citylikeyou — Springfield Park

London / Park

Half a mile from Markfield Park down the River Lee is Springfield Park. The park rises steeply up from the river and has an amazing array of tree species making it beautiful in all seasons. At the brim of the hill there is a line of park benches each one surrounded by box hedge offering a private view across the Lee Valley, Walthamstow and beyond. The park warden was nice enough to give me a chestnut log a couple of years ago from which I carved a bench and two stools.

Address
Springfield Park, Springfield Mansion, Springfield, London, United Kingdom

Designer

Current city: London

maxlamb.org

I’m from Cornwall. Anyone who knows me knows that I rant on about Cornwall. The longer I stay away from Cornwall (in London) the more I seem to rant about it. But I still like to go back as often as possible to do crazy stuff like cast metal furniture on the beach or carve chairs out of Cornish granite in the various quarries dotted around the countryside. Otherwise you will find me in my studio in deepest darkest Tottenham whittling a lump of material into a spoon or chair.

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London / Museum

Tate Modern can always be relied on for offering up interesting, challenging exhibits, housed in great architecture and with one of Londons best cultural bookstores. An ever reliable weekend hangout.

London / Theatre

Just above the Dorfman Theatre lobby at the National Theatre, is the entrance to the high-level walkway, a public walkway that overlooks the National Theatre props and scenic workshop. It's free and is a unique chance to get a glimpse of what happens backstage. I love popping in when I'm on the south bank, as you get a completely different sight each time, depending on which production the workshops are working on at the time.

London / Shop

I spend many hours in the bookshops along this stretch, namely Henry Pordes for second hand books and new discounted titles (pile on left of photo), as well as Koenig Books for new art books with lots of great discounts in the basement. (photo right). In 2001 the rents for much of this strip were increased to align them closer to market value but thanks to public support they were reduced again. Unfortunately some bookshops still closed down; Koenig replaced the beloved Zwemmers - a real institution - but thankfully still provide great books, although others are no longer bookshops at all.

London / Museum

You might think the Tate Britain is the less interesting of the two London outposts: full of crusty oil paintings and pensioners on day-trips, but you’d be wrong. Not only is the building a delicious warren of interconnecting rooms, each more beautiful than the last, but it also houses a collection of pre-Raphelite works that has me in tears of awe every time I swing by.