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Whitechapel Drinking Fountain Restored

“You never know if one day something could change your life forever. So just hearing stories of inspirational people who continue to thrive can be inspiring.”

 

— Sundus, aged 15

ABOUT
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ABOUT

Proud Places is a London-wide engagement programme inspiring young people with the world around them. Through heritage projects, we introduce children aged 11 and upwards to important themes in local places… the hidden stories of London and why they matter.

 

The programme helps young people improve their life choices as well as their life skills. We offer site visits and craft workshops, a chance to explore London behind-the-scenes and develop local knowledge and pride. We are specialists in alternative provision schools and youth groups but also work with primary and secondary pupils across the city.

 

Visits are individually tailored to each group, and entirely free of charge.

 

The programme was developed with our Proud Places Young Ambassadors and launched during the pandemic in October 2020 with funding from the Jones Day Foundation. To date we have worked with nearly 10,000 young people, and the programme continues to expand.

 

Proud Places is represented on the Partners' Board of the Mayor of London's Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm.

 

For more information on the Heritage of London Trust and our restoration projects go to our webpage heritageoflondon.org.

PROJECTS

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Queen Mary's Hospital for the East End

Newham

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As the only surviving element of Queen Mary’s Hospital for the East End, this freshly restored arch tells the story of a long history of exemplary medical care in West Ham.

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Columbia Market Gates

Tower Hamlets

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Columbia Market’s Gates are the last survival of an immense Gothic marketplace serving the Victorian East End’s poorest inhabitants.

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A pupil from London Enterprise Academy has a go at stonemasonry at the back of the fountai

Whitechapel Fountain

Tower Hamlets

The Whitechapel Fountain has been completely restored, keeping visible the medieval, Victorian and 20th century history of Altab Ali Park.

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Cranford Lock Up

Hounslow

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Small ‘lock ups’ like this one were once found all around London. They detained petty criminals and vagrants overnight, before the era of police stations.

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Mount Clare Temple

Wandsworth

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The ‘Temple of Honour’ is an 18th century neo-classical temple with beautiful images of gods and goddesses. It was moved to its current location in the early 20th century and has been locked up for many years.

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Caroline Gardens Chapel

Southwark

With its soot-stained walls and heat-damaged interior, unchanged since a bomb dropped in 1941, this almshouse chapel is a unique time capsule from WWII.

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Toynbee Fountain

Merton

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The freshly restored Toynbee Fountain lends a gothic presence to the Wimbledon crossroads. Young people are introduced to the weird and wonderful history of Joseph Toynbee, Ear Surgeon Royale…

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Pope's Grotto

Richmond

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The poet Alexander Pope created a Grotto under his house as a place for contemplation and writing. It was an artificial cavern, sparkling with minerals, crystals and mirrors.

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Leaning Woman

Hammersmith

 

A pioneering ‘classical’ statue in concrete created after WWII by Czech sculptor Karel Vogel as part of a London-wide programme to improve society with public art.

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Conde de Bayona Mausoleum

Hammersmith & Fulham

This mausoleum in Kensal Rise is a perfect Gothic house in miniature.

Cranford Stables

Cranford Stables

Hillingdon

Cranford’s 18th century stables once housed the grooms as well as horses.

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Wanstead Grotto

Redbridge

Wanstead Grotto was once the location of lavish 18th century entertainments.

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Bowie

Bandstand

Bromley

This ornate bandstand in Croydon Recreation Ground is steeped in musical history, most notably David Bowie penned 'Life on Mars' upon its steps. 

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Albion Square

Fountain

Hackney

Albion Square, Hackney, is home to one of just three remaining drinking fountains erected by celebrated philanthropist John Passmore Edwards (1823 – 1911).

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The Elms street

sign 

Bromley

The Elms street sign in Bromley was created in 1961 by FHK Henrion, one of the most important and influential designers of the 20th century. 

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How Memorial Gateway

Tower Hamlets

The How Memorial Gateway leads into a secret corner of medieval London. Once a thriving nunnery mentioned in the Canterbury Tales, this garden site has seen Huguenot burials, a Victorian church and WWII bombing. 

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Christchurch Fountain

Southwark

The fountain was constructed in 1900 when the churchyard was relandscaped and opened as a public garden. The fountain survived aerial bombings during the Second World War which destroyed the church

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Commerce Frieze 

Islington

Tucked away in Battishill Street Gardens in Islington stands a 22-metre-long Portland Stone frieze which once decorated the front of a grand Hall of Commerce in Threadneedle Street.

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All sites restored by the Heritage of London Trust are available for Proud Places site visit bookings. For a full list of the Heritage of London Trust's projects by borough click here.

"Not gonna lie, this was genuinely the best day we've had yet! Every week I think it's not gonna top the last and it does! This is the best day I've ever had! I'll say to my mates, what did YOU do this Wednesday?! NOTHING.”

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– Devon, aged 19

“How can you not touch this site… feel it! I’m going to come every day after school to pay my tribute… It makes you kind of appreciate the history, like the culture of the area you’re living in. It makes you feel like you have an obligation to uphold this much history in your local area.” 

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– Ben, aged 16

Find out a little more about the Proud Places experience!

8000+

YOUNG

PEOPLE

40

SITES

33

LONDON BOROUGHS 

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GALLERY

Learning new skills

Learning new skills

Proud Places introduces young people to new skills such as stonemasonry.

Project launches

Project launches

Pupils are invited to attend their local heritage site launches once restoration is complete.

Speaking to experts

Speaking to experts

Proud Places connects young people and industry professionals.

Proud Prospects at Jones Day

Proud Prospects at Jones Day

Year 10s go to the Jones Day HQ to partake in a mock 'Dragons Den' pitching restoration projects.

Sundial making workshop

Sundial making workshop

Young people creating their own sundials after visiting the Seven Dials monument in covent garden.

Exploring hidden heritage

Exploring hidden heritage

A young person from a pupil referral unit examines a horse's bridle at Cranford Stables.

Wanstead Grotto

Wanstead Grotto

A Proud Places visit at Wanstead Grotto, locked to the public for over 100 years.

Whitechapel Fountain

Whitechapel Fountain

Local pupils learn about different mortar compositions from a conservator

Promenade Approach Gates

Promenade Approach Gates

Pupils discover different flames blacksmiths use while they restore a park entrance in Chiswick

Mount Clare Temple Parthenon

Mount Clare Temple Parthenon

Exploring a temple hidden away in West London

Proud Places stone masonry

Proud Places stone masonry

A young person from a pupil referral unit tries their hand at stone masonry.

Kentish Drivers Mural

Kentish Drivers Mural

Local pupils use binoculars to examine the mural before its restoration on Old Kent Road.

Poetry workshops

Poetry workshops

A young person shows her poem at our literacy workshop inspired by a visit to Pope's Grotto.

Proud Prospects

Proud Prospects

Pupils learn new skills in presentation and confidence as part of our Proud Prospects workshops

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Proud Places at Stonemasonry workshop 4_edited

A young person being taught by stone mason, leading him to rethink his career options.

Get Involved

GET INVOLVED

Want to bring your group along?

Leave your info and we’ll get back to you.

*The programme covers free visits for state schools, alternative provisions and youth groups. 

Site visits are fully risk-assessed and groups can be as small as necessary.

CONTACT
Contact Us

CONTACT

Contact us

Thanks for submitting!

Our office

Heritage of London Trust,

Fivefields,

10 Grosvenor Gardens,

London,

SW1W 0DH

 

info@heritageoflondon.org

Tel: 020 7099 0559

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Special thanks

This programme has been funded with the generosity of the Jones Day Foundation 

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