walk/tour
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Elephant Rd, SE17 1GD
what3words: elephant.and.council
This tour explores the architectural and social histories of Elephant & Castle, Walworth and Peckham through successive waves of regeneration. The tour draws on research into South London gentrification – examining Victorian and Brutalist housing, town planning, transport, heritage and community change, and tracing the area's evolution from rural Surrey settlements to contemporary redevelopment.
Elephant & Castle
Elephant & Castle
12, 136, 171, 1, 133, 148, 155, 172, 176, 188, 196, 333, 343, 344, 35, 360, 363, 40, 415, 453, 468, 53, 63, 68, C10, P5
This walk will include two busy plazas with cycle paths, residential streets and a park. Please wear comfortable shoes.
Walking tour
11:30–13:30
How to book
Bookings will open at midday on 19 August. You won't be able to book a ticket before then.
Join this tour for a journey that starts in Elephant & Castle, passes through Walworth and ends in Peckham – uncovering more than three centuries of architectural, social and political change. From 17th-century Surrey villages and Victorian terraces to Brutalist housing estates and striking contemporary developments, this tour explores how each generation has reimagined South London.
Along the way, we will visit sites including the former Heygate Estate, Elephant Park, Burgess Park, the Aylesbury Estate and the Stirling Prize-winning Peckham Library, revealing how architecture reflects changing ideas about housing, planning and community.
Drawing on Academic research into gentrification and historical accounts of South London, the tour will explore the successes, controversies and unintended consequences of regeneration. We will explore the ways some communities in the area have flourished while others have faced displacement, how transport and town planning has shaped opportunity, and why debates surrounding affordability, heritage and identity remain as relevant today as ever.
Whether you are fascinated by architecture, urban history, urban design, urban planning or just fascinated by how many different worlds one can travel through within the ever-changing streets of London, there will be something to gain from experiencing this walk.
The Golden Key Academy is a course training up insightful and engaging guides dedicated to explaining London and bringing its many stories to life. This tour 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
If you would like to attend this tour, please ensure you have booked a ticket before turning up.
