Windrush
Square
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Brixton
Railway
Station
Brixton
Village
Brixton Road
Acre Lane
Brixton Hill
Effra Road
Rushcroft Rd
Saltoun Rd
Atlantic Rd
Electric Av
Porden Road
Electric La
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Coldharbour Lane
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Brixton
Tube Station
BRIXTON
Start at Tate Library , built in 1892 in Victorian
Classical style. It was funded by Henry Tate of
Tate & Lyle, the sugar merchants.
Tate invented the sugar cube.
Find his bust in front of the Library.
By the library is the Sharpeville Monument .
It was built to commemorate black people killed on
21 March 1960 when police opened fire on a peaceful
protest in the South African township of Sharpeville.
Walk on into Windrush Square , created to celebrate
the 50th anniversary of the arrival of SS Windrush from
the Caribbean in 1948 with 492 West Indians on board.
Many of them settled in Brixton. On the south-east corner
of the square is the Maidenhair Tree , Gingko biloba,
one of the oldest tree species in the world. There is an
old-fashioned Bovril advertisement
painted on the side of a building to the east.
Look out for other signs like this.
There’s one in Electric Lane,
near Atlantic Avenue.
Cross Effra Road and turn right toward the junction and
the Budd Memorial . This was erected in 1825 by
Henry Budd in memory of his father Richard Budd, ‘a
respected parent’, who was born in Brixton in 1748.
The serpent eating its tail is
the symbol for eternal life.
Can you find it?
Walk through the gardens to
St. Matthew’s Church . Built in
1822, it was one of four ‘Waterloo’ churches built in South
London in the early 19th century. The road opposite,
Porden Road, is named after its architect, C.F. Porden.
Turn right down Brixton Hill passing The Fridge on
your left. One of London’s most famous music venues,
it was built in 1914 and used to be the Palladium Cinema.
Can you see the fridge doors that
decorate the front?
On the corner of Acre Lane is Lambeth Town Hall ,
built in 1908 with red brick and stone decoration.
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The four figures around the tower
represent Justice, Science, Art, Literature.
Which one is Justice and
how can you tell?
Cross the road to Coldharbour Lane. The Ritzy Cinema
, opened in 1911 as the ‘Electric Pavilion Cinema’, is
the second oldest cinema in London.
Can you find the angels
holding up the letters E and P
for Electric Pavillion?
In front of the Ritzy is the London Plane
Tree , Acer Platanus x acerifolia,
ideal for London streets as it is not harmed by pollution.
Also here is the Foundation Stone of
the Old Brixton Theatre ,
bombed during World War II. It was
laid by the famous actor Henry Irving.
Can you find the
architect’s name?
You are now walking down Coldharbour Lane , once
a winding country lane connecting Brixton to Camberwell.
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There’s a lot to see and do right
on your doorstep. One of the best
ways to explore is to take a
Lambeth Walk. This walk has been
put together by Lambeth Council
to help you discover more about
Brixton and the surrounding areas
of Herne Hill and Ruskin Park.
Brixton is right at the heart of Lambeth. Here, you’ll find
the market, the town hall, the Ritzy cinema and a huge
number of other things to see and do. As you walk, you’ll
pass through two of Lambeth’s most popular parks and
see some of the wildlife on offer.
The walk starts at the Brixton Tate Library and ends
further along Coldharbour Lane, just past Loughborough
Junction Station. To make the walk circular
you can head back along Coldharbour
Lane on foot (about 10 minutes) or take
the bus. The walk is expected to take
about 2 hours.
Brixton to
Ruskin Park
Walk
You’ll be able to learn about local history and
architecture, and some of the colourful
characters that have lived and died here. There’s
something to interest the whole family, and some very
particular activities and questions to keep the children
entertained. Some of the things you find out about can
be used to complete the quiz elsewhere in the pack.
