8/3/2019 Radical London Walk

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Great walks

This stroll from Kennington toTrafalgar Square is an excellentdemonstration of one city’sriotous spirit,saysPeter Watts

1KENNINGTON PARKThis was formerlyKenningtonCommon, the starting point of many a

protest march and site of a key meeting in 1848of the Chartists, the working-class electoral-reform movement. Despite fears that the 50,000Chartists would spark a revolution, the eventpassed comparatively peacefully. Previously,the land was an execution site – the remains of agibbet have been found at St Mark’s churchnear the station and captured Jacobites from the1745 rebellion were hanged here.

2DEMONSTRATION ALLEYWalk along Brixton Road and turn upKennington Road, at the end of which

lies the Imperial War Museum – its groundsonce marked the boundary of St George’sFields, the site of several demonstrations,including an uprising in support of imprisonedradical MP John Wilkes in 1768, at which thearmy killed seven protesters. We’re not goingthat far, though. Instead, turn left down BlackPrince Road. On this road is the BeaufoyInstititute, a school founded by reformingMP Mark Beaufoy. Also look out for theextraordinary terracotta relief on the corner of Lambeth High Street – the site of the Doultonpottery factory – one of the most strikingsights in London.

while a statue pays tribute tosuffragette Emmeline Pankhurs

5PARLIAMENTARYPROTESTATIONThePalace of Westminstedrips history, from Guy FawkeCromwell, with a statue to the l

outside. Opposite isParliamenSquare, where Brian Haw keeps

lonely anti-war vigil. Beside him isWinston Churchill, whose cheekily

abused statue was the iconic imof the 2000 May Day riot.

Hundreds of protests havmoved down Whitehall, a

good few have turned into riothe Poll Tax riot of 1990 beinthe most memorable. On the

corner of Horse Guard’sAvenue is the spot wherIRA launched a mortar a

Downing Street in 1991. Nearthe McDonald’s that anti-capitalis

attacked on May Day 2000.

6BATTLES OF TRAFALGAREnd atTrafalgar Square, home ofmany riots and revolts over the years

was the site of the original Bloody Sunday i1887, a left-wing protest that featured speefrom George Bernard Shaw and Annie Besand ended in a police charge that killed threBertrand Russell’s radical pacifist group, thCommittee of 100, also met here in 1961; Ru89, was arrested in the ensuing fracas and sa week in prison. He’s in good company: JohOsborne, George Melly and Venessa Redgrwere also arrested at demos in the ’60s.

Riots and radicals ramble

3RELIGIOUSREBELLIONIN LAMBETH

Head along AlbertEmbankmenttowardsLambethPalace, home to theArchbishop of Canterbury. The buildingwas attacked by revoltingpeasants in 1381, rampagingapprentices in 1640 andGordon rioters in 1780; the Earl of Essex was also held here after a rebellionin 1601. Here also is the Lollards’Tower. This is just a water tower, builtin 1435, but it got its name thanks to arumour that the Lollards – religiousdissenters – were imprisoned here, though itwas never proven. Next door isSt Mary’schurch, now the Museum of Garden History,whose beautiful churchyard contains the grave

of William Bligh, who suffered mutiny on hisship, the Bounty in 1789.

4THE MILLBANK PRISONAs you cross Lambeth Bridge, look lefttowards Tate Britain, formerly the site of 

The Penitentiary, designed in 1812 by Jeremy Bentham as a revolutionary octagonalstructure. Fromthe pier, prisonerscondemned to transportation began the trip toAustralia. Go right, down the steps to theriversideVictoria Tower Gardens, with itstwo memorials: the Buxton Memorial drinking-fountain celebrates the Anti-Slavery Society,

EAT AND DRINK HERE Garden Cafe Museum of Garden History, Lambeth Palace Road SE1 (020 7401 8865).Open Tue-Sat 10.30am-4.45pm. Cafe Madeira 46a-46b Albert Embankment, Vauxhall SE1 (020 7820 1117).

Time1 hourStartOval statFinishTrafalg

SquareMiles2.4

Haw thorn  Bkeeps protest a

(left); Imperial Museum (top);The Oval (abo

KENNINGTON

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