A St Pancras Walk
Route & what to see
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london-footprints.co.uk |
A 4 mile circular walk from St Pancras Station. There is the opportunity to explore the station at the beginning or end of the walk and the option of visiting the British Library and Camley Street Nature Park.
Exit the station at the SE
corner of the new extension into Pancras Road.
Opposite is the German Gymnasium, designed by Edward Gruning and
constructed in 1864-65 for the German Gymnastics Society, a
sporting association established in London in 1861. It is due to
become a bar and restaurant.
Left along Pancras Road
The Stanley Buildings were erected by the Improved Industrial
Dwellings Company in 1864-5 to provide acommodation for 104
families. Only one of the original five blocks remains and will
be used as offices with a cafe on the ground floor. The site of
the gasworks just beyond this is being redeveloped.
Cross Goods Way and continue
along Camley Street
Further along on the right is the entrance to the canalside
nature park run by London Wildlife Trust. [website]
Continue under the railway
then cross into St Pancras Gardens.
This is the former church burial ground, enlarged in 1800. A
separate area for St Giles was added in 1803. To the right is the
coroners court of 1886 and Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The
latter was formerly the St Pancras Workhouse of 1890-3 [pix]. To the left is a tomb designed by Sir
John Soane for his wife. An area of the graveyard was cleared for
the construction of the Midland Railway in the 1860s/1870s. A
number a headstones were grouped around an ash tree known as
'Hardy's Tree' (the author Thomas Hardy worked on the project
whilst engaged as an architect). Ahead is a fountain and the
Burdett-Coutts memorial sundial (1877) for those whose graves
were displaced by the railway. The burial grounds became a public
park at this time. St Pancras is one of the earliest churches in
London. It was rebuilt in the 12th century, remodelled by Roumieu
& Gough in 1848 and restored by A Blomfield in 1888.
Cross Pancras Road into
Goldington Crescent, go left into Goldington Street then right at
Medburn Street.
This area was developed by the Brewers Company in the mid 19th
century.
At the end go right along
Charrington Street then right at Chalton Street
There is a St Pancras Housing Association building on the site of
the Unity Theatre (plaque).
Left at Goldington Crescent
Opposite is Goldington Buildings of 1902-3.
Cross Crowndale Road and go
along College Street.
The Royal Veterinary College is on the right; Pathology
Department 1924, College Block 1936 & Animal Hospital 1932.
Further along is a Royal Mail Depot and on the corner the Golden
Lion pub.
Left at Pratt Street then
right at Camden Street
The former All Saints, designed in 1822-4 by Inwood, has been a
Greek Orthodox Cathedral since 1948.
Right at Georgiana Street
then left along Lyme Street
There is a former piano factory (1852-5) on the left between
houses of c1849. Opposite is a canalside wharf
Left at Camden Road then
left along Camden Street. Enter St Martin's Gardens on the right
This is the former burial ground of St Martin's-in-the-Fields
Church, opened in 1805 and acquired by the vestry of St Pancras
in 1884. They became gardens in 1889 and have recently been
improved.
Walk through diagonally
The rear of St Martin's Almshouses and its chapel can be seen on
the right.
Exit into Pratt Street and
go right then right at Bayham Street
The almshouses were built in 1818 and extended in 1881.
Left at Greenland Street.
The Camden United Theatre occupies a building built as a
hall for St Michael's Church
Cross Camden High Street and
continue along Underhill Passage and Underhill Street. Left at
Arlington Road
On the left is a former tramways electrical substation of
1908.
Right at Delancey Street
then left along Albert Street.
Most houses were built 1844-8. A distinctive house at the end has
a blue plaque to George MacDonald, storyteller.
At the end left into
Mornington Place then right at Mornington Crescent
Houses were constructed 1821-32. Opposite are premises built in
1926 for Carreas Cigarette Company on the site of gardens.
Left at Hampstead Road
This gives a view of the frontage of this Art Deco building,
restored in 1998. Mornington Crescent Station was designed by
Leslie Green in 1907.
Cross via the island with
the statue of Cobden
The Royal Camden Theatre (now KOKO) was designed by WGR Sprague
in 1900-1.
Detour into Eversholt Street
The Crowndale Centre is a former post office building (converted
1987-9) which now houses a health centre and library.
Return to the junction and
go along Crowndale Road
The Hope & Anchor is an attractive pub. Further along on the
right the wall is a remnant of St Matthew's Church. Opposite is
the Working Men's College, founded in Great Ormond Street in
1854. The present building was erected in 1904-6 and extended in
the 1930s.
Go right into Oakley Square
and walk through the gardens.
This was part of Bedford New Town, developed from 1834. On
the right is the former vicarage of St Matthews (1861).
Cross Eversholt Street into
Lidlington Place. Continue through Harrington Square then left
along Hampstead Road.
On the left is the closed National Temperence Hospital. The main
part was built in 1873, the west wing in 1885 and the outpatients
department in 1903. The Insull Memorial Wing was opened in 1932.
Beyond this take the
signposted path into St James's Gardens
This burial ground for St James's Piccadilly was opened in 1791.
A church, designed by Hardwick, was demolished and it became a
garden in 1887. There is an interesting memorial to the Christie
family.
Walk through the gardens
into Cardington Street and go right.
There is a disused tube station on the right.
Go left along the frontage
of Euston Station
This was built in 1833-7 as the terminus of the London &
Birmingham Railway by Robert Stephenson, who has a statue on the
forecourt. Buildings by Philip Hardwick, including the Euston
Arch were demolished in 1960.
Left at Eversholt Street
then right into Doric Way.
These properties were built by the St Pancras Home Improvement
Association in the 1930s on a site acquired in 1926.
At the end go through
Churchway opposite into Chalton Street and go right.
The Somers Town Coffee House was built in 1927-37 as part of
the Ossulston Estate for the LCC. The premises of the RMT are on
the right. At the end of the road the Rising Sun pub has been
renamed 'The Rocket'.
Left along Euston Road.
The British Library was built in 1978-97 on the site of Somers
Town Goods Station and designed by Sir Colin St John Wilson. Most
parts are open to the public and there is a model of the building
inside. The former Midland Grand Hotel was designed by Gilbert
Scott in the 1860s. It was Grade I listed in 1967 and cleaned in
1991-5. It has been refitted as a hotel with some loft
apartments. Barlow's train shed has been refurbished in
conjunction with the construction of St Pancras International for
Eurostar. Basement areas, formerly used for the storage of beer,
have been incorporated into the design. [website]
Resources
Buildings of England - London 4: North by Cherry & Pevsner
london-footprints.co.uk 2012