More history

Trunk road talisman: the elephant statue and how Elephant and Castle got its name When hoardings went up around the pink Elephant statue in 2015, some people feared we were about to lose our much-loved mascot. Read more

Horsemonger Lane Gaol For much of history, the Elephant, Borough and Bankside were home to all the activities that “respectable” London wanted to keep at arms-length on the other side of the river. Read more

Elephant and Castle’s Roman past A fascinating archaeological discovery at Harper Road promises to shine new light on the Elephant’s Roman past. Read more

Retail, the Elephant and the Harrods connection Elephant and Castle has a long history as a major retail destination. It even boasted its own Harrods for a time. Read more

Ready, Teddy, Go! At the start of the 50s, the Elephant didn’t seem like the kind of place from which Britain’s first big, youth culture phenomenon would burst into life.
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Baldwin’s Apothecary With its traditional wooden floors, high wooden counters and shelves stocked with herbs, oils and ointments, G. Baldwin & Co is London’s oldest herbalist and they still serve sarsaparilla by the glass. Read more

Sheltered Lives Elephant and Castle was once home to workhouses, dosshouses and even one of London’s six Rowton Houses. Dr Patricia Dark delves into the history of these bygone institutions. Find out more

Votes for Women Elephant and Castle plays a small but important part in the history of women’s suffrage. In 1914 the United Suffragists established their Women’s Club here at 92 Borough Road. Read more

The Piccadilly of the South It’s been a long time since anyone’s described Elephant and Castle as the ‘Piccadilly of the South’ but it’s a nickname which may be due a revival. Read more

Shakespeare’s Elephant: the Bard and the Elizabethan theatre at Newington Butts Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary was celebrated throughout the world in 2016 and nowhere more so than in Southwark. But while Bankside and the Globe theatre were the centre of attention, we think Elephant and Castle deserves a look in too. Read more

Mr Babbage and his maths machine The idea for the first modern computer came from Charles Babbage, Elephant and Castle’s celebrated mathematician. Read more

Manor Place: Baths, boxers and Buddhists Manor Place and its baths have played an important role in the history of Walworth. Dr Patricia Dark uncovers the past of this intriguing location. Read more

When tigers roamed the Elephant: the Royal Surrey Zoological Gardens Pasley Park is now a small green oasis in the heart of Walworth but if you stand and listen carefully, you might just be able to hear the echoes of its past: tigers, waterfalls, fireworks and music in the air. Read more

The Cinema Museum: an echo of the Piccadilly of the South Once famed for its cinemas and theatres, it’s fitting that Elephant and Castle is now home to a unique museum that celebrates the golden age of a trip to the pictures. Read more

Elements and Castle: John Newlands and the periodic table You probably know something of the periodic table from school. It lists all the elements, arranged by atomic number. But did you know it has its roots in SE11? Read more

Wollstonecraft’s Walworth Celebrated today as one of the intellectual founders of feminism, the writer and philosopher, Mary Wollstonecraft lived in Walworth in the 18th century. Read more

The First World War and Elephant and Castle As the country reflects on the First World War centenary, Dr Patricia Dark delves into Southwark’s archives for a glimpse into life on the battlefield and on the home front. Read more

The visions of Austin Osman Spare Elephant and Castle has always attracted charismatic characters. None more so than Austin Osman Spare. Judy Aiken looks back at the mystical artist who could have been a star but ended his life in poverty and obscurity. Read more

Only mules and horses: the Elephant’s horse-drawn past We often think of the horse-drawn age as fizzling out at the dawn of the twentieth century, but horses were still a familiar sight on the streets of London up until the Second World War. And one of the best places to buy one was Elephant and Castle. Read more

London South Bank University: 125 years in Elephant and Castle A pillar of Elephant and Castle for more than a century, LSBU continues to transform lives, businesses and communities to this day. The University celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2017. Read more