Stroud Green landmarks

miss annie

I've been thinking about the foragers map that was briefly discussed here <http://www.stroudgreen.org/discussion/1906/5/sainsburys-is-coming-to-stroud-green-road-woodys-is-going/>; It's near the bottom of page 5 if you don't want to reread the whole thread...it's rather long. I'm going to make some kind of collaged and illustrated map but am thinking that I might extend its scope to include some of the eccentric, interesting, famous things, places and people (past and present) along with a bit of local history. For example I'd definitely include the elephant hedge, the beauteous Stroud Green badge and the SG grapevine. So, if anyone else has suggestions please fire away!

Mirandola

No suggestions so far, but it's a fabulous idea. Thank you.

Beek

Got to include the moulded brickwork lettering of 'Stroud Green Road'. Bottom of Crouch Hill, opposite the sgrafitto panels of the Old Dairy. Sunlight catches them first thing in the morning.

markpack

Lovely idea. How about the site of the attempt at a record-breaking lifespan for a pothole with the one that lasted for years on Stroud Green Road down near Morris Place?

margaret

Capture the row of chestnut trees along SGR before they disappear - they look very ill with this blight that's spreading everywhere. btw, there's a bench there (Haringey side of the road). In fact you might want to add some removable benches?

Arkady

What's the elephant hedge?

tosscat

"What's the elephant hedge?"! - obviously never checked into Mount Pleasant Crescent on your way back from the Stapleton, Arky.

Arkady

I tend to go back the Stapleton Hall way, as the Mount Pleasant Villas Hill is an absolute killer. Also I’m often too inebriated to see. Google images explains all. Cute.

Ali

There is also a not so developed Elephant Hedge in Victoria Road, every one should have one! It would look really quirky for the area. There is the builders metal sign on the Stapleton Hall Rd side of the Mind shop, there is also a very nice blue old fashioned Fire Hydrant sign on the wall near to lock shop.

miss annie

It's beyond cute, have a look on the way home. Does Google images give an idea of its size? It's big. I love it and would be interested to have a chat with the person who created it, it's absolutely one of my favourite things in SG.

miss annie

Thank you everyone for the ideas so far, keep 'em coming.

Philistine'sMonster

Stroud Green Road = Chemists and black bananas (some folks call 'em Plantains; I call 'em cooking bananas).

Byeeee!

Arkady

@Miss Annie: I meant Google Street View, so yes very much to scale! @Ali: I’m clearly blind (not just politically, as you know already) as I’ve never noticed the Victoria Road one either. Though I tend to walk to FP via Florence Rd, and take SGR back. Where is it exactly? I’m rather fond of the old house hidden behind and between the terraces on Stapleton Hall Road (Google Street View 96 SHR and you’ll see what I mean) but I suppose you can’t count whole houses. If anyone know anything about the history of that place I’d love to hear it. There is a supposed ‘community garden’ on the corner of Mount Pleasant Villas and Ossian, but it’s somewhat neglected.

miss annie

You absolutely can, and I would like to, include whole houses if they are particularly interesting or beautiful. I've never seen the other elephant either. I'd like a topiary in the shape of a ring tailed lemur.

Ali

Ark The Victoria Road Elephant is two houses towards Albert Rd just past the Lorne Rd Junction on the Parkland Walk side of the street. It is not nearly as impressive as the MP Crescent one but you have to start some where. I have wondered about the history of the large double fronted house in Japan Rd where the road curves. It has some sort of yard behind it which has loads of Ice Cream vans parked in it. It looks like it was there first.

Arkady

Thanks Ali. We were discussing the Japan Crecent house a while back ina nother thread. The old maps suggest that they yard is the original location of Japan House. Unfortunately no-one seems to know anything about the origins of that house, and following up the 'first Japanese ambassadors house' rumour was kyboshed by the American firebombing of Tokyo's archives in WWII. I gave up at that point, but it did make me very fond ofthe current Japanese embassy who were awfully lovely about it. We should set KRS on the task...

miss annie

KRS is our supersleuth! He would have all the answers and have planned an expedition in the blinking of an eye.

sincers

I love the big fuchsia bush in my front garden - does that count as a landmark?

tosscat

What a coincidence; I was admiring a big fuschia bush in someone's front garden only yesterday.

krappyrubsnif

<em>KRS is our supersleuth!</em> *Simpers*. But I am going for a week's holiday with Mr Elephant from Mount Pleasant Crescent shortly and if I survive the experience I will report back here with the Compleat History of the Stroud Green Elephant.

sincers

@tosscat, I would be chuffed if it was mine. There are a few around, though. Which one were you admiring?

Mirandola

Stroud green borders, but just by the Plough on Hornsey Road there's a (late nineteenth century?) sign saying 'Plough Stables'.

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ADGS

Mercifully, the awful poem therein has now come down for winter.

tosscat

I think it was on stapleton hall road - I'll have a butcher's tonight and let you know. I just remember it was on my way home.

Mirandola

Poem? What what what?

'you are closer to God in a garden/than anywhere else on earth?'

Ali

Do you mean no 16 Oxford on the corner ?

Martin 23

how about the cow that used to be on the roof of the Old Dairy, when giving friends directions to my old house used to use the cow as a reference point as you couldn't miss it. Was sad to see it go when the last owners took it down.

ADGS

I'd have preferred Marvell's The Garden. But no, not even that - a very heartfelt piece about a lost son which never failed to remind me of WIlde's "all bad poetry is sincere".

Ian

There was a cow on the roof? Now that is something I could get the energy up to get reinstalled. Why was it ever taken away? Did someone play bongos on it? The cow sounds great. Bring back the cow.