St Mary-at-Lambeth Church and Tower

Standing beside Lambeth Palace is all that remains of St Mary-at-Lambeth church. Or, more correctly, its tower.

There has been a church on this site since before 1086, while Lambeth Palace opened in 1435.

In 1851 the church was demolished, with the exception of the tower, and rebuilt, so that more seats could be added. This Middle Ages inspired building remained in use until 1972. 

At the base of the tower, is an immersion font. Archbishop of Canterbury Edward Benson (1883-1896) appointed his close friend John Reeve as the Rector of St Mary's, in 1894. Reeve commissioned this font in Benson's memory. It is one of only two known examples of an immersion font to be found in an Anglican church.

The tower is still accessible to visitors who, for a small fee, can climb the 131 steps to the roof of the tower.

'Whale on the Wharf (Skyscraper)' by Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang

Canary Wharf is home to over 100 pieces of public art, spread across the site from Westferry, in the west, to Wood Wharf in the east. 

Some of these works were purchased, while others were commissioned or are on loan to the Canary Wharf Group.

The latest piece to join this collection is 'Whale on the Wharf (Skyscraper)'. It was designed by Jason Klominski and Lesley Chang, from the architecture and design firm StudioKCA, with the aid of the Hawaii Wildlife Fund.

Standing at 11m (36ft), or four storeys tall, and weighing 5 tonnes, this permanent artwork shows the whale breaking the surface of the water, arching its back as if it is going to crash down on the footpath beside Wood Wharf.

The piece is made from plastic, washed up on Hawaiian beaches, in an effort to highlight the problem of plastic in our seas and oceans. The sculpture is not just made from recycled plastic, but sustainable elements, too. Its base is unique, being a first-of-its-kind low-carbon concrete underwater base, made from coffee grounds from local bars and cafes.

The Canary Wharf Group has, since 2009, sent zero waste to landfill from its managed areas. This sculpture has been placed to show their commitment to reducing waste. Even the installation process, of the sculpture, was carefully considered to minimise its carbon footprint.

To see more photographs of some of the public art on display, across Canary Wharf,

click on the link below.

Gallery

Canary Wharf Art Map: Download

Walking with Keilyn: West India Docks to East India Docks... and beyond

Sunday April 13, 2025.

Another Sunday and another Walk with Keilyn.

We began our day with a walk to Watford Metropolitan station, with food, snacks and drinks all packed in my rucksack. We boarded the train and headed off towards London. We switched to a Jubilee line train, at Finchley Road, and continued our journey to Canary Wharf.

On exiting Canary Wharf station we began our walk by heading through Jubilee Park, checking out some of the Canary Wharf Public Art, and Easter Eggs, on our way to Wood Wharf.

Approaching Wood Wharf we could easily spot 'Whale on the Wharf (Skyscraper)', the latest piece to join the Canary Wharf Public Art trail. Standing at four-storeys, and made of 5 tonnes of recycled plastic, the whale towered over the crowds that come to see it. 

From here we continued eastward, along Branran Street and onto Lovegrove Walk, before we joined Preston's Road. From here we walked along Coldharbour, passing 'The Gun' public house and then Nelson House, before rejoining Preston's Road.

We then walked around, the now sealed, Blackwall Basin Entrance Lock, before rejoining the Thames Path North East Extension.

A compass, in the ground, was bisected by the Prime Meridian Line, so Keilyn could stand on both east and west of the line. 

We then continued along the path until we reached Virginia Quay and the Virginia Quay Settlers Monument.

With time getting on we stopped to eat our lunch, at East India Quay, enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the River Thames and the view across to the MillenniuM Dome.

Camley Street Natural Park, St Pancras

Having walked the length of the Regent's Canal and having visited Gasholders Park and Coal Drops Yard, on numerous occasions, I had seen Camley Street Natural Park from the canal towpath, but had never explored it. This had to be rectified.

So, it was while out walking with Keilyn that we decided to go for an exploratory of the park, to see what was there. Crossing the Regent's Canal, via the Somers Town Bridge, we headed through the giant iron gates and into the covered seating area of the park.

Walking around the cafe and learning centre we made our way to the entrance of the reserve and began our exploration.

The path was compacted and strong and bordered by low, wooden borders that separated the footpath from the wild meadows and ponds. Information boards, spread sporadically around the site, showed the fauna and flora that could be spotted throughout the year. Unfortunately, our visit took place at the beginning of March, so much of the wildlife was absent, giving the place a truly tranquil feel.

The path soon joined wooden walkways, which allowed water to flow beneath them from the interconnecting ponds and the Regent's Canal.

Seating area, either on the banks of the Regent's Canal or in small clearings gave ample space to sit and take in the peace.

We explored the ponds, seeing only coots, mallards and moorhens, while blackbirds, great tits, long-tailed tits, magpies, pigeons and robins flew between the trees.

The sound of skittering, through fallen leaves, could have been wood mice or other small rodents, but there was nothing that we could see.

Logs, piled up in various locations, and bug hotels seemed quiet, with their inhabitants buried in the soil or deep inside the rotting wood.

The ponds, with their crystal clear waters, seemed devoid of life, too.

Various ferns, planted in a stumpery, were still growing, while many other plants were yet to bloom.

Once we had seen everything that we could we made our way out of the park, promising to come back later in the year to see what wildlife may have taken up residence.

Paddington Bear

Paddington Bear statue at Paddington station.

This statue of Paddington Bear, at Paddington station, is a bronze sculpture by Marcus Cornish. Considering Paddington Bear has been around since 1958 the statue wasn't erected until 2000.

The origins of London's most famous 'fictional' bear, Paddington, began in 1958, when Michael Bond wrote 'A Bear Called Paddington'. He had been shopping and seen a lone teddy bear, in a London shop, "looking forlorn", and based Paddington on him. It took Michael Bond just 10 days to write the first story.

Michael Bond remembered watching newsreels of children being evacuated, during World War II, who had labels around their necks, carrying bags containing their possessions, which gave him the inspiration for the style.

Paddington Bear plaque at Paddington station.

The first story, 'A Bear Called Paddington', sees the Brown family arriving at Paddington station and discovering the bear, sitting on his suitcase with a note attached to his coat that read , 'Please look after this bear. Thank you'. The Browns are unable to pronounce the bear's name in its bear language, so, they call him Paddington, as that is where they found him.

Originally, Paddington was to have "travelled from darkest Africa", but, as his agent pointed out, there are no bears in Africa, so he changed it to "darkest Peru", where the spectacled bear comes from. It is Paddington's Aunt Lucy who sends Paddington to London, as a stowaway, after his uncle Pastuzo has moved to a Home for Retired Bears, in Lima. Paddington tells them, "I came in a lifeboat and ate marmalade. Bears like marmalade."

32 Windsor Gardens, from 'Paddington' (2014).

So, the Brown family, that includes the parents, Henry and Mary, and their children, Jonathan and Judy, take Paddington home to 32 Windsor Gardens.

Paddington was always polite, addressing everyone with their title, but hardly ever using their first name. He also had a capacity to innocently get himself into trouble, while trying so hard to do things right.

However, those who incurred his disapproval would be met with one of his special 'hard stares'.