Mark Lane (former) Underground Station

Many of London's abandoned or 'ghost' stations can be seen all over the city. Although some have completely disappeared above ground, like Lord's station, they are usually easy to spot because most of them were housed in the tell-tale oxblood tiled buildings designed by Leslie Green.

Mark Lane, however, is different. It didn’t have those lovely tiles, instead being housed in a stately, stone-faced building. Because of this, many people walk right by this building, or sit inside with a drink, without ever noticing the clues to its previous life.

A Tangled Underground Timeline

The story begins in 1882, when the Metropolitan Railway opened an underground station called the 'Tower of London'. Between 1882 and 1884, Byward Street was laid out, cutting through the existing Great Tower Street toward Trinity Square in alignment with the railway line below.

However, work on the Circle line (then known as the Inner Circle), a joint venture between the Metropolitan Railway and the District Railway, meant that a replacement station was opened by the District Railway just two years later. Originally meant to be called Seething Lane because of its location on the corner of Seething Lane and Great Tower Street, it was ultimately named Mark Lane.

The station grew over the years. The ground floor was designed by George Sherrin in 1909, and the upper storeys and offices were added in 1911, famously occupied by a Dutch margarine manufacturing company.

But the station was built on a budget. As the decades rolled on, the narrow platforms simply couldn’t handle the massive streams of tourists intent on visiting the nearby Tower of London. To help clarify its location, Mark Lane was renamed Tower Hill in 1946. Finally, in 1967, the station was closed and resited. A brand-new Tower Hill station was built nearby, occupying the very same site as the original 1882 Tower of London station.

Clues Hiding in Plain Sight

While the old station is gone, it is far from forgotten. As well as the building itself, there are several clues worth looking out for if you know where to glance.

Through the former main entrance, you can clearly see steps leading down to an old pedestrian subway. If you cross the road, an alternative entrance can still be spotted on the opposite side of the street, right outside All Hallows by the Tower church. From here you can also hear the trains whizzing through the old platforms.

The best artefact, however, is on Seething Lane. There, you will find another former entrance, and if you look closely above the door, you can still make out the faded words: "Mark Lane Station Entrance."

Even if you are on the move, you can catch a glimpse of the past. If you travel on the Circle or District lines from Tower Hill to Monument, keep your eyes peeled to the left-hand side of the train to spot part of the former station structure and platform.

Today, the above-ground building has traded commuters for cocktails, occupied by a branch of All Bar One, a premium chain of stylish wine bars owned by Mitchells & Butlers. But for those who look closely, the ghost of Mark Lane is still very much there.