Richard Barton picks out objects and buildings of interest east of the Green
Start at the bus stop on the south-east corner of Camberwell Green. Walk a few steps west (towards the Oval) and you will see a metal sculpture which displays a poem by Charlie Browne all about the fun to be had at the Camberwell Fair. For many centuries Camberwell Green was at the heart of the village and an annual fair was held here since 1279. In 1842, Mendelssohn composed a piece called Camberwell Green (see page xx).
The sculpture is part of the Camberwell Art Trail which was organised by Leoni Bullcock in 2017. It consists of 33 works by a number of artists. Mostly they are cast-metal markers set into the pavement reflecting Camberwell’s past and present. They are disguised to blend in with their surroundings to provoke curiosity, so you have to search for them. There are also two fixed telescopes (the one in Love Walk features a view of St Giles’ Church) and two metal sculptures. Walk further west to the entrance of the Green at the cross roads. There you will find one of the pavement markers.
Now walk northwards across the Green towards the playground. There are some interesting banners fixed to the playground railings about the history of Camberwell. Turn right and you will pass a wooden seat carved by the artist Rossen Daskalov in 2012. It commemorates the work of Cooltan Arts, a local mental health charity.
The large buildings facing you were built in 1910 by the Peabody Trust to provide housing for the poor at a time when there was little council housing. Other local examples are the Samuel Lewis buildings in Warner Road and the Evelina Mansions in New Church Road.
Leave the Green and cross the road to the library. Camberwell is lucky to have such a wonderful facility. If you have time, enter to see how cleverly the architects, John McAslan and Partners, designed this building. It was constructed on an unusual triangular site and completed in 2016. Continue to walk along the path with the library on your right till you reach the now empty and soon to be redeveloped Magistrates Courts.
Continue to the corner of Elmington Road and Lomond Grove. About 100 metres up the latter on the right is the Camberwell Business Centre. This curious classically inspired building complete with pediment but with metal industrial windows was formerly either a bakery or a perfume factory or possibly both! It is one of the last remaining commercial buildings that were very common in this area before the development of the Elmington Estate.
Return to the corner and walk along Elmington Road and then take the second left, up Hopewell Street and then right onto Picton Street. At the end to your right is the dining and assembly hall of Brunswick Park Primary School. It is square; three quadrants rise above steep grass banks in white glazed bricks and glass; they are capped by steep mono pitched roofs. The fourth quadrant contains a large chimney. It is designed by the architect James Sterling (of Sterling Prize fame) working with his then partner, James Gowan, in 1961.
Turn right into Benhill Road and after the school, enter the Community Garden on your right. Explore the garden to find the large three-dimensional relief. It was made by the artist Willi Soukop in 1959. It was moved here in 2001 at the start of the redevelopment of the Elmington Estate. It depicts the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, which was made famous in the poem written by Robert Browning in 1845. Browning was born nearby in Cottage Green, just off what is now Southampton Way.
Return to Benhill Road. Head south and turn left into the road Brunswick Park. Note the blue plaque at No 16 for Una Marsen, the first black woman radio producer. In front of you on St Giles Road is an elegant building. It was once the administrative office of the workhouse, then it became St Giles’ Hospital. It was built in 1904 by the architect Edwin Hall. His most famous building is Liberty, the department store. Notice the blue plaque for Marianne Jean-Baptiste, the actress.
Turn left into St Giles Road and enter Brunswick Park. There is a good café if you want refreshments. See if you can find the location of what must be the smallest gallery in London. The land around here was first developed as Brunswick Square with a private open space in the middle. It became a public park in 1907. It was named after Caroline of Brunswick, the wife of George IV.
Leave the park at the north exit to St Giles Road. Notice the rainbow painted on the wall at the start of Ada Street opposite. Made by the house owner, it became the site for many family photos during the pandemic. Carry on down pretty Ada Street and turn right at the end on to Havil Street. On the left you will pass Nos 159 -163. These were originally built as the Bethel Asylum for women in 1837 by William Peacock, but are now three separate houses. Further down Havil Street, on your right, you will pass an unusual circular building. It was built as a ward of St Giles’ Hospital. Designed in 1890 by Robert Wellock, it is a panopticon, a concept devised by Jeremy Bentham to enable nurses to see easily the 24 beds arranged around the circumference of each ward. The design also followed the principles of Florence Nightingale who promoted the healing advantages of good natural light and ventilation with large opening windows between each bed and an external balcony for each ward.
Further down Havil Street on the left is the new Theatre Peckham. It was designed by Jestico Whiles as part of the larger refurbishment and extension to the former Southwark Town Hall in 2016. Take a look around the back of the building at the beautiful folded ceramic screen and then look in the theatre foyer at the interesting murals, which include one of John Boyega (an alumni of the theatre) painted by the Artful Dodger.
On the opposite side of Havil Street there is an unusual small sculptural brick building with asymmetric windows designed by Peter Barber which is part of the recent additions to its adjacent Edwardian neighbour. The older building, now the Employment Academy, was formally the Board of Guardians offices built in 1904 by the architect Edwin Hall. It was part of a workhouse for the very poor or sick. It was later changed to St Giles’ Hospital. Before the welfare state, local Guardians were responsible for assessing whether people needed to enter the workhouse. Hence, if you look at the sundial on the front of the building around the corner, you will see the inscription Do Today’s Work Today. In spite of its sombre function, this is a wonderfully exuberant building with influences of both Arts and Crafts and Edwardian Baroque. If you can enter the lobby, look for the beautiful tiling on the walls and floor. Also notice the curved brick walls with striped pillars all supporting the iron railings and gates.
Having turned right onto the main road, continue west. The next building along is Sunshine House, designed in 2008 by Alfred Hall Monaghan Morris. Built on part of the old hospital site, it is a specialist NHS centre for children. Compared with its flamboyant neighbour, this building despite areas of bright colour, feels to me, rather too severe in comparison.
Carry on along Peckham Road. The next block contains the Glebe Estate (a glebe was originally land that was cultivated for the benefit of the church). Notice the metal railings: they were made from old army stretchers. After four blocks you will reach Artichoke Place. At its end is Camberwell Leisure Centre. This was originally Camberwell Baths and Wash-houses containing two pools. One has been sensitively renovated, the other converted into a gym. Built in 1890, it was designed by Henry Spalding and Alfred Cross in the Dutch renaissance style. They also designed a similar building at Goose Green. Alfred Cross went on to become a leading expert on this type of building. Continue along Camberwell Church Street to reach your starting point at the Green.
