MillenniuM Pathway, Archbishop's Park

Archbishop's Park, Lambeth, is a wonderful park that sits just to the east of Lambeth Palace Gardens. In fact it was once part of Lambeth Palace Gardens, before Archbishop Archibald Campbell Tait opened over 9 acres of land for use by the poor of the area.

Besides the usual sports fields and courts, there is a wonderful play area, a stunning bench, a community orchard, gardens and much more.

A path that flows through the park has stepping stone plaques, embedded in the tarmac, which chart the history of the area, along with some of the area's more famous names. 

It was unveiled in June 2000 with local residents choosing the subjects of the plaques.

Plaques Timeline

1000 - Lambeth is mainly marshland and open countryside punctuated by Roman roads and a few small settlements

1041 - The Anglo Saxon chronicle records 'This year died Hardicanute at Lambeth, as he stood drinking'.

1087 - Domesday Book lists Lambeth, or Lanchei, as belonging to Countess Goda, sister of Edward the Confessor.

1197 - The Manor of Lambeth is acquired by  the Archbishop of Canterbury. The building of Lambeth Palace begins during this period.

1339 - Edward III gives Kennington to the Black Prince, who builds a palace.

1534 - Sir Thomas More refuses to swear allegiance to the King at Lambeth Palace.

1605 - Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators store their gunpowder in a house in  Lambeth.

1634 - Tradescant opens his museum of curiosities to the public.

1661 - John writes of his 'Pretty Contrived

1731 - Birth of Henry Cavendish who weighed the world at Clapham.

1740 - Death of Margaret Finch Queen of the Norwood Gypsies aged 109.

1760 - Dr Johnson stays with the Thrales at Streatham Place.

1770 - Campaign tp abolish slavery is spearheaded by the Clapham Sect.

1771 - Opening of Astley's Amphitheatre in Westminster Bridge Road. The first indoor circus.

1793 - William Blake writes of 'Songs of Experience' while living in Hercules Road.

1802 - A hermit called 'Matthews the Hairyman' lives in a cave in the remote Norwood hills.

1820 - Henry Potter breeds leeches at Streatham to supply the London hospitals.

1826 - Doulton and Watts begin making pottery from premises in Lambeth High Street.

1848 - Mass meeting of Chartists on Kennington Common to present a petition to Parliament

1853 - The Crystal Palace moves from Hyde Park to the Norwood Ridge and the surrounding area develops rapidly.

1880 - Clapham Rovers win the  FA Cup.

1898 - Charlie Chaplin leaves Kennington Road School to join a Clog Dancing Troupe, aged nine.

1902 - WG Grace plays at Streatham Cricket Club, known as one of the most attractive grounds in the country.

1936 - Lupino Lane sings 'The Lambeth Walk' in the show 'Me and My Girl', and it becomes an international dance craze.

1938 - Alfie Howard, Lambeth's Town Crier, attends his first function. He's still working at the age of 87 as this path is made.

1945 - Lambeth Baths receives a direct hit from a V2 rocket. Thirty seven people are killed in Lambeth's worst incident of World War II.

1948 - The Empire Windrush docks in Southampton, the post-war immigration from the West Indies begins and Brixton's black community flourishes.

1951 - The Festival of Britain and the redevelopment of the South Bank.

1981 - The Brixton Riots act as a catalyst for change and regeneration in the inner city.

1990 - Brixton produces its first Prime Minister, John Major.

2000 - Ken Livingstone, Lambeth born and bred, becomes London's first elected Mayor. The London Eye transforms the London skyline.

Walking with family: Green Park to Victoria Tower Gardens... and beyond

Theodore outside Buckingham Palace.

Saturday July 12, 2025.

Keilyn and I had planned today's trip a few weeks back, not realising how hot the day was going to be. But, instead of cancelling, we continued with our plans.

All aboard!

My grandson, Theodore, who will be eight in September, was dropped off just after 08:00 and, once lunches were made and snacks were packed, Emma ordered us a taxi to Watford Metropolitan station, ready for Theodore's first walk around London.

We changed to a Jubilee line train, at Finchley Road, which would take us to our starting point of Green Park.

Theodore's photo of Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial.

Even with our early start the temperature was already in the mid-twenties centigrade, so we kept to the shade of the trees, as we made our way towards Buckingham Palace. On Friday Keilyn had charged a digital camera, which we gave to Theodore, so that he could take some photos, too.

Theodore's photo of the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk marker.

From Buckingham Palace we entered St James's Park, still keeping to the shade. Squirrels, ducks, moorhens, coots, various breeds of geese and more were sheltering in the shade, as we made our way towards Horse Guards Parade, where we were going to see the guards.

Members of the Belgian military, and dignitaries, prepare for their parade.

As we reached Horse Guards Road, opposite King Charles Street, we noticed that barriers were in place, with a heavy police presence. There was also a large contingent of military uniforms, of all styles and ranks, but they weren't British Army. I politely asked one of the police officers what was going on. He informed me that it was the annual Belgian Cenotaph Parade, so Horse Guards Parade and Whitehall were closed off. 

With the various roads closed and diversions in place, we headed towards Birdcage Walk and continued to Parliament Square, where Theodore was excited to see 'Big Ben', taking some photos of the Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower.

Victoria Tower.

We passed the Palace of Westminster, before we entered Victoria Tower Gardens, where we sat on a bench, overlooking the River Thames, where we ate some of our rolls and snacks. Much of the gardens were still hoarded off, while archaeological works continued. The Horseferry Playground was open, so Keilyn and Theodore took to exploring that, while I looked after the bags. 

Keilyn and Theodore exploring Horseferry Playground.

Once they had finished exploring we crossed the River Thames, via Lambeth Bridge, passing the St Mary-at-Lambeth Church Tower and the Garden Museum, continuing along Lambeth Road until we reached Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park and the Imperial War Museum.

Theodore's photo of the Imperial War Museum, with its two 15-inch naval guns.

As we passed through the gates Theodore was immediately struck by what was in front of him. Two giant 15-inch naval guns, that are so massive that they dwarfed him. He took some photos before we headed inside, with Theodore almost tripping up the steps in his excitement.

Once inside, and we had made a donation to the museum, we headed towards the stairs and the atrium. Arriving at the ground floor Theodore was visibly impressed with the V2-Rocket, Harrier jet and Spitfire as we made our way towards a small yellow trolley, where we collected two 'Story Seekers' booklets. These booklets help children explore more of the museum as they try to find clues that will help them answer six questions. Each question has a photo of what they are looking for, making it slightly easier On completion they receive a stamp and a badge.

Theodore in a World War I uniform.

With booklets and pencils, in hand, we made our way into the 'First World War Galleries'. Keilyn and Theodore set about exploring and interacting with the various displays. Just before we entered the trench, with a British Mark V tank crashing over the top, they spotted the 'Story Seekers' sticker, and so were able to answer the first question. Then it was through the trench we crept, with Theodore resting briefly in a dugout, before we exited the gallery.

The pen used to sign the armistice between France and Germany.

Then it was up the stairs to the 'Second World War Galleries'. Theodore potted another 'Story Seekers' sticker, near a lifeboat from the 'SS Anglo Saxon'. He then read out the entire story of the boat, thus discovering the answer to another of the questions.

Keilyn, meanwhile, had noticed that we had passed another of the 'Story Seekers' stickers. This one was near a large bed sheet that a nurse had used as a diary to record her imprisonment, while in a Japanese prison camp.

Keilyn takes shelter beneath a bed.

Continuing on through the galleries we explored everything, looking for the next sticker. Passing into another part of the gallery Theodore spotted the sticker and began filling in the answer. Keilyn, who had been exploring a different exhibit, soon joined us, writing down the answer.

Skateboard Graveyard, Golden Jubilee Bridges

If you look down on the northeastern support of the Hungerford Bridge and Jubilee Bridges, across the River Thames, you will see the scattered remnants of broken skateboards. 

This is not just some random littering spot, but rather a memorial to a fallen skateboarder. 

Friday June 18, 1999.

Timothy Baxter and his friend, Gabriel Cornish, had spent the midsummer day skating over and around the concrete obstacles of the Undercroft, beneath Queen Elizabeth Hall.

In the evening they went for drinks, much like everybody else, and enjoyed the summer evening. As they headed home, a little after 04:00, via the Golden Jubilee Bridges, they were confronted by six strangers; three teenagers and three young adults; five male and one female.

The strangers took Timothy's rucksack and threw it into the cold water of the River Thames, before beating on Timothy and Gabriel. The last thing Gabriel heard, before passing out, was, "Let's throw them in the river. It will be fun."

The world's longest continually-used skate spot.

Gabriel survived, by using his rucksack to stay afloat, and was rescued two miles downstream with hypothermia. Timothy never regained consciousness and his body was recovered 36 hours later.

The six individuals were caught and charged with murder and attempted murder. In April 2000, following a ten-week trial, they were all found guilty and were sentenced to life imprisonment, in May 2000.

Thames Ironworks Football Club (1895-1900)

The Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company originated from the Ditchburn and Mare Shipbuilding Company, in 1837. They were a large shipyard and ironworks, situated on both sides of Bow Creek.

In March 1895, the Old Castle Swifts Football Club, the first professional football club in Essex, went bankrupt. They had been formed in 1892 by Donald Currie, a Scottish shipowner.

Following the collapse of the Old Castle Swifts Football Club, the Chairman of Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Arnold Hills, saw an opportunity to start his own works team and provided the money to take over the tenancy of the now vacant football ground on Hermit Road, Canning Town. 

Meanwhile, the company's foreman, Dave Taylor, who was also a local football referee, placed an advert in the company's newspaper, 'The Thames Iron Works Gazette', asking for players to form a works football team. Fifty ironworkers answered the advert and so was born Thames Ironworks Football Club.

Each player paid half-a-crown for one year's membership, while Dave Taylor set about arranging fixtures for Thames Ironworks F.C. and their reserves.

Arnold Hills was a philanthropist, advocate for temperance and vegetarianism, and an outstanding sportsman. He also believed that a happy workforce was a more productive workforce. So, in addition to the football team, he introduced a cricket team, an operatic society and the Thames Ironworks band.

Arnold Hills was a former student and football Blue of Oxford University, so he chose dark blue as the colours of the team for their debut season.

The following season they changed to a sky blue top, white shorts and claret socks.

Walking with Family: Retail Therapy and a Concert. Or, "You two go that way and we will go this way."

"Up the Irons!"

Saturday June 28, 2025

Travelling to Canning Town. Or, "It's hot outside. Let's take the underground to London."

With a hotel booked we set off for an adventure. 

While Emma and Erin would go shopping, Keilyn and I would be going to a gig. 

The Metropolitan line train was fairly busy, with people heading to Wembley to see 'Linkin Park', who were performing at Wembley Stadium. The Jubilee line train, that we switched to, at Finchley Road, was even busier. Many of these passengers were headed to Hyde Park to see Zach Bryan, while others alighted at North Greenwich, obviously going to see SM Town, a K-pop band, at the O2 Arena. But the train stayed busy, as Iron Maiden fans of all ages were heading to Stratford, where Iron Maiden were performing later in the day.

"The best café in Canning Town.

Dinner time. Or, "There's no pleasing some people."

Arriving at Canning Town into blistering heat, we made our way towards Barking Road, cutting through the new buildings of Minnie Baldock Street, to avoid the sun. We then used the underpass, at Newham Way, which brought us to Barking Road. KFC was just ahead, but we spotted the sign for Rose's Cafe and decided to head there. Of course, this started arguments about wanting to go to KFC. Emma and I won, though, so it was off to Rose's.

We sat in the covered garden area, at the rear of the building, and perused the menu. After ordering our food we began to cool down, thanks, in part, to the light breeze. The food and service was exceptional, with the portion sizes more than enough to satisfy our hunger.

Once we had settled the bill we headed back onto Barking Road, heading back the way we had come. As we couldn't check into our hotel until 15:00, we sat in the shade, refreshing ourselves with drinks purchased at Morrison's.

"The view from our hotel room. Canning Town is quiet on a Saturday afternoon."

Checking into Premier Inn. Or, "Thank goodness for air-conditioning."

Leaving the shade, within the plaza, we crossed Silvertown Way and entered Premier Inn London Docklands (Canning Town), where we took the lift to level 1 and the reception. Minutes later, with keys in hand, we entered our room. Bags were dropped and on went the air-conditioning. Bliss.

A short rest, a change of clothes and we were ready to head off to Stratford.

"Stratford is London's Blossom Garden?"

Shopping and Iron Maiden. Or, "Enjoy your retail therapy, while we enjoy a concert fifty years in the making."

Our hotel was almost outside Canning Town station, so the heat  didn't affect the short walk we had to make. Once inside we made our way to the Jubilee line platforms, where a train arrived immediately. Most of the carriages were empty, so there was plenty of room to sit. We decided, however, to stand beside the interconnecting carriage doors, welcoming the breeze that flowed through.

After more people boarded at West Ham station we were soon speeding towards our destination: Stratford. On leaving the train we made our way through the walkway to Stratford Place, where we said our "goodbyes." Emma and Erin headed into Westfield Stratford City, where they visited countless shops, with Erin purchasing items at Sephora and Victoria's Secret.

Keilyn and I, meanwhile, made our way towards the Olympic Park, where we waited in the shade of Sadler's Wells East for my friend David and his son Antonio. Once we had met up we followed the mass of Iron Maiden shirts, of every conceivable design, towards the London Stadium.

"I think we're gonna burn!"

It's a beautiful day for it. Or, "We're gonna blister in the sun!"

Once we entered the London Stadium we purchased some merchandise, bought some drinks and went looking for our seats; Block 235 (East Stand) 2nd Row. Sitting just south of the centre line of the stadium we realised that we were going to be in full sunshine for the rest of the day. Basically, we were going to cook! Black t-shirts and denim in 30°C (86°F) is not a good combination. 

Fortunately, David knew at exactly what time each support act was to take to the stage, so we left our seats and took shelter in the shade of the stadium.

"Are those fans of The Raven Age melting?"

Illuminating the London Stadium. Or, "A lesson in futility."

The Raven Age's singer, Matt James, states the obvious, "It's a bit f**kin' hot in here!", and then decides that it's time for everyone to "get your phone lights up", to "illuminate the stadium". The fact that sun has been cooking the fans, especially those on the almost white floor before the stage, since the doors had opened at 17:00, didn't deter him nor the crowds, who do as instructed, adding a few minuscule specks of light into an already emblazed stadium.

As soon as The Raven Age finished their set, which was incredible, and left the stage, we left our seats and headed outside of the stadium, replenishing our drinks and keeping cool in the slight breeze that blew around the stadium.

"Halestorm! But, not the hailstorm that the fans need."

Halestorm. Or, "I wish that this Halestorm could relieve this heat!"

As Halestorm took to the stage I had the distinct impression that someone had left the Olympic Cauldron, from the opening of the Games of the XXX Olympiad, (London 2012), ablaze. 

As soon as Halestorm finished their set, which was incredible, we dived back into the bowels of the stadium, replenishing our drinks and doing our best to keep cool.

By now I was convinced that, when the concert was over, you would be able to spot who had sat where by the tan that they had, with us, in the East Stand, being much more bronzed.

'Settlers Monument', Virginia Quay

Not exactly hidden away, but not exactly on a main walking route, is the Virginia Quay Settlers Monument, standing proud on what was once Virginia Quay.

It was from near this spot, back on December 19-20 1606, that the first settlers of the Colony of Virginia departed for the New World. 

Led by Captain Christopher Newport and consisting of three ships: 'Discovery', 'Godspeed' and 'Susan Constant', 105 men and boys, plus 39 crew, set sail with a charter to establish a settlement in the Virginia territory. 

Unlike the later 'Mayflower' voyage, which took just ten weeks, this Virginia expedition took 21 weeks to find land suitable for colonisation. They named their colony Jamestown, in honour of King James I. Captain John Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield and Robert Hunt are credited with founding Jamestown, in April 1607. Captain John Smith, is best known for his association with the Native America Princess Pocahontas, who supposedly saved his life.

The settlement was, unfortunately, abandoned within three years, due, in part, to the settlers that were chosen for the expedition. Many were gentlemen, unused to working, while others were unused to farming. Famine and starvation brought an end to the settlement. 

Jamestown was later reoccupied but was abandoned again by 1699. Today, there is nothing left of the original settlement, besides a thriving tourist industry.

Iron Maiden: 'Run For Your Lives' World Tour, 2025, London Stadium

Saturday June 28, 2025.

I have been following 'Iron Maiden' since I was 10 years old, with their single, 'Run to the Hills', being the first 7" that I purchased.

After seeing them live on countless occasions, meeting some of the band members and visiting the 'Cart & Horses', where they first played live, I was excited to see them at the London Stadium, during their 50th year.

My friend of almost 35 years, David, had secured the tickets.

Keilyn and I travelled to Canning Town, where we checked into our hotel, with Emma and Erin, who, while we were at the concert, would visit the shopping centre in Stratford. We then travelled to Stratford together, before Keilyn and I headed off towards the Olympic Park, where we waited in the shade of the Sadler's Wells Theatre for David and his son Antonio.

Soon enough we spotted them and, after the usual greetings, joined the massed groups of fans headed towards the London Stadium. We crossed Bridge 5 and passed through security, bought a souvenir Matchday Programme and waited in the shade for the gates to open.

At exactly 17:00 the gates opened and we moved inside the stadium, making our way to the Merchandise stall. A T-shirt for Antonio, a Baseball cap for David, a studded leather wristband for Keilyn and a scarf for myself. We then purchased some drinks and went looking for our seats, which were on tier 2 in the 'Billy Bonds Stand' (East Stand).

The weather was clear skies, with the the occasional cloud, and not a breath of wind, with the temperature at 29°C. As we were in the East Stand, the sun was beating down on us, so we headed back downstairs and waited in the shade.

We took our seats, just before 17:45, so that we could watch 'The Raven Age' open the concert. They began with 'Forgive & Forget', before rattling through seven tracks, finishing with 'Fleur De Lis'.

As soon as their set, which was an incredible 45 minutes of pure rock, finished, we headed back down into the cool shade of the stadium. Snacks, food and more drinks were purchased.

We made our way back up to our seats in time to watch Halestorm take to the stage, at 19:00. 'Fallen Star' began a 10-track set, where Lzzy Hale's impressive vocal range was on full display, while Arejay Hale's drum solo was out of this world! Throughout the 50-minute set the sun had continued to beat down, but, thankfully, was gradually getting lower in the sky.

Back outside into the shade for more fluids, while the stage was prepared for the main event: The Homecoming of Steve Harris... and 'Iron Maiden'.

'Floodtide' (Tidal Sonification) by John Eacott and Andrew Baldwin

The 'Floodtide' (Tidal Sonification) listening post, at Trinity Buoy Wharf, makes music that is determined by the tide of the River Thames, which is then played through the mechanical organ.

A sensor, submerged from the pier, reads tidal flow data, such as height and speed, which is then converted into musical parameters like pitch, duration, and volume using a computer algorithm. 

The algorithm translates the tidal data into musical scores, which can be displayed on screens or mobile devices, so that musicians can incorporate the music into their own works.

'Floodtide' performances have taken place in various locations, including the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the Southbank Centre, with each performance reflecting the unique characteristics of the location's tides. 

The machine was built by Andrew Baldwin, while the music by John Eacott.

KGB Lamppost, Mayfair

In Mayfair, at the corner of South Audley Street and Audley Square, outside the University Women’s Club, stands this Victorian lamppost.

It is exactly the same as the rest of the lampposts, along this street, but this one has a tale to tell.

From the 1950s the USSR had KGB agents placed in England, with orders to gather information and pass it back to their superiors. Some agents worked at the Soviet Embassy, which was under close watch by MI5, but 'illegal' agents had to find another way to pass their information on. 

So, this lamppost was used as a 'dead letter drop'. Agents would conceal their documents, or messages, behind the door of the lamppost, before leaving a chalk mark at its base, notifying their superiors that a message was contained within. Their superiors could also leave instructions or messages for the agents to collect.

In 1985, British intelligence managed to extract their secret agent, Colonel Oleg Gordievsky, from Moscow, without the ever watchful KGB even noticing. It was Colonel Gordievsky who alerted British Intelligence to the lamppost, which was soon put under surveillance. Word must have spread fairly quickly, through the KGB, because by 1986 it was no longer in use.

Interestingly, or ironically, EON Productions had their offices at No. 3, next door to the University Women's Club, from 1961. EON Productions was created by Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli and Harry Saltzman who auditioned Sean Connery for the first James Bond film, 'Dr No', in their office overlooking the KGB lamppost.

I was quite surprised, on my visit, to see that the door of the lamppost wasn't locked, but ajar.

Cuneiform Tablet: The oldest object in the City of London

London is home to many ancient and wondrous items, many of which are kept in museums and galleries. But, there are also ancient and historic objects simply dotted around London's many streets and thoroughfares.

The oldest of these objects would have to be the Needle of Thutmose III, which stands on Victoria Embankment. This obelisk dates from around 1450 BC.

Then there are the Roman remains, such as the amphitheatre, the old city walls and bastions, mosaic and the like. These were all created from 45 AD onwards.

However, this curious brown block, on display in St Vedast-alias-Foster Garden, is, I am sure, one of the oldest objects, as it dates from between 858 and 834 BC. 

So, how did it end up in a church courtyard in London?

East India Docks, Blackwall

The East India Docks were constructed between 1803-1806 and were the third set of wet docks built on the River Thames, in the early 19th century. By the end of the 18th century East Indiamen ships had been sailing from Blackwall for almost 200 years.

The East India Company, founded in 1600, shipped valuable goods from the East to the River Thames. It was a rich, powerful and well organised body using the largest two ships that frequented the Port of London. The valuable cargoes were moved by barge to the city, then carried to the company's spacious warehouses on Billiter Street and Cutler Street.

In January 1804 the lock was widened to 48 ft across to allow the largest East Indiamen, of up to 1,500 tonnes, to enter the docks.

The Export Dock

In September 1804 Hugh McIntosh used a horse operated bucket dredger to excavate 8,000 tonnes of mud from the former ship repair yard, Brunswick Dock, to give a uniform depth of 22 ft. The south wall was built in brick, but the original timber walls of the Brunswick Dock were retained on the other three sides.

The Export Dock was also home to the emigrant's ships. In the 19th century companies including Green's, Wigram's and Dunbar's all used the docks as their embarkation point. By 1905 the Export Dock was principally used by sailing ships and steamers.

After suffering from bomb damage, during World War II, the Export Dock was sold in 1946 and filled in to make way for Brunswick Wharf Power Station. The power station was closed down in the 1980s and demolished. Now the site is home to Virginia Quay.

The Import Dock

The most important element of the East India Docks was the Import Dock. Covering almost 60 acres it provided room to unload the precious goods from the East Indiamen returning from their voyages.

Excavations began in 1803 using pumps, buckets, rods, pipes, and valves impounding 18 acres of water.

The work included a labour force of up to 400 men and 100 horses. Dredging 625,000 cubic yards of earth. Making nine million bricks from the excavated topsoil to form the dock walls and using 50 tonnes of old iron hoops to strengthen the walls.

The walls of the Import Dock were constructed with a curved profile which was ideally suited to the shape of the hulls of the East Indiamen.

During World War II the Import Dock played an important role in the construction of the Mulberry floating harbours for the D-Day landings in Normandy, in 1944. After World War II the Import Dock was filled in and a number of new developments, including the Financial Times Print Works (1987-88) and Telehouse Europe (1988-90), were built.

The Lock

The Entrance Lock, with a width of 48 ft, was the largest lock in the Port of London. It had a curved or rounded bottom, unlike the shallow inverts of the locks constructed at West India Docks.

Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

Commissioned in 1852 and unveiled in 1854, the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are the world's first dinosaur sculptures.

They were designed and sculpted by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, under the scientific direction of Sir Richard Owen. Sir Richard Owen is best known for coining the term 'Dinosauria'.

The sculptures also include other extinct animals and the collection is known as the 'Geological Court' or 'Dinosaur Court'.

By today's standards many of these sculptures are anatomically inaccurate. Many were sculpted on incorrectly assembled skeletons, showing the limit of 19th century scientific understanding. But, being the world's first, they paved the way for many of the advances in fossil understanding and palaeontology.

In 1952 a full restoration of the sculptures began, with some of the dinosaurs being moved. The sculptures were Grade II listed, in 1973. Between 2001-02 the sculptures were extensively restored, with fibreglass models replacing the more severely damaged ones. Some previous restorations had used lead, for the legs, linking these appendages to the bodies with iron rods. The iron had then corroded, causing more damage, resulting in new pieces to be cast. 

In 2007, the sculptures were Grade I listed.

Of the fifteen genera of extinct animals only three are true dinosaurs. The periods that are covered by the sculptures include the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic.

In May of this year, Crystal Palace Park, the dinosaurs, playground, cafe and more began undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment, which is due to be completed by summer 2026. The park is remaining open, but restrictions to certain areas may be in place.

Walking with Keilyn: Euston Square to the City of London... and beyond

Sunday June 8, 2025.

Keilyn and I decided that we should head to London to see the 'Nao Santa Maria', which was berthed at St Katharine Docks, as today was its last day, in London. So, we headed off.

A taxi to the station and we were soon London-bound. We changed to an Aldgate train, at Finchley Road, and alighted at Euston Square, which is a fair distance from St Katharine Docks, but there is nothing like a good wander.

We headed along Gower Street, passing the Grant Museum of Zoology and the impressive University of London buildings, before reaching Bedford Square and the throngs of people heading into the British Museum. A little further and Bloomsbury Street brought us out onto New Oxford Street, which we headed along until we reached our first stop of the day... the Post Building.

We entered the building, signed in and passed through the security arch. Keilyn then placed her rucksack in one of the lettered lockers, choosing 'K' to match her name. We then entered the lift and made our way up to the ninth floor and the roof garden.

On my previous visits the flowers and shrubs had not fully bloomed, but today everything was flowering and the trees had full canopies. Although cloudy it was a pleasant day and the views were clear all the way to the horizon. The Centre Point building, the BT Tower, the British Museum and around to the Renaissance Hotel at King's Cross. Then the unique skyscrapers of the City of London, with Canary Wharf in the distance. Tower Bridge, the Shard and 22 Bishopsgate and around to the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and Cathedral to Battersea Power Station and beyond. The BBC Transmitter, at Crystal Palace, was clearly visible, too, as was the Wembley Stadium Arch.

Once we had seen everything, and Keilyn had used her 'Seek' app to discover the names of the various plants, we headed back down to ground level, retrieved her rucksack, and headed east along New Oxford Street.

New Oxford Street brought us onto High Holborn, then Holborn and Holborn Viaduct. Nearing St Paul's Cathedral, with its crowds of visitors, we headed along Cheapside, passing possibly the oldest tree in the City of London, before we joined Poultry and then Cornhill.

Always up for an adventure Keilyn kept peering down the countless passages and alleyways that were dotted along our route, deciding that Ball Court looked like a great alleyway to explore. So down it we went and arrived in a small courtyard with a tavern. Simpson's Tavern dates back to 1757 and is a wonderful looking building, that is, unfortunately, temporarily closed. 

We continued out of the courtyard and found ourselves on Castle Court, with more old style buildings and the famous Jamaica Wine House, which stands on the site of London's first coffee house.

From here we headed along St Michael's Alley, which brought us to Bell Inn Yard and out onto Gracechurch Street. Since Keilyn had never seen Leadenhall Market we headed inside, dodging the photographers, who were snapping the parts used in the Harry Potter films, and the diners and other visitors. 

We then crossed Lime Street and walked along Cullum Street, where Keilyn sat down and I took some photos of the amazing Bolton House, before we continued our walk to Fenchurch Street, which we followed towards Aldgate. 

Various sculptures were dotted around, that we both took photos of, before we found ourselves on Mitre Square, former site of the Priory of the Holy Trinity and also the place where Catherine Eddowes was murdered by Jack the Ripper, in 1888.

We left Mitre Square via St James's Passage which brought us to Duke's Place and St Botolph Street. It was here that I lifted Keilyn up, so that she could see over the wall and look down at the platforms of Aldgate station.

We then headed south, along Mansell Street, turned west along Shorter Street and arrived at Tower Hill Garden. Snacks, drinks and sandwiches were all pretty much devoured, before we used the underpass to reach the south side of Tower Hill. Here we got to see the meadow that has been created in the old moat. We then followed the path onto St Katharine's Way, which brought us nicely to St Katharine Docks and Marina.