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Michael Faraday Memorial substation

Pullens Estate · 6.8 miles

A stainless-steel box sits on Elephant Square at the northern side of the Elephant and Castle gyratory, commemorating the Victorian scientist Michael Faraday. Designed by modern-movement architect Rodney Gordon in 1959 and erected in 1961, the structure occupies the centre of what was formerly a roundabout. Inside the metal casing lies a London Underground electrical substation that powers the Northern and Bakerloo lines, a fitting tribute to a pioneer of electricity. The original concept called for glass panels so that the transformer work could be seen, but concerns about vandalism led to the current metal cladding. The monument carries an inscription set into the surrounding concrete paving, identifying it as the Faraday Memorial. Since being granted Grade II listed status in 1996, it has been fitted with a series of lighting schemes: a school-girl-designed installation from a 1996 Blue Peter competition, and a “disco” theme introduced by Southwark Council in May 2012 that illuminates the box each evening after dark. Although early-2000s regeneration plans considered relocating the monument 400 metres to Walworth Road, the scheme was abandoned and the memorial remains in its original position, now more readily reachable after the roundabout was “peninsulised”. Visitors can view the monument at any time without charge; it is openly visible from the surrounding streets and pedestrian routes. Access is straightforward via the Northern and Bakerloo Underground lines, whose tunnels the substation serves, and the site is operated by London Underground as part of the public transport infrastructure.

Eel Brook Common

Walham Green · 6.8 miles

Eel Brook Common is common land in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, close to Fulham Broadway, with its south-eastern boundary along New King's Road. According to the Fulham Society, the name actually is a derivative of 'hill brook common' - which relates to Musgrave Crescent, which is raised much higher than the surrounding land. It is believed that this is artificial and it probably was originally a Bronze Age mound - either a raised piece of ground to defend against attackers, or as a burial mound. When you leave Eel Brook Common from the north side, you go up a steep ramp - up onto Musgrave Crescent. It is within the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservation Area of Parsons Green.

College Garden

Millbank · 6.8 miles

A private garden attached to Westminster Abbey provides a quiet green enclave within the capital. The site, listed as College Garden on OpenStreetMap and classified as a park near Millbank, welcomes visitors Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 16:00, with no admission charge. Entrance is separate from the abbey, allowing a brief visit without attending the main church. The garden traces its origins to the infirmary of the medieval monastery that occupied Thorney Island a thousand years ago, and it is claimed to be the oldest continuously cultivated garden in England. Although its original purpose of feeding monks has ceased, the layout retains a tranquil atmosphere. In 2010 a new herb garden was installed to echo the historic herbarium once tended by the monks. The north boundary abuts the great hall of Westminster School, originally the monks’ dormitory, while the east and south sides are defined by a medieval wall and a watergate that formerly opened onto the River Thames, now about 50 metres away beyond the House of Lords. Visitors can also explore the adjacent Little Cloister Garden, which contains a fountain within the cloisters, and St Catherine’s Garden situated among the ruins of the old monastic infirmary. Just outside the watergate, College Green frequently appears in televised political interviews, adding a contemporary cultural reference to the historic setting.

Little Dean's Yard

Millbank · 6.8 miles

A private, gated courtyard lies at the centre of Westminster School, positioned on the historic Thorney Island that now straddles the grounds of Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster. The yard is situated near Millbank and forms part of the former monastic precincts, linking the school’s interior with the surrounding ecclesiastical complex. To its east lies College Garden, recognised as England’s oldest cultivated garden and once the infirmary garden of the medieval monastery. The entrance to the school is marked by a stone arch attributed to Lord Burlington, replacing the monks’ former reredorter. A historic stone path traces the original route before the remainder of the area was paved, and a low stone tunnel runs beneath a row of monastic buildings to connect with Dean’s Yard. On the northern side stands Ashburnham House, a structure credited to Inigo Jones or his pupil John Webb, erected on the site of the medieval Prior’s House; its bricks still bear the imprints of schoolchildren’s coins left while waiting for the tuck-shop. A broad archway opens through the Dark Cloister toward the Abbey and the school gym. The southern side contains three Georgian houses that serve as Rigaud’s and Grant’s residences and the home of the Master of the Queen’s Scholars. Access is restricted to school members and authorised visitors, with no public admission facilities noted.

Painted Hall

Greenwich Town Centre · 6.8 miles

The Painted Hall forms a striking interior within the Old Royal Naval College, a collection of Grade I-listed buildings that dominate the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site on the River Thames, close to Greenwich town centre. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren as part of the Royal Hospital for Seamen founded in the 1690s, the hall sits opposite the historic Queen’s House and benefits from the long axial view that links the palace-era structures to the river. The hall’s most notable feature is its extensive decorative scheme, executed between 1707 and 1726 by Sir James Thornhill. The baroque frescoes cover the walls and ceiling, illustrating allegorical scenes that celebrate Britain’s naval power. Visitors can also view the adjoining chapel, the undercroft, and the surrounding grounds, all managed by the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College. Access is step-free, and the site publishes its opening times on the official listing; a charge applies for admission. Guided tours are available, and the complex includes coffee shops, bars and restaurants housed within the historic fabric, providing refreshments without leaving the precinct. Since the foundation took over in 1997, the former naval training establishment has been repurposed for cultural events, concerts and film productions, while remaining open to the public on a daily basis. The combination of historic architecture, Thornhill’s artwork and the river-front setting makes the Painted Hall a distinctive attraction within Greenwich.

National Covid Memorial Wall

Westminster · 6.8 miles

A line of red hearts painted on a concrete wall runs for more than one-third of a mile along the South Bank of the River Thames, opposite the Palace of Westminster. The stretch begins near Westminster Bridge and continues to Lambeth Bridge, outside St Thomas’ Hospital, and incorporates an older plaque that commemorates the 1994-96 BSE outbreak. The work marks a public tribute to every person whose death certificate recorded COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, with each heart representing an individual. The initiative was launched in March 2021 by the campaign group Led By Donkeys in partnership with Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice. Over a thousand volunteers applied red paint to roughly 150 000 hearts during a ten-day period that started on 29 March 2021, and bereaved families added names and messages. Although the original paint was not weather-resistant, a small group of volunteers later formed an unincorporated association known as the Friends of the Wall. This team has repeatedly repainted the hearts with durable masonry paint, refreshed dedications, removed graffiti and added new hearts as the national death toll rose. In June 2025 the memorial was registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, and in November 2025 the House of Lords announced its status as a permanent national memorial. The wall is accessible at street level from the South Bank promenade and does not require an entry fee. It is listed in OpenStreetMap as a monument and historic feature, with Westminster identified as the nearest town. Visitors can view the hearts, read the personal messages and observe the ongoing community-led maintenance work. No dedicated facilities such as a visitor centre are mentioned, but the open-air setting allows unrestricted public viewing.