1.Fairfield Halls

The 50 bus starts right outside Fairfield Halls but before getting on, it’s worth going inside the venue to take a look at the facilities. There are three halls, one is the Ashcroft Playhouse which is named after the actress Dame Peggy Ashcroft, a former resident of Croydon. There is a giant mosaic of her face cleverly made up of hundreds of photos of individuals. There is a concert hall which has a world-wide reputation, in particular for the high quality acoustics and there is a “black space” where people can put on their own shows and performances using their own props.

Over the road from here is Croydon Clocktower, and the Museum is set within the building. The clocktower itself is a magnificent building and was part of the 19th century Town Hall. It’s now an arts and museum complex and has various exhibitions on at any one time. The Riesco Gallery collection consists of over 200 items, dating from prehistory to the Qing dynasty (2500 BC to the 19th century).

2. Whitgift Centre

Alight from the bus here and go into the Whitgift Centre itself. One of the shops is Turf Projects, Croydon’s homegrown artist space and the first entirely artist-run contemporary art space in the borough. They are currently preparing for a new exhibition so it’s possible to look through the window, to see what they’ve currently got in the space.

Over the road is a large mural on the side of the Lansdowne Hotel by the artist Rich Simmons. It’s entitled YOU’RE A DIAMOND – LOST IN A SEA OF QUARTZ and is one of several of his that are posted in London.

3. Thornton Heath Clock Tower

4. Norbury station

At present, it’s not possible to see the clock tower as it was set on fire in September 2022 and is covered, ready for being restored. The roof in particular was damaged as were the inside of the tower and clock faces.

Back on the bus and get out at Norbury station. From here, it’s a short walk over a bridge to Norbury Park and Brook. The park was a golf course at one time, dating back to 1920. The Brook runs beside the Park but is hidden behind a tall fence – it is a tributary of the Wandle. 

6. Elms Road/Windmill Common

The stop takes us back to Clapham Common but from a different approach. Wend your way to the bandstand that’s in the centre (see also bus route 37). In the middle of the bandstand is a plaque inlaid into the floor, informing us that the original one was erected in 1890. Head back to the bus stop and you’ll pass a lovely pond, abundant with birds.

7. Nelson’s Row

Alight here and go round to Studio Voltaire, an arts and education organisation established in 1994, championing emerging and under-represented artists in Clapham. The original studio was situated in a disused tram shed in Voltaire Road, hence its name. As well as providing affordable workspace, the building hosted a range of exhibitions, symposiums, open studios and parties on an ad hoc basis. The studio moved to its current premises in Nelson’s Row in 1999 with a much larger space and incorporating a gallery, café and more studios. One of the major exhibitions currently on display is by artist Scott Covert called C’est La Vie, a series of monument paintings, to commemorate figures such as Frank Sinatra and Noel Coward.

8. Stockwell station

Final stop of the route is at Stockwell station where there is a wealth of places to visit. Start at the clock tower and war memorial. A plaque on one side of the monument states: To the Stockwell men who served in the Great War. On the other three sides of the tower are stone tablets carrying the list of the 574 who died in WW1. The monument was unveiled by Princess Alice in 1922. The relief on one side depicts a heavily veiled Remembrance clutching a laurel wreath with a helmet and a broken sword of war at her feet.

Also at the site is a large ventilation shaft which serves the nearby Stockwell underground station. Covering the external walls of this structure are murals commemorating those who fought and died in two World Wars, including a memorial to Violette Szabo (1921 – 1945), the famous Second World War heroine. 

The memorial gardens also contain the Bronze Woman Sculpture, which celebrates the many achievements of Black Caribbean and African women in Britain.

While walking towards Van Gogh’s house in Hackford Road, you’ll pass through Durand Gardens and one garden in particular stands out, having some interesting topiary at the front of the house. And so on to the very house that Vincent van Gogh lived in for a year 1873-74, as a tenant to a widow and her daughter. It was only discovered in 1971 that van Gogh had lived here and the house has since been awarded a blue plaque and is Grade II listed. It became open to the public in 2019 and is open for visitors on the last weekend of each month.

Around the corner to this house is Van Gogh Walk, a pedestrianised walkway, which celebrates the fact that the artist Vincent Van Gogh once lived locally. He enjoyed walking, gardens and nature as a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Planting and other features along the walk are inspired by Van Gogh’s paintings, and quotes from the letters he wrote whilst he lived here are carved around the edges of the raised planters. 

The final place to visit on this route is Stockwell bus garage. It opened in April 1952 and at the time of construction it was Europe’s largest unsupported roof span. Since 1988, the garage has been a Grade II* listed building, reflecting its importance in post-war architectural and engineering history. The garage has Garage Heritage days when they open to visitors so it’s probably worthwhile looking out for one, in order to see the beauty and expanse of the building.

In many ways, the best bits of this route are the start and the end with a couple of gems – such as the Studio Voltaire and Clapham Common bandstand – in the middle. Plenty to see if culture is what you love – the Croydon museum and Fairfield Halls at the beginning and van Gogh’s home at the end. And plenty of open spaces if nature is your thing.

Available toilets that are free to the public:

• Fairfield Halls
• Croydon clocktower museum
• Tesco at Thornton Heath clocktower
• Studio Voltaire