ArtsLav, Kennington Cross, 2014

ArtsLav was an arts venue located at Kennington Cross in Kennington, London, England. It started life as an underground Victorian gentlemen's public lavatory. It is now a listed and restored Kennington landmark used as a community arts facility, Artslav. Engineered by B. Finch and Co. in 1898. It went out of commission in 1988 during a period of public convenience closures in Lambeth.

Original features included marble urinals, three cubicles, a glass water tank, a mosaic floor from the 1960s, an attendant's booth, a ventilator shaft and horse trough.

History

Charlie Chaplin is thought to have used the lavatory during his childhood, and writes about sitting nearby when locked out of his home.[1]

The lavatory was featured on Disappearing London[2] in January 2006, an ITV programme that highlighted endangered London landmarks.[3] After campaigning, led by Celia Stothard a local resident, and extensive fundraising, fundamental repairs were carried our with electricity and water being re-installed in 2013.[4][5]

From 2013 until 2017, it functioned as a local community arts centre and a base for community employment projects. It became a Community Interest Company run by local residents and artists.[6]

In 2018, the local authority leased the structure to a commercial wine bar group, Bermondsey Arts Club.[7]

Features

In 2001, Lambeth Council described it as containing the following features of architectural and historical interest:

  • A fine stone cattle trough erected by the Metropolitan Drinking Trough Association in the 19th century (c.1880) – supported on four sturdy stone pillars.
  • Elegant black painted cast iron railings enclosing the stairway down to the former public lavatory beneath.
  • An imposing ventilation pipe over 6 meters in height – also of cast iron, mounted on a substantial black painted metal plinth.[8]

It has been Grade II listed since October 2001.[9][10][11]

References

  1. ↑ Chaplin, Charlie (2003). My Autobiography. Penguin. pp. 28–31. ISBN 978-0141011479.
  2. ↑ fokxorg (24 September 2009). "Project ArtsLav" – via YouTube.
  3. ↑ Disappearing London, presented by Suggs, ITV, 31 January 2006. Item 3.
  4. ↑ "YouTube – Electricity arrives at Kennington's ArtsLav". youtube.com. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "UK Power Networks – Lighting up Kennington's ArtsLav". ukpowernetworks.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  6. ↑ "Artslav". artslav.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Bermondsey Arts Club & Cocktail Bar". The Bermondsey Arts Club.
  8. ↑ Edmund Bird – Borough Conservation Officer, Lambeth, 12 May 2001.
  9. ↑ Historic England. "GENTLEMENS UNDERGROUND LAVATORY AND ABOVE GROUND STRUCTURES: VENTILATION SHAFT AND RAILINGS AND 4 BOLLARDS AND CATTLE TROUGH (1389445)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  10. ↑ http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pl-listed-buildings-beginning-with-k_0.pdf
  11. ↑ "KENNINGTON CROSS Gentlemen's underground lavatory and above ground structures: ventilation shaft, railings, 4 bollards and cattle trough" (PDF). 4 November 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
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