D.C. Auto Electrics

Karl Marx

Hornsey Rise · 0.6 miles

A Grade I listed monument stands in the Eastern part of Highgate Cemetery, North London, close to Hornsey Rise. The memorial, dedicated to Karl Marx, his wife Jenny von Westphalen and other family members, consists of a large bronze bust of Marx’s head and shoulders set on a marble plinth. The front of the plinth bears the closing line of *The Communist Manifesto* – “Workers of all lands unite” – while the side panels display further quotations and the dates of birth and death for those interred. The bodies were originally laid to rest elsewhere in the Eastern cemetery after Marx’s death on 14 March 1883. In 1954 the Marx Memorial Committee secured an exhumation licence and, during the night of 26/27 November, the remains of Marx, his wife, daughter Eleanor, grandson Harry Longuet and housekeeper Helene Demuth were moved about 100 yards to the present site. Laurence Bradshaw designed the new tomb, and the Communist Party of Great Britain funded its construction. The memorial was unveiled on 15 March 1956 in a ceremony led by the party’s General Secretary, Harry Pollitt. Entry to Highgate Cemetery is controlled by the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust, which charges an admission fee to support upkeep; the tomb itself is owned by the Marx Grave Trust. The site has experienced several acts of vandalism, including painted swastikas in 1960, bomb attempts in the 1970s, blue paint in 2011 and attacks in February 2019. In response, 24-hour video surveillance has been installed around the monument. Visitors can reach the cemetery via public transport to the nearby Hornsey Rise area and follow the designated pathways to the memorial.

Monument to Samuel Rogers and Family

Hornsey · 1.2 miles

Chest tomb of the nonconformist Roger’s family of Stoke Newington. Samuel Roger’s was a celebrated Victorian poet who died in 1855 aged 92. Grade II listed.

Highbury Fields

Highbury · 1.2 miles

Spanning 11.75 hectares, this open space in Highbury forms the largest parkland within the London Borough of Islington. It runs north from Highbury Corner almost to Highbury Barn, creating a wide green corridor that links the surrounding streets. Managed by Islington Council, the fields are freely accessible and are a well-used thoroughfare for walkers heading toward the nearby Emirates Stadium. Within the park, the landscape is complemented by a range of recreational amenities. Tennis courts are laid out on the lawns, and Highbury Pool, which reopened after a refurbishment in January 2007, offers swimming facilities for locals. The surrounding streets are lined with Georgian and Victorian terraces, notable for their architectural quality and high residential demand. Highbury Place, Highbury Crescent and Highbury Terrace display early examples of town houses built from the late-18th century onward, with some historic occupants such as painter Walter Sickert and politician Joseph Chamberlain recorded in the area’s development history. At the southern edge of the fields stands a war memorial designed by Bertram Mackennal in 1905; the monument bears a wreath, cannons and captured standards, commemorating Islington residents who fell in the Boer War. Public transport is provided by Highbury and Islington station, situated a short walk away, making the park readily reachable for visitors from across London.

Woodberry Wetlands

Woodberry Down · 1.9 miles

Woodberry Wetlands occupies the former East Reservoir in the Manor House area of the London Borough of Hackney, close to Woodberry Down and the Lee Valley. Designated as a Site of Metropolitan Importance, the 4.5 ha (11 acre) reserve opened to visitors on 1 May 2016 after a redevelopment that made the area freely accessible. Management is provided by the London Wildlife Trust on land owned by Thames Water, and dogs are not permitted. Facilities include a boardwalk that traverses the water-edge, a visitors’ centre housing a café, toilet amenities and a classroom, while the northern perimeter is bordered by the New River Path, forming part of the Wetlands to Wetlands Greenway cycle route that links to Walthamstow Wetlands. Opening times are published on the Trust’s listing. The site’s origins lie in the early 17th-century water-supply scheme authorised by King James I in 1604, when the New River was constructed to bring clean water from Hertfordshire and Middlesex to London. The reservoirs themselves were created in 1833, their banks once lined with stone salvaged from the demolition of London Bridge. Today the East Reservoir temporarily stores water before it is processed at the Walthamstow Reservoirs, while the adjacent west reservoir functions as a water-sports centre. Ecologically, the wetlands serve as a resting point for migratory waterfowl such as pochard, shoveler and gadwall, and support resident species including grey heron, reed bunting, kingfisher, damselflies, dragonflies, amphibians and bats. An expansion of reed beds, undertaken by the Trust, aims to enhance habitat for reed bunting, reed warbler and overwintering bittern.

Hampstead Heath

Highgate · 1.9 miles

Hampstead Heath is an ancient heath in London, spanning 320 hectares. This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London Clay. The heath is rambling and hilly, embracing ponds, recent and ancient woodlands, a lido, playgrounds, and a training track, and it adjoins the former stately home of Kenwood House and its estate. The south-east part of the heath is Parliament Hill, from which the view over London is protected by law.

Hampstead Heath

Highgate · 1.9 miles

Dating back to at least the 10th century, this 320-hectare open space stretches across a sandy ridge that forms one of the highest points in London, linking the districts of Hampstead and Highgate. Managed by the City of London Corporation, the heath lies principally within the London Borough of Camden, while the adjoining Hampstead Heath Extension and Golders Hill Park fall under the London Borough of Barnet. The terrain is undulating, interspersed with ponds, ancient and more recent woodlands, a lido, playgrounds and a training track, and it borders the historic Kenwood House estate. Along the eastern edge a chain of ponds runs, three of them serving as open-air public swimming pools; these water bodies were originally reservoirs for the River Fleet. The site is recognised as a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, and part of the adjoining Kenwood estate holds the status of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Summer concerts are held on the lawns, and the vista from Parliament Hill is protected by law. Public access is open and facilities such as the lido, playgrounds and the training track are available throughout the year.