: Gomm Rd, London SE16 2TX

Kelsey Park 

Beckenham

It’s no surprise that the leafy neighbourhood of Beckenham boasts more than its fair share of parks – this is suburbia after all. 

The former landscaped gardens of the Kelsey Manor Estate retain much of their prior glory, with extensive ornamental gardens and a series of large lakes providing the backdrop to your summer antics. 

Address: Manor Way, Beckenham BR3 3LS

Horminan Museum Gardens 

Forest Hill 

Although it’s not necessarily a park per se, the gardens of Forest Hill’s much-loved Horniman Museum are a lovely spot to spend some time basking in the sunshine. 

The gardens are well-looked after, with sunken and display gardens that date back to the 1930s and an unusual grasslands garden among other attractions. 

The gardens also sport a rather cracking view over to central London. 

Address: 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ

Sydenham Hill Woods 

Sydenham 

Standing in the middle of Sydenham Hill Woods, it’s not hard to believe that this was once a part of the Great North Wood that stretched all the way from Deptford to South Norwood. 

In fact, Sydenham Hill Woods forms one part of the largest remaining tract of the great wood and is still one of the nicest woodlands in London. 

What it lacks in open spaces, it more than makes up for with woodland walkways, the most famous of which, Cox’s Walk is an 18th-century oak-lined path crossing the wood.

Address:  Crescent Wood Road, Sydenham Hill, SE26 6LS

Telegraph Hill Park 

Lewisham

We love a park with a good view and they don’t come much better than the view at Telegraph Hill Park. From the peak of the hill you can see right across a segment of London that includes London’s cityscape of skyscrapers and even Westminster with Big Ben just a tiny tower in the distance. 

The park itself is not very big, but it is very nice. There’s tennis and basketball courts if you’re looking for a place to play some sport. They’ve also got an ornamental garden and a small pond that are lovely to walk around. 

To top it off, during the summer months they run a refreshment kiosk. Perhaps they know the only thing that could improve that view is an ice cream to eat while you take it in. 

Address: 12 Montague Ave, London SE4 1YP

Best Parks in South West London 

Battersea Park 

Battersea

When it comes to London’s parks, we have a lot to thank the Victorians for… that’s never more true than in the case of Battersea Park.

The park was opened in 1858 to give the working class residents of the surrounding areas somewhere green to escape to and the same stands today (excepting those residents have become increasingly well-heeled as time has passed). 

The 200 acres of parkland somehow manages to squeeze in a range of gardens, playgrounds and a boating lake into its grounds. 

Sure, there’s a vaguely terrifying Go Ape facility, but you can enjoy much more sedate pleasures by taking a turn around the water gardens, check out the Peace Pagoda (pictured) or cycling along the designated paths. 

Address: Battersea, London SW11 4NJ

Tooting Commons

Tooting 

No, there’s not an errant “s” in the title – there are actually two adjacent commons in Tooting, Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common separated by Dr Johnson Avenue. 

Two commons = a lot of space to enjoy the great outdoors. 

The commons provide a natural habitat for a variety of wildlife species including mallard ducks, mute swans and dragonflies, while the lake is home to a number of wildlife birds and fish. 

The Lido is the largest freshwater swimming pool by surface area in the UK, and has been used by locals since it opened in 1906. Anyone can pay to take a dip during the summer months, but it’s exclusive to members of the South London Swimming Club in the winter.

Address: Tooting Bec Road SW17 8JU

Clapham Common 

Clapham

Probably the best-known common in South London, the triangular green centre of Clapham is an oasis of quiet in a busy area. 

It’s been uncultivated ever since the time of the Domesday Book – today, people sunbathe and children play where horses would have raced and sheeps grazed in earlier times. 

In normal years, the common hosts a number of outdoor cinemas, music festivals and fairs. It’s not clear how many will be held this year, but its position as one of south west London’s nicest outdoor spots will continue unchanged. 

Address: Windmill Drive, Clapham, SW4 9DE

Wandsworth Common 

Wandsworth

There is no shortage of commons in South West London – Wandsworth Common isn’t far from its Clapham or Tooting counterparts.

Still, it brings a lot to the table – including three cricket pitches and a bowling green (a hint to the posher aspects of the surrounding area where former prime minister David Lloyd George used to live).

Aside from that, there’s a great fitness trail and the Lady Allen Adventure Playground designed as an accessible and fun space for disabled children. 

Address: Trinity Rd, London SW18 3RT

Wimbledon Common 

Wimbledon

Although it’s technically three commons, Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, most people just stick to calling this large swathe of grassland Wimbledon Common. 

London’s largest common is the perfect place to womble around (yes, the 70s show of pro-recycling spec wearing raccoons is set on the common) – unlike in days of yore when it had something of a reputation as a duelling hotspot. 

Next door, the floral gardens of Cannizaro Park in Wimbledon are well worth popping in to spend some time in too. 

Address: Windmill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5NR

Streatham Common & Rookery

Streatham

Just around the corner from the much larger Tooting Commons, Streatham Common combines a wide stretch of grass with sloped woodland all in one space on the outskirts of Streatham. 

While the main part of the common is pretty standard fare, walk across the road from the upper eastern stretch for a surprise in the form of The Rookery. 

What were the gardens of a large manor house has been transformed into an oasis of floral landscaping, with a number of formal gardens including a White Garden and walled kitchen garden.

Address: Streatham High Road, London 

Richmond Park 

Richmond 

Probably one of the better known of all south London’s parks, Richmond Park is a big hit. That’s largely to do with its size – it’s massive – but also because of the herds of wild deer that run free on the grounds. 

They’re there because the park used to be the hunting grounds of the English royal family way back when (the 15th century to be precise). 

The royals have also left their mark on the park in the form of King Henry’s Mound – a hill with an extraordinary royal past, and one of the finest views of London. 

Practical Tips

• Depending on the weather you may want to take wellington boots or at least sturdy shoes. The parks can get wet and muddy – your designer heels may look good strutting on the streets of Soho but they’ll be no use here. 
• Check the websites of each park for their opening times. Some will be open 24/7, others shut their gates at night. 
• If you go to one of the parks that has wild deer, don’t feed them. They don’t do well off human food so just leave them to eat their grass. Getting close enough to feed them can also put you at risk – these are wild animals afterall, and not small ones at that.

Map of the Best Parks in South London

Looking for more outdoor London inspiration? Check these out…

• The Best Parks in London
• Spectacular Walks in London
• Cool Hikes Near London
• Unmissable Parks in North London

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The depot is only open for a select number of open days each year, so nab your tickets fast when they’re released.

What is the London Transport Museum Depot? 

Part storage facility, part jaunt through the history of the various iterations of the city’s monstrous transport network – the depot contains the 90% of the collection that TfL don’t have out at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. 

320,000 exhibits may not sound like much, but when you start adding in tens of double and single decker buses, trams and tube carriages, you start to see how every inch of this 6,000 square metre space feels like it’s bursting at the seams in the best way possible. 

The exhibits themselves span every transport-related item imaginable: underground signs sporting the distinctive font, posters by leading artists like Man Ray, Harry Beck’s recognisable tube map – along with rather dismayingly large electricity transformers and signal boxes that will no doubt get transportation geeks (it me) rather hot under the collar. 

Depot tours are hugely informative – drawing on the vast knowledge of the curators and volunteers that run them to create an experience that will lure in even those with the most fleeting interest in the subject. 

Ever wondered what trains looked like on the Metropolitan Line in the 30s? Now’s your chance to find out. 

Practical Information & Map

The depot normally only opens to the public for special open days – but for the first time it’s open for a summer season 19-23 and 26-30 August. Book ahead. 

Address: 118-120 Gunnersbury Ln, Acton Town, London W3 9BQ

Website

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We have a confession to make. 

Until recently, we’d been labouring under the misunderstanding that any reference to One Tree Hill was to that shoddy TV programme you couldn’t escape from a few years ago…it was only when we were researching a piece on the best views in London that we came across this, far more interesting One Tree Hill. 

Intrigued, we started to read more, and finally went to visit.

It’s a beautiful spot – the panorama of London’s contemporary skyline framed by leafy trees really does make it one of the best views of the city.

Did we also mention there are a number of other historical sites within the park, each with their story to tell?

Highlights of Your Visit to One Tree Hill 

The View

Is this the best viewing point in London? It’s a close contender, that’s for sure. 

Not that many people know about One Tree Hill. 

That meant that there were only a smattering of people when we visited a couple of days ago – most of them more concerned with walking their dog or recovering from the arduous run to the top of the hill than soaking in the view. 

And what a view… 

Sorry to diss spots like Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill in the North but this is way better, it just is.

Framed by the canopy of the trees below and to the sides, it feels like a real-life trompe l’oeil – as if someone’s painted the scenery, thinking as much about the presentation and the composition, then hung it up for all of us to appreciate. 

You can see pretty much all of the highlights of the London skyline – The Shard, of course, and the cluster of The Walkie Talkie, Cheese Grater and Heron Tower etc etc in The City. St Paul’s, for centuries the tallest building in London, is there, and you can peep at The London Eye, BT Tower and a lot more besides.

Move position and Canary Wharf reveals itself, providing yet more eye candy for your viewing delectation. 

The Oak of Honour 

Despite the name, One Tree Hill is filled with many trees (it’s a wood after all)… but there’s only one that counts. The Oak of Honour. 

The Oak of Honour marks the boundary of the ancient Honour of Gloucester in the Norman times. This Oak, important because of its positioning at the top of the summit, was deemed so consequential that it gave the area, Honor Oak Park, its name.

Elizabeth I was said to have rested and picnicked under the oak in 1602 – the tree you see today is the third successive one from that oak and was planted in 1905. 

The Bandstand & Beacon

At the summit of the hill, you’ll find an octagonal viewing platform. Handy as it is for making the most of the view, it was built in WWI to mount a gun for countering Zeppelin attacks. 

That gun was replaced by a Seat of Peace after the war – now also gone – after which it became known as The Bandstand. 

Today, it’s just the concrete base left, well situated for you to clamber up onto and take in the views.

There’s also a tall beacon next to The Bandstand. Used to celebrate George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935, it was last lit during the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

The Ecology 

Being a woodland there’s plenty for enthusiasts of nature to enjoy up here too. The best part of that comes in the form of the varied trees that really muddle with the name One Tree Hill. 

That’s because on this hill you’ll actually find quite a diverse range of trees. Most of what you’ll find are species of ash tree and sycamore. There are many wild cherry trees growing in the area also. 

Perhaps the most interesting tree you’ll find on one tree hill (other than the Oak of Honour that is) are the London Planes. Now that might not come as much of a surprise seeing as we are in London, but it’s more the story of how they got there that’s interesting. 

The London planes were put there when the area was cultivated into a park in the early 20th century. That park has since overgrown and become the woodland of one tree hill. The trees that were put there by people nearly 100 years ago have become part of the natural ecology of the place. Pretty amazing right?

A Brief History of One Tree Hill

Much of One Tree Hill’s history is unknown (or rather, unproven) but we do know that it once formed a part of the Great North Wood, which stretched from Deptford to South Norwood. What we call One Tree Hill today was owned by the Abbots of Bermondsey until Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and it became the property of the Crown. 

Other parts of the park’s history are less clear. 

There’s the tale of how the Roman troops watched Boudicca’s army from the summit, their early warning enabling them to defeat the attack. 

Another one riddles that highwaymen used the hill as a lookout for potential victims, among them Dick Turpin. 

Then there’s the Elizabeth I story we referred to in the Oak of Honour section. The story comes up in several sources, although most were written over a century after the supposed event.

The original tree was replaced by another, which was struck by lightning. It’s now the third tree you’ll find, surrounded by a hexagonal railing and with a small plaque retelling the Elizabeth story, today. 

Later, by the 18th Century, One Tree Hill was used as a beacon point in the Napoleonic Wars. During the same century, the East India Company built a semaphore station atop the hill in order to signal the arrival of their ships in the Channel. 

People had been used to accessing the hill, using it as a shortcut at their leisure. There was considerable discontent when the hill was enclosed by a fence at the behest of the Honor Oak and Forest Hill Golf Club rented the land in 1896.

The disgruntlement fulminated in mass protests in 1897 and the creation of the Enclosure of Honor HIll Protest Committee who negotiated with the local councils until Camberwell Borough Council purchased the land for public use and reopened the park in 1905. 

That was largely it for a century. The 20th century was largely uneventful for One Tree Hill, with the exception that the site was used as a gun base for shooting down zeppelins in WWI. In the year 2000 a Millennium Grant enabled the tree canopy to be lowered so visitors could see the views once more. 

Practical Information and Tips

Address: 69 Honor Oak Rise, London SE23 3RA

Getting There: The nearest station is Honor Oak Park, you can also access it by local bus. It’s also on the wonderful Green Chain Walk – a 50 mile walk through South London’s greenest spaces.

Opening Hours: One Tree Hill is open 24/7.

• If you want to make the most of this incredible view, we recommend going there early in the morning. Not only does the morning light make London look especially beautiful, but there will be less people there to disrupt your enjoyment. 
• The busiest time at One Tree Hill is usually around midday.

Map

Read More Hidden London Guides

• Exploring London’s Hidden Gems
• The Secret London Park that Used to Be a Spa
• These Weird Dinosaurs Have a Very Weird History
• The South London Cemetery That’s Turned into a Nature Reserve

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Look for it you should – this quiet oasis of peace and floral blooms is one of South London’s hidden gems. 

What’s So Special about Streatham’s Rookery? 

What if I told you you could find the vestiges of a private garden that used to belong to a fashionable 18th century spa escape in Streatham of all places, would you be curious? You should be. 

That’s exactly what you get at Streatham’s secret rookery – situated on the remains of one of South London’s most fashionable mineral springs. 

The manor house is long gone, but the garden was replanted in the early 20th century as an Old English Garden, complete with a woodland walk, white garden and grass terraces – all of which survive today. 

Make your way to the top of Streatham Common, leaving behind the rather bland expanse of grass of the lower common. You’re aiming for the top right of the common, past the point where the common proper turns into woodland, turning the corner to reveal what you’re here for – Streatham Rookery. 

History of The Rookery

Now, beautiful as Streatham Rookery is, it’s also got a lot of history to it. 

As I mentioned, it was the former site of a fashionable spa, Streatham Spa – built in the 18th century to accommodate the large number of visitors who came to take the waters. 

Though it’s difficult to believe it today, there were a number of spas in London, fed by mineral springs discovered in different parts of the city.

When the Rookery was put up for sale in 1910, a local committee raised the money to purchase the property and gifted it to the London County Council in 1912 who made it a part of Streatham Common. They demolished the house and relandscaped the gardens, laying out the Old English Garden in the former kitchen garden before opening the site to the public in 1913. 

It’s remained largely unchanged ever since. The gardens may cover a relatively small space but what they lack in size, they make up for in variety – alongside the Old English Garden, there’s a rock garden and White Garden that is said to have inspired the one at Sissinghurst. 

In fact, the White Garden (which was originally laid out for a Victorian wedding) was so popular that it was often visited by Queen Mary, consort of George V.

The Rookery Cafe 

There’s a small but well-received cafe just inside the entrance to The Rookery serving tasty breakfasts, coffees and lunches. It’s a lovely local spot that has become a real neighbourhood hub.  

Planning Your Visit

Address

Covington Way, Streatham, London SW16 3BX

Opening Hours

Vary depending on the season. 10am – 9pm weekdays and 7.30am – 9pm weekends during the summer months. 

Map

Read More Streatham & Hidden London Guides

• The Streatham Area Guide
• The Secret Memorial Dedicated to Heroic Londoners
• Have You Visited Brixton’s Windmill?
• Nunhead Cemetery: Part Cemetery, Part Nature Reserve – The History of South London’s Gem
• The True Tale Behind the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

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Though the house prices may have gone up, and the once failed shopping centre has been rejuvenated, the visionary design of the Brunswick Centre is just as divisive as ever. 

This is, without a doubt, one of London’s most singular Brutalist developments. Surrounded by staid, sensible Georgian terraces, this conflagration of concrete, steel and glass makes little attempt to be sympathetic to its surroundings. Yet it works.

We’re embarrassed to say that we didn’t know much about the Brunswick Centre until we stumbled across it a few years ago on a photographic jaunt around Bloomsbury. 

One minute, we were meandering through Russell Square, the next, standing slack-jawed staring at this pale concrete structure: a riot of clean lines, light and shadow, standing in contrast to the blue sky. 

Now there are times in this city when we truly believe that it is our fellow Londoners who make it really shine and this was one of them. A resident who’d spied us photographing the building and clocking the appreciation writ large on my face, offered to let us in to capture The Brunswick’s seldom-seen interior. 

“You have to see it, if you think it looks like something from the outside, just wait.” 

Well, he was right. The Brunswick Centre went from being a place I’d barely heard about to being one of the hidden gems we always recommend fellow Brutalist fans scope out. 

We didn’t catch his name but if you’re reading this, thanks and you’re a hero. 

Ready to discover more about The Brunswick? Read on my friends.  

Brutalist Design at The Brunswick

Like many Brutalist buildings, The Brunswick is notable in its placement of utilitarian features front and centre in its design. 

It’s the perfect example of form following function – the structure built to enable a holistic community of residents and modern life that still exists several decades later. It was to be a modern village – with family homes, shops and a cinema all within the same complex. 

The stepped buildings (which you can also see on the cool Alexandra Road Estate too) allows plenty of space and light for each resident, whilst the eight pairs of ventilation towers provide ventilation to the buildings and lend visual appeal to the structure. 

While it’s a very different architectural style to the Georgian buildings surrounding it, the building’s cream colour (finally applied in the noughties) ties it in with their stucco facades. 

But, successful as it is today, The Brunswick hasn’t always enjoyed such a stellar reputation.

The History of the Brunswick Centre 

Initial Plans 

The Brunswick Centre was built in 1967-1972 – originally intended as a mixed-use development with a shopping centre and cinema below, and private residential accommodation above. 

It replaced a few overcrowded terraces of Georgian houses on the estate of the Foundling Hospital. 

The idea was simple: that the developer would build The Brunswick, lease the shops, sell the flats and pocket the profits… except it didn’t quite work out like that.

The first hiccough was the London County Council (LCC): more specifically the height restrictions it had on buildings in London. 

That resulted in an overhaul of the proposed 25-storey design. 

Leslie Martin, an architect known for his ambitious low-rise developments, was consulted, though he referred it to a colleague Patrick Hodgkinson. It was Hodgkinson who ended up designing the development. 

The new plans still allowed for a high number of residential units and a lower (acceptable) height – bisected on the ground level by a series of commercial units running though its middle.

A Rather Embarrassing Failure? 

A much bigger issue arose later down the line – as it neared close to completion, it became clear that there wasn’t enough appetite for the flats to make the scheme a commercial success. 

The original developer went bankrupt and the project was sold to Sir Robert McAlpine Construction. 

This also resulted in negotiations to lease the residences to Camden Council for social housing… and a number of cuts from the development’s intended finishing touches. Hodgkinson stood down from the job before it was completed, unhappy with the heavily compromised version of the development adapted from his designs. 

Noughties Revival 

For a long time, The Brunswick was seen as a rather embarrassing failure. It became run down and skirted on the unsavoury side of things… until the tide started to change in the early noughties. 

First up was its listing by English Heritage in the year 2000. 

Restoration and renovation were soon to follow: the development was finally painted in the blue and cream colour scheme originally intended by Hodgkinson and a number of high-profile tenants (including Waitrose and Hobbs) moved into the commercial premises. Hodgkinson himself oversaw the renovation after he was invited back to realise his original design in the late 1990s – a process that was completed in 2006. 

The most significant thing to take away from its renovation is that it mainly pushed forward with the design that Hodgkinson had originally intended – and is now a roaring success. 

These days, The Brunswick has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. It’s a well-known and well-loved (though not universally) spot in Bloomsbury: a testament to London’s ever changing tastes and whims. 

We love it and have added it to our ever increasing list of cool places we’d love to live in London at least once. In case, you know, we win the lottery five times in a row. 

Map

Read More Hidden London Guides

• The Bloomsbury Area Guide
• These Buildings are the Best of Brutalist London
• Ready to Explore: The Seven Noses of Soho
• The History of Trellick Tower: Bold and Brutalist Beauty

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At first glance there’s nothing particularly special to see as you’re strolling down this quiet road in Bayswater, flanked by stately houses and trees. 

It’s only when you look closely at numbers 23 and 24 you notice that something is amiss. 

The facades look innocent enough – blandly fading into the melange of terraced balcony-adorned properties. But there’s something too still, too sterile for them to ring true. There are no postboxes, the windows so uniformly grey they can’t be real (they aren’t), the lowest floor a complete blank wall. 

Well done – you’ve found the fake houses at 23-24 Leinster Gardens, one of London’s odder spots. 

Although they might look like normal houses, they’re just facades – a mere 5ft thick before disappearing to thin air. 

We’d be disappointed if you didn’t have a few questions. We certainly did. Why do they exist? Why do they look familiar? It’s time to discover a little more about the fake houses. 

A Peek at the History of the Fake Houses of Leinster Gardens

Weird as the houses at 23-24 Leinster Gardens might be, the reasons for their existence are not so baffling. 

Throwback to the 1860s, when The Metropolitan Line, the world’s first underground railway was being constructed. Although the first section of the line opened in 1863, its westward extension later in the decade saw it ploughing through the area of Bayswater. 

Much of the line was constructed using the cut and cover method – so rather than boring the tunnel underground, the tunnel was dug from above and then covered over. 

That process meant the destruction of a lot of buildings including… you guessed it, the residences at 23-24 Leinster Gardens. 

Most of the buildings demolished to construct the line were promptly rebuilt – but Leinster Gardens were to be an exception. 

Early underground trains were powered by coal and steam and needed to ‘vent off’ the accumulated emissions from the train into the open air at regular intervals. 

Rather than rebuilding the houses they’d demolished to construct the railway line, authorities proposed to have the same location as a venting off point – a proposal that was none too popular with the locals. 

A compromise was reached: the trains would still vent off behind the houses, but the facades of the demolished houses were rebuilt to keep up appearances… and so the fake houses of Leinster Gardens were born.

Pranks and High Jinx 

Over the years the houses at 23-24 have been used for a number of pranks and more than a few swindles. 

Take, for example, the time in the 1930s when the hoi polloi of society turned up at the houses, having been sold tickets for a charity ball supposedly happening at that address. Safe to say, there was no ball and they didn’t get their money back. 

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Pizzas have been ordered, taxis called out – so much so that the joke is up – both industries having wised up to the true nature of the addresses. 

Appearance in Sherlock 

Have a niggling feeling that you may have seen the fake houses before? Well, if you’re a Sherlock fan, there’s a pretty good chance that you have. 

The houses pop up in the episode His Last Vow when Sherlock Holmes meets up with Mary Watson (nee Morstan) – Watson’s wife and a secret assassin. 

It’s a fitting filming location, particularly given that fake houses of a similar kind play a fundamental role in the plot of one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories – The Bruce Partington Plans. 

Practical Information & Map 

Getting There 

The nearest stations to Leinster Gardens are Bayswayter and Queensway – it’s roughly a five minute walk from both stations. 

We should probably warn you not to visit the Henry VIII Hotel, which actually has the address of 23 Leinster Gardens. It’s a real hotel and not fake, which could get a bit awkward. 

Map 

Looking for more of London’s hidden gems? Check these out 

• Visiting the Temple of Mithras
• Nunhead: Nature Reserve or Creepy Cemetery?
• London’s Memorial to Heroic Acts

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The park is spread out over 30 acres, Grade II listed and one of London’s prettiest. 

There’s plenty to appeal to people of all ages: the pretty boating lake, wide cycling paths – not to mention broad expanses of well-landscaped parkland that are perfect for picnics in the sun. 

Planning your trip to Dulwich Park? Here’s what you should know before you go. 

Activities in Dulwich Park 

Dulwich Clock Cafe 

Open 8am-4.30pm Monday – Friday. 8am – 5pm Saturday and Sunday.

Dulwich Park’s Clock Cafe serves up hearty and tasty fare that’s a step above the normal park cafe. Don’t expect sloppy sandwiches and unrisen cakes, instead, you can pick from handmade sourdough pizzas and locally-sourced food. 

Luna Cinema

The open air Luna Cinema brings a whole host of films to Dulwich Park each year. 

At the moment, it looks like this year’s schedule, which includes all the family favourites is set to go but be sure to check the site for up to date info and booking. 

Parkrun 

Dulwich Parkrun takes place every Saturday at 9am. Check the site for up to date information. 

Boating Lake 

Not just a pretty backdrop, Dulwich Park’s you can take traditional rowing boats or large pedalos for a turn about the park’s boating lake. 

Bike Hire

Want to explore the park on two wheels? You can choose from a range of bikes, including tandems, recumbent bikes and banana bikes (don’t worry, there are normal bikes too) to hire from London Recumbents within the park. 

A Brief History of the Park

Opening as a public park in 1890, Dulwich Park has been a mainstay of local life ever since. Prior to that, it was farmland and meadows and then formed a part of the Manor of Dulwich where a renowned Elizabethan actor set up almshouses and a school (now Dulwich College). 

Worried about the rapid expansion of building across London, in 1885 the land for the park was gifted by the estate’s governors to the Metropolitan Board of Works on the proviso that it was used as a public park in perpetuity. 

Queen Mary visited the park regularly – drawn by the park’s famous American Garden (which still puts on a spectacular rhododendron display each May). In fact, much of the park’s original layout survives to this day. 

Practical Information

Car Parks 

Parking is available at the College Road entrance, both in the driveway and the car park itself. Please note it does get busy in the summer months, so you may have to find alternative parking. 

Opening Hours 

The park’s opening hours change throughout the year. It opens at 7.30am and closes at sunset – check ahead to see specific timings. 

Getting There and Away 

Dulwich Park is served by the P4 and P13 buses, while the stops for the 185, 40, 12 and 176 are within short walking distance. It’s about a kilometre walk from both North Dulwich and West Dulwich stations. 

Address

College Rd, Dulwich, London SE21

Map

Looking for More Dulwich Guides?

• The Insider’s Dulwich Area Guide: Top Things to do in Dulwich
• The Best Pubs in Dulwich
• Stellar Restaurants in Dulwich
• Is Dulwich Picture Gallery London’s Most Underrated Art Gallery?

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Gone are the crowds and the street performers, replaced instead with a sombre solitude and a terrace of near-perfectly preserved Georgian houses. 

This is Goodwin’s Court. A slice of historical London sitting right in the heart of Covent Garden (between St Martin’s Lane and Bedfordbury to be precise). 

Touted as one of the contenders for the real-life Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter books (another is the busier Cecil Court around the corner), Goodwin’s Court had been on our list of places to check out for some time. 

There’s no point in pretending we’re not a massive Harry Potter fan – we write about it enough that we all know we are… not to mention huge history geeks. So of course we were going to seize the opportunity to see Goodwin’s Court IRL. 

It would be a mistake for you to think that the Harry Potter connection is the sum total of the appeal though: the neat terrace of houses are fronted by bulging wooden bays, the court itself still lit by gaslamp – it’s one of the city’s hidden gems. 

Goodwin’s Court first appears in the Survey of London in 1690 and it’s thought that the houses dotted along the court date back to that year (though some contest this saying they’re more likely to have been built in later years). 

Read Next: The Ultimate Self-Guided Harry Potter Walking Tour

Is Goodwin’s Court the Real Life Diagon Alley in Harry Potter?

That’s the million dollar question isn’t it? 

The sporadic presence of groups sporting capes and wizard’s hats in the alley suggests very much that many fans want it to be. 

The biggest clue is that in the books, Harry and Hagrid enter Diagon Alley via the Leaky Cauldron which is on Charing Cross Road and that is nearby… but then again, Cecil Court actually backs up onto Charing Cross Road. 

Who knows, though it is rumoured that it was touted as a filming location for the Harry Potter franchise but was rejected as it was too narrow for all the filming equipment to fit.

A Brief History of Goodwin’s Court 

The earliest mention of Goodwin’s Court is in 1690, around the point at which it evolved from Fisher’s Alley that had stood on the same spot previously. 

The houses on the south side of the Court are thought to date from this period, although their bulging rounded bays actually date back to the 18th century.

Tough as it is to believe now, Covent Garden was not the salubrious (read jaw-droppingly expensive) place it is today. Life for the early residents was tough and most inhabitants were traders and skilled craftsmen. 

Of them, none are notable save for the famous Nell Gwynn – actress and equally famously – the royal mistress to King Charles II. Gwynn was rumoured to have lived in Goodwin’s Court but there’s no definitive proof that this is true. 

Much of the Bedfordbury slum was razed to the ground during clearances in 1890 and the area was rebuilt in much grander style. Somehow Goodwin’s survived – explaining the distinct contrast with its surroundings. 

Still, Goodwin’s Court wasn’t in great shape and continued to deteriorate in the early 20th century, until the local authorities deemed it unfit for human habitation in the 1930s and moved its residents elsewhere. 

Though it had been saved of the slum clearances of prior years, it looked like Goodwin’s Court’s time was up – the houses on one side of the court were demolished with the rest scheduled to follow suit. 

Luckily, help came in the form of a Leslie Sympson who bought the court and restored many of the remaining houses. It became a business hub rather than a residential court – the most famous of which was literary agent Peggy Ramsay whose clients listed many literary stars of the 20th century including Alan Ayckborn, David Hare and JB Priestley. 

Practical Information + Map 

Address

Goodwin’s Court, Covent Garden, WC2N 4LL

Map

Looking for More Covent Garden Guides?

• The Covent Garden Area Guide
• The Best Things to do in Covent Garden
• Take a Look at Cecil Court, Covent Garden’s Other Contender for Diagon Alley
• Where to Eat in Covent Garden

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Holborn is one of the oldest parts of London and slap bang in the city centre. No wonder then that it’s a melting pot of cultural influences and is dripping with history. 

Did you know that Magna Carta was negotiated in a church in Holborn? 

The history still rings on to this day with a collection of the city’s, and the world’s, finest museums.

Spend a bit of time walking around and you’re likely to find plenty of things to do.

You’re also never shy of a good spot to eat. Being centrally located and a stone’s throw from the theatre district means that there are plenty of fancy restaurants… But there are also heaps of down-to-earth family-owned spots and cafes to boot. 

Let’s explore!

Things to do in Holborn

See the Unmissable Temple Church

When it comes to what to do near Holborn, you can’t do much better for that step-back-in-time escapism than Temple Church. It’s got history up to its eyeballs, or should we say spires? 

It was built by the Knights Templar in 1185, with the aim of being London’s Jerusalem, and has since been the site of some of history’s biggest moments. 

The Magna Carta was negotiated there, American law was basically born there, and it’s featured in Shakespeare’s plays. And survived for nearly a millennia. 

Today it’s still in use. You can gaze upon the near-thousand-year-old structure while you listen to choirs sing or priests deliver sermons. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. 

Take a Walk Down Sicilian Avenue 

You might have spotted that little cut-through linking Southampton Row and Bloomsbury Way. That’s Sicilian Avenue. 

It was designed by Robert Worley in 1906 and completed four years later and remains much the same as it was then. Apart from the shops, we’re guessing they have changed hands. 

You’ll find cafe’s sandwich places and an Italian restaurant or two. The latter must feel right at home…

Or not, no one knows much about Worley. For all we know he never even went to Italy. And on closer inspection, Sicilian Ave. doesn’t actually look all that Italian. 

It’s not a bad spot for lunch though. 

Wander Round Charles Dickens’ House

Yep, arguably Britain’s most famous writer lived in Holborn. His house is now a museum, kept much the way it was when he lived there. 

You can see the desk where he wrote some of his most famous works, as well as the reading stand he used to conduct his famous public readings. You can even see his commode, if you fancy it.

The stewards are clearly all massive Dickens fans and are happy to tell you anything you can’t glean from the placards.

Oh and they do some great Dickens-related tours and events.

Find out more here

Grab a Pint at one of the Oldest Pubs in Ye Olde Land

OK so pretty much every other pub in London claims to be the oldest around. The Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese might just be. 

A pub has stood on its location since 1538, and although it was burnt down and rebuilt after the Great Fire, the basement remains intact, and that dates back to the 1300s. So even if your local reckons it’s got a claim to the title, it’s probably got nothing on The Cheshire Cheese. 

The aforementioned Charles Dickens was one of its former regulars – it’s mentioned in A Tale of Two Cities – as were fellow authors GK Chesterton, Arthur Conan-Doyle, PG Wodehouse and Mark Twain.

And if you don’t really care about how old the effing pub is, the gloomy nooks and crannies and its long and literary history still make a very atmospheric spot for a drink. 

Go Shopping for Diamonds

How about getting your bling on? 

Hatton Gardens is one of the top destinations for diamond shopping in the world. They’ve got over 70 shops dedicated to a girl’s best friend. 

But sorry to disappoint, these ones might leave in the night. With such a valuable hoard of diamonds, Hatton Garden has been the site of some major diamond heists. 

You can hear all about one of them on this tour of the area

It also drops past a couple other spots on this list. 

Get Curious at Sir John Soane’s Museum 

Sir John Soane was an architect back in his day, and quite a renowned one at that. He lived just off Kingsway and filled his house with all sorts of interesting stuff. 

It’s been kept just as it was at the time of his death and turned into a museum that’s highly worth checking out. 

They’ve got thousands of architectural drawings, trinkets, models of famous buildings, excellent examples of classical sculpture, and paintings by Hogarth and Canaletto. 

That’s not all, the place is chokka with curiosities, but we’ll leave the rest up to your exploration. 

And we promise you won’t be disappointed – it’s easily one of the best museums in Holborn.

Check Out the Leafy Lincoln’s Inn Fields

Back in the day lawyers were banned from teaching civil law inside the City of London, and so the lawyers had to move out. 

And so, to accommodate the needs of hungry and sleepy law practitioners, there emerged four Inns of Court. Lincoln’s Inn, in Holborn, is one of these. 

It’s changed a lot since its construction in the 1600s, but what’s there now is rather pretty. Tasteful buildings aching with history surround a garden (or field) that’s quite a hidden gem. 

Apart from being a little oasis of peace in the heart of the city, the fields have some frankly enormous trees, including a cherry tree that you’ll want to see in blossom come spring. 

See More Famous Artefacts Than You Can Handle at The British Museum

How could we not include the British Museum. Not only does it belong on this list, but on every list of top things to do in London. You all know what’s there already. Just one of the finest collections of artefacts amassed in the world. 

The Rosetta Stone. Got it. Parthenon Marbles. Tick. The treasures from Sutton Hoo. Yep.

Whether or not you think it belongs there, you can’t deny that this is by far one of the best free things to do in Holborn.

See Moon Jars at the Han Collection

A street away from the British Museum is one of the best hidden gems in Holborn. Enter the Han Collection, a small gallery that specialises in Korean art. 

Our favourite things there: Moon jars, exquisitely beautiful ceramic works shaped to evoke the full moon. 

Those moony whites are often adorned with restrained flares of ink so tasteful it hurts. 

And apart from one or two in various museums, the Han Collection is likely the only other place you can see these magical things in London. 

The jars’ history stretches back 700 years but the Han Collection’s are more contemporary. 

Laugh out Loud at the Museum of Comedy

Yes, the Museum of Comedy, you read right. Opened on April Fool’s Day by Leicester Square Theatre director Martin Witts in 2014, the Museum of Comedy is located in the crypt of the Grade I listed St George’s Church.

This collection of all things comic combines historical artefacts with a cool, intimate performance space that plays home to a regular Monday Club.

Among the interesting pieces on display are portraits of some of Britain’s finest comedians, Bill Bailey’s famous guitar with six necks, the back door of Del-Boy’s Reliant Regent van from Only Fool’s & Horses, some of the original cast of Spitting Image puppet heads, and even Little Tich’s shoes.

Head here for the exhibition and stay for the Lols, with a well-stocked bar to help whet your whistle.

Browse Leather Lane Market

Leather Lane Market is one of London’s oldest, dating back more than 400 years. The lane itself was originally named in honour of the leather goods made in the area, and sold at the market, but today has become one of the city’s best street food markets. 

Spanning the entire length of Leather Lane, the market today doesn’t host a vast array of street food vendors, but continues to sell homeware, fruit and veg, arts, crafts, fashionware, accessories, and pretty much everything else you’d come to expect from a London market.

It is the food vendors that has us coming back over and over again, though, as it plays home to one of the biggest array of different cuisines in town. It’s open weekdays between 10am and 2pm making it the perfect spot for elevenses, lunch, or a very early afternoon snack.

Visit the Hunterian Museum

If you find the likes of Casualty and Holby City too much to handle, this may not be the museum for you. Yet, for those with strong constitutions, the Hunterian Museum is a fascinating collection of anatomical wonders and surgical equipment.

Started by John Hunter, an 18th-century surgeon, the Scottish government bought the collection in 1799 and has been added to over the following two centuries. Now held at the Royal College of Surgeons, the museum now covers more than 400 years of medicine, natural history, and surgery.

The collection of more than 3,500 items still contains many of Hunter’s original specimens and is a wonderful testament to one man’s passion for charting the course of medical and natural history.

If you have an interest in anatomy and the progress of surgery over the years, keep an eye out for one of their regular talks or workshops.

Eating & Drinking 

Noble Rot

As far as wine bars come you don’t get much better than Noble Rot. The owners are also behind the wine magazine of the same name and seriously know what they’re up to. 

That knowledge doesn’t just stick to the wine list. Their menu of French classics hits all the right notes too. 

The vibe is relaxed and unpretentious, or at least as unpretentious as can be for a wine bar doing French bistro dishes. 

Need somewhere to take a date after a day of trekking between museums? Here’s your place. 

ROKA Aldwych

This Japanese BBQ can be hard to get into with its large queues, but don’t let that put you off. ROKA makes for a highly-memorable dining experience. 

Straight away, smells of meat grilled robatayaki style hit you as you walk in. 

The next thing you’ll be confronted with is their incredibly sleek centrepiece bar and the way the chefs quietly work away behind it. 

The final big moment comes as that expertly-grilled bit of meat hits your palette, and you realise that all the trouble you had trying to get a table was well worth putting up with. 

Read Next: Best Restaurants in Holborn

All Star Lanes

Must-hit spot for dinner and a blast of a night all rolled into one, All Star Lanes is a big draw for the kind of occasions that call for lots of booze, food to line the stomach, and games to test your competitive edge. 

Grab a portion of Nashville Fried Chicken and some popcorn squid, a drink to wash it down and head to the bowling alleys. 

After you’ve whipped your opponents into shape – and had a few more drinks – you can get on the karaoke and show everyone why your true calling in life is as a Vegas showgirl. 

Hiba

Don’t let the down-to-earth Lebanese/Palestinian fare at Hiba fool you. It’s about as good as it gets. 

The restaurant’s name means ‘lovely surprise’ and it’s not far off what you get, coming here in the form of deliciously succulent kebabs. 

Our fave is the mixed shawarma. It’s made with prime lamb and chicken and drizzled with a helping of sesame sauce that’ll have you licking your fingers clean. 

The meze selection isn’t bad either. 

Kintan Japanese BBQ

If it’s a taste of the East you’re after, we thoroughly recommend Kintan Japanese BBQ on High Holborn.

This isn’t your average sushi joint, this is Japanese BBQ cooking at its absolute finest. Tables come with their own smokeless grills meaning that you can watch the food cooking in front of your eyes, while your nostrils fill with the gorgeous aromas of the softly cooking food.

Taking the old Japanese saying “people who share rice from the same pot will also share a lifelong friendship” Kintan’s speciality is their Yakiniku – literally translated as “grill meat”. Choose from one of their BBQ set courses for 2 or more people and come at the right time to take advantage of serious happy hour savings.

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