Kennington Park, London SE11 4BE
Kennington Park History Hut
Museum & collection
Place photograph
2.7
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
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Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
2.7A small 1930s park shelter now tells the story of Kennington Park through history boards researched by local volunteers, with support from Lambeth Council and Surrey County Cricket Club.
This is a compact heritage stop rather than a wild landscape. Its appeal is the chance to discover the stories embedded in Kennington Park, including the 1940 air-raid shelter tragedy and the park’s surviving monuments. Pair it with a stroll around the park; check whether the hut is open before making a special trip.
Atmospheric
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Open mapKennington Park, London SE11 4BE
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The experience
Visit the history boards if the hut is open, then look for the park’s memorials and historic structures. This is a brief, urban heritage visit rather than a destination for a full day on its own.
Things to do
Read the Kennington Park history boards
The boards were conceived, researched and designed by a Friends of Kennington Park team, with support from Lambeth Council and Surrey County Cricket Club. Check whether the hut is open before visiting.
Visit the Air Raid Memorial
The memorial commemorates the air-raid shelter tragedy of 15 October 1940. The Friends of Kennington Park report that the shelters took a direct hit and that the incident was Lambeth’s worst civilian loss of life in the Second World War.
Find the remnants of two fountains
The Friends of Kennington Park describe the Slade Fountain as reduced to its marble bowl and granite steps, and the Tinworth Fountain as a stump that has been moved around the park.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
Quick history stop
- 01
Visit the History Hut and read its boards if it is open.
- 02
Allow extra time to explore the park’s other historic features only if you wish.
Half day · A short visit; exact duration not confirmed
History Hut and park monuments
- 01
Start at the History Hut and explore its boards if access is available.
- 02
Continue to the park’s Air Raid Memorial.
- 03
Look for the remaining bowl and steps of the Slade Fountain and the Tinworth Fountain stump.
Verified history
The Friends of Kennington Park say the History Hut’s shelter dates from the 1930s. Its history boards were developed by a Friends of Kennington Park team with support from Lambeth Council and Surrey County Cricket Club; the hut was opened in December 2021. The same account records that park air-raid shelters were hit on 15 October 1940, and describes the Slade and Tinworth fountain remains elsewhere in the park.
Hidden details
A shelter with a second life — The History Hut’s shelter dates from the 1930s; it now presents locally researched history boards.
The missing Slade Fountain sculpture — The Friends of Kennington Park report that the fountain once included a large bronze vase depicting a biblical scene, which was stolen in the 1850s. The remaining feature is the bowl and granite steps.
A fountain reduced to a stump — The former Tinworth Fountain has been moved between locations in the park; the Friends’ account says the sculpture at its top was lost to vandalism in 1981.
When to go
· No specific time is evidenced. Check hut access before visiting.
The supplied sources give no seasonal reason to visit.
No weather-specific advice is evidenced.
What to look for
- 01
Look for the history boards in the 1930s shelter. The Friends of Kennington Park also describe the park’s Air Raid Memorial, the remains of the Slade Fountain and the Tinworth Fountain stump
- 02
these are separate park features, not details of the hut itself.
The story
Local history; wartime civilian loss; park monuments and buildings
Best time to go
Year-round; check before visiting for access to the hut.
No particular season is evidenced. Check whether the hut is open before setting out.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers · Walkers
Before you go
Address
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
The hut is in Kennington Park. Its history boards were created for park users, but opening and access details for the hut itself are not confirmed. Check before visiting. Access arrangements are unconfirmed. Check before visiting; do not enter private land or restricted structures.
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Parking
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The source row reports a wheelchair-accessible entrance, but access details for the hut and its history boards are not confirmed in the supplied research. Check before visiting.
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Cost
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Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Kennington Park History Hut
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
