ArtsLav

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 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 lavs to a commercial wine bar group Bermondsey Arts Club.

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.[7]

It has been Grade II listed since October 2001.[8][9][10]

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 2014-05-11.
  5. ↑ "UK Power Networks – Lighting up Kennington's ArtsLav". ukpowernetworks.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
  6. ↑ "Artslav". artslav.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
  7. ↑ Edmund Bird – Borough Conservation Officer, Lambeth, 12 May 2001.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pl-listed-buildings-beginning-with-k_0.pdf
  10. ↑ "KENNINGTON CROSS Gentlemen's underground lavatory and above ground structures: ventilation shaft, railings, 4 bollards and cattle trough" (PDF). 4 November 2009. Retrieved 2014-07-08.

Coordinates: 51°29′20″N 0°06′40″W / 51.488911°N 0.111038°W / 51.488911; -0.111038

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