Lost in Southwark

I went for a walk today to try and find a fabled hardware store that was said to be hiding just off Borough High Street.  I’d already had one failed mission and returned to my office in defeat.  When our security officer then decided to direct me through “the scenic route” I knew I had to take along my trusted Nokia N70 phone and snap some photos!

Little Dorrit Court

Southwark is steeped in history and the story of the writing of Little Dorrit  is linked to Charles Dickens’ visit to his father in Marshalsea prison.  All that remains of Marshalsea prison is the wall which runs along the park next to my work.  So, my walk took me along Little Dorrit Court and the colourful park there.

I guess it would have to be colourful given how wonderfully grey London is for most of the year!

When I got to the end of Little Dorrit Court, I came upon the most wonderful little park.

Red Cross Garden

It is amazing what you can discover in London if you just step away from your usual path. 

Even in the depth of winter, the Red Cross Garden is absolutely exquisite.

The Red Cross Garden was founded in 1887 by Octavia Hill, a co-founder of the National Trust.  According to the Bankside Open Spaces Trust website, Octavia was an ardent social reformer and built the garden as a place for the tired inhabitants of Southwark to sit.  (Yesterday, an overworked Southwark employee simply took photos!)  She also built the houses you can see at the back as a model to how housing conditions could be improved for the working poor.

Not surprisingly, there is a plaque dedicated to Octavia Hill at the back of the garden.

So, I finally found my way to the hardware store and then scooted back to work.

I took the opportunity to snap a photo of the St George the Martyr Church.  That is a section of Borough High Street you can see there and it is completely full of road works as they replace the Victorian water mains.  Utter pandemonium!