Maryon Wilson Animal Park, Charlton
This green open space surrounds the area’s best-kept secret, the beautiful Maryon Wilson Animal Park Park. The park was donated to the public in 1924 by the Maryon-Wilson family, and legend has it that the park was part of an old woodland area formerly known as Hanging Wood. Hanging Wood was used by highwaymen as a hideout spot after they robbed from locals.
Today Maryon Wilson Park is a happy home to many animals including sheep, ponies, chinchillas, a peacock, and some friendly rabbits. Take a thirty-minute bus ride from campus and meet them all!
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London’s Smallest Library, Lewisham
This hidden gem is without a doubt the cutest of them all. Located on Loampit Hill, a seven-minute walk from campus, you can find London’s smallest library. The free 24hr literary resource was set up in 2014 by Sabastian Handley, who bought the unused telephone box for just £1!
How the micro-library works: you can go pick any book of your choice, as long as you replace it with an old book of your own.
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Leake street arches
A dingy tunnel 300 meters below the platforms of Waterloo station does not sound like a gem at all, but you will be surprised at what you find.
Leake Street Arches is the latest destination for art, food and entertainment. The graffiti tunnel was made famous back in 2008 when street artist Banksy made his mark (quite literally) and transformed the tunnel into an oasis of art.
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Stompie Garden
Stompie Garden is a community green in Bermondsey and home to an abandoned Medela Way T-34 tank. The tank was used in the filming of Richard lll (1995). When the cameras stopped rolling, Stompie was bought by Russell Grey, who lived in the area at the time.
Since finding its new home in South East London, the tank has received several makeovers by artists such as Charlotte Meldon and Aleksandra Mir (who painted it pink!). The colour of the tank continues to change as it is regularly updated by local graffiti artists.
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Chislehurst Caves
Ok, so without getting into any postcode wars, we can confirm that – even though its postcode may state otherwise – geographically, Chislehurst is in South East London.
Below the woodlands of Chislehurst lies 22 miles of intersecting man-made tunnels, known as Chislehurst Caves. The caves were created during the mid-13th to early-19th centuries, for mining of flint and lime-burning chalk. The caves have had some famous faces pass through them such as David Bowie, Pink Floyd. An episode of Doctor Who (1972) was even filmed there!
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