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Victoria Line Walks - Stockwell to Brixton

Difficulty Easy

Walking time 1 hour

Length 4.9km / 3.1mi

Route developer: Brian Hunt

Route checker: jennifer sage

Start location Stockwell Underground Station

Route Summary Starting from Stockwell Underground Station. Finishing at Brixton Underground Station. Quiet residential roads, conservation areas, an attractive Victorian Park, modern parks, a bustling market and some underground surprises.

*move mouse over graph to see points on route

Getting there No details available.

Description

This walk is one of a series of Victoria Line walks. It is complete in itself but you may wish to combine it with the companion Vauxhall-Stockwell Walk to give a varied, linear walk of slightly over 6 miles from Vauxhall Underground Station to Balham Underground Station.

[1] Leaving Stockwell Underground station (A), turn left and continue straight on at traffic lights, crossing Binfield Road. At the next set of pedestrian lights, there is an option to extend the walk by visiting Stockwell’s main claim to fame – Stockwell Bus Garage (B) (10 mins. round trip). The bus garage also features in the companion Vauxhall-Stockwall walk.

For Bus Garage – continue straight on, forking left along South Lambeth Road. At cross roads, turn left into Lansdowne Way. Go past the garage and glance inside to see the extensive concrete arches. After garage, turn left into Binfield Road. Back at Stockwell Station, turn left, to rejoin main route.

[2] At National Westminster Bank, turn right, to cross onto central island and then turn left into Stockwell Memorial Gardens (C). Go past the War Memorial and head left, behind the World War II Entrance Shaft (C1) covered with Murals (C2). Take time to peruse the murals. Turn round and view sculpture (C3), before heading back in direction of station. Shortly, turn left and use pedestrian lights, to cross Clapham Road towards Ladbrokes and go almost straight on, along Stockwell Road.

[3] Turn left at St Michael’s Road, to enter the Stockwell Park Conservation Area (D). At T-junction cross and turn right into Stockwell Park Crescent. Turn left at T-junction into Stockwell Park Road. Cross to right hand side and, shortly, turn right into Slade Gardens Park (E).

[4] Go past One O’Clock Club. Keep right at fork. At brick circle (with tree) turn left to leave park. At road (Lorn Road) turn left. Note mural at no 49. Pass entrance to Adventure Playground. Ahead is St Michael’s Church (F). Turn right (but first go a few yards to left for fuller view of playground and mural). Continue along right hand side of Stockwell Park Road. Shortly after road bears right, turn right into Groveway, leaving the conservation area, at the end of Groveway.

[5] Turn left into busy Brixton Road and shortly at pedestrian lights, turn right into Normandy Road. At T-junction, cross and fork left, to enter Mostyn Gardens.

[6] Go ahead on path and at path cross-roads turn right and by houses, turn right again, to leave park, forking left just before road. Turn left, at road, towards traffic lights. Pause at traffic lights and look left for view of 'Camberwell Submarine' (H). Go straight across to far pavement and on far side, briefly look to right noting Blue Plaque (G) on house on right, and then turn left and go a few yards along Akerman Road.

[7] Shortly fork right, onto a brick path and then right onto tarmac path which takes you around a green area and eventually brings you back to Akerman Road at the ‘submarine’. Turn right onto road. Continue straight on, at zebra crossing, where road becomes Lothian Road. Turn right into Calais Street where you enter the Minnet Estate Conservation Area.

[8] Cross Cormont Road, to enter Myatts Fields (I).

Here, you may like to relax or play before continuing your journey.

At first junction, take left hand path, alongside children’s playground and, at next junction, fork right towards centre of park. At cross-roads, turn right towards bandstand and cafe. Turn left at bandstand (park history information board on right). Go past nature conservation area. At next gate (toilets), turn left, passing greenhouses and then, shortly on right, a small garden with seating. Leave park at this point, opposite the former St James Church (gifted by James Minet and now Black Roof House).

[9] Turn right, to go along Knatchbull Road and through the main residential part of the Minet Estate (J). Cross Cormant Road. At Longfield Hall, cross Burton Road and continue straight on passing Minet Library. Turn right towards traffic lights (Lilford Road) and when convenient cross to left hand side. Shortly, you leave the conservation area.

[10] At traffic light junction cross and turn left along Loughborough Road. Go past surgery and Iveagh House, and then, turn right, into the Loughborough Estate, alongside Newark House, and continue, through barriers, into Hilda Lockert Walk. Almost immediately, turn left past Memorial for Dora Boatemah, a resident who campaigned for the regeneration of this estate, and go along blue path, through small park.

Alternative if closed: go straight on and turn left at Fiveways Road to rejoin main route by school, at [11].

[11] At Overton Road, turn left and when convenient cross to right hand side, alongside school. Turn right into Angell Road and keep right alongside school. Turn left, past front of St John The Evangelist Church (K), into Wiltshire Road, and, then, turn right, along left hand side of Villa Road.

[12] Go alongside Max Roach Park (L) and after ball-court, go through gap in wall, along a dirt path towards swings (or continue a little further for tarmac path). At swings, turn left and leave park in far corner. Turn left at road and, almost immediately, turn right along Wiltshire Road. Continue straight across Gresham Road and at end of Wiltshire Road, turn right into Canterbury Crescent. Turn left, at International House, into Popes Road, where you enter the fringes of Brixton Market (M). Toilets a few yards ahead through arches.

[13] Just before railway turn right along Brixton Station Road. Go past entrance to Brixton Station. National rail trains to Victoria and Herne Hill. Turn left at main road. Go under railway. Cross Atlantic Road and shortly you will come to Brixton Underground Station. Victoria Line – frequent trains to Stockwell, Vauxhall, Victoria and beyond.

[14] This walk finishes here but do, if time permits, take the opportunity to explore the market - go a few yards further on and then turn left into Electric Avenue.

POI information

(A) Stockwell's name comes from stocks (woodlands) and natural springs or wells. The abundance of water and timber led to the original settlement at Stockwell Green, about 1 km along Stockwell Road, as early as the 13th century. Stockwell Station opened in November 1890 as the most southerly station on the City and South London Railway - London's first deep level tube railway. The line was extended to Clapham Common in 1900.

(B) Stockwell Bus Garage (1952) was at the time of construction, the largest unsupported area under one roof in Europe. Reinforced concrete was used, as structural steel was in short supply. Since 1988, the garage has been a Grade II listed building reflecting its importance in post-war architectural and engineering history.

(C) Stockwell Memorial Gardens – This small unpromising island has a number of interesting historical and artistic features, in addition to the war memorial.

(C1) The Entrance shaft is to a deep-level air-raid shelter. Built in 1942, it is below the current underground station and comprises two parallel tunnels, each of which is approximately six times the length of the current platform plus connecting and branch tunnels used for medical posts, lavatories, and for ventilation. Accommodating 1,600 people it was used as a hostel for American troops prior to the D-day landings. Access was via the station and two entrance shafts containing spiral staircases – one here and the other in Studley Road.

(C2) Mural by Brian Barnes, commemorates Violette Szabo and other local people who gave their life in the war. Violette, as a teenager, lived on Stockwell Road and later was a secret agent in occupied France. She was executed in 1945 and received a posthumous George Cross. Six hundred poppies have been painted on the mural - one for every local who lost their life in the two World Wars. The Mural also features Stockwell's famous people. The ‘Empire Windrush’ image refers to the employment opportunities offered in Stockwell to the first immigrants from the Caribbean, who sailed to England in 1948.

(C3) Sculpture - Bronze Woman was commissioned by the Stockwell Partnership, at a cost of £50,000, from Ian Walters, to honour Afro-Caribbean women.

(D) The Stockwell Park Conservation Area "is characterised by smart early 19th Century villas mostly with Neo-Classical detailing. These houses - detached, semi-detached and in short terraces - sit within pleasant mature gardens, giving them a pleasing sylvan quality.” (Lambeth Council Conservation Area Statement).

(E) Slade Gardens was opened in 1962, following acquisitions by the London County Council. It is named after the Slade family who owned this and adjacent land in the 19th century. The adjacent Adventure Playground, created on a bomb site, won the "Best Adventure Playground in London, 2003" (runner up 2006, 2008).

(F) St Michael's Church was opened in 1841. It was severely damaged by a flying bomb in June 1944 and restored in 1952.

(G) Dan Leno was a popular Victorian music hall comedian and pantomime dame. He performed for King Edward VII at Sandringham and worked with Marie Lloyd in pantomime at Drury Lane.

(H) 'Camberwell Submarine' - The submarine-like structure provides heating and hot water for the Myatt’s Field South Estate. It dates from the late 70’s and there is a large boiler room under the road. See http://www.urban75.org/london/camberwell-submarine.html for interior photos.

(I) Myatt’s Fields park (1889, Grade II listed) is a surviving Victorian urban park, named after Joseph Myatt, a tenant market gardener, who grew strawberries and rhubarb here in the 19th century. The Park retains many of its original features including the layout of the paths, some of the flowerbeds, the bandstand and the roundhouse.The land was donated by William Minet, a member of a Huguenot family, which fled France in the late 1600s, to escape religious persecution.

(J) Minet Estate Conservation Area (1870-1890) - William Minet planned and built the mix of town houses, terraces, schools, public buildings and mansion flats, that still surround the park. The whole area was designated a conservation area in 1980. The Minet family continued to managed the estate through several generations (1868-1968) and exercised control over maintenance, leasing, general environment and the minimum price at which the properties (leases) should be sold.

(K) St John's Church was built in 1852-53 in the Perpendicular style. It was badly damaged by fire in 1947, following which the church was divided to provide a smaller church and a separate hall. A long period of neglect followed but it was restored and re-dedicated in 2002.

(L) Max Roach Park is named after Max Roach (1924-2007), an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer, who officially opened the park in 1986, when visiting the UK. A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music.

(M) Brixton Market is a lively market, centred on Electric Avenue, so named because it was the first street in the area to have electric light. It is open 6 days per week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: 8am-6pm, Wednesday 10am-3pm, Friday: 8 am-7pm. The street market dates from the 1870’s and the three covered arcades, (Grade II listed), from the 1920s and 1930’s. See http://www.friendsofbrixtonmarket.org/ for videos, information and historic photos. Brixton appears in the Doomsday book and is thought that the name arose from a stone erected by a Saxon landowner, called Brixi, to mark the boundary of his land. Brixton's railway station opened in 1862 but the underground station is a more recent addition and dates from 1971.

Notes No details available.

Acknowledgements No details available.