Wapping Wander - E1 to SW3 to SW11 to SE1…..And on….

[Wapping]

Coffee and a bun disposed of, it was time to wander on again southwards.

Leaving the cafe, it was right on Royal Hospital Road, past the hospital’s old graveyard and past the part where Mrs Thatcher’s ashes (along with her husband’s) are buried:



Then right again onto Chelsea Bridge Road, past the site of the former Chelsea Barracks, now a very expensive housing development, owned as an investment by the Qatari government:





Crossing the junction with Chelsea Embankment, we’ve passed by the house Jerome K Jerome lived in and the ‘Carabiniers’ South African War (Boer War) memorial:







and then continuing southwards towards the Thames and Chelsea Bridge, which we’ll cross to take in our next site:

Chelsea Barracks - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Jerome K. Jerome - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Chelsea Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Wapping]

There are some good views from the bridge. Eastwards towards the new tower blocks at Vauxhall and westwards, towards the towers of the Chelsea Harbour development, along with the ‘Peace Pagoda’ in Battersea Park. This is one of a series of Budhist ‘Peace Pagodas’ around the world:







We are now in Wandsworth. This is the view looking northwards, back along Chelsea Bridge we have just crossed. The brick building with the chimney is Chelsea Water Works and, away in the far distance you can just see the red brick tower of Westminster Cathedral, the largest Catholic church building in England:



But we must now turn eastwards and walk along the south bank of the river, towards Grosvenor Bridge, the railway bridge into Victoria Station on the north side and on to our next destination;

Grosvenor Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[LOLGEOFF]

The amount of times I've driven along the embankment past that memorial and not known what it was for, I had it in my mind it was one of those elaborate drinking fountains. The main thing I knew it for was as an ambush site for traffic police on bikes waiting for poor unsuspecting lorry drivers heading to Vauxhall Bridge.

The snakeskin roof of the waterworks building is a work of art too.

 

[Mr Derek]

"Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner" for the 21st century.

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London (My Heart Belongs to)


A city built on blood and tears, There's history all around

from the docks into the back streets, if you know your way around

The times they are a changin, so are the sights and sounds

From beer and bricks and brothels, to glass towers all around


But i will always love, my good old London town


You know my heart belongs to London

The dirty Thames it flows right through my veins

From St Paul's right along to Soho

The house of god down to the house of sin


The place is choked with traffic now, the pubs are closing down

The city just keeps growing, and the poor just get pushed out

So called regeneration, It’s just a lick of paint

But the beating heart ain’t given up, It’s just becoming faint

 

[Traffic893]

What an enjoyable and informative thread. Thank you Wapping.

 

[andysdad]

A wonderful wander Wapping!

A bit more living history - as you pass the V&A on Exhibition Road (your second V&A photo); the large doorway after the colonnade shows many impact marks from a WW2 bomb explosion.

 

[Wapping]

Thank you all.

I did enjoy the whole wander and will finish the thread. We are now at about halfway around.

 

[Wapping]

Next stop is the huge new redevelopment of the former Battersea Power Station. It stood empty and all but derelict for years, as did much of the area down from Vauxhall. Between the move of the American Embassy, the building of the new tower block accommodation towers, the repurposing of the power station and the putting in of an extension to the Northern Line, the whole area has enjoyed a massive uplift:

Battersea Power Station - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Wapping]

Now to carry on eastward, staying on the south of the river.

I was going to walk to our next stop (it’s about 45 minutes) but having clocked up several miles already and seeing the 344 bus coming, I hopped on:





As the screenshot of the route shows, the bus follows the river, past Vauxhall Bridge. We’ll get off at Pratt Walk at the south side of Lambeth Bridge. This route takes us past the new redevelopment towers and the green glass of the HQ of MI6 in the ‘SIS building’ shortly after Vauxhall bus station:





Still on the bus but looking north, you can see Tate Britain (tge building to the left with the pillars) and the tower of the Millbank Tower:

SIS Building - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tate Britain - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Millbank Tower - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Wapping]

Not far now to our next destination…..

 

[wessie]

Pratt Walk. Nominative determinism for a UKGSer guided tour.

 

[Mzokk]

Thanks for taking the time to post this and the narrative. There is much about London to learn.

 

[grantmac]

I spent a day looking around Battersea Power station back in October last year with he Missus. Didn't manage to get up one of the Chimneys as it was closed. Very nice area and beautiful shops' but all way beyond my shopping budget or interest and the price of flats was mind boggling ....2 bed flat was £4000 - £6000 pcm. .......I did see a lot of Chinese people and also a lot of big expensive cars......

 

[LOLGEOFF]

Still on the bus but looking north, you can see Tate Britain (the building to the left with the pillars) and the tower of the Millbank Tower:

Proper tourist, talking pictures from a bus.

You forgot to mention the large building to the right of Milbank Tower, above the river bus pontoon, is Thames House home of the other Secret Service MI5.

Thames House - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Keep taking photos like this and they'll be kicking your front door in early one morning.

 

[Wapping]

Pratt Walk. Nominative determinism for a UKGSer guided tour.

I did it on purpose.

 

[Wapping]

You forgot to mention the large building to the right of Milbank Tower, above the river bus pontoon, is Thames House home of the other Secret Service MI5.

Patience, patience.

 

[Wapping]

Time to continue….

Getting of at Pratts Walk, we are close to Lambeth Bridge and Lambeth Palace, home to the Archbishop of Canterbury. But first a little detour into into a small park (one of very many in London) Archbishop’s Park:





The park has a simple ‘Nature Trail’ for visitors and no doubt the local primary schools:

Archbishop's Park - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Wapping]

The park also has a shelter, one of the few left in London, though this one has been restored:



Coming out of the park, we turn right towards Lambeth Palace and the eponymous bridge. But first, let’s look at another building, just across the road. It’s another of those architectural and historical oddities that London is full of:

 

[Wapping]

Crossing back across Lambeth Road, we can walk through St Mary’s church gardens, behind which sits Lambeth Palace and its most familiar landmark, Morton’s Tower:





Lambeth Council (or Lambeth Palace) do need to busy themselves, clearing up the piles of crap assorted scrotes leave behind:

Lambeth Palace - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Next across Lambeth Bridge and to the safety of the Thames’ north bank….

 

[John RTW]

Thanks Wapping, I always enjoy a good history lesson on our great capital.