Postman's Park

Postman’s Park is one of the hidden parks of London, enriched with history as well as upholding an honour to heroes who have died to save others. It is located at St Martin’s Le Grand, London EC1A between Aldersgate Street and King Edward Street with an entrance found on both ends. The park is at Grade II meaning it is of more than special interest and do everything to preserve it.

The name came from the local office workers who came from the post office just by the park to sit down and have lunch. In 1887, socialist GF Watts wrote to the Times proposing a park to be builtin honour of “heroic men and women” who gave their lives to save others as a way to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee. It was created and named Watts Gallery at the Watts Memorial/Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice in Postman’s Park with Doultton tablets running along the wall of the gallery of poignant detailing’s of the individual and their heroic acts.

Headstones of can be found on either side of the Memorial and it was said this was due to possibly being two churches on each side. The headstones are restored every so often.

In front of Watts Memorial is four beds of flowers and a sundial at the centre of it. When in full bloom, the flowers present a gathering of splendour and beauty of colours. Arrive on a sunny day in spring or summer as it'll be total treat to gaze at the flowers while you rest under the perfect shade of the London Plane tree on top of a small hill.

Despite being quite a small park, it attracts an abundance of animals such as bats, robins, blue and grey tits with boxes and feeders dotted around the park. Gorgeous Golden Orfe fishes can be found swimming around the trickling Gothic-styled fountain. The Golden Orfe fishes have been there over 10 years.

The film Closer, starring Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen, was filmed on location. Not one to ruin the film for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet so I won’t give anything away, but Alice Ayres taken off the tiles become an inspiration for one of the characters. The film itself is very much worth the watch and You can catch the Alice Ayres’s tablet above.

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