Postman's Park — Attraction in London

Postman’s Park is a delightful retreat tucked behind the Anglican Church of St Botolph. It would be easy to walk past the narrow entrance, but once inside a shady oasis opens up. Mature London plane trees, ferns and even a banana plant flourish in this tiny park so called because workers from the once nearby General Post Office used to come here for lunch. It was created from the amalgamation of three church yards but it’s most notable feature is the memorial created by GF Watts at the turn of the 19th century. His inspiration was those ordinary people who had sacrificed their lives in saving others. A wooden shelter houses ornate Victorian tiles, each one commemorating someone who made the ultimate sacrifice. It makes for sobering reading. Benches and grass provide a rest spot for weary...

Immortalised in the 2004 movie “Closer”, Postman’s Park is where Natalie Portman and Jude Law visit early on... the plaque dedicated to Alice Ayres being the one from which Portman’s character surreptitiously assumes her identity to Dan.

Just a few minutes walk from St Paul’s Cathedral, Postman’s Park is well worth the visit. Getting it’s name from the many postal workers who used to rest and lunch here, the real attraction is the Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice, which opened in 1900 thanks to the fundraising efforts of the artist George Frederic Watts.

It’s a calm narrow park, often bathed in shadows, and perfect for some quiet contemplation. Give it a try next time you are in the area.

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Interesting and busy little park close to St Paul's Cathedral. It's built on the site of the former Post Office HQ. In 1900, it became the location of the George Frederic Watts Memorial to Self Sacrifice. There is a small covered area which houses memorial tablets to people (everyday heroes) who sacrificed their lives to save others. Some are young children who died while trying to save a sibling; others are ordinary people who lost their lives in acts of heroism and altruism. The most recent addition to the commemorative tiles which tell the story of these selfless acts is that of Leigh Pitt who, in 2007, died while trying to rescue a child who was drowning in a canal.

It's a very poignant memorial and if you are in the St Paul's area, definitely...