Embankment to Waterloo walk

There’s a “secret” elevated walkway which connects Charing Cross station (and thus Trafalgar Square) to Waterloo. It’s secret only in the sense that few folk – even seasoned Londoners – know this convenient shortcut to the South Bank.

The walkway is part of a route from the National Gallery to the Royal Festival Hall which is designed not to cross any roads. Though to start such a route, you’d need to use the Trafalgar Square subways to get into into Charing Cross station.  And at the other end, while the Royal Festival Hall can indeed be reached without any crossed roads, Waterloo station requires navigation of both Belvedere Road and York Road via their pedestrian crossings.

Inside Charing Cross station, head to the far left of the platforms and follow the “Waterloo and South Bank” sign to the elevated walkway. It also helpfully states that Waterloo is 20 minutes away via this route. I found that to be the case!

The walkway runs along the side of Sir Terry Farrell’s Embankment Place, featuring postmodern architecture with unique shapes, colours and windows. As you follow the route, you are soon above Villiers Street. Next there is a view left over to Embankment Gardens which reminded me of this 1938 painting by Stella Bowen.

Embankment Gardens (1938) by Stella Bowen

The walkway exits the postmodern section just after Embankment station (which can be seen from above) , and it joins the eastern side of the Golden Jubilee Bridge. The Thames is now to your left and the Charing Cross’s platforms to your right.

On the South Bank side, down some steps and you can peel off for the Royal Festival Hall or the other delights of the area. For Waterloo station, carry on straight ahead, along Concert Hall Approach, bearing right into Sutton Place under the railway bridge, cross Belvedere Road and York Road and up the steps into the station.


Acton Town to Chiswick Park walk

With apologies to my subscribers, I realise that I didn’t create this tube walk template  page beforehand. It needs to be created but alas this means that it gets sent out (unneccessarily) to you automatically.

That being said, and with gimble in hand, this might be the walk.

Turn right out of the station and take Bollo Lane. This is a long old road full of nothing much. Cross the level crossing.

Antrobus Road is third left. Right into Cunnington Street. Some fine old street signs here. Pass rear side of Mosaic House.

Right into Fairlawn Grove and front of Mosaic House.

Ravenscroft Road, Acton Lane to Chiswick Park station.

Next: Regent Street (Oxford Circus to Piccadilly Circus)

 

Hounslow Central to Hounslow East walk

16:00 Tuesday. Action camera. Take gimble

From Hounslow Central station, turn south onto Lampton Road. Bulstrode Road is second right (28).

Back to Lampton Road, take Queen’s Road opposite. Right at T-Junction then left into Lansdowne Road.

Lansdowne Road is particularly noteworthy, with its charming Edwardian terraces that stand out amidst the sea of pebbledash.

The Blenheim Centre is directly ahead –  a colossal modern development that overshadows its surroundings. This complex boasts an extensive Asda superstore, a health and fitness centre, five retail units, a Post Office, 336 apartments, and a basement car park accommodating over 400 vehicles. Plans are underway for a second phase of development, which will introduce 38 shops, a ten-screen cinema, a restaurant, 150 apartments, and office space.

Walk around the Blenheim Centre – right and then left into Prince Regent Road. Nothing to see here. Asda is at the end. Turn left avoiding the car park entrance and emerge into Myrtle Road. Sad modern house with a turning circle at the end of the path here.

The terraced houses of Myrtle Road, lead to Kingsley Road and Hounslow East station.

Although the original station opened in 1909, replacing the nearby Hounslow Town station, the current station is a marvel of modern architecture. Its sloping green roof curves off a circular ticket hall with cream glass walls, and the interior features a stunning wooden roof that creates an impressive sense of space. After traversing the less-than-exciting suburbs of Hounslow, the Blenheim Centre comes as a surprise, but the beautiful Tube station that follows is a delightful double-whammy, suggesting that Hounslow is on an upward trajectory.

Next Boston Manor to Northfields

Canada Water to Bermondsey walk

Arrive Tuesday 12:30. This will be a gimble walk.

From the station take the curving Albatross Way which seems to be a path. Eventually, turn left into Swan Road.

Swan Road

Swan Road was originally known as Swan Lane and is one of the oldest roads in the area, likely dating back to the seventeenth century.

The Swan Road Estate, constructed between 1902 and 1903, was a housing development initiated by the London County Council. It aimed to provide new homes for individuals who were displaced due to the construction of the Rotherhithe Tunnel. In 1996, the estate underwent refurbishment by Robinson, Kenning Gallagher, under the supervision of the London Docklands Development Corporation. Today, alongside the refurbished properties, there are also newly built flats within the estate.

A notable feature in the area is a mural installed in 1992 by David John. Executed in Vitreous Glass Mosaic, the mural depicts swans against the backdrop of the Rotherhithe riverfront.

Ignore Albion Street and take the second left after that.

Kenning Street

The Swan Road Mosaic is actually best seen from Kenning Street. The mosaic is 3.35 metres by 9.60 metres and is made from vitreous glass by the artist David John in 1992.

Kenning’s Buildings is noted for the first time in a journal dated 8 January 1804. There was also a stone yard dating from 1868. The address was renamed Kenning Street in 1880.

Adjacent is the Swan Road Estate, a housing development that was constructed by the London County Council between 1902 and 1903. The primary purpose of this estate was to provide new housing for individuals who were required to relocate due to the construction of the Rotherhithe Tunnel.

Railway Avenue

Turn right into Railway Avenue. Here is the The Brunel Museum – a museum at the Brunel Engine House in Rotherhithe.

The Engine House itself was designed by Sir Marc Isambard Brunel as part of the infrastructure of the Thames Tunnel. It contained steam-powered pumps used to extract water from the tunnel.

The Thames Tunnel was completed in 1843, it was a convenient pedestrian thoroughfare for working people, but also gained a murky reputation for criminality and vice.

In 1865, the East London Railway Company bought the tunnel to link passengers and goods between Liverpool Street and the South London Line.

Today, those taking the overground train from Wapping to Rotherhithe are actually passing through the tunnel.

Since 1961 the building has been used as a museum displaying information on the construction of the tunnel as well as other projects by Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Rotherhithe Street

Rotherhithe Street begins as a narrow pedestrian backstreet on the Thames’ southern bank, just north of the Rotherhithe tunnel. It is the longest street in London. Turn left into it.

Tunnel Road marks where the Rotherhithe Tunnel runs underneath.

Next up is the Mayflower pub, situated at the very spot where its namesake ship embarked on its historic voyage 400 years ago. Established in 1550, it proudly proclaims itself as the oldest pub constructed along the banks of the River Thames.

Legend has it that this venerable establishment was constructed atop the decaying remains of the Mayflower, left to perish in the muddy banks. Stepping inside, visitors are greeted by the presence of dark timber beams and low ceilings, evoking a nostalgic ambiance of days long gone.

In 1780, the pub underwent reconstruction, taking on the new name of the Spread Eagle and Crown, before finally being christened The Mayflower in 1957.

An intriguing tradition awaits patrons who can trace their lineage directly back to the Pilgrim fathers. Such esteemed individuals are warmly invited to inscribe their names in the esteemed ‘Descendants Book.’ Furthermore, the Mayflower’s deep ties to the United States are so pronounced that it holds the distinction of being the sole pub in the UK authorized to sell American postage stamps.

St. Mary’s is an 18th-century church with a unique feature. While the four pillars supporting the roof appear to be made of stone, they are actually crafted from the wooden masts of old ships, cleverly disguised with a layer of plaster.

Notably, St Mary’s serves as the final resting place of Christopher Jones, the esteemed captain of the Mayflower Ship. It was under his command that the Pilgrim Fathers embarked on their momentous journey from Rotherhithe to the New World in the autumn of 1620.

Adjacent to the church stands the historic ‘Charity School.’ Founded in 1612 by Master Mariner Peter Hills and the seafarer Robert Bell, its initial purpose was to provide education to the eight sons of sailors from the parish. Thanks to generous donations, the school underwent expansion, and by 1836, it accommodated 150 boys. As part of the school’s charitable status, all students received clothing and were taught about the Christian faith.

The old building was Grade-II listed in 1949 and has since been converted into offices but it still bears the same distinctive doorbell from its school days, as well as a carved plaque reminding passers-by of its origins.

Two stone statues of Charity School children wearing their bluecoats still guard the entrance to the building. And of course further along the Rotherhithe Peninsular is a modern day primary school called Peter Hills.

King’s Stairs Gardens

King’s Stairs Gardens is a riverside park. In July 1947 the London County Council (LCC) declared Bermondsey a Reconstruction Area, and as part of wholesale post-war regeneration approved the idea of extending Southwark Park to the river. The idea of a link to the river pre-dated the Second World War by a few years, but the post-war need to reconstruct gave this aim more resonance.

In 1960 the LCC approved a design for the King’s Stairs riverside walk, which was opened in November 1962. In January 1963 the LCC approved the name King’s Stairs Gardens.

In 1964 the LCC agreed a grassed area to the south of The Angel public house. Again the implementation seems to have been delayed due to financial constraints, and it was not until 1968 that the Greater London Council (the successor body to the LCC) reappraised the site, and agreed to three green space additions. These were finally completed by 1982, and it is in that form that King’s Stairs Gardens still exists today.

Fulford Street

Fulford Street has a somewhat unexpected view of Tower Bridge.

The history of The Angel in Rotherhithe dates back several centuries. In the 15th century, an inn known as The Salutation was operated by monks from Bermondsey Priory in the vicinity of the current site. The inn served as a rest house for travelers.

By 1682, The Angel had relocated to a position diagonally opposite its present location. During this time, it gained fame and was referred to as “the famous Angel” by Samuel Pepys, the renowned diarist of that era. The former Redriffe stairs, which provided access to the river, were situated west of The Angel.

As the 19th century approached, The Angel marked the beginning of a continuous stretch of buildings along the riverfront, extending eastward. However, there were occasional breaks in the building frontage, which allowed for access to the river via stairs.

The remains of the so-called King Edward III manor house are nearby.

Bermondsey Wall East

Along Bermondsey Wall East, the set of four statues depicts Dr Alfred and Ada Salter, their daughter Joyce and their cat. Collectively they are known intriguingly as ‘Dr Salter’s Daydream’. The Salter family moved into the heart of Bermondsey, Jamaica Road and set up a surgery for the local poor. Alfred incurred the wrath of his medical peers for charging as little as sixpence for a consultation and giving them free to those who couldn’t afford it.

In 1902 the couple had a daughter, Joyce, and the new parents made the decision to educate her locally, showing yet more commitment to Bermondsey. Aged only eight, Joyce tragically contracted Scarlet Fever, common in poverty stricken areas, and died soon after.

The set of sculptures, by Diane Gorvin and originally not including the statue of Ada, was unveiled at Cherry Garden Pier in 1991 and moved to its current location on Bermondsey Wall East in 2003.

Cherry Garden Pier

Walk as far as Cherry Garden Pier. The Cherry Garden opened in 1664 on the river bank. As well as a beer or coffee house, there was a cherry orchard. Samuel Pepys mentioned it in his diary for 13 June 1664 with the words “… down to Greenwich and there saw the King’s Works … and so to the Cherry Garden and so carried some cherries home;”.

The Cherry Garden was closed in 1708. It was situated on land now covered by the street bearing its name. That street runs south from the street called Bermondsey Wall. Cherry Garden Stairs are shown on early maps. Cherry Garden Pier was probably not built until about 1850. Cherry Garden Pier is now a private pier with no public access.

The Cherry Garden ceased its operations in 1708. The land it occupied is now occupied by the street that carries its name. This street stretches southward from Bermondsey Wall. Early maps also depict the presence of Cherry Garden Stairs, serving as a point of access to the area. While Cherry Garden Pier likely came into existence around 1850, it has since transitioned into a private pier, inaccessible to the general public.

Cherry Garden Street

Walk down Cherry Garden Street to Jamaica Road. Turn right and walk to Bermondsey station.

Next up (13:30 Tuesday): Bermondsey to London Bridge

Wood Lane to Latimer Road walk

Wood Lane station most recently opened in 2008 after spending the previous century opening then closing then reopening and closing, all while changing its name constantly.

The station reopened on the Hammersmith and City line in 2008 to coincide with the arrival of the massive Westfield Shopping Centre.

This has transformed an area of brickfields and farms (nineteenth century) and industry (twentieth century). But hidden away behind the bus station, the Grade II-listed Dimco buildings remain. These red brick structures, originally built in 1898-9 to power the Central London Railway, have become a defining feature of the neighbourhood. Though they fell into disrepair over time, their protected status saved them from being torn down, leading to the shopping centre being built around them instead. Movie buffs might even recognise them as the setting for the Acme Factory scenes in the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”

Walking into Westfield here we can emerge on the other side into Ariel Way – a walkway with new builds around it. A straight route takes us above a former motorway – the M41.

The innermost ring of the 1960s-planned London Box project was Ringway 1. It was to be an elevated motorway that would run through the inner city, soaring above the rooftops on massive concrete pillars. This “motorway in the sky” would provide a quick and easy route for traffic passing through London, while also serving as a distributor for traffic heading to and from the centre.

The Westway from Marylebone Road to East Acton had a spur – called the M41 – from it to the Holland Park Roundabout at Shepherd’s Bush. It was finished as the 1970s dawned. The M41 was to be extended south from Shepherd’s Bush as the West Cross Route, laying waste to Chelsea and Battersea.

As opposition grew to the demolitions and the road noise, the political winds began to shift. The GLC, once a staunch supporter of the Ringways, began to waver in its commitment to the project.  In 1973, the GLC made the momentous decision to cancel the Ringways project. Leaving just some roads around the Blackwall Tunnel, the Westway and this section here – the only part of the West Cross Route to be built.

Crossing this road – nearly invisibly as it passes underneath – we enter a completely different environment, the newbuilds of Hunt Close.

I took a quick detour using Mortimer Square, St Ann’s Road and Willow Way just so that I could pass the Embassy Cafe.

On Freston Road stands the People’s Hall, a one-time cultural hub for the self-style independent Republic of Frestonia but built well before.

Bramley Road takes us to Latimer Road station which is now some distance from Latimer Road itself. I visited the adjacent Pig and Whistle for a pint just here. You don’t have to.

 

 

Watford Junction to Watford High Street walk

Watford Junction Bakerloo Line Watford High Street

Not sure if I’ll ever do this walk, but if I did, the route would follow this train

Earl’s Court to Gloucester Road walk

Earl’s Court has undergone a remarkable transformation over the centuries. Once a rural area characterised by green fields and market gardens, it was part of the ancient manor of Kensington under the lordship of the Vere family – the Earls of Oxford – for over 500 years. The Vere family were descendants of Aubrey de Vere, who held the manor of Geoffrey de Montbray, bishop of Coutances, as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The earls held their manorial court at the site now known as Old Manor Yard, adjacent to the present-day Earl’s Court Underground station.

The construction of the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) station between 1865 and 1869 marked a turning point in the development of Earl’s Court. On 12 April 1869, the MDR (now the District Line) extended its tracks through Earl’s Court, connecting its station at Gloucester Road to West Brompton, where it established an interchange with the West London Extension Joint Railway. Earl’s Court station itself opened in 1871.

In the following 25 years, Earl’s Court underwent a dramatic transformation, evolving into a densely populated suburb with 1200 houses and two churches. The development of the area progressed rapidly, with the construction of Eardley Crescent and Kempsford Gardens between 1867 and 1873, followed by the commencement of building in Earl’s Court Square and Longridge Road in 1873. Nevern Place was developed in 1874, Trebovir Road and Philbeach Gardens in 1876, and Nevern Square in 1880.

After the Second World War, Earl’s Court became a popular destination for Polish immigrants, earning Earl’s Court Road the nickname “The Danzig Corridor.” In the late 1960s, the area became a hub for Australian and New Zealand travellers, gaining the moniker “Kangaroo Valley.” At the time, it was one of the most affordable areas in close proximity to central London. Until the 1990s, Earl’s Court remained a relatively less affluent district compared to its more upscale neighbours to the north and west.

In recent years, the demographics of Earl’s Court have shifted, with many of the Australian and New Zealand residents moving to more affordable areas further north and west. This change can be attributed to the rapid increase in property prices during the early 2000s and the ongoing gentrification of the area. Although there is still a significant presence of students and individuals on temporary visas, the economic divide between the eastern and western parts of Earl’s Court illustrates the extent of the transformation the area has undergone.

Outside Earl’s Court station, there’s a “tardis”.

In the mid-1990s, PC John Hodges, a former beat constable, proposed the idea of installing a vandal-proof box resembling an old police box. After securing permission from the Home Office, an experimental police box was installed in April 1996 in Earl’s Court, London.

The new police box, designed to the original Trench model, featured a CCTV camera on top to monitor the area and a direct telephone line to the nearby Kensington police station for public use. The £11,000 cost of the project was primarily covered by local businesses, with many of them contributing components such as the camera and doorknobs.

The police box was assembled by London Underground at their nearby depot and placed outside the Earl’s Court tube station entrance. Despite initial optimism about its potential usefulness, the police box was decommissioned in April 2000. However, in 2005, the Metropolitan Police agreed to take responsibility for its refurbishment and maintenance.

Presently, the Earl’s Court police box serves mainly as a tourist attraction for Doctor Who fans, but it continues to fulfil its original purpose of monitoring the area through the restored CCTV camera on its roof.

Barkstone Gardens

We encounter a series of long roads adorned with elegant five-storey Victorian terraces, showcasing the charm and character of the era.

Courtfield Gardens

Turn right into Courtfields Gardens and then we’ll walk along the south side. Past the Collingham Road junction, we come across St Jude’s Church, invisible due to the foliage from here.

This church occupies an entire block and was built on the northern part of the estate here owned by Captain Robert Gunter. St Jude’s was the result of an 1867 collaboration between architects George Godwin and Henry Godwin.

The project was financially backed by John Derby Allcroft, a prosperous glove manufacturer. The spire was added later in 1879.

The building is now occupied by St Mellitus College, which offers ordination and theology courses.

Blue Plaque-wise Howard Cater lived at 9 Collingham Gardens, one block south of here.

One block south of here is the parallel Harrington Gardens and I’ll take the briefest of architectural detours.

Harrington Gardens

Part of Harrington Gardens occupies a unique position in the history of London’s residential architecture. It is one of two local developments, situated amongst unremarkable middle-class housing. It represents the pinnacle of late-Victorian architectural individualism, built between 1880 and 1888.

The architectural firm of Ernest George and Peto designed distinctive dwellings. The firm was renowned for developing an innovative and elaborate domestic architectural style that incorporated elements from northern Europe and the Queen Anne style.

One of these is the impressive residence of the lyricist WS Gilbert, located at 39 Harrington Gardens.

Courtfield Road

However, we return to where we were before that detour.

We’ll continue to the quite beautiful Gloucester Road station but I’ll save the story of that station for the next walk east along the line.

Next: Gloucester Road to South Kensington

 

 

Elephant & Castle to Lambeth North walk

We exit the Bakerloo line station and navigate to Newington Butts – the road running south from the Elephant & Castle junction. It’s all a bit traffic-filled and not so pleasant. Past the Metropolitan Tabernacle and into St Mary’s Churchyard. And breathe!

Navigate due west across the churchyard until we reach Churchyard Row. Admire the tall building and then  turn right to reach Brook Drive.

From the corner of Dante Road, the Osborne Water Tower can be seen. This tower was built in 1867 and once supplied water to the Lambeth Workhouse. This workhouse used to house 800 destitute families. A seven-year-old Charlie Chaplin lived there with his mother. In 2012, it was converted into a home and featured on the TV programme ‘Grand Designs.

On the corner of Brook Drive and Hayles Street, Dexy Midnight Runners filmed their ‘Come On Eileen’ video in 1982. Shops on the corner of Hayles Street and Dante Road, featured in the video have both disappeared since.

Walk along Brook Drive until Austral Street (which was once called South Street) and turn right, reaching West Square. Here there was once a huge telegraph tower which is long gone.

Exit the square via Geraldine Street, around its corner and into the park which contains the Imperial War Museum.

Cross the park and exit onto Lambeth Road (beside the World Garden). Left up to the traffic lights. Cross the road up to Kennington Road which leads to Lambeth North station.

 

THE LAMBETH NORTH MUG

Lambeth North is the area surrounding the Imperial War Museum.

Since the 19th century North Lambeth has been one of the names to describe the area around Waterloo station and the shopping district around Lower Marsh market, which was the heart of the original Lambeth village. This area contains many business premises and nationally important locations such as St Thomas’ Hospital, the London Eye, the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Festival Hall, County Hall, Lambeth Palace, and the Imperial War Museum.

Lambeth North tube station serves the area. Designed by Leslie Green, the station was opened by the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway on 10 March 1906, with the name Kennington Road. It served as the temporary southern terminus of the line until 5 August 1906, when Elephant & Castle station was opened. The station’s name was changed to Westminster Bridge Road in July 1906 and it was again renamed, to Lambeth North, in April 1917.

Nobody has to go to war over the beautiful Lambeth North 11oz ceramic mug. Glossy white finish. Dishwasher and microwave safe. Click on the image to be taken to the Shopify page

 

THE ELEPHANT AND CASTLE MUG

Elephant and Castle is one of five London tube stations named after a pub.

One thing Elephant and Castle is not named after is ‘La Infanta de Castilla’, seemingly referring to a series of Spanish princesses such as Eleanor of Castile and María, the daughter of Philip III of Spain. However, Eleanor of Castile was not an infanta – the term only appeared in English about 1600. María has a strong British connection because she was once controversially engaged to Charles I, but she had no connection with Castile. Infanta de Castilla therefore seems to be a conflation of two Iberian royals separated by 300 years.

Regardless, the pub of that name gave its name to the station, and in turn the station to the nearby area.

Elephant & Castle tube station is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line between Kennington and Borough, and is the southern terminus of the Bakerloo Line.

It’s large yet not elephant-sized. The Elephant & Castle ceramic mug weighs 11 ounces. Glossy white finish. Dishwasher and microwave safe. Click on the image to be taken to the Shopify page

Tower Hill to Aldgate East walk

From Tower Hill station, we follow the signs for Tower Gateway station which takes us past part of a surviving section of the London Wall.

The London Wall was first built by the Romans around 200 AD. While a few sections remain to this day, a particularly impressive part can be found on the short walk between Tower Hill Underground station and Tower Gateway DLR station.

The eastern section of this wall began in what became the Tower of London and reached this point. What we see here goes back nearly 2000 years

Just beyond the wall, the walkway beyond – called Trinity Place – is a little underwhelming and a lot more modern. The Greater London Council created the walk and the open space to its south as part of the road widening scheme at Tower Hill in 1975.

About halfway along Trinity Place is a small entrance on the left. This was the site of one of the pioneering roads of the capital – “Circus”. This is not a misprint because I’ve neglected the first part. It was simply called Circus for the notable fact that this was the first road of this name in London. Circus was a Roman concept but it had never been applied as a street name before. The hundreds of roads that followed in its stead took their names from this – Piccadilly Circus, Cambridge Circus and many more lowly circular streets throughout the UK.

Circus was constructed from 1768 to 1774 under the architectural guidance of George Dance the Younger.

During the late 18th century, London experienced economic prosperity, partly fueled by the flourishing trade with the Americas. This period of growth created a need for high-quality housing catering to the newly affluent merchant class.

Sir Benjamin Hammett, a city alderman and property developer, secured the lease for the land hereabouts and enlisted the services of architect George Dance. His aim was to create a speculative residential development that would attract merchants to establish their residences in the City, strategically located near the bustling docks.

Not only was Circus built, but a road just to its north which he called simply “Crescent”, was also finished by 1774.

Crescent was the first planned crescent in London and introduced the concept of curved street frontages. Crescent was originally eleven identical houses.

North of Crescent was “America Square”. Thus was a square linked to a crescent and linked to a circus. Vaingloriously-named, if short, Hammett Street connected the development to the outside world at Minories.

Two years after all of these were complete, the United States gained its independence.

George Dance was likely influenced by John Wood’s work in Bath but the success of Circus and Crescent set a precedent, and other architects, including John Nash, followed suit by connecting circuses, crescents and squares in a similar fashion in the West End.

A decade later, Dance replicated this concept with Finsbury Circus and Finsbury Square.

In 1841, Fenchurch Street – the City of London’s first railway station – opened, leading to the construction of a railway viaduct that cut across the area between America Square and Crescent.

In 1884, the Metropolitan District Railway further altered the landscape by slicing diagonally through the southern half of The Crescent, resulting in the loss of five out of the eleven houses.

During the Second World War, America Square suffered extensive damage, resulting in the complete loss of its original houses. Nathan Meyer Rothschild had lived at No. 14 in the 19th century but a bomb in 1941 put paid to Rothschild’s house. Today, America Square is occupied by offices, restaurants and a gym.

Crescent lost four out of its remaining six houses, and in Circus, only one house remained intact. Post-war, the surviving house continued to be used for commercial purposes.

In 1962, the Tower Hill Improvement Trust acquired the local leases, which were later sold to the Greater London Council in 1975.

The GLC decided to demolish Circus and transformed the land into open space as part of the Tower Hill road widening scheme. Crescent, America Square and Hammett Street survived the final work of the bulldozer.

Nowadays, few know of these roads and their pioneering role in London nomenclature.

Turn left on Trinity Place here past the former site of Circus into Crescent. Hammett Street then takes us to Minories. Turn right at Tower Gateway DLR station.

After local demolitions and road realignments, a part of Royal Mint Street was renamed Shorter Street during the twentieth century. It ran up to the Royal Mint and had a number of courtyards and alleyways running off of it. The site of the modern car park was a railway depot.

Next up is Royal Mint Street itself. Very originally this was Hog Lane (or Hoggestrete) but, in time, Rosemary Lane. This was the continuation of what is now Cable Street, running from the junction with Dock Street and Leman Street towards the Tower of London. After the Royal Mint became located here, Rosemary Lane was renamed Royal Mint Street (in 1850). In the Rosemary Lane era there was a street market – primarily for second-hand trade.

At the Dock Street junction, turn left under the bridge into Leman Street.

Leman Street was formally named after Sir John Leman but it was already ‘Leman Street’ and pronounced like ’lemon’ locally. ’Leman’ was an old term for a mistress or lover.

The street was once officially called Red Lion Street. In 1831 the Garrick Theatre was here but was demolished in 1891 and a police station rebuilt on the site.

There was a strong local German community which supported a ’Christian Home for German Artisans’ (later a German YMCA) and also a private German hotel.

The Eastern Dispensary was set up in Great Alie Street in 1782 by a group of doctors. This moved to new premises in Leman Street in 1858 but closed its doors finally in 1940.

In 1887 the Co-operative Wholesale Society opened the headquarters of its London operations on the corner of Leman Street and Hooper Street. This was a seven-storey structure in brick, granite and Portland stone incorporating a sugar warehouse and a prominent clock tower.

All the way up Leman Street, to the Whitechapel Road junction, we reach Aldgate East station.

Ealing Common to Acton Town walk

Ealing Common station features the first Nando’s branch in the UK. There is still a bomb shelter at Ealing Common station.

Optionally we cross the main road to Fordhook Avenue where Ada Lovelace lived. Her house is no more, alas. But then we return to the station and take Leopold Road beside the common itself.

On Ealing Common itself, the Bollo Brook apparently rises somewhere near to the tube station. There are bunkers under the Common and some are under the Leopold Road end.

From Leopold Road, walk along Tring Avenue

The area between Acton Town and Ealing Common is called the Rothschild Estate (more recently, Rothschild Residential Area) and it was formed from the orchards of the Rothschild Estate. Roads were named in conjunction of the Rothschild family who owned the area and Gunnersbury Park. Tring Avenue was named after Tring Park Mansion in Hertfordshire, the main family home. Leopold, Lillian, Gunnersbury, Evelyn (either linked to Leopold or daughter of Edgar Curtiss who developed the estate). Stuart Avenue was named after Curtiss’ son.

Once over the bridge, take Carbery Avenue.

There is a Buddhist temple at 55 Carbery Avenue called Three Wheels. You can visit by appointment. It’s quite serene, especially in the garden.

We finally Acton Town station via Gunnersbury Crescent.