Elephant and Castle
Encyclopedia
The Elephant and Castle is a major road intersection
in south
London
, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark
. It is also used as a name for the surrounding area.
The Elephant, as it is known for short, consists of major traffic intersections connected by a short road called Elephant and Castle, part of the A3. Between these intersections, on the eastern side, is the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, with an office block called Hannibal House
on top. To the north of this, bounded by Newington Causeway
and New Kent Road
is a large residential block called Metro Central Heights
. The 43-storey Strata
residential block lies just south of the shopping centre on Walworth Road. "Elephant and Castle" has largely replaced the original name of the area — Newington
.
The intersections route traffic arriving from and heading to the south-east of England
along the A2
— called here the New Kent Road
and then the Old Kent Road
— and towards the south of England on the A3 as well as splitting traffic into the West End
via St George's Road
, and the City of London
via London Road
and Newington Causeway
at the northern intersection. Newington Butts
and Walworth Road adjoin the southern intersection. The whole junction system forms part of the London Inner Ring Road
and part of the boundary of the London congestion charge
zone.
In the middle of the northern intersection island is the Michael Faraday Memorial
, a large stainless steel box built in honour of Michael Faraday
, who was born nearby. The structure also contains an electrical substation for the Northern Line
of the London Underground
. The sight-lines of this monument are obscured by illuminated billboards on gantries.
Famous former residents include Charlie Chaplin
and Michael Caine
, who were born and grew up locally. Electronic musician Aphex Twin
lives in a converted bank in the area.
The Elephant is also home to two linked London Underground
stations (Northern
and Bakerloo line
s) as well as a National Rail
station served both by South-East Trains (Kentish Town to Sevenoaks via Catford) and by First Capital Connect (Thameslink
suburban loop to Sutton and Wimbledon). Other local buildings include Skipton House
(housing the Department of Health
), Perronet House
an award winning residential block owned by Southwark Council, a large part of the London South Bank University
campus, the London College of Communication
, the Ministry of Sound
nightclub, and the Metropolitan Tabernacle
. The Cuming Museum
is nearby.
Known previously as Newington (Newington Butts and Newington Causeway are two of the principal roads of the area), it was in the mediaeval period simply a part of rural Surrey
, of the manor of Walworth
. This is listed in the Domesday Book as belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury
; the income from its rents and tithes supplied the monks at Christ Church Canterbury with their clothing; a 'church' is also mentioned. However, the parish was called 'St Mary, Newington'. That church occupied the site of the current leisure centre, next to the Tabernacle, being first recorded by name in 1222.
In May 1557, William Morant, Stephen Gratwick, and a man named King (known as the Southwark Martyrs
), were burnt at the stake in St. George's Field on the site of the present Tabernacle during the Marian Persecutions
.
St Mary's church was rebuilt in 1720. However, this was not as long-lived as its predecessor and was completely replaced in 1790, to a design of Francis Hurlbatt. Within another hundred years this too was to be demolished, but it was decided that the successor should be relocated elsewhere within the parish; a site was chosen in Kennington Park Road. The new church was ready in 1876. That building was destroyed in 1940 by enemy action. The remains of the tower and an arch were incorporated into the modern design of its replacement of 1958. The open space at the leisure centre is still known as St Mary's Churchyard, and the narrow pedestrian walk at its southend is 'Churchyard Row'.
Other institutions were created here. There is record of a 'hospital' before the Reformation. In 1601 the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
erected St Peter's Hospital, i.e. almshouses, on the site of the present London College of Communication. This expanded and survived until 1850, when it removed to Wandsworth. The Drapers livery company created Walters' Almshouses on a site now at the southern intersection island in 1640, giving the tower block opposite its name 'Draper House'. The almshouses were relocated to Brandon Street in the 1960s as part of the major redevelopments here.
In the 19th century the nationally famed Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon built his Metropolitan Tabernacle here. It was bombed in the blitz but rebuilt and is still flourishing today.
The Elephant and Castle was the centre of the target zone for the German air raids on London on May 10, 1941 and suffered "raging fires" during this raid.
Most recently, the Elephant and Castle is featured on the cover of The High Llamas' "Beet Maize & Corn" album (2003) in a painting by Jeremy Glogan.
Elephant and Castle is also the location of The London College of Communication formerly known as The London College of Printing, an internationally renowned dedicated college. The present structure was constructed during the redevelopment of the area in the early 1960s.
The "Elephant and Castle" is derived from a coaching inn
of that name on the site. The earliest surviving record of this name relating to the area is in the Court Leet
Book of the Manor of Walworth
. This local court had met at "Elephant and Castle, Newington" on 21 March 1765. Previously the site was occupied by a blacksmith and cutler – the coat of arms
of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers
features an elephant with a castle (possibly meant to be a howdah
) on its back, which in turn was used because of the use of elephant ivory in handles.
'Newington' is one of the most common place names in England (see Newington Green
and Stoke Newington
in north London), and from 1750 the area became more important and so the informal name, from the pub at this junction, was adopted. Compare 'Angel' at Islington
, or Bricklayers Arms a short distance along New Kent Road from Elephant and Castle.
The inn site was rebuilt in 1816 and again in 1898, although the present Elephant & Castle pub, at the junction of New Kent Road
and Newington Causeway, was part of the 1960s comprehensive redevelopment.
, Catherine of Aragon
, and Maria, daughter of Philip III of Spain
.
in 1751 and the improvements in London Bridge
in the same period. These required 'by-pass' roads to connect across the south side approaches to each other and also to the main routes to the south and southeast coasts. These road improvements - Great Dover Street, Westminster Bridge, New Kent Road, St George's Road and Borough Road - connect to the older Kennington
and Old Kent Roads to facilitate this traffic. In 1769 the new Blackfriars Bridge was connected to this system at what is now the junction called St George's Circus and Blackfriars Road (originally Great Surrey Road) and to the Elephant junction with the new London Road.
As a result of these improvements, the area became a built-up part of the metropolis during the late Georgian and Victorian periods. The railway arrived here in 1863 and the first deep-level tube line, now part of the Northern Line
's City Branch, in 1890. The Bakerloo Line
terminus was created in 1904. Both the middle-class and working-class populations increased, the first settling on the major roads, the latter on the streets behind these. However, the area declined socially at the Walworth side. Both the Bakerloo and Northern lines can be accessed from the Elephant and Castle tube station. Elephant and Castle railway station is served by both First Capital Connect
and Southeastern train services from Blackfriars station
and trains travel to destinations in Kent and South London, including the Sutton Loop Line.
In 1930, the Trocadero, a monumental neo-gothic picture house, seating over 3000 and fitted with the biggest Wurlitzer
organ in Europe, was built at the northern corner of the New Kent Road (there is now a plaque commemorating the building and unveiled in 2008 by Denis Norden
who had worked there in his youth. This was replaced in 1966 by a smaller cinema (the Odeon) which was itself demolished in 1988.
In 1932, another cinema opened across the street which is still known today as the Coronet. The venue is now mostly used as a night-club and concert venue. At the time it seated over 2000 people was in fact an art-deco conversion of the Elephant and Castle theatre. The theatre was open in 1879 on the site of the short-lived Theatre Royal (built in 1872 and burnt down 6 years later). The building was reconstructed in 1882 and again in 1902.
The major development of the 1960s consisted of post-war reconstruction to a larger metropolitan plan, much of it replacing properties destroyed by enemy bombing in World War II, and gave us some of the previously mentioned structures. Alexander Fleming House (1959), originally a group of government office blocks and now a residential complex known as Metro Central Heights
, is a prime example of the work of the Hungarian modernist architect Ernő Goldfinger
.
One monument to cinema still remains just off the Elephant The Cinema Museum
a volunteer-run museum with screenings for the public of classic cinema and a vast collection of cinema memorabilia. It is housed in the old workhouse where Charlie Chaplin
spent time as a child.
The infamous shopping centre, designed by architects Boissenvain & Osmond for the Willets Group, was opened in March 1965. It was the first covered shopping mall in Europe with 120 shops on three levels and a two-storey underground car-park. In the sales brochure (1963), Willets claimed it to be the “largest and most ambitious shopping venture ever to be embarked upon in London. In design planning and vision it represents an entirely new approach to retailing, setting standards for the sixties that will revolutionise shopping concepts throughout Britain.” However when it opened, budget restrictions had meant that the proportions and finishes of the building had had to be scaled down and only 29 out of a possible 120 shops were trading. One of the various schemes to try and regenerate the ailing venture famously included painting it a bright pink.
In recent times the area has had a reputation for successful ethnic diversity and centrality. The area's proximity to major areas of employment, including Westminster, the West End
and the City
, has meant that a certain amount of gentrification
has taken place - this can be seen in an increase in high-quality restaurants in the area. There are many popular Colombian meeting places including "La Bodeguita" and "Distriandina". Local restaurants such as the Chinese Dragon Castle have been praised by critics, and The Lobster Pot has featured in the Harden's
guide top ten.
Elephant and Castle is unlikely to reclaim its place as an upmarket central London hub, however, until further regeneration plans are implemented.
The area is now subject to a masterplanned redevelopment budgeted at £1.5 billion. A Development Framework was approved by Southwark Council
in 2004. It covers an area of 170 acres (688,000 m²) and envisages restoring the Elephant and Castle to the role of major urban hub for inner South London
which it occupied before World War II
. Planned features include:
Elephant and Castle was to have been served by the Cross-River Tram
scheme, which was cancelled in 2008 due to budgetary constraints.
There will be major changes to the road intersection designed to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. Walworth Road is to be expanded to the north through the site of the present shopping centre, which will be demolished. This will create a pedestrianised boulevard to what is now the northern roundabout. Two skyscrapers will flank the boulevard and the roundabout will be turned into a public square. A substantial amount of post-World War II
social housing which is deemed to have failed will be demolished, including the Heygate Estate
. This will be replaced with new housing developments consisting of a mix of social and private-sector housing. There have also been moves to protect the last of the architecturally important tenement blocks nearby through the creation of a conservation area covering the Pullens buildings
.
The timetable originally announced with completion in 2014, however this is now behind schedule and the current time line is for construction to begin on first buildings in early 2014.
At an international climate change
summit in South Korea
in May 2009, the Elephant and Castle regeneration scheme was named among 16 worldwide projects which will release less carbon dioxide
than they use. At the summit former US President Bill Clinton
praised the scheme as a global example for sustainable growth.
Some local residents are maintaining the Southwark Notes website that takes a critical look at the regeneration in the Elephant and Castle area. http://southwarknotes.wordpress.com/ The Elephant Amenity Network is a local group promoting a 'Charter for Community Inclusion and a Better Quality of Life for All' and campaigning for 'a regeneration that benefits local people'. http://elephantamenity.wordpress.com/
London's growing Latino
population, which have been largely residing in Elephant and Castle since the 80's, are also taking part in the regeneration project. Plans are being made to build new shops and homes to transform it into a "Latin American corridor".
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
in south
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
. It is also used as a name for the surrounding area.
The Elephant, as it is known for short, consists of major traffic intersections connected by a short road called Elephant and Castle, part of the A3. Between these intersections, on the eastern side, is the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, with an office block called Hannibal House
Hannibal House
Hannibal House is an icon of 1960s office architecture positioned above the Elephant and Castle shopping centre in Southwark, south London.Until 2005, the building housed various bodies and agencies of the British Department of Health, including the Devices section of the Medicines and Healthcare...
on top. To the north of this, bounded by Newington Causeway
Newington Causeway
Newington Causeway is a road in Southwark, London, England, between the Elephant and Castle and Borough High Street. The Elephant and Castle tube station is at the southern end....
and New Kent Road
New Kent Road
New Kent Road is a road in the London Borough of Southwark. The road was created in 1751 when the Turnpike Trust upgraded a local footpath. This was done as part of the general road improvements associated with the creation of Westminster Bridge; in effect it was possible to travel from the West...
is a large residential block called Metro Central Heights
Metro Central Heights
Metro Central Heights is a group of residential buildings in the London Borough of Southwark. It was originally known as Alexander Fleming House, a multi-storey office complex designed by Hungarian-born modernist architect Ernő Goldfinger and constructed in the early 1960s for Arnold Lee of Imry...
. The 43-storey Strata
Strata (building)
Strata SE1 is a 148-metre, 43 storey, 408 flat skyscraper at Elephant and Castle in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England...
residential block lies just south of the shopping centre on Walworth Road. "Elephant and Castle" has largely replaced the original name of the area — Newington
Newington, London
Newington is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It was an ancient parish and the site of the early administration of the county of Surrey...
.
The intersections route traffic arriving from and heading to the south-east of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
along the A2
A2 road (Great Britain)
The A2 is a major road in southern England, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. This route has always been of importance as a connection between the British capital of London and sea trade routes to Continental Europe...
— called here the New Kent Road
New Kent Road
New Kent Road is a road in the London Borough of Southwark. The road was created in 1751 when the Turnpike Trust upgraded a local footpath. This was done as part of the general road improvements associated with the creation of Westminster Bridge; in effect it was possible to travel from the West...
and then the Old Kent Road
Old Kent Road
The Old Kent Road is a road in South East London, England and forms part of Watling Street, the Roman road which ran from Dover to Holyhead. The street is famous as the equal cheapest property on the London Monopoly board and as the only one in South London....
— and towards the south of England on the A3 as well as splitting traffic into the West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
via St George's Road
St George's Road
St George's Road is a road in Southwark, London running between Westminster Bridge Road to the northwest and Elephant and Castle to the southeast. Its name derives from its crossing of St George's Fields, being an open rural area of the parish of St George the Martyr, Southwark...
, and the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
via London Road
London Road, Southwark
London Road is a road in Southwark, southeast London, England, which connects St George's Circus and the Elephant and Castle roundabout . To the east is the campus of London South Bank University including the Technopark building and the London Road Building, in a triangle formed by London Road,...
and Newington Causeway
Newington Causeway
Newington Causeway is a road in Southwark, London, England, between the Elephant and Castle and Borough High Street. The Elephant and Castle tube station is at the southern end....
at the northern intersection. Newington Butts
Newington Butts
Newington Butts is a former village, now an area of the London Borough of Southwark, that gives its name to a segment of the A3 road running south-west from the Elephant and Castle junction...
and Walworth Road adjoin the southern intersection. The whole junction system forms part of the London Inner Ring Road
London Inner Ring Road
The London Inner Ring Road is the name commonly given to a route formed from a number of major roads that encircle the centremost part of London...
and part of the boundary of the London congestion charge
London congestion charge
The London congestion charge is a fee charged for some categories of motor vehicle to travel at certain times within the Congestion Charge Zone , a traffic area in London. The charge aims to reduce congestion, and raise investment funds for London's transport system...
zone.
In the middle of the northern intersection island is the Michael Faraday Memorial
Michael Faraday Memorial
The Michael Faraday Memorial is a monument to the Victorian scientist Michael Faraday in Elephant and Castle, London, England.The stainless steel box-shaped structure was designed by Brutalist architect Rodney Gordon in 1959 and built in 1961 on the centre of the northern roundabout of the Elephant...
, a large stainless steel box built in honour of Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, FRS was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry....
, who was born nearby. The structure also contains an electrical substation for the Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
. The sight-lines of this monument are obscured by illuminated billboards on gantries.
Famous former residents include Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
and Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
, who were born and grew up locally. Electronic musician Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin
Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
lives in a converted bank in the area.
The Elephant is also home to two linked London Underground
Elephant & Castle tube station
Elephant & Castle tube station is a station on the London Underground system. It is located in the London Borough of Southwark and on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2...
stations (Northern
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
and Bakerloo line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
s) as well as a National Rail
Elephant & Castle railway station
Elephant & Castle railway station serves the area of Elephant & Castle in London, England. The station is managed by First Capital Connect, with services operated by both First Capital Connect and Southeastern...
station served both by South-East Trains (Kentish Town to Sevenoaks via Catford) and by First Capital Connect (Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
suburban loop to Sutton and Wimbledon). Other local buildings include Skipton House
Skipton House
Skipton House is a high specification office building in Elephant and Castle, Central London.It was built for a Japanese bank and then sold on to accommodate staff of the Department of Health who were moved out of Alexander Fleming House. The project architect was Paul Cayford. Its address is 80...
(housing the Department of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
), Perronet House
Perronet House
Perronet House is an 11-storey residential council tower block adjacent to the northern roundabout of the Elephant and Castle, in London.-Design and Layout:...
an award winning residential block owned by Southwark Council, a large part of the London South Bank University
London South Bank University
London South Bank University is a university in south London. With over 25,000 students and 1,700 staff, it is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name...
campus, the London College of Communication
London College of Communication
The London College of Communication is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, located in Elephant and Castle. It has about 5,000 students on 60 courses in media and design courses preparing students for careers in the creative industries...
, the Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
nightclub, and the Metropolitan Tabernacle
Metropolitan Tabernacle
The Metropolitan Tabernacle is a large Reformed Baptist church in the Elephant and Castle in London. It was the largest non-conformist church edifice of its day in 1861. The Tabernacle Fellowship have been worshipping together since 1650, soon after the sailing of the Pilgrim Fathers...
. The Cuming Museum
Cuming Museum
The Cuming Museum in Walworth Road, within the London Borough of Southwark, London, England, houses the collection of the Cuming family and is also a museum of Southwark's history....
is nearby.
History
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, of the manor of Walworth
Walworth
-Places:United Kingdom* Walworth, County DurhamUnited States* Walworth County, South Dakota* Walworth County, Wisconsin* Walworth, New York* Walworth, Wisconsin, a village* Walworth , Wisconsin, a town...
. This is listed in the Domesday Book as belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
; the income from its rents and tithes supplied the monks at Christ Church Canterbury with their clothing; a 'church' is also mentioned. However, the parish was called 'St Mary, Newington'. That church occupied the site of the current leisure centre, next to the Tabernacle, being first recorded by name in 1222.
In May 1557, William Morant, Stephen Gratwick, and a man named King (known as the Southwark Martyrs
Marian Persecutions
The Marian Persecutions were carried out against religious reformers, Protestants, and other dissenters for their heretical beliefs during the reign of Mary I of England. The excesses of this period were mythologized in the historical record of Foxe's Book of Martyrs...
), were burnt at the stake in St. George's Field on the site of the present Tabernacle during the Marian Persecutions
Marian Persecutions
The Marian Persecutions were carried out against religious reformers, Protestants, and other dissenters for their heretical beliefs during the reign of Mary I of England. The excesses of this period were mythologized in the historical record of Foxe's Book of Martyrs...
.
St Mary's church was rebuilt in 1720. However, this was not as long-lived as its predecessor and was completely replaced in 1790, to a design of Francis Hurlbatt. Within another hundred years this too was to be demolished, but it was decided that the successor should be relocated elsewhere within the parish; a site was chosen in Kennington Park Road. The new church was ready in 1876. That building was destroyed in 1940 by enemy action. The remains of the tower and an arch were incorporated into the modern design of its replacement of 1958. The open space at the leisure centre is still known as St Mary's Churchyard, and the narrow pedestrian walk at its southend is 'Churchyard Row'.
Other institutions were created here. There is record of a 'hospital' before the Reformation. In 1601 the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London, being a guild of the sellers of fish and seafood in the City...
erected St Peter's Hospital, i.e. almshouses, on the site of the present London College of Communication. This expanded and survived until 1850, when it removed to Wandsworth. The Drapers livery company created Walters' Almshouses on a site now at the southern intersection island in 1640, giving the tower block opposite its name 'Draper House'. The almshouses were relocated to Brandon Street in the 1960s as part of the major redevelopments here.
In the 19th century the nationally famed Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon built his Metropolitan Tabernacle here. It was bombed in the blitz but rebuilt and is still flourishing today.
The Elephant and Castle was the centre of the target zone for the German air raids on London on May 10, 1941 and suffered "raging fires" during this raid.
Most recently, the Elephant and Castle is featured on the cover of The High Llamas' "Beet Maize & Corn" album (2003) in a painting by Jeremy Glogan.
Elephant and Castle is also the location of The London College of Communication formerly known as The London College of Printing, an internationally renowned dedicated college. The present structure was constructed during the redevelopment of the area in the early 1960s.
Name
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
of that name on the site. The earliest surviving record of this name relating to the area is in the Court Leet
Court leet
The court leet was a historical court baron of England and Wales and Ireland that exercised the "view of frankpledge" and its attendant police jurisdiction, which was normally restricted to the hundred courts.-History:...
Book of the Manor of Walworth
Walworth, London
Walworth is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Southwark. Walworth probably derives its name from the Old English "Wealhworth" which meant Welsh farm. It is located south east of Charing Cross and near to Camberwell and Elephant and Castle.The major streets in Walworth are the Old...
. This local court had met at "Elephant and Castle, Newington" on 21 March 1765. Previously the site was occupied by a blacksmith and cutler – the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers
Worshipful Company of Cutlers
The Worshipful Company of Cutlers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The trade of knife making and repairing was organised in the thirteenth century; the organisation received a Royal Charter later in 1416...
features an elephant with a castle (possibly meant to be a howdah
Howdah
A howdah, or houdah, also known as hathi howdah, is a carriage which is positioned on the back of an elephant, or occasionally some other animal, used most often in the past to carry wealthy people or for use in hunting or warfare...
) on its back, which in turn was used because of the use of elephant ivory in handles.
'Newington' is one of the most common place names in England (see Newington Green
Newington Green
Newington Green is an open space in north London which straddles the border between Islington and Hackney. It gives its name to the surrounding area, roughly bounded by Ball's Pond Road to the south, Petherton Road to the west, the southern section of Stoke Newington with Green Lanes-Matthias Road...
and Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
in north London), and from 1750 the area became more important and so the informal name, from the pub at this junction, was adopted. Compare 'Angel' at Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, or Bricklayers Arms a short distance along New Kent Road from Elephant and Castle.
The inn site was rebuilt in 1816 and again in 1898, although the present Elephant & Castle pub, at the junction of New Kent Road
New Kent Road
New Kent Road is a road in the London Borough of Southwark. The road was created in 1751 when the Turnpike Trust upgraded a local footpath. This was done as part of the general road improvements associated with the creation of Westminster Bridge; in effect it was possible to travel from the West...
and Newington Causeway, was part of the 1960s comprehensive redevelopment.
Folk etymologies
A common misconception is that the term "elephant and castle" is a corruption of "la Infanta de Castilla" which may refer to any of a number of Spanish princesses connected to English history including Eleanor of CastileEleanor of Castile
Eleanor of Castile was the first queen consort of Edward I of England. She was also Countess of Ponthieu in her own right from 1279 until her death in 1290, succeeding her mother and ruling together with her husband.-Birth:...
, Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
, and Maria, daughter of Philip III of Spain
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
.
Transport
The area became increasingly important after the creation of Westminster BridgeWestminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
in 1751 and the improvements in London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
in the same period. These required 'by-pass' roads to connect across the south side approaches to each other and also to the main routes to the south and southeast coasts. These road improvements - Great Dover Street, Westminster Bridge, New Kent Road, St George's Road and Borough Road - connect to the older Kennington
Kennington
Kennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
and Old Kent Roads to facilitate this traffic. In 1769 the new Blackfriars Bridge was connected to this system at what is now the junction called St George's Circus and Blackfriars Road (originally Great Surrey Road) and to the Elephant junction with the new London Road.
As a result of these improvements, the area became a built-up part of the metropolis during the late Georgian and Victorian periods. The railway arrived here in 1863 and the first deep-level tube line, now part of the Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
's City Branch, in 1890. The Bakerloo Line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
terminus was created in 1904. Both the middle-class and working-class populations increased, the first settling on the major roads, the latter on the streets behind these. However, the area declined socially at the Walworth side. Both the Bakerloo and Northern lines can be accessed from the Elephant and Castle tube station. Elephant and Castle railway station is served by both First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
and Southeastern train services from Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
and trains travel to destinations in Kent and South London, including the Sutton Loop Line.
Shopping and Entertainment
The area became the location for a thriving shopping area, known as "the Piccadilly of South London", with its own department store (William Tarn and Co) and many smaller outlets. Also featured were a shoe factory, a branch of Burton and a renowned hatter.In 1930, the Trocadero, a monumental neo-gothic picture house, seating over 3000 and fitted with the biggest Wurlitzer
Wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
organ in Europe, was built at the northern corner of the New Kent Road (there is now a plaque commemorating the building and unveiled in 2008 by Denis Norden
Denis Norden
Denis Mostyn Norden CBE is a former English comedy writer and television presenter. After an early career working in cinemas, he began scriptwriting during World War II. From 1948 to 1959, he co-wrote the successful BBC Radio comedy programme Take It from Here with Frank Muir...
who had worked there in his youth. This was replaced in 1966 by a smaller cinema (the Odeon) which was itself demolished in 1988.
In 1932, another cinema opened across the street which is still known today as the Coronet. The venue is now mostly used as a night-club and concert venue. At the time it seated over 2000 people was in fact an art-deco conversion of the Elephant and Castle theatre. The theatre was open in 1879 on the site of the short-lived Theatre Royal (built in 1872 and burnt down 6 years later). The building was reconstructed in 1882 and again in 1902.
The major development of the 1960s consisted of post-war reconstruction to a larger metropolitan plan, much of it replacing properties destroyed by enemy bombing in World War II, and gave us some of the previously mentioned structures. Alexander Fleming House (1959), originally a group of government office blocks and now a residential complex known as Metro Central Heights
Metro Central Heights
Metro Central Heights is a group of residential buildings in the London Borough of Southwark. It was originally known as Alexander Fleming House, a multi-storey office complex designed by Hungarian-born modernist architect Ernő Goldfinger and constructed in the early 1960s for Arnold Lee of Imry...
, is a prime example of the work of the Hungarian modernist architect Ernő Goldfinger
Erno Goldfinger
Ernő Goldfinger was a Hungarian-born Jewish architect and designer of furniture, and a key member of the architectural Modern Movement after he had moved to the United Kingdom.-Biography:Goldfinger was born in Budapest...
.
One monument to cinema still remains just off the Elephant The Cinema Museum
Cinema Museum (London)
The Cinema Museum is a charitable organisation founded in 1986 by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries from their own private collection of cinema history and memorabilia. It is based at 2 Dugard Way in the London Borough of Lambeth, the administration block of the former Lambeth Workhouse...
a volunteer-run museum with screenings for the public of classic cinema and a vast collection of cinema memorabilia. It is housed in the old workhouse where Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
spent time as a child.
The infamous shopping centre, designed by architects Boissenvain & Osmond for the Willets Group, was opened in March 1965. It was the first covered shopping mall in Europe with 120 shops on three levels and a two-storey underground car-park. In the sales brochure (1963), Willets claimed it to be the “largest and most ambitious shopping venture ever to be embarked upon in London. In design planning and vision it represents an entirely new approach to retailing, setting standards for the sixties that will revolutionise shopping concepts throughout Britain.” However when it opened, budget restrictions had meant that the proportions and finishes of the building had had to be scaled down and only 29 out of a possible 120 shops were trading. One of the various schemes to try and regenerate the ailing venture famously included painting it a bright pink.
In recent times the area has had a reputation for successful ethnic diversity and centrality. The area's proximity to major areas of employment, including Westminster, the West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
and the City
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, has meant that a certain amount of gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
has taken place - this can be seen in an increase in high-quality restaurants in the area. There are many popular Colombian meeting places including "La Bodeguita" and "Distriandina". Local restaurants such as the Chinese Dragon Castle have been praised by critics, and The Lobster Pot has featured in the Harden's
Harden's
Harden's is a UK restaurant guide, publishing guides to both London and UK restaurants. Like Zagat Survey, they incorporate a reader survey, and are also based on the personal visits of brothers Richard and Peter Harden....
guide top ten.
Elephant and Castle is unlikely to reclaim its place as an upmarket central London hub, however, until further regeneration plans are implemented.
Rejuvenation project
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
in 2004. It covers an area of 170 acres (688,000 m²) and envisages restoring the Elephant and Castle to the role of major urban hub for inner South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
which it occupied before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Planned features include:
- 800,000 square feet (75,000 m²) of retail space (far larger than the existing shopping centre)
- 5,300 new and replacement homes
- five new open spaces
- an integrated public transport hub
- a new Academy
- a new library.
Elephant and Castle was to have been served by the Cross-River Tram
Cross River Tram
Cross River Tram was a Transport for London proposal for a tram system in London, England, UK. It was planned to run on a north-south route from Camden Town in the north, through and , to Peckham and Brixton in the south....
scheme, which was cancelled in 2008 due to budgetary constraints.
There will be major changes to the road intersection designed to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. Walworth Road is to be expanded to the north through the site of the present shopping centre, which will be demolished. This will create a pedestrianised boulevard to what is now the northern roundabout. Two skyscrapers will flank the boulevard and the roundabout will be turned into a public square. A substantial amount of post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
social housing which is deemed to have failed will be demolished, including the Heygate Estate
Heygate Estate
The Heygate Estate is a large housing estate located in Walworth, Southwark, south London. The estate is currently under demolition.Heygate is one of the most high-profile estates in the United Kingdom, due to its notoriety and usage as a filming location...
. This will be replaced with new housing developments consisting of a mix of social and private-sector housing. There have also been moves to protect the last of the architecturally important tenement blocks nearby through the creation of a conservation area covering the Pullens buildings
Pullens buildings
The Pullens buildings, also known as the Pullens Estate, are some of the last Victorian tenement buildings surviving in London, England. In the Walworth, Newington area, they are near Elephant and Castle and Kennington Underground stations....
.
The timetable originally announced with completion in 2014, however this is now behind schedule and the current time line is for construction to begin on first buildings in early 2014.
At an international climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
summit in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in May 2009, the Elephant and Castle regeneration scheme was named among 16 worldwide projects which will release less carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
than they use. At the summit former US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
praised the scheme as a global example for sustainable growth.
Some local residents are maintaining the Southwark Notes website that takes a critical look at the regeneration in the Elephant and Castle area. http://southwarknotes.wordpress.com/ The Elephant Amenity Network is a local group promoting a 'Charter for Community Inclusion and a Better Quality of Life for All' and campaigning for 'a regeneration that benefits local people'. http://elephantamenity.wordpress.com/
London's growing Latino
Latin Americans in the United Kingdom
Latin American migration to the United Kingdom is a phenomenon dating back to the early 19th century. However, up until the 1970s, when political and civil unrest became rife in many Latin American countries, the United Kingdom's Latin American community wasn't particularly large...
population, which have been largely residing in Elephant and Castle since the 80's, are also taking part in the regeneration project. Plans are being made to build new shops and homes to transform it into a "Latin American corridor".
External links
- Map of Elephant and Castle and surrounding districts
- Flickr photo pool
- Elephant and Castle regeneration masterplan
- A Short History of the Elephant and Castle and Its Name
- What is the origin of Elephant and Castle?
- The Story of the Elephant and Castle name
- The History of Elephant and Castle
- Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre - PostWarBuildings.com
- Time Out article about the Shopping centre, September 2006
- Save the Elephant Shopping Centre
- Multiplex unveils Elephant skyscraper plan - London-SE1, 5 December 2005
- Clinton praises redevelopment of Elephant and Castle - BBC News, 19 May 2009
- Elephant and Castle - blitzandblight.com
- Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre on The Retail Database