1. Start of the route or Eden Street

There is so much to see in Kingston before getting on the number 57 so be prepared to enjoy yourself and find some great places to see. Head towards the Guildhall and on the way, you’ll come across several of Gillie and Marc’s lovely sculptures of chimpanzees as part of their Love The Last project.

Outside Guildhall is the Coronation Stone, an ancient sarsen stone block (similar to the stone used in Stonehenge) which is believed to have been used for the coronation of seven Anglo-Saxon kings. The seven Saxon kings who were consecrated on or near this stone are:
Æthelstan in 925, Eadred in 946, Æthelred the Unready in 979, Edward the Elder, Edmund I, Eadwig, Edward the Martyr. The names of all seven are inscribed around the side.

And so into the Guildhall itself. They sometimes have guided tours which are free but need to be booked in advance and are on certain days of the week. It’s a grade II listed building which was designed in the Neo-Georgian style, and officially opened by Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone on 3 July 1935. Inside, there is a marble lined circular entrance hall, and a central staircase with original opaque glass semi-spherical lamps.

Over the road from the Guildhall is The Rose Theatre. Founded by Sir Peter Hall, and modelled on the original Elizabethan Rose Theatre on London’s Bankside, Rose Theatre is the largest producing theatre in South West London. The theatre puts on a combination of in-house productions and co-productions each season and specialises in nurturing emerging talent. Current and upcoming productions are a mixture of serious (Richard III and Lord of the Flies) and those more appropriate for the younger generation (The Smeds and the Smoos).

Walk back towards the market place and you’ll walk over Clattern Bridge. It crosses over the river Hogsmill and is one of the oldest bridges in Surrey. The earliest known reference is in a deed of 1203 and the medieval name “Clateryngbrugge” is thought to have been descriptive of the sound of horses crossing the bridge.

Situated in Market Place is the Ancient Market House. It was built in 1840 in the Italianate style with pedimented windows, projecting eves and a belvedere on which stands an ornate, gilded statue of Queen Anne. It served as Kingston’s  town hall until 1935 when the Guildhall was opened. Just in front of the building is a memorial to Henry Shrubsole, three times mayor of Kingston.  The marble statue sits on a granite pedestal and depicts a woman carrying an urn with a child at her feet. 

The final place of interest before going on the bus is All Saints Church. The church was built in the twelfth century, under the orders of King Henry I. The original All Saints was shaped as a cruciform, with a nave the same length as the present one, but probably without aisles, and with a central tower. The external gates were a gift of the 4th battalion East Surrey regiment and form part of a war memorial to that regiment. There are many memorials within the church, one of which is to Louisa Theodosia. She was born in 1767, and was 28 when she married Lord Liverpool, Prime Minister 1812-1827. They lived at Coombe House in New Malden, where Louisa died following a long illness in 1821.

It’s also worth looking out for the stained glass windows of which there are many throughout the church, most of which depict bible stories.

2. Coombe Hill School

And so on to the bus. At this bus stop, it’s a very short walk down the hill to Coombe Conduit. Unfortunately, it’s rarely open but it would be certainly worth booking up for one of those rare days. The Conduit protected the water supply for Hampton Court for over 350 years until 1876.

3. Raynes Park Methodist Church

At the bus stop is the Lantern Arts Centre. Affiliated to the Lantern Methodist Church, the arts centre is a faith-based charity offering a wide range of activities including regular community productions and classes. The Methodist church was founded in 1914 and in its heyday, there was a thriving congregation of 600 people. The church is a Grade II listed building, with a lovely exterior heavily influenced by Byzantine architecture, and with circular arches and domes.

4. Wimbledon Theatre

There are two theatres close to each other, near to this bus stop. The main one is the New Wimbledon Theatre. It was completed in December 1910 when the theatre first opened its doors to the public. The theatre is very unique for the time period because it has a Turkish bath within the basement that was designed in the Victorian-style. Both Gracie Fields and Sybil Thorndyke have performed here and it has been home to several premieres including Oliver!

Take a five minute walk and you’ll arrive at the Polka Theatre, a local children’s theatre with café, garden and spaces for the kids to play. Polka started life as a touring puppet theatre and found a permanent home in Wimbledon, opening its doors on 20th November 1979. It was the UK’s first theatre venue dedicated exclusively to children. 

5. Merton Abbey

Walk round to Merton Abbey Mills, a former textile factory that was established by Huguenot silk throwers in the early eighteenth century. Liberty & Co. had been involved with the site since the 19th century, as their popular ranges of fabrics for dress and furniture were nearly all made here. Also here was the site of the William Morris print works, established in 1881 and continued to produce carpets, printed fabrics and stained glass until 1940.

Many of the old buildings have been converted to shops, cafes and studios and there is even a children’s theatre. Within the grade II listed pottery shop is the Water Wheel which dates from c1860 and is London’s only working example.

Near the Mills is the site of the Merton Priory Chapter House. This is only open on Sundays but it’s possible to see a glimpse from the side of the road. Merton Priory Chapter House is said to be one of the most important heritage sites in England, linking the origin of English Law and the likes of King John, King Henry VIII and Thomas Beckett. It is 900 years old and from 1114 until its dissolution in 1538, Merton Priory was one of the country’s biggest and most influential monastic houses. Sadly, all that remains today are the extensive foundations of its substantial and historically important Chapter House.

6. Tooting Broadway station

A few minutes’ walk from the station is the old Granada cinema. It opened in 1931 as the flagship cinema for the chain. In contrast with the art deco style of the Odeon cinemas, the Granada ones went for the more opulent Neo-Gothic style. The first feature film to be shown here was on the 7th Sept 1931 – “Monte Carlo”. Over the years it’s transformed into a live music venue – hosting such stars as Frank Sinatra and the Bee Gees – and these days it’s a bingo hall and slot machine venue.

7. St Leonard’s Church

Near the stop is the church itself and outside is the Victorian Dyce Drinking Fountain. The grade II listed structure was designed by William Dyce R.A. (1806 – 1864) and erected in 1862 as a tribute by the local parish to Dyce, who was Churchwarden of St. Leonards Church from 1862-64.

A few minutes’ walk away is the Odeon Cinema in Streatham.  It was originally the Astoria Theatre which opened on 30 June 1930 with Jack Buchanan in “Paris”. Seating was provided for 2,614 in stalls and circle levels.  The exterior is designed in a ‘modern’ style, with stone embellishments and a tiled roof.

Round the corner is Streatham Library, another one that had been built by Henry Tate. And over the road is the White Lion pub, a wonderful Victorian building, formerly known as the Hobgoblin, as can be seen from the sign at the top.

It’s a bit of a longer walk than usual, but it’s worth the effort to go to The Rookery Gardens in Streatham Common. The gardens are on the site of the Streatham Mineral wells, which were discovered in 1659 and established Streatham as a spa town. A large house was built known as The Rookery which was demolished in 1912, but the gardens were preserved and were officially opened to the public in July 1913.

This is another really great bus route, with so much to see along the way. There seems to be more of an eclectic mix than on other journeys so there is something for everyone.

Toilets that are free and available to the public:

• Rose Theatre
• Polka Theatre
• Sainsbury’s Merton
• Streatham Library