'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.