walk/tour
Southgate tube station, Southgate, N14 5BH
A walking tour exploring the development of Southgate from the 18th century to the present day. From landed estates to interwar suburbia and beyond, this walk will uncover masterpieces of Modernist architecture, compare the municipal and suburban influences on the area, and challenge preconceived notions of ‘natural’ landscapes.
Southgate
Palmers Green
121, 125, 299, 382, W6, W9
End point will be Arnos Grove tube station.
-Route for the walking tour is flat and accessible (ie no steps) -Seating available during walk in Broomfield Park
Walking tour
14:00–15:30
How to book
Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.
This tour is led by a participant of Open City’s Golden Key Academy – a course training up insightful and engaging guides dedicated to explaining London and bringing its many stories to life. It is part of a wider collection of tours created by Golden Key Academy guides for the Open House Festival celebrating their conclusion of the eight month course.
Further information on the Golden Key Academy can be found here https://open-city.org.uk/golden-key-academy
Ross MacFarlane is a participant of Open City's Golden Key Academy. He is a freelance researcher, archivist and writer who has worked across the heritage sector in a range of roles. He has a passion for sharing stories of London's surprising histories. Ross is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of History, Queen Mary University of London.
With its tree-lined streets and ample parks, Southgate appears the epitome of unchanging North London suburbia: a space of rest and relaxation far from the fast-paced energy of central London.
This walk will aim to challenge this perception of stasis. It will uncover what lies beneath the suburban streets and how shaped they are by the private estates on which they were built. We will also examine the changing architecture of the area and uncover a mix of styles, including modernist masterpieces which were hailed in their day and are now markers for lost futures.
We will also take a closer look at the area’s parks, show how their structure and use has altered over time and question how ‘natural’ such landscapes are. Exploring themes of 'city' and 'the country', this walk will use the example of Southgate to open up wider questions on how ideas on ‘health’ and ‘nature’ have developed over time.