Red Cross Garden — Attraction in London

The junction of Union Street and Red Cross Way has long been an open space, and this is all that remains of a much bigger area. In the middle ages it was the place of burial for the prostitutes of Southwark, who worked from brothels run by the owner of much of the riverside land, the Bishop of Winchester, being known in Shakespeare's time as Winchester geese. The bishop made much money from the women and drew up rules of behaviour and governed prices, yet on their death refused to allow them burial amongst their families and friends, insisting that they be buried here on unconsecrated land, depriving them of any chance of a place in heaven. Spare these girls a thought when you visit the park; there's a church nearby that ignores them of course. The burial area extended around the crossroads to the north, and thousands of unbaptised children lie in the Cross Bones cemetery, the future of which is currently being discussed with owners TFL. In Victorian times the Red Cross park was laid out as the first community garden, and has recently been restored and renewed by...

Charming little garden , a peaceful haven . When you enter it is hard to believe that you are a few minutes walk away from the bustle of Borough Market , the A3 & London Bridge Station. The Shard stands clear to view. This is a theme replicated all over London. The garden & the cottages are the brainchild of Octavia Hill , a social reformer & one of the 3 Co founders of The National Trust. The cottages are presented in the " Mock Tudor " style . Behind , in Ayres St. are more cottages presented in the Arts & Crafts style. On the wall of Red Cross cottages you can find a blue plaque dedicated to Octavia Hill. Apparently the gardens fell into disrepair after the Second World War but in 2005 they were restored to their original state. Maintained by volunteers , you can now enjoy the beautiful pond , walk the winding paths or sit on one of the seats & relax in the sun or under the shade of...

I'm almost loathe to tell anyone about this place as I like to think of it as my secret garden! But it is an absolutely lovely spot for just sitting and chilling in. It dates back to 1887 when it was laid out by the poor of the area under the auspices of Octavia Hill as a lace where the poor could go to take the air. Today it is as peaceful and tranquil a location as you could wish to find. It is five minutes walk from Borough Market which, on a Saturday has an exquisite food market, so you can get a little picnic there and then bring it to the Redcross garden to sit and enjoy. A true haven hidden in the backsrteets of an otherwise very busy...