"This is the most exciting development
opportunity in Europe. Improving a central London area on this scale
will never happen again in our lifetime"
Norman Foster
Interesting Elephant and Castle facts
Despite theories that the name Elephant and Castle comes from a Spanish Princess called Enfanta de Castille, the areas name actually comes from a local pub that used the symbol for ivory trade.There were many ivory merchants in Elephant and Castle at one time and the symbol was an elephant with an ornamental seat on his back, the seat looked like a castle
In the 19th Century there was a zoo near Elephant and Castle called the Royal Surrey Zoological Gardens.
There was once a leper hospital located in Elephant and Castle The Lock Hospital for Lepers which was near Lock Fields, the site of the present day Heygate Estate.
Famous people that come from Elephant and Castle include scientist Michael Farraday, Richard Cuming fossil and mineral expert, Sarah Wardroper who was a friend of Florence Nightingale and established the New St Thomass hospital and of course Charlie Chaplin and Michael Caine.
Elephant and Castle is the hub of South Londons transport network and you can go virtually anywhere in London from the Elephant and Castle.
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Elephant and Castle - past and present
Check out this section to find out more about the History of Elephant and Castle and its current attractions
