Warwick Pharmacy

Blewcoat School

Hyde Park Corner · 0.6 miles

Built in 1709, the former Blewcoat School stands on Caxton Street, a short walk from Hyde Park Corner in central London. The red-brick structure is recorded on the heritage register of Historic England, reflecting its architectural and historic significance. Originally founded around 1688 as a charity school for poor boys, the institution moved to the purpose-built premises on Caxton Street and, from 1714 to about 1876, also admitted girls. After a relocation plan in 1899 the building continued as an elementary school until its closure in 1926. The National Trust acquired the site in 1954; it subsequently served as the Trust’s head office, a membership centre and a gift shop. During the Second World War the premises were used by American services as a store, and later the Girl Guides operated a youth club there. In 2013 the interior was refurbished and the space reopened as The Blewcoat, a boutique for fashion designer Ian Stuart, offering bridal, special-occasion and evening-wear collections. Visitors can view the building from the street and, while there is no admission charge mentioned, the boutique is open to the public during its trading hours. The location benefits from the surrounding city centre transport links, with nearby underground stations and bus routes providing easy access.

St Barnabas

Belgravia · 0.6 miles

The Church of St Barnabas stands in Pimlico, London, close to the Belgravia district, and is recognised as a Grade I listed building by Historic England. Designed by Thomas Cundy junior with assistance from William Butterfield, construction took place between 1847 and 1850, and the structure was formally listed in 1958. The church is particularly noted for its Anglo-Catholic tradition; it is described as the first English church where the movement’s theological and aesthetic principles were expressed through both architecture and liturgy. At the time of its opening, all pews were offered free of charge, a departure from the common practice of charging for seating. Inside, the crypt houses three paintings by Charles Edgar Buckeridge, adding a modest artistic element to the otherwise liturgical focus. Over the years, a number of clergy have served at St Barnabas, including perpetual curate W. J. E. Bennett, vicar Alfred Gurney and curates such as Charles Lowder, founder of the Society of the Holy Cross, and Frederick Ouseley. The parish maintains an official website and is listed on the “A Church Near You” directory, providing current information on services and contact details. As a parish church, it remains accessible to worshippers and visitors, with entry historically free and no admission charge recorded.

Flanders Fields Memorial Garden

Green Park · 0.6 miles

A tribute to the soldiers of the First World War stands beside the Guards Chapel and close to the statue of Harold Alexander at Wellington Barracks in central London. The memorial garden, listed as a monument on the OpenStreetMap database, lies within walking distance of Green Park and is freely accessible to the public. Designed by Belgian architect Piet Blanckaert, the layout centres on a circular grass bed that contains soil brought from Flanders, the region of many Western Front battles. The soil, gathered by schoolchildren from seventy cemeteries and battlefields, arrived in London after a naval hand-over aboard the Belgian frigate Louisa Marie and a subsequent transfer from HMS Belfast to the British Army. It was then conveyed through the city on the historic gun carriage of the King’s Troop before being placed in the garden. Native Flemish trees fringe the bed, and the surface bears an inscription of John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields”. A stone bench of Flemish bluestone provides a place to reflect, while the overall design has been described by the garden’s curator, Andrew Wallis, as a blend of Belgo-Anglo craftsmanship. The site was formally opened on 6 November 2014 by King Philippe of the Belgians and Queen Elizabeth II, with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and members of the Household Division in attendance.

Buckingham Palace

Victoria · 0.6 miles

A prominent landmark in the City of Westminster, Buckingham Palace stands opposite Victoria and is recorded by Historic England as a heritage-listed palace. Designed in stages by John Nash, Edward Blore and later Aston Webb, the building is recognised as the official residence and administrative headquarters of the United Kingdom’s monarch. Opening times are published on the palace’s listing, allowing visitors to plan a visit to the publicly accessible areas. The state rooms, which host official entertaining, are open each year for most of the summer and on selected days in winter and spring. Within the public programme, the balcony on the East Front provides a view of the traditional royal appearances, while the King’s Gallery, created after a wartime bomb destroyed the chapel, displays works from the Royal Collection. The surrounding garden, the largest private garden in London, forms part of the experience, and the interior retains early-19th-century scagliola panels, Belle Époque colour schemes and Chinese-regency furnishings transferred from other royal residences. Originally built as Buckingham House for the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703, the core structure became a royal property when George III purchased it in 1761 for Queen Charlotte. Substantial enlargement by Nash and Blore in the early 1800s added three wings around a central courtyard, and the palace assumed its present role as the monarch’s London residence on Queen Victoria’s accession in June 1837. Subsequent extensions, including the East Front, were completed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, shaping the palace that continues to serve both ceremonial and administrative functions.

Victoria Memorial

Victoria · 0.6 miles

At the far end of The Mall in London a large marble and bronze monument marks the southern approach to Buckingham Palace. Designed by Sir Aston Webb and sculpted by Sir Thomas Brock, the structure consists of a central pylon of Pentelic marble surrounded by statues in Lasa marble and gilt bronze, forming a circle about 32 metres in diameter. Weighing roughly 2 300 tonnes, the memorial dominates the forecourt and is listed at Grade I, reflecting its significance as a historic feature. Visitors can view the intricate iconography from the surrounding pavement, although wheelchair access is limited. The memorial originated from a parliamentary committee set up after Queen Victoria’s death, with King Edward VII prompting the project in early 1901. After a design competition, Sir Aston Webb was appointed architect and Sir Thomas Brock chosen as sculptor. Funding arrived from across the British Empire, including notable contributions from Australia and New Zealand, allowing construction to begin in the first decade of the 20th century. Although the lower part was revealed to the public in 1909, the full monument was formally unveiled on 16 May 1911 in a ceremony attended by King George V and other dignitaries. Since its dedication the site has served as a focal point for national celebrations, providing a platform for the 2012 Diamond Jubilee concert and featuring in the 2012 Golden Jubilee fireworks display. The Victoria Memorial remains a prominent landmark at the junction of The Mall, readily reachable on foot from the surrounding city centre.

Little Dean's Yard

Millbank · 0.6 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.