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.
ArtsLav, Kennington Cross, 2014
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.
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]
^Chaplin, Charlie (2003). My Autobiography. Penguin. pp. 28–31. ISBN978-0141011479.
^fokxorg (24 September 2009). "Project ArtsLav" – via YouTube.
^Disappearing London, presented by Suggs, ITV, 31 January 2006. Item 3.
^"YouTube – Electricity arrives at Kennington's ArtsLav". youtube.com. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
^. ukpowernetworks.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
^"Artslav". artslav.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
^"The Bermondsey Arts Club & Cocktail Bar". The Bermondsey Arts Club.
^Edmund Bird – Borough Conservation Officer, Lambeth, 12 May 2001.
^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.
artslav, arts, venue, located, kennington, cross, kennington, london, england, started, life, underground, victorian, gentlemen, public, lavatory, listed, restored, kennington, landmark, used, community, arts, facility, artslav, engineered, finch, 1898, went, . 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 ArtsLav Kennington Cross 2014 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 Contents 1 History 2 Features 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditCharlie 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 EditIn 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 Edit Chaplin Charlie 2003 My Autobiography Penguin pp 28 31 ISBN 978 0141011479 fokxorg 24 September 2009 Project ArtsLav via YouTube Disappearing London presented by Suggs ITV 31 January 2006 Item 3 YouTube Electricity arrives at Kennington s ArtsLav youtube com Retrieved 11 May 2014 UK Power Networks Lighting up Kennington s ArtsLav ukpowernetworks co uk Archived from the original on 12 May 2014 Retrieved 11 May 2014 Artslav artslav blogspot co uk Retrieved 11 May 2014 The Bermondsey Arts Club amp Cocktail Bar The Bermondsey Arts Club Edmund Bird Borough Conservation Officer Lambeth 12 May 2001 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 http www lambeth gov uk sites default files pl listed buildings beginning with k 0 pdf dead link 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 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to ArtsLav Official website open for business Artslav open for business The Loo vre Denny Garden Blog London Live TV 9 June 2013 Facts about Arts Lav videoCoordinates 51 29 20 N 0 06 40 W 51 488911 N 0 111038 W 51 488911 0 111038 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title ArtsLav amp oldid 1062066753, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
