The Underground Map

The Underground Map is a project which is creating street histories for the areas of London and surrounding counties lying inside the M25.

In a series of maps from the 1750s until the 1950s, you can see how London grew from a city which only reached as far as Park Lane into the post war megapolis we know today. There are now over 85 000 articles on all variety of locations including roads, houses, schools, pubs and palaces.

You can begin exploring by choosing a place from the dropdown list at the top left and then clicking Reset Location.

As maps are displayed, click on the markers to view location articles.

You can also view historical maps of London - click on the "pile of paper" control on the top right of a page's map to change to a particular decade.

Latest on The Underground Map...

Plevna Street, E14

Plevna Street forms part of the St John’s Estate. Building lots on the new streets of Atworth Street, Galbraith Street, Launch Street, Castalia Street and Plevna Street were auctioned in 1881–2 by the British Land Company.

The brochure for the estate claimed that the estate was "within a few minutes ride of the city" - quite an exaggeration!

After Second World War bombing, the St John’s Estate - including a rebuilt Plevna Street - was built by Poplar Borough Council in the the triangle formed by Manchester Road, East Ferry Road and Glengall Grove.

»more

Britannia Street, WC1X Britannia Street, King’s Cross, dates from the 1770s featured on 7 Dec 2019
Woburn Mews, WC1H Woburn Mews ran parallel between Woburn Place and Upper Bedford Place to the west of Woburn Place featured on 6 Dec 2019
Manilla Street, E14 Manilla Street was originally Alfred Street, renamed in 1875 featured on 5 Dec 2019
Platt’s Lane, NW3 A farmhouse on the edge of the heath was enlarged by Thomas Platt before 1811 and who gave his name to the lane featured on 4 Dec 2019

Featured articles

DECEMBER

2019

Golders Green Road, NW11
Golders Green Road - known by many other names too during its history - lies along an ancient road from London to Hendon. In 1751 there were two inns at Golders Green: the Hoop (whose name was preserved in Hoop Lane) and the White Swan. In 1754, it was reported that there were about 16 houses with small gardens at Golders Green.

Half a century later, Golders Green contained ’many ornamental villas and cottages, surrounded with plantations’.

By 1828 detached houses had spread on both sides of the road as far as Brent Bridge. The green of Golders Green - a manorial waste both sides of Golders Green Road finally disappeared in 1874.

The villas in their wooded grounds - Alba Lodge, Golders Lodge, Gloucester Lodge, the Oaks, Grove House and Woodstock House - gave Golders Green its special character. They disappeared rapidly with the growth of suburban housing after the extension of the Underground.
»read full article

DECEMBER

2019

South Lambeth Place, SW8
South Lambeth Place links South Lambeth Road to Bondway. The road is older than the railway, following an above ground route at first. It was then simply the northern extension of South Lambeth Road which lead to Vauxhall Cross.

For most of its length, it runs through the viaduct bridge below Vauxhall Station. This alignment through the viaduct is due to the presence of the River Effra flowing beneath.

At the Bondway end stands the former Elephant and Castle pub (later a coffee shop). Dating from the mid-late 19th century, its upper floors are in stock brick. The decorative stucco work include elephant emblems and large elephant and castle statues decorate each of the parapets.

In the 2010s, the Vauxhall Street Food market was created underneath the arches.
»read full article

DECEMBER

2019

Woburn Place, WC1H
Woburn Place is situated on the Bedford estate, running north from the east of Russell Square to the east of Tavistock Square. It was laid out on the route of a track along the eastern boundary of the Bedford ducal estate. This was upgraded during the eighteenth century into a private road to improve the Duke’s access to the New Road (Euston Road).

It first appears as Wobourn Place, half-developed on Horwood’s map of 1819 and was named after Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, the principal seat of the Dukes of Bedford,

Its houses were intended for the wealthy and middle classes.
»read full article

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