Walking with friends: Waterloo to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens... and beyond

Wednesday August 27, 2025.

Having arrived back from our family holiday, in Lanzarote, on Monday, I was itching to get back to walking London's streets and discover new places.

Fortunately, I still had some time off, before I return to work next month.

My friend and colleague, Steve, also had this week off from work, so we met at Watford underground station and set off for London. Our Metropolitan line train took us to Finchley Road, where we switched to a Jubilee line train to take us to Waterloo, where our walk would begin.

As the weather forecast said rain was due in the afternoon, we both had light coats with us 

Exiting Waterloo station, we crossed Waterloo Road and made our way to the Waterloo Bus Garage, where we would have breakfast at the Bus Cafe. Now, Waterloo Bus Garage is a significant place as it became the first fully electric bus depot, in Europe, in 2016.

On entering the Bus Cafe we grabbed an available table, before I ordered two Full English breakfasts, with coffee. We didn't have to wait too long before it was served to us. As we ate the rain, that was promised for the afternoon, suddenly released a deluge. 

After we had finished we got speaking with a man at a neighbouring table. It turns out he had just flown in from Canada and, on hearing about the Bus Cafe, had entered to try his first ever Full English breakfast. A mum and daughter, at another table, were also here on their first visit. The rest of the cafe was full of bus drivers on their breaks or preparing to start their shifts.

We left the Bus Cafe and headed down Waterloo Road towards the London Ambulance Service Headquarters, where we looked at the three ambulances preserved on the forecourt, taking photos and reading about the history of the London Ambulance Service.

From here we headed down Pearman Street, crossed Westminster Bridge Road and continued down King Edward Walk, crossed Lambeth Road and cut through Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park to reach Kennington Road.

We followed Kennington Road until we turned down Chester Way, then Kennington Lane where we turned down White Hart Street. It was here, on the Kennings Estate that we discovered some ARP stretchers being used as railings. Eventually we found ourselves on Kennington Park Road.

From here we rejoined Kennington Road and made our way to 'The Dog House', as we had heard great things about it. Plus, we were getting thirsty. Unfortunately, the pub was late in opening, so we entered 'The Tommyfield', which stands opposite.

We ordered our drinks and grabbed a table, from where we checked out the pub. It turns out that this pub has comedy nights, where various comedy figures have played.

Suitably hydrated we crossed Kennington Lane and entered 'The Dog House'. And what a delight it was. We had entered into what, at one time had been the 'public' bar, where a glass cabinet held taxidermied birds, while teapots hung from the ceiling. A short corridor, covered in small movie posters promoting various horror and science fiction films.

Entering the 'Saloon' bar we discovered more taxidermied animals, while empty bird cages hung from the ceiling. The walls were adorned with random photos, prints, African tribal masks and so much more. A small snug had oriental parasols hanging above it. It is an eclectic place. After looking around as much as we could and having spoken with the landlord, about the building, we took our drinks outside to the beer garden and relaxed.

On leaving 'The Dog House' we passed the house where Charlie Chaplin had lived, from 1889-1978, before crossing Kennington Road and heading down Black Prince Road. We passed 'The Black Prince' pub and Venn Park, before reaching Tyers Street, where we stopped for a drink at 'The Jolly Gardeners'. 

Now, I have been here before and this pub houses a piano that was, supposedly, played by Charlie Chaplin Senior. It is stood in the corner of the pub, in a sorry looking state. There is no plaque or information that states its history, but it is still an intriguing piece to look at. After looking at the piano we sat in the open-air garden and sipped our drinks.

On leaving the pub we continued along Black Prince Road, where I pointed out 'The Queen's Head' pub, which is now a bistro. At one time, in its past, this pub was frequented by Charlie Chaplin as it was run by his Uncle. It was here that he drew inspiration for his "Tramp" character, after noticing a patron, Archibald Binks, who wore large loose fitting trousers and walked with a shuffle.

We continued our walk until we reached the 'Doulton' building, with its ornate office building, on the corner of Lambeth High Street. This is one of my favourite buildings in the area.

Turning up Lambeth High Street we stopped, so that Steve could have his photo taken with some firemen.

 

We then entered 'The Windmill Pub'. This is another pub that I had visited before and was eager to show Steve its wonderful interior and its amazing and entertaining 'If Places Were Faces, London' drawing. And Steve loved it, spending far too much time laughing at the names and faces on it. We then looked around the pub, before sitting to sip our drinks.

We then headed back down Lambeth High Street and back along Black Prince Road until we reached Vauxhall Walk, which we followed, passing the National Crime Agency building, until we reached Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. 

St Peter Westcheap Churchyard

St Peter Westcheap was built in the 12th century and was rebuilt in the 16th century, when it was known as 'St Peter's at the Crosse in Cheape', because of the memorial cross erected there by King Edward I, in 1291. The cross was to honour Queen Eleanor and marked one of the twelve places where her body rested on the journey from Nottinghamshire to Westminster Abbey.

It became a holy shrine, adorned with religious carvings, and was consequently removed by the Puritans. Musicians often performed on the leads of the church during processions; and it was here that Queen Elizabeth I, on her procession through the City of London, was presented with a copy of the English translation of the Bible. 

Three Lord Mayors are buried in the churchyard.

The church was not rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666.

The shop on the corner, backing on to the churchyard, L & R Wooderson, was built just 21 years after the Great Fire.

Today, the churchyard is a pocket park, offering a place of quiet respite, just a stone's throw from St Paul's Cathedral. It is also home to a London Plane tree, said to be "the oldest tree" in the City of London.

York Watergate, Victoria Embankment Gardens

It is hard to believe, now, but that this small building once stood on the north bank of the River Thames.

Originally an entranceway with stone steps that was used to reach the river, where boats moored along the river's edge could be boarded. 

This building has not been moved. But the River Thames was narrowed, in 1862, when construction began on the new sewer system and Victoria Embankment was created, which has resulted in this building now resting some 133 metres (436 feet) from the banks of the river.

A large tablet close to the gateway reads:

THIS GATEWAY MARKS THE POSITION

OF THE NORTHERN BANK OF THE RIVER THAMES

BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION

OF THE VICTORIA EMBANKMENT 1862.

It was built in 1626 by Nicholas Stone.

Master Mason for George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, to serve

as the watergate to York House, which the Duke had acquired from

the Archbishop of York, in 1624. The arms on the river front and the motto

'Fidei Coticula Crux' (the Cross is the Touchstone of Faith) on the land side

are those of the Villiers family. York House was demolished in 1675 and

streets were laid out on the site. In 1893, the gate having fallen into

decay, the London County Council obtained parliamentary powers

to acquire and preserve it as an object of public interest.

However, although the tablet attributes its erection to Nicholas Stone, Indigo Jones and Balthasar Gerbier may also have had a part in it.

It is built of stone in three bays, with rusticated bands on the side facing the river. The two lions on the top hold shields with anchors to symbolise the Duke of Buckingham's service as Lord High Admiral.

Today, it lacks its balustrade, stone-paved landing stage and steps.

'Sculptures' by Andrew Baldwin, Trinity Buoy Wharf

Andrew Baldwin's 'Cab Tree' above the Orchard Cafe.

Trinity Buoy Wharf is full of things to discover. From its historic buildings and vessels, to exhibitions and sculptures.

Many of these sculptures, dotted around the site, are free to visit and were created by Andrew Baldwin. They are an eclectic mix.

'Aqua Gill' by Andrew Baldwin.

A master blacksmith and welder, for 28 years, Andrew Baldwin always had an interest in Victorian engineering. This, coupled with his skill at metalworking and his wild imagination, is what has helped him create some seriously outlandish sculptures.

Quirky, eerie, scary and wonderful in equal measure, these mechanical sculptures are fascinating to behold.

Trinity Buoy Wharf Chain Store and Lighthouse.

Then there are the non-mechanical sculptures, such as a metal lighthouse and this profile of Trinity Buoy Lighthouse and Chain Store.

Andrew Baldwin's work is constantly changing and evolving, but there is always a varied selection of his work on display, all over the Trinity Buoy Wharf site. 

A Robin visits Andrew Baldwin's 'Man' sculpture.

MillenniuM Beacon, Blackwall

Back in the late 1990s the United Kingdom, and the rest of the world, was gearing up for the new MillenniuM.

London, itself, had three major construction projects underway: The MillenniuM Wheel, the MillenniuM Footbridge and the MillenniuM Dome, along with smaller, local projects, such as the MillenniuM Maze, Hanwell, and the MillenniuM Pathway, Lambeth.

Something that would link the United Kingdom together was the lighting of 'The Giant Beacon'.

Of the 1400 beacons, spread across the country, this was the only one situated in London.

Wellington Arch

Wellington Arch, from Constitution Hill.

Between 1824-25 there were several grand architectural projects in development that included the rebuilding of Buckingham Palace and a scheme for new gates and railings for the Royal Parks.

Piccadilly separated Green Park and Hyde Park and each was to have new gateways, to be designed by Decimus Burton, a 24-year old architect. His idea for the Green Park entrance could also function as an outer entrance to the rebuilt palace, so he designed two arches facing each other, over Piccadilly.

The original design.

Decimus Burton's Triumphal Arch became the scene of one of the Victorian eras'great controversies.

In 1839 the people wanted a monument to the Duke of Wellington, so the Wellington Memorial Committee appointed the designer Matthew Cotes Wyatt to design a monument 'to equal Nelson's column'.

Matthew Cotes Wyatt designed a giant equestrian statue of the Duke, which he proposed to be placed on the top of Burton's Arch. So, in 1846, the statue was mounted atop Burton's Arch, for a trial period and was ridiculed, with many saying that it looked absurd. Decimus Burton felt that the statue damaged his finest work and the statue was finally removed in 1883. One of his biggest gripes was that the statue looked 'across' the arch, rather than following the line of the gateway.

Dismantling Wellington Arch.

With the opening of Victoria station, in 1860, more pressure was placed on the roads as traffic crossed the already congested Piccadilly, which caused horrendous traffic jams at Hyde Park Corner.

So, in 1881, a scheme was devised to create a new junction and widen the road, but this would mean dismantling the Wellington Arch.

In 1883 the Wellington Arch was dismantled, to allow for the roadworks to be completed.

It was re-erected, on its current site, between 1885-86. This new location removed the arch's relationship with the Hyde Park Screen, but created a grand visual, for the arch, as it now looked directly down Constitutional Hill.

'My World and Your World' by Eva Rothschild

In Lewis Cubitt Park, King's Cross, you will discover this intriguing piece of public art.

At first I thought it was something that children could climb, with its bright colours and angled poles. But, on closer inspection, I realised that it was near impossible to climb. So, what is it?

It is actually a public sculpture, designed by Eva Rothschild.

Entitled 'My World and Your World' is Eva Rothschild's first permanent commission in London.

Standing 16 m (52 ft) tall and crafted from steel. The bold colours of black, green, orange, pink, purple and red break up its shape, which is inspired by the natural world. It resembles the branches of a tree, but it also could be a lightning strike or the tributary of a river.

Eva describes the piece as a 'social sculpture', enticing people to explore the park, in which it stands.

Bower, Archbishop's Park

If you visit the wonderful Archbishop's Park, Lambeth, which covers an area of 3.93 hectares (9.7 acres), you will discover lots of interesting sculptures and public works of art, wildlife ponds, bee hives and much more.

However, for me, the hand-carved Bower (place of repose) is an amazing piece of craftsmanship that is a wonderful place to sit and relax. 

Unveiled in 2013, this beautiful work of art was designed and hand-crafted by local craftsman, Arthur de Mowbray, who has also designed pieces for MillenniuM Green, in Waterloo, and other places. 

The project was commissioned by the Friends of Archbishop's Park and was funded by a grant from Biffa Awards.

'Gorilla' by David Wynne

In Crystal Palace Park, beside the Lower Lake, stands a wonderful statue of a Gorilla, by David Wynne. The gorilla is shown on all fours as a way to convey the powerful majesty of the animal.

In 1959, London County Council, through its Patronage of the Arts scheme, commissioned David Wynne to create a large animal sculpture, to go with the spirit of the dinosaur and extinct species statues already in the park

Having studied zoology at the University of Cambridge, David Wynne chose 'Guy the Gorilla' as his subject. 

The sculpture was completed, in 1961, and unveiled near the Children's Zoo in 1962. The statue is still in place, even though the Children's Zoo closed in 1990.

Southbank House, Lambeth

Doulton Pottery Building.

I am constantly surprised how, every now and again, a startling piece of architecture can survive, while all around is replaced with concrete, glass and steel. So I was completely taken when I saw this ornate and overly stylised building. I needed to find out more about it.

Glazed tiles and terracotta dressings.

The building, which stands at the corner of Black Prince road and Lambeth High Street, dates from 1876-78 and was possibly designed by Robert Stark Wilkinson. There is some confusion to the actual architect as others were also involved. It is built of red brick with polychromy, with pink and sandy-coloured terracotta dressings. Its entire facade is highly ornate.

Stunning architecture. Image © Gary Peterson

This building is the only surviving part of the Doulton Pottery Complex, which extended back behind the buildings.

Model of Old London Bridge, Church of St Magnus-the-Martyr

Inside St Magnus-the-Martyr Church, on Lower Thames Street, is a remarkable model of the Medieval London Bridge.

This four-metre long model was built by David T Aggett, a member of the Metropolitan Police. He was also a keen model maker and this model of Old London Bridge took him almost three years to complete.

The model shows how Old London Bridge would have looked in 1400 and is built, predominantly, from cardboard boxes. 

He was also a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, so he donated the model to the Church, which is the church of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers. 

As a little joke he placed a Metropolitan Policeman on the bridge, which people can seek to find when admiring the model. 

Besides the Policeman there are countless other figures going about their daily routines, which can bring a smile to your face.

St Magnus-the-Martyr Church was once the entrance way to the old London Bridge, before the bridge was demolished and moved 30 metres to the west. So, it is fitting that the model resides here.

Elvis Evolution: The Immersive Experience

Saturday July 26, 2025.

Elvis Evolution was first announced back in January 2024, with tickets going on sale in October 2024, just as we were about to give up hope of the experience ever happening. Then there was a setback, as one of the contributing companies went under, pushing the opening date back. This resulted in us having to change the dates of our tickets, which wasn't as simple as the website made out. Still, the tickets were swapped and the day had finally arrived.

We arrived at the venue almost forty-five minutes early, as was suggested, and entered the venue, at the Excel Centre.

With complimentary souvenir programme in hand we made our way into 'Bob's Burbank Diner', where we ordered 'Hounddogs' (Beechwood Smoked Pork with French's American Mustard & Ketchup, served with straw potatoes), and a 'Budweiser' to wash them down with. Service was quick and efficient, with the 'dogs' going down a treat.

We then went to the small gift shop, with its eye-watering prices, before exploring the diner. This 1950's style diner has authentic stools, tables and seating, with memorabilia adorning the walls. Retro televisions were set into the wall, showing various news programmes and videos of Elvis in action. This piece of Americana is based on the actual diner that was opposite the NBC Studios, where the '68 Comeback Special was recorded.

As a side note, Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, never released the tickets for the 'special', so the audience was drawn from the diner opposite the studios.

Soon we, the audience, were called to make our way through to the offices of NBC Studios. With little time to take in the decor of the studios, and with photography and filming forbidden, we are suddenly in the midst of the theatrics. An executive appears and begins giving us a briefing on what is happening. Evidently, Elvis is in his dressing room and is refusing to come out, afraid that after seven years of dodgy films he won't be able to sing as he used to.

The executive is joined by another executive, telling her to stall the audience, as they work to get Elvis out of his dressing room. Enter Sam Bell, a childhood friend of Elvis from Tupelo Mississippi. It is through his eyes that the rest of the theatrics are played.

We then leave the NBC Studios and 'board' the Mystery Train, which whisks us back in time to Tupelo, where we meet a young Elvis and Sam. For the next 35 minutes AI-rendered backdrops play on a large screen, taking us through their friendship, hopes, aspirations and dreams, while the actors bring certain aspects of their childhood to life. Church revivals, Beale Street and Elvis' recording of 'That's All Right' are shown, as we watch them grow, ending with Sam leaving to join the USAF, while Elvis tries to make it big in Memphis.

We then 'disembarked' from the Mystery Train and headed into the second bar, lovingly decked out like a Tiki bar in Hawaii. In fact this is the 'Blue Hawaii' bar, where we stop for refreshments. It will be twenty minutes before the theatrics begin again, thus ensuring that the company behind the 'Immersive Experience' can squeeze as much money from its 'audience' as possible.

Soon Sam Bell arrives and, along with the other executives, they announce that Elvis Presley is finally going to leave his dressing room. 

It is at this point we are ushered through some more doors, passing Elvis' dressing room that has been faithfully recreated, but that you can't photograph. Passing through another door we head down some steps and find ourselves in NBC Studio 4, where the '68 Comeback Special will be broadcast live, in an NBC first.

'Herd of Hope' by Gillie and Marc

The 'Herd of Hope' is a collection of 21 life-sized bronze elephants that have been exhibited in London to raise awareness of elephant poaching and endangerment, in Africa.

The sculptures are the work of Gillie and Marc Schattner.

The herd began its London journey in Marble Arch before moving to Spitalfields, where you can get up close and personal with these majestic animals.

Each elephant is modelled after a real orphaned elephant and each sculpture has a QR code, which links to videos about the orphan's rescue.

The sculptures consist of 21 elephants, led by a matriarch and 20 smaller elephants, each with its own personality.

From August 10 until August 17, the statues will all come together in a line, on Brushfield Street, to pay tribute to the elephants in the wild and the conservation efforts carried out to help protect them. 

This coincides with 'World Elephant Day', which is on August 12.

You can find out more about the 'Herd of Hope' by clicking the link below.

Herd of Hope

You can view sculptures, by Gillie and Marc, that have been seen in London by clicking the link below.

Sculptures by Gillie and Marc

'Longplayer' by Jem Finer

Part of the 'Longplayer Live' instrument.

Within Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse is a unique musical experience. A musical composition, entitled 'Longplayer', that will play for 1,000 years.

On the first floor you can walk around part of the 66-foot-wide orchestral instrument, which is used to perform 'Longplayer Live', while listening to 'Longplayer' being streamed into the room.

However, the Lantern Room, at the top of the Lighthouse, is the best place to hear 'Longplayer', while taking in the unique views on offer.

'Longplayer' has been running since the year 2000.

What is 'Longplayer'?

'Longplayer' is the brainchild of Jem Finer and is a 1,000-year-long musical composition that has been playing continuously since the first moments of the year 2000. It is designed to play on, without interruption and repetition, until the last moments of 2999.

Since it began, 'Longplayer' has been performed simultaneously by a number of computers around the world - from its primary location at Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse to listening posts in Alexandria, Brisbane and San Francisco. It can also be heard anywhere in the world via an online audio stream at Longplayer.org.

Singing Bowls.

How does it work?

Composed by Jem Finer, 'Longplayer' is written for a set of highly resonant 'Singing Bowls', an ancient type of standing bell. These bells are sounded according to a precisely timed score, itself based on six simple algorithms. The resulting music is made up of six continuous, interlocking musical patterns whose harmonic and rhythmic interactions change gradually over hours, days, decades and centuries.