Ella's

College Garden

Millbank · 1.9 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.

Michael Faraday Memorial substation

Pullens Estate · 1.9 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.

Little Dean's Yard

Millbank · 1.9 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.

Palace of Westminster

Westminster · 1.9 miles

Meeting place of the United Kingdom’s Parliament, the building in Westminster, London, is commonly referred to as the Houses of Parliament. It houses the House of Commons and the House of Lords and includes the Elizabeth Tower, which contains the bell known as Big Ben, a landmark recognised across the United Kingdom. The structure is a Grade I listed building and forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can access the site without steps, as the landmark provides step-free wheelchair access. Originally erected in the eleventh century as a royal palace, the site served as the principal residence of English monarchs until a fire in 1512 destroyed the royal apartments. A second, larger fire in 1834 devastated most of the complex, sparing only Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower and parts of St Stephen’s Chapel. The subsequent reconstruction was led by architect Charles Barry, who employed Augustus Pugin for Gothic Revival detailing; construction began in 1840 and continued for three decades. The rebuilt palace incorporates ornate decoration, extensive chambers for both parliamentary houses and the monarch, and covers a floor area of more than 1.2 million ft². Damage from bombings during the Second World War required further repairs, and ongoing conservation work continues to address the building’s needs.

National Covid Memorial Wall

Westminster · 1.9 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.

Westminster Bridge

Westminster · 1.9 miles

Linking Westminster on the west bank with Lambeth on the east, the bridge spans the River Thames and forms part of the main road network. Operated by Transport for London, it carries both vehicular traffic and a footway for pedestrians. The structure is painted in a green shade that matches the leather seats in the House of Commons, contrasting with the red of the nearby Lambeth Bridge. It provides direct access to the Palace of Westminster, County Hall and the London Eye, and served as the finishing point in the early years of the London Marathon. The crossing lies within the Westminster locality and can be reached from the surrounding streets and nearby Underground stations. The original crossing was authorised by an act of parliament in 1736 and constructed between 1739 and 1750 under the supervision of Swiss engineer Charles Labelye; it opened on 18 November 1750. The present bridge, designed by Thomas Page, was opened on 24 May 1862. It measures 820 feet (250 m) in length and 85 feet (26 m) in width, comprising seven cast-iron arches with Gothic detailing attributed to architect Charles Barry. A tram service used the bridge from 1906 until its final run on 5 July 1952. The bridge underwent a full refurbishment, including replacement of iron fascias and repainting, during 2005–2007, and was designated a Grade II* listed structure in 1981. Notable incidents include a terrorist attack on 22 March 2017 that resulted in five deaths, and a protest in January 2024 that led to temporary police restrictions. Its long service makes it the oldest central-London road crossing remaining after the removal of the earlier New London Bridge in 1967.