Bollards of London...

Shoreditch to Memphis Tennessee, USA...

2012-02-03T03:26:00.000Z

Calvert Avenue Bollards and Bin E2...

A closer look...

Outside the FedEx Forum, Memphis Tennessee, USA...

We are on Calvert Avenue E2 not 100 yards from Arnold Circus Bandstand (part of the Boundary Estate 1890) which has been returned to it's beautiful former glory by Patrick Baty who I had the greatest pleasure of meeting this week at our very own British Museum in Bloomsbury WC1.

If we take a close look at the top picture we see two of these rather odd shaped/ornate bollards that have a few openings near the tops. I must say isn't it sad that people walk past these two bollards and then choose to stuff litter into the bollards tops even though we can see the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have placed a litter bin on the pavement/junction in the background of the picture. Honestly if we think for a second people haven't dropped the litter on the pavement they stuffed it into the top of a bollard but not used the bin provided. Take pride in your land/environment where you live and then no matter who's in power locally or nationally you'll always be able to hold your head high whether its boom time or austerity.

If we look at the second picture we can clearly see an odd shaped hollow octagonal top that is capped off with a near door knob shaped finish. The bollard has a good sturdy square base that tapers slightly from each each of it corners, yet again four sides turns into eight and then the hollow over sized top is put in position and caps the bollard off rather well. On the front of the bollard you can see a studded part that is the shape of a pyramid, I must say I like these bollards and the surrounding Boundary Estate especially the bandstand.

From Shoreditch to Memphis Tennessee in the good old USA for our #guestbollard feature which just happens to be a real gem of a 'basket ball' bollard which was found by the Ashby's outside the FedEx Forum home of the Memphis Grizzlies their local NBA basketball team and home to the Memphis Tigers who are the local University basket ball team. What a bollard and what a venue if you click on the link and surely linking professional sport to college/university is the way to go with any sport if you want/wish to achieve excellence. I must say this is one hell of a 'slam dunk' of a bollard, sorry I couldn't resist.

Bollards of London ( and Memphis Tennessee, USA)...

Holy Trinity Minories Commission 1854...

2012-02-01T06:13:00.002Z

A Contemporary Looking Bollard...

After reaching the milestone of the 200th I've reached a very odd shaped bollard with a tale to tell that appears to be steeped in local church history. The Church closed in 1899 not much is left if we take a look at the picture on Church Bells of the City of London I must say what a lovely website.

The bollard has a rectangular base and rises upwards, around its middle it expands slightly and upon the front/face we can just about make out the letters H.T.M then the word 'commission' followed by the date 1854. On the original pictures I took of this type/design of bollard it was a lot harder to actually make the date out so remembering my school days I popped back to my taxi-cab removed some paper/pencils and did a little 'brass rubbing'. After posting the picture on the @twitter it was the opinion of @patrickbaty @Bebejax @AboutLondon that the date was '1854'. I then enhanced the photograph which you can see below and I must say it does read '1854', what would the world do without 'brass rubbing', @twitter and good people. The bollard then rises further and topped off rather neatly with these beautiful smooth edges/corners.

The design of the bollard is clearly not of the mid 19th century but the date is certainly significant. Black/white zebra stripe with a mini stone bollard embedded into the kerb which protects the original bollard from kerb strikes (top picture).

Holy Trinity Minories Commission 1854...

A bit of Brass Rubbing...

Book Bollards Cambridge University by the Library...

Continuing the successful theme of #guestbollards I have an absolute cracker provided by Martin Evans, Cambridge and I must say these book bollards are simply wonderful.

Due to the interest and significant number of bollards that happen to be outside the confines of greater London I've set up a new blog/site Bollards of Britain and an associated @twitter account @bollard_britain over the coming weeks/months any #guestbollards (if you give permission) or ones I find on my travels/journeys throughout Britain will start to appear on this dedicated site.

Could this be another another reason for Scotland to stay part of the Britain ?

Bollards of London (and Cambridge)...

The 200th Bollard of London...

2012-01-29T00:24:00.000Z

A rare City of London bollard...

The 200th bollard of London is a short octagonal shaped one which I found on the Minories, London EC3.

It's a near zebra style painted bollard in need of a little attention. If we look closely we can see that it has merely been painted over. It actually needs to be taken back to its base metal and brought back to its former glorious self. The top is the orange squeezer style and very similar to the previous bollard except shorter and if we look really closely we can see the two wings which happen to be placed on top of a helmet which would sit above the shield of the crest/emblem of the City of London.

Having reached this milestone I think it's only right to take this opportunity to thank all of you who follow the blog, on the @twitter, have viewed, passed comment and emailed me pictures of bollards from Peckham to the good old USA. Please note #guestbollards return at the beginning of February so if you have sent a picture it will appear shortly.

With so many people to thank it's only right to start at the very beginning and my thoughts will always be of the late great BiG George Webley he was a good friend, musical genius, south Londoner and the inspiration behind this blog. I used to talk about walking around the capital (Talk the Walk) on his late night show on bbc London 94.9 fm and whilst driving, then walking around this wonderful city I started to notice an ever increasing amount of bollards on the pavements/roads. If you're looking down George from that great Orchestra in the sky I hope you're happy we managed to get people talking bollards !

Any journey/project will mean you come across people/organisations who help/assist or take an interest along the way so in no particular order here follow a few of those people/organisations who have done just that for 'bollards', Dave Hill , Laura Porter , Peter Watts (bollardarian), all at the Londonist , Patrick Baty , the London Historians , Time Out London blog, Peter Berthoud , Wapping London , Clare Brown , Renaissance Girl , Nikki Bedi , @DJConnellAuthor @PeterMannionMP @bathcat @missprofanity @DMARIESTL @Feisty_Onion @mrcudlip @m37411ic48 @obotheclown @Fat_Jacques @dancing_piglet @stormbasiat @WildGooseLeys @JimBobOH @MrHappySW11 @BrunoSW11 @vivyouell @andromedababe @HotelPRGuy @damongreenITV Vanessa Woolf-Hoyle , Nigel Howard , MapLondon (bollard map), Museum of London , tiredoflondon , Caroline , London Walks , Steve Emment , Jimmy Thomas , Lucy Inglis , Andrew Collins , Josie Long , Visit London to name but a few.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

John Kennedy,

PS just in case you're wondering the picture below is an above elevation of a bollard dated '1757' which I found on Friday evening by pure chance in central London. Could this be a mid 18th century bollard that I've stumbled upon by accident ?

Above elevation of a '1757' mid 18th century bollard...?

Bollards of London...

The 199th MBW 1870...

2012-01-26T04:28:00.000Z

The 200th Bollard of London...

Metropolitan Board of Works 1870...

A near perfect bollard top...

The 199th post (bollard) on this blog/site goes to a rather original looking City of London bollard well at least I thought it was until I noticed the date/lettering on its front. MBW 1870, Metropolitan Board of Works 1870, yet another bollard dating back to the later part of the 19th Century (142 years old).

In 1856 London's Metropolitan Board of Works was created and by 1870 both the Albert/Victoria Embankments followed by the Chelsea Embankment in 1874 were completed. Londoners really do need to appreciate the work carried out by chief engineer Joseph Bazzalgette. The Metropolitan Board of Works used to meet within the City of London and this probably explains why this beautiful bollard is placed within its borders.

The Metropolis Management Act 1855 created the Metropolitan Board of works which was replaced by the London County Council in 1889.

Who would have thought that these often walked past objects could contain so many clues to our nations past.

Bollards of London...

The 198th on the Minories EC3...

2012-01-24T05:02:00.000Z

A very different CoL bollard...

We are at the Minories EC3 just within the City of London where I came across this rather unusual looking 'City of London' bollard.

Why is it unusual you may be thinking or even asking, well for starters it is cylindrical in shape with a semi-circular domed top. It is nearly zebra striped except the white top doesn't follow that pattern but on the upper part of the body beneath the white rounded ridge we find the badge/emblem or shall we call it a shield containing the centre piece of the coat of arms of the City of London.

The shield contains the cross of St. George with the emblem of the City's patron St. Paul, who was beheaded with that weapon.

If you take a closer look at the picture we can see in the background immediately behind our featured bollard a more modern type/design that we are used to seeing all over the square mile and its borders with neighbouring boroughs.

Bollards of London...

The 197th St. Marylebone Parish Church...

2012-01-22T20:55:00.000Z

No public right of way...

We are outside St. Marylebone Parish Church on London's busy Marylebone Road. In front of the parish church we can see a grey painted square based bollard that has a ribbed/ridged body that tapers towards an octagonal pointed head/top. This type/design of bollard can be found around London but rarely with a shield/badge attached.

Just below the middle of the body of the bollard we can see clearly a shield shaped sign that informs us that we have 'No public right of way' on the pavement directly in front of the steps of the church. Taking a closer look we can see the eyelet where a rope/chain could be placed to keep us off there land/pavement.

The colour of the bollard is important, it merges rather well with the grey stone stairs/paving slabs, could it be a form of urban camouflage ?

Bollards of London...

The 196th Southbank Bollards...

2012-01-19T04:56:00.000Z

Southbank Bollards...

Welcome to the Southbank London and the recently installed tank stopping bollards.

If we take a close look at the picture above we can see the the beautiful shiny stainless steel circular/angled top bollards with integral blue band. To the right of the top picture you may notice the 'Automatic bollard' station that is ironically protected by three stainless steel posts (not bollards).

The second picture (below) we can clearly see the circular/cylindrical rising bollards that allow access to the riverside front of the National Theatre yes, the place that backed the now famous show and film 'War Horse'.

The final picture (bottom) is of the Automatic bollards control panel complete with stop (red) and go (green) lights upon the shiny stainless panel.

Rising Bollards of the Southbank...

Automatic Bollards...

Bollards of London...

The 195th A City of London 1878 Bollard...

2012-01-17T02:52:00.000Z

A near perfect City of London bollard...

Another angle...

Get to America Square and cross over the road to Vine Street EC3 in the City of London and you'll find this shorter even stumpy looking City or Corporation of London bollard.

The top is domed but reminds me of an orange squeezer. We then come to a red painted octagonal curved ridge/lip that then tapers to a white painted area with red painted stars upon. A smaller curved red ridge/lip leads us to the shorter stumpy/sturdy body which has placed upon the front the emblem/coat of arms of the Corporation of London I must say I am still amazed at the different types (derivatives) of bollards one can find within the Square Mile.

If we look at the bottom picture we can see the date 1878 clearly beneath the emblem/coat of arms.

1878...

Bollards of London...

The 194th on the Parliamentary Estate...

2012-01-14T16:44:00.000Z

Parliamentary bollards by College Green...

Removable bollards...

We are at the junction of Great College Street/Abingdon Street SW1 and on the paved area of College Green which is generally used by the media when reporting from outside of the Palace of Westminster/Houses of Parliament.

The pair of bollards are a basic design and similar to the bog standard Westminster design but they have a square base and therefore smaller and narrower than that usual design.

At the base of these bollards we have a plate with an emblem of a 'Portcullis' (with screw). The emblem of both Houses of Parliament is the 'Portcullis' (without screw). I believe these bollards are in fact temporary eg they can be removed to allow media/vehicle access to the green on state occasions and matters of great importance to our nation.

If we take a close look at the picture below you may notice that the screw in the middle of the base plate could have been turned a further 45 degrees and this would have brought the slot of the screw head into line with the middle upright of the portcullis...

Portcullis with screw...

Bollards of London...

The 193rd Westminster and the Wookey Hole Bollards, Somerset...

2012-01-11T00:14:00.000Z

Westminster City Council bollard with gold painted badge/crest...

Bollards of Wookey Hole, Somerset and models of Policemen...

The 193rd post (bollard) is of a bog standard Westminster City Council bollard (top picture) with a difference.

If we take a close look at the emblem/crest/badge we can see it is painted gold something the council doesn't normally do. Whilst trying to confirm the badge/crest/emblem is Westminster's I came across this rather interesting website www.civicheraldry.co.uk that details all of the coats of arms of London borough's and many more.

I believe the badge/emblem/crest is the former coat of arms of the old (pre 1965) Westminster City Council and this is confirmed at www.civicheraldry.co.uk where we can see the shield part of the coat of arms clearly on the bollard.

If we take a look at the picture above we will see the #guestbollards of the wonderful @MlleSorbet on the twitter which are from an area called Wookey Hole, Somerset I must say the bollards are rather fine even dandy, but who came up with the idea of these fantastic looking Policemen. Can we class them has bollards ? I'm not sure, but they carry an important warning sign that children cross the road at this particular spot in a rather nice pleasant fashion.

Bollards of London (and Wookey Hole)...

The 192nd Floored...

2012-01-10T02:58:00.000Z

Lincoln's Inn Fields bollard floored...

Greenford Road bollard floored...

We are at the junction of Gate Street and Lincoln's Inn Field (top picture) where we have a bog standard black/white zebra striped bollard that has been taken out of the ground and floored.

If we look closely we can see that at least a foot of this type of bollard is planted firmly underground or should I say was. It's taken such a whack that the pavement slab has broken into a number of pieces.

The latest #guestbollard (above) is from a well known friend in the London taxi trade @thomasthetaxi on the twitter who runs the informative and well liked known blog/site theandersonshelter JT has complemented my floored bollard by providing us with an excellent shot/picture of a modern looking bollard that has either sheared off or wasn't planted that deep in the first place. Either way the bollard has been floored...

Bollards of London (floored)...

The 191st Southwark to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA...

2012-01-08T02:53:00.000Z

Southwark bollard...

A Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA bollard...

This is the 191st post (bollard) and I must admit I found these pebble dashed bollards (top picture) in Southwark but forgot to log the street name at time of taking the photograph. I do know the general area is Blackfriars.

What we have hear is a circular/cylindrical concrete bollard that starts with a narrow circular base that then expands its circumference and rises vertically. The bollard is topped off with a shallow dome shaped top. This is obviously a bollard of the seventies when concrete was all the rage and used to build everything that stood in many parts of London.

Now the #guestbollard on the blog/site (above) today is provided by the wonderful @DMARIESTL on the twitter and what an absolute cracker we have here all the way from across the pond in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA.

I tend to let the #guestbollards do the talking but this one is just so simple it certainly stands out from the crowd, a big red ball.

Bollards of London (and the USA)...

Broomhouse Lane SW6 to Toulon, France...

2012-01-07T02:44:00.000Z

Broomhouse Lane SW6...

Toulon, France Bollard...

Here we are in Broomhouse Lane (top picture) SW6 where I came across a modern trying to look older slim bollard with a message for cyclists regarding the national cycle network route 4.

So we have a message (for cyclists) on a bollard that is placed upon the kerb to ensure motorists don't park upon the pavement. It's a square based bollard that immediately turns into a octagonal base which then morphs into a thin/slim circular column with two ridges/ribbed areas leading us to the semi-circular rounded ball shaped top.

Back to the #guestbollards theme which has taken another European twist with a beautiful bollard from Toulon, France picture taken by @damongreenITV on the twitter and I must say what a stunning bollard and certainly shows its not just London borough's that take their bollards seriously...

Bollards of London (and Toulon)...

PS I love the way the pigeon has managed to get in on the act, what a coo...

Buckingham Gate SW1 to SE12...

2012-01-05T04:17:00.000Z

Something Moon like about this bollard top ?

@Feisty_Onions SE12 bollard...

We are at Buckingham Gate SW1 in the heart of central London next to a London taxi-cab rank where I've found these wonderful stone bollards.

The top picture is an above elevation picture which shows the domed circular top surrounded by the octagonal shaped body. The main body retains the octagonal shape but this is only after the base of the bollard takes up a greater area of space than the upper part of the bollard by tapering outwards.

Looking closely at the top picture there is something moon like about the circular looking part of this stone bollard. If I'm honest I think the second picture which clearly shows the tapering body is very much like a Dalek.

Continuing our #guestbollard theme for January I must say the @Feisty_Onion on the twitter has come up with an absolute classic in the sense I haven't seen this type/design of bollard before. The bollard was found in SE12 which is a London Borough of Lewisham postcode and if I'm correct this colour blue is a colour the borough uses.

The Lewisham bollard looks if it is made of a plastic with a small circular base and then a rising squared column with white integral reflective strips/parts.

Bollards of London (and Lewisham)...

Highgate West Hill 1826...

2012-01-04T06:12:00.000Z

A very tall imposing 'cannon' type bollard.

St. P/S.W.D/1826 another 19th century bollard ?

With a square shaped shallow base this rather tall 'cannon' type bollard quickly turns into a rather sturdy/chunky circular column which is ridged/ribbed at lower and upper parts in equal proportions.

The top section of the bollards is painted black with a white half ball shaped top. On the main body of the bollard we can see the lettering St.P/S.W.D/1826 (picture above) have we managed to come across another bollard from the early part of the 19th century ?

We are approaching the 200th post (bollard) here on the blog/site and it is fascinating to be still finding bollards so different and of such an age here in the capital.

Bollards of London...

Highgate, North Road N6 and the Clown...

2012-01-01T11:18:00.000Z

North Road, Highgate N6...

North Road Highgate certainly has a collection of bollards and none more interesting than these near beehive looking hedged covered classics lining the borders of some properties set back slightly from the road.

The bollards are a very neat simple square based tapering angled slated design that I've not come across before. The more I look at them the more they make me think of beehives. If you look closely at the top picture you'll notice they come with or without hedge, simply wonderful and cracking start to the New Year.

Looks like a Beehive...

Obo's bollard in Cambridgeshire...

Throughout December I've asked many of you to send me pictures of bollards you've found or seen and I must say you've all been wonderful with all the bollards so far that I'm continuing the #guestbollard theme throughout the month of January.

The honour of the first #guestbollard of 2012 goes to none other than @obotheclown on the twitter. Obo has come up with an excellent picture/bollard in my humble opinion. The bollard is pretty new with a domed/ribbed head and ribbed/ridged lower third on the column/bollard. I like the reflective hazard tape placed around the column just in case you don't see the bollard in your headlamps.

Happy New Year to you all.

Bollards of London...

St. Luke's Chelsea 1820...

2011-12-31T02:33:00.000Z

With 2011 about to come to an end it is befitting to find a bollard dated 1820 sitting upon the King's Road Chelsea in such an obvious place.

The bollard clearly carries the marking 'St Luke's Chelsea' 1820. What is it about the year 1820 is it of significance well a quick search on google leads me to St Luke's Gardens on Sydney Street just around the corner from the King's Road and this wonderful bollard.

The foundation stone for St Luke's Church was laid in 1820.

Bollards of London would like to wish you all a Happy New Year and thank you all for your support and pictures of #guestbollards.

Bollards of London...

Theatre Royal Drury Lane WC2 to Waterfields Retail Park, Watford...

2011-12-30T06:12:00.000Z

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane runs along Russell Street WC2 with many beautiful columns supporting this wonderful London landmark. Many buses/coaches park along the side of the Theatre and to protect the columns from damage we see these rather cute slightly rounded stone miniature bollards.

Now back with our popular #guestbollard theme for December and January we have a set of four sturdy looking bollards sent to us by the wonderful @JimBobOH on the twitter who is a blues loving/performing hard working decent chap who happens to be a Spurs supporter. Must say not my team but it's nice to see loyal football fans of this proud London team enjoy the success that the former West Ham manager brings to White Hart Lane.

Now Jim's picture (below) shows a group/line of four bollards effectively protecting the paved pedestrianised. Take a close look at the car in the background of the picture and you'll notice where the bollards are not the car is effectively encroaching area designated for people eg the pavement.

Bollards of London (and Watford)...

Lambeth Road SE1...

2011-12-29T10:54:00.000Z

At the junction of Lambeth Road and Hercules Road SE1 we have a railway bridge with a large central supporting column. Directly in front of the brick built support we find a beautiful Victorian Lamp post flanked by two dirty rather dandy ornate bollards of a similar but differing design.

Both these bollards have that 'orange squeeze' top and beneath the pollution/dust we can see the black and white zebra striped paint on the whole of the body of the bollards.

All three pieces of street furniture demonstrate a level of workmanship and craft that we rarely see in a modern minimalist world obsessed with glass and at times blandness.

Bollards of London...

Wilmington Street WC1 to Sheffield...

2011-12-27T03:12:00.000Z

Wilmington Street WC1 can be found in the London Borough of Islington and the bollard pictured above is very unusual and one I've noted before but driven past many times.

With an octagonal shaped base and slightly tapering body/column that leads to a ridge/rim with a bulbous shaped ornamental head. the sides of the head of this bollard is patterned with protruding peaked rectangles and finished off with a smooth raised top.

Today's #guestbollard is provided by the wonderful horse loving/riding @bathcat on the twitter and in a complete contrast to the older bollard I've chosen in London (above) she has taken a beautiful photograph in perspective of a row of modern contemporary shiny stainless steel bollards that can be found in Sheffield (below).

Taking a close look at these modern marvels we notice the oval shaped small base that the main vertical body stands tall and true upon. The main body of the bollard appears to be near oval shaped or maybe more eye like with a more defined edge. The nearer we get to the top the greater the area of polished steel we can see giving this bollard a stunning edge and look and at the same time defining a border that most of us don't actually notice unlike a wall or fence.

Bollards of London (and Steel)...

Cannon Lane Hampstead NW3...

2011-12-25T13:19:00.001Z

The bollards of Cannon Lane Hampstead were mentioned on the comments section of the recent timeout blog feature. Well has luck would have it in the world of London taxi-cab driving a passenger hailed my taxi-cab and asked for Hampstead, how could I not investigate.

The very top picture is an above elevation of a bollard in Cannon Lane with water and the odd piece of debris/rubbish contained within the top/muzzle. Do not place hand or fingers in the top of this bollard/cannon. If we take a close look at the body/column of the bollard/cannon we note it is certainly aged and the end/muzzle is slightly flared outwards. If these are naval cannons I may take a trip to the National Maritime Museum and investigate further has to the type of cannon these bollards once were.

The final smaller picture (above) is of a similar bollard but with a ball (cannon ball) tacked on end and thus ending the problem of stale water sitting in the muzzle for ages.

Bollards (Cannons) of London...

Merry Christmas from Bollards of London...

2011-12-23T22:16:00.000Z

A very Merry Christmas to you all from me John Kennedy author of Bollards of London and a huge thank you to all of you who have clicked, looked, viewed, laughed maybe even cried at the thought of a blog about the wonderful street objects called bollards.

With so many of you to thank it is easier to allow a few pictures of a bollard (possibly a cannon) at London's Borough Market to grab the honours this Christmas. Guest bollards resumes on Boxing Day and continues throughout the festive season and January 2012.

So may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous New Year for 2012.

Bollards of London...

Automatic Bollard and a Masterpiece from the King of Colour...

2011-12-20T07:07:00.000Z

We are back at the Royal Albert Hall where I found what I missed last time I took a photograph of a bollard here and that is this beautiful sign attached to a rather average looking bollard.

If ever anybody was in doubt that bollards existed well here is the living proof that not only do they exist but so do 'Automatic Bollards'. Note if the red light appears at the top of this bollard please Stop/Wait however if the green light is glowing 'One Vehicle' may proceed.

May I thank the Royal Albert Hall for this wonderfully signed 'Automatic Bollard'.

Now via twitter I have managed to get to know a few people who do some fascinating work and I would like to introduce you to a chap named @patrickbaty on the twitter who in my opinion is the 'King of Colour'. You may be asking why I'm calling him that name well please do take a look at www.patrickbaty.co.uk all I will say further about his work is 'Benjamin Franklin'.

Now considering Patrick is the 'King of Colour' I am over the moon he sent me a black and white picture (below) for his #guestbollard ! What could I say when he tweeted this picture a few days ago and then sent me the picture via email except thank you. This picture is simply wonderful and proves beyond any reasonable doubt that other people were cataloguing these objects many years ago, the picture dates back to 1937 from a copy of Architectural Review.

Bollards of London (even in black and white)...

Foley Street and the Stratford Upon Avon Two...

2011-12-19T16:16:00.000Z

Here we are back in central London taking a look at a bog standard bollard that does little for the imagination except when a council decides to conjoin two of these bollards with some tubular steel/iron and create a bike rack by combining two.

The bollard front left of the picture is cylindrical in shape other than the small square shape base. A simple column design ribbed near the top flared out dome shape head.

Our #guestbollards (above) today are from the wonderful @ChrisHJGilson on the twitter a mighty if not contrasting pair he has photographed in Stratford Upon Avon. The dumpy round plastic looking bollard is certainly different but the obelisk shaped bollard is simply fantastic. It looks a little aged but the shape is just wonderful and very unusual for a bollard.

Bollards of London (and Stratford Upon Avon)...

PS I owe you and the @julietfulham on twitter an apology for incorrectly labelling the above bollard has a pair that she had taken a photographs of. Juliet's bollards will appear on a post shortly however please do accept my sincere apologies...

Lanesborough Hotel London and Florence, Italy...

2011-12-17T15:58:00.001Z

On exiting the Lanesborough Hotel London by taxi-cab I came across these two bollards. With a large square base that rises vertically topped with a circular tapering base that leads to an octagonal column.

The column is tall even slender and at its upper most part is ridged which then leads us to a flared head that yet again is topped off with curved/ball shaped top.

The picture above carries on our #guestbollard theme for December/January and the beautiful picture is provided/supplied by the wonderful @clareangela on the twitter of a bollard lined street 'Via de'Guicciardini' in Florence, Italy I must say these bollards in Italy look rather contemporary but some how they fit in with the surrounding stunning architecture.

Bollards of London (and Florence)...

The Chelsea Collection, Cornerpin and a Timeout...

2011-12-14T22:37:00.000Z

Just by Imperial Wharf which happens to be very close to Chelsea Harbour a new singing/dancing rather swish taxi-cab rank has been installed with a set of new bollards on the right of the picture looking all shiny after a fresh coat of gloss paint. I didn't notice at first but was surprised to see and all the traffic bollards in the distance then the stainless steel bollards/posts which are also new on the left hand side of the picture.

It appears in these times of austerity we are still managing to fund local projects that generally improve the local environment, I'm just not sure we need to clutter the streets/roads with so many objects in such a small vicinity/space.

Now pictured below is our 4th 'guest bollard' provided by the @thecornerpin on the twitter. He's found a mighty good looking aged bollard in the St John's Wood area of London and one which I haven't featured yet on the the blog.

Well the bollard has a square chunky base that tapers and creates that now common octagonal shape. Placed upon the flat top of the bollard is what I can only described has an egg/acorn with tapering body/pattern. This style/type of bollard can be found elsewhere in Westminster (London borough) and the crest/badge looks like theirs.

Finally can I say a big thank you to a few people who have encouraged this blog/site. Firstly my friend the late 'BiG George Webley', then @AboutLondon @peter_watts @davehill @londonist @nikkibedi and finally Rachel Segal Hamilton of www.now-here-this.timeout.com for featuring an article about these wonderful street/pavement objects.

Thank you all from Bollards of London...

London, Kings/Queens and a close to Derby Bollard...

2011-12-11T11:43:00.001Z

The bollards in the picture have always interested me for they sit neatly at corners to a beautiful monument to the Crimean War at Waterloo Place SW1.

Now the Crimean War took place under the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) but the bollards placed at the corners of this memorial refer to King William the 4th (1830-1837). This doesn't really 'fit' but the 'Sailor King' obviously has close links to the area after all he was a reigning monarch and Buckingham Palace, Clarence House happen to be a short walk away. A special thank you to @LondonHistorian @Bebejax and @clareangela #thankyou...

You may have noticed that these bollards are identical to the bollard in the previous post except for the Crown and lettering which happen to be placed upon three of the sides of the body. These bollards are also in rather top condition and have certainly been maintained to a higher standard.

Now continuing our guest bollard theme for the months of December and January can I welcome this beautiful contribution from the @missprofanity on the @twitter. Yes 'miss p' has been a loyal follower of the bollards on twitter and is certainly never one to back off from giving you an honest open forthright opinion on many a subject matter.

The bollard chosen by 'miss p' is certainly a near one off and I've only ever come across one of a similar colour (burgundy) in London. The bollard has a square base which quickly tapers inwards and then forms a circular column that rises vertically until we reach the top/head where we find a circular ridge/rim and a slightly domed near flower rounded top. Like the bollards above this one below is emblazoned with a dandy pattern and what appears to be a rose in the middle, a rose of England ?

Bollards of London...

West Square SE11 to New Cross...

2011-12-10T06:04:00.001Z

Close to London's Elephant & Castle we find West Square SE11 which is one of those secret squares that pop up around the capital from time to time.

Well this summer I happened to be in West Square and found this rather sturdy unmarked bollard that I've seen before around Camden but normally marked with a St Pancras Crest. This bollard though is devoid of any crest or badge.

The bollard has a sturdy square base that rises vertically and tapers inwards which changes the square base to an octagonal (8 sided) shaped body/top. Take a look at the second picture where we look downwards at the top of the bollard. We can clearly see the eight segments of the bollard top and the centre point which forms the peak. Also note the erosion or wear of the metal in the urban outdoor environment.

I love the look, the rib/ridge effect on the body of the bollard but also the colours of this aged piece of street furniture that merge and match the local environment.

Continuing our guest bollard theme through December and January I must say we have received an absolute cracker of a piece of Victorian street furniture that can be found on south east London's Old Kent Road near New Cross.

The bollard looks or should I say reminds me of a rather large oversized candle stick holder. With a square base the body changes shape at almost every glance or inch. I will be taking a much closer look at this piece of street furniture and will attempt to date stamp and see if this bollard is local and original early next year.

This beautiful bollard was found and presented to us by @LondonDreamtime on the twitter and please do log onto www.londondreamtime.com a fascinating website in its own right.

Bollards of London...

A Tale of Two Cities...

2011-12-07T14:49:00.001Z

Welcome to the first of many guest bollards that will appear throughout the months of December and January.

A Tale of Two Cities (London/Birmingham), the picture above is of a pair of rather aerodynamic looking bollards installed at the BP fuel station on the Talgarth Road, Hammersmith London W4. I mentioned the pair of bollards looked aerodynamic and it maybe ironic that the advert on the petrol/diesel pumps is of an Olympic runner. Must say the fire extinguishers look clean ?

Below we find a rather ornate looking bollard sent to be me by @WildGooseLeys (twitter) and she is first with our look at bollards outside the capital.

This particular bollard can be found on Birmingham's Broad Street. The bollard is certainly ornate and is in stark contrast to the modern contemporary design we have seen above. With a near circular base that then tapers inwards and rises vertically with a general ribbed effect upon the main column. The head of the bollard is circular with a domed top and square/diamond patterned sides.

Bollards of London (and Birmingham)...

Warren Street...

2011-12-03T19:56:00.000Z

Near the far end of Warren Street (Cleveland Street end) you'll find this one off bollard planted by a kerb/corner stone.

A square base that immediately morphs into an octagonal shape smoothly and rises vertically. The top then reaches a lipped area that forms a point.

I can see the letter 'A' on the upper part of the body and this bollard may need closer inspection in daylight.

Bollards of London...

PS nice the way people bag up rubbish in supermarket bags and leave them by the bollard ?

Keep Left...

2011-11-30T18:40:00.000Z

At the back of the Euston Road I came across this rather odd looking 'Keep Left' traffic bollard that looks like it's off its stand.

The bollard is made of plastic and has a circular base that is tiered with a short cylindrical column rising upwards towards a large white odd shaped head which contains a blue circle with a white arrow pointing left which forms a 'Keep Left' sign.

Bollards of London...

Bollard with Portcullis...

2011-11-29T19:13:00.000Z

Here in Tufton Street SW1 part of the Westminster Village I came across a rather lonely looking bollard of a standard variety found across parts of central London.

On closer inspection I noticed the 'Portcullis' which you can see reasonably clearly on the upper part of the cylindrical body of the bollard just beneath the upper two rings.

So a rather standard looking bollard becomes one with a little more interest because it doesn't match the existing bollards within the parliamentary estate.

Bollards of London...

The Leaning Bollard of Camden...

2011-11-27T19:21:00.000Z

They may have the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy but here in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the land of austerity we can certainly go one better but on a much smaller scale.

In Goodge Place (just off Goodge Street) you'll find this wooden bollard leaning on a piece of private land in the London Borough of Camden creating a 'Leaning Bollard of Camden'. Who knows one day this may well become a tourist attraction in its own right.

I must ad that the top picture gives the impression that the bollard looks rather unstable hence the need for the second picture which clearly shows the bollard is leaning but perfectly safe.

If you happen to be in the Goodge Street area of London please do hunt down and admire 'the Leaning Bollard of Camden'.

Bollards of London...

The Grosvenor House Hotel Bollards...

2011-11-23T09:43:00.001Z

With all the fog and subsequent dull grey gloomy skies I couldn't resist photographing these two stone bollards-with-chain right outside the famous Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane.

The bollards are made of stone and octagonal in shape. The body is sturdy/chunky and forms part of a beautiful flower bedded border. The bollard then sweeps inwards and is finished off with a nice semi-circular gold coloured top ball.

Beating the Autumn blues.

Bollards of London...

Regents College, Regent's Park...

2011-11-19T05:35:00.001Z

Every now and then you manage to enter a drive way of a building and come across a piece of architecture or in this case a group of bollards belonging to Regents College which can be found at the junction of the Inner Circle and York Bridge within London's very own Regent's Park.

The bollard is made of wood with a square base and no more than 2 ft tall. In the picture above we can see the bollard contains a light and marks the border of the kerb/grassed area. The upper part of the body of the bollard contains a ridge and the top has a very small peaked area.

Now the final picture below is a 'Bollard of London' map created by mappinglondon.co.uk and featured in an event which took place on the 17th of November created by the Londonist and hosted by TAG fine arts of Dover Street, Mayfair W1. I must say it is pleasantly pleasing to see so many other people noticing the many of the bollards dotted around our capital city.

Bollards of London...

Bollards of Brockley Cross...

2011-11-16T07:54:00.001Z

Here we are at Brockley Cross at a width restriction which certainly has the full range of bollards/street furniture.

We can see the back of a 'cheap' bendy bollard placed in front of the dangerous backless lamp post. We then see the two main posts/bollards made of iron and just about recognisable considering the paint is removed due to slightly larger vehicles squeezing through restriction.We then come across the two bell ends, one sunken into the tarmac and the other sitting upon the pavement. Finally we find the fire gate bollard (lock/latch end) which is a simple circular design with top third of main body tapering towards a ball top finish.

May I say what a complete and utter mess of an area/piece of road, however within the chaos/cluster of bollards/street furniture there is a very odd aged even scratched beauty.

Bollards of London...

A Bollard in a Pear Tree...

2011-11-13T18:03:00.001Z

Yesterday I found this beautiful bollard in Pear Tree Close, Clerkenwell EC1.

The bollard is reasonably tall slender circular base that tapers slightly with a main ribbed body that is only broken up with three to four rings on the body.

The top of the bollard is on close inspection pear shaped with the top half almost gold coloured.

With Christmas lights going up and on all over the capital in November I couldn't resist 'A Bollard in a Pear Tree'...close !

Bollards of London...

Latest from the City...

2011-11-11T17:34:00.001Z

The City of London recently upgraded the roads/streets around the new shopping facility called 'New Change' on Cheapside.

Above we have a newly planted/painted bollard that marks the border to an indented taxi-cab stand/rank placed next to the shopping centre and opposite businesses.

The bollard has a small square base that immediately forms into a octagonal body that tapers slightly until it reaches a rather ornate top that resembles a juicer. The colours/paint used are the usual City of London colours of black/red and white. Attached to this particular bollard is a standard sign used across the City of London (the Square Mile) which denotes how many taxis can sit upon said stand and which direction the cabs are to face.

Bollards of London...

Contemporary look for Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...

2011-11-07T23:30:00.000Z

We are at the the junction of Thurloe Place and the nearly finished redevelopment of Exhibition Road where the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have decided to create a brick based shared space.

What I came across at the junction is a new addition to the bollard family and that is a one with a more contemporary look with a twist.

If we look closely at the bollards in the picture you'll notice they have a square base with a narrow vertical body that merges/morphs into a cylinder shape with a slightly curved top.

Bollards of London...

Fleet Street EC4...

2011-11-04T22:27:00.000Z

Fleet Street EC4 was formerly the home to the nations newspaper industry. Now it's dominated by Goldman Sachs and Freshfields.

The bollard in the picture above is a typical City of London type bollard with a near fresh coat of gloss paint. Only one part unfinished so I'll leave that for each of you to take a closer look and think about.

The bollards are more than likely getting this new coat of paint because of the Lord Mayor's Show which takes place next week from 11.00am on Saturday the 12th of November 2011.

Bollards of London...

Royal Albert Hall Bollards...

2011-11-03T02:49:00.000Z

I think the sign attached to this Royal Albert Hall Bollard says it all.

Bollards of London...

Painting of the Bollards...

2011-10-30T15:10:00.000Z

The City of London has been in the press recently for many different reasons but here at 'Bollards of London' the 'Corporation' is better know for having the greatest number of derivatives of bollards.

Presently all bollards within the City of London are getting a new coat of paint and here in Middle Street EC1 I came across another design of 'city' bollard that I've not noticed before.

With a square base that tapers immediately and then rises upwards for a third of its height before a cylindrical body/ring takes over and a more traditional column continues to rise upwards where the top is rounded off. We notice also that the colours of the 'Corporation' play a significant role/theme through all the different types (derivatives) of bollards.

Black/Red/White the colours for nearly all bollards within the 'City of London' the exception being Leadenhall Market and the odd stainless steel type/design. Whilst talking of paint/colours I came across a very interesting blog www.tarragonablog.com that just so happens to have some beautiful pictures of some rather dandy bollards that artists appeared to have painted themselves.

Bollards of London...

PS what a beautiful idea to paint street furniture.

Scarface...more like bollard-face...

2011-10-25T05:18:00.000+01:00

Every now and then you turn a corner and depending on whether is is night or day you notice something rather interesting about London.

Well this morning did it for me, I dropped a fare off in Valance Road so I turned into Cheshire Street and upon a right turn into London's Brick Lane (I was heading for a salt beef bagel) I noticed this shutter and the angle which has a rather mean looking 'Tony Montana' played by Al Pacino in the 1983 (original 1932) movie/film 'Scarface' getting ready to wipe out the bollard on the pavement let alone the lines on the lane.

Next time I see a line of bollards I'll think of this picture of 'Tony Montana' giving it the large one with an automatic weapon and threatening the very existence of the bollard on Brick Lane, London E1.

Bollards of London...

Wapping's (World's) Smallest Bollards..?

2011-10-21T21:28:00.001+01:00

We are back at Wapping and who would have thought we may well have found that Wapping's bollards might just be the smallest in the World ?

These bollards are so small you could be excused for mistaking them for pepper pots/grinders. You're probably wondering why they exist and the clue is yet again no stepped kerb but tarmac level with the pavement/kerbside.

Has anybody seen or found a bollard (an actual bollard) smaller than these ? If not Wapping has London, the UK's and maybe the World's smallest bollards.

A Message on a Bollard...

2011-10-20T04:56:00.002+01:00

Every since I started this blog/site I've been amazed and yet pleased that we've not seen an explosion of adverts upon the humble and sometimes dandy bollards of London.

The product or should I say object does a rather good job at advertising itself in a rather inconspicuous way yet many bollards carry messages with various signs like the three I found the other week in Mayfair's little hidden (red-light) secret of Shepherd Market.

The bollards themselves are very bog standard (even the one padlocked to the pavement) but all three carry messages from the Highway Code. 'Urban Clearway' due to the building/construction site on Trebeck Street and a 'No Cycling' sign on a paved area of Shepherd Market.

Bollards of London...

The Right Balance...

2011-10-13T15:19:00.001+01:00

I was sitting on the taxi-cab rank/stand at Tate Britain, Millbank SW1 yesterday and noticed a group of rather happy looking young people standing on the very bog standard security bollards that are placed at the base of the steps of this marvellous gallery.

More Londoners should visit our galleries and this group certainly took the visit to a new level with some rather neat moves that involved them balancing on the bollards after setting the camera on a timer.

Bollards of London...

PS please note I do not advise anybody to partake in balancing on a bollard, falling off could lead to injury.

Check Mate..?

2011-10-12T04:19:00.001+01:00

Back to Highgate and Cholmeley Park and I found a bollard that looks rather like a chess piece.

Square based, with small vertical sides with a lipped area that leads to a main body that tapers which is then topped with a smaller tapering head that leads to a flat square top.

This bollard is made of stone or concrete painted white and really does look like a pawn on a chess board.

Bollards of London...

Top of the Bollards bbc 6 music...

2011-10-08T10:23:00.000+01:00

The Top five bollards of London follow for http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/ Saturday morning show with Andrew Collins and Josie Long where we were pronounced 'geek of the week'. Click on the link and go to 51 minutes in where you can here me talking 'bollards'.

In at number 5 with ello-ello-ello Police man bollard. the former Gerald Road Police Station.

At number 4 with Hans town 1819. the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Number 3 with A Derivative the City of London.

In at number 2 with Strictly No Digging a Westminster bog standard.

Number 1 with the Houses of Parliament thank you Sally Bercow and the Parliamentary Estate.

That's the top 5 but here for an exclusive for Andrew Collins and Josie Long on on bbc 6 music take a look at these bollards below...

A big thank you from bollards of London to @simon_bannister on twitter for these wonderful pictures of Brighton bollards with jackets.

Bollards of London...

Camden Gardens Bollards...

2011-10-04T20:24:00.000+01:00

What a rather peculiar looking bollard we've found on Camden Gardens NW1, north London.

The bollard is cylindrical in shape and extremely simple in design until we reach the top where it looks more like a croissant from a well known coffee shop with a rather large sausage stuffed between the folds. The top of the bollard actually contains a short piece of tube that is held in place by two folds of metal of the main body from the bollard.

This bollard is a rather simple design until to reach the top where a hell of a lot happens for no apparent reason.

Bollards of London...

A Bollard, Cannon and Four Wonderful People...

2011-10-02T18:38:00.000+01:00

We are back in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea at the National Army Museum on the very beautiful Royal Hospital Road SW3.

Here (top picture) we have a rather average stone bollard that has a square base that tapers inwards and forms an octagonal top. We can see on the left an eyelet so a chain may be placed connecting to adjacent bollards. On the front of the bollard we can see a plate with the letter 'H' which informs members of the London Fire Brigade of a 'H'ydrant/water supply if needed in an emergency.

Now take a close look at the '68pdr Smooth Bore Iron Gun of Cwt, 1858' (above) which is on display outside the entrance to the National Army Museum (click for link to museum). Have you noticed how the body of the cannon (gun) looks very similar to the many bollards we find dotted/planted all over the capital/country. We shall take a closer look at the history of the London bollard over many of the future posts on this blog/site.

Finally I would like to say a big hello to all those pictured below who happened to be a fare in my taxi-cab on Saturday evening. We got chatting and somehow I managed to mention 'Bollards of London' and what followed was a very pleasant, funny even comical taxi-cab journey. So once again I would like to thank all of you in the picture below and hope you enjoy noticing these rather interesting if not forgotten pieces of street furniture.

I do love the way they are all posing and touching a Bermondsey Street bollard.

Bollards of London...

The Highgate Two...

2011-09-21T23:37:00.000+01:00

Whilst travelling up Highgate Hill I came across these two marvellous bollards that are placed either side of a step of a rather steep kerb.

The bollards are typical near bog standard, what makes these two Highgate bollards different is the fact they have been modified with the addition of some curved welded steel/pipe which turns into the rather oddest railing.

The Highgate Two.

Bollards of London...

Four Green Bollards...

2011-09-17T01:01:00.000+01:00

We are back in the east of London at the junction of Wilmot Street and Three Colts Lane E2. This particular part of London is full of London taxi-cab garages and a constant hum of the near famous diesel engines can be heard from dawn till dusk.

Who though would have thought that this part of London would have the most interesting near artillery shell type bollards that I've ever seen. The bright green exterior certainly stands out against the back drop of a pale sky blue wall and old brick work.

I'm not sure about the connecting kinked bars that add little and serve no purpose. These bollards really do look like artillery or tank shells.

Bollards of London...

The Vauxhall Three...

2011-09-11T13:25:00.000+01:00

Vauxhall is a part of London better known for its links with the Secret Intelligence Service MI6, Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) soon to be renamed National Crime Agency (NCA) and its busy gay night life that has effectively trumped Soho. Who would have thought that this part of South London could deliver on the bollards front.

Here at Glasshouse Walk I came across three royal blue coloured bollards of a rather typical cylindrical design. With flat tops and a slightly tapering ridged body these bollards don't flatter, but when placed in the context of a backdrop of a canary yellow wall complete with a horizontal fluorescent light this setting takes on a rather different look.

We are in fact under the railway lines leading into London Waterloo, you can see the water damage to the brickwork on the left hand side of the picture.

Bollards of London...

Bollards-with-Chain of Parliament Square...

2011-09-07T03:54:00.001+01:00

Close to the statue of the great statesman and former Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874-1965) we find these rather interesting stone bollards attached to each other by a spiked chain.

The bollards are square based with a tapering edge/sides that rise vertically to form a octagonal shaped top, which finally rises to form a centre point. The spiked chain is firmly placed into the upper part of the body of the bollard and enough chain is used to provide the near perfect curve.

The stone body of these bollards appears to be eroding away slightly, if we look closely at the bollard nearest to us in the picture we can see a pitted surface.

Bollards of London...

A Pair of Wapping Bollards...

2011-09-03T13:58:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Wapping where we have found two bollards with a little difference and that being they appear to have a humped base which acts like its own form of defence against a kerb strike by a motor vehicle. Many of the streets and roads in Wapping happen to be cobbled, this a very difficult road pavement surface to drive or even walk over.

If we take a look at these two solid bollards I'm minded to think that the base looks like the foot of an elephant. The column rise vertically and tapers slightly. We can see on the body of the column two rings/ridges, the upper body of the bollard flares outwards and then curves smoothly to a tiered/stepped cannon ball top finish.

These bollards don't look that old (especially compared to last post dated at least 1887) but they are of a cannon style/type that actually fits in with the local wharfs/environment.

Bollards of London...

The Holy Grail of Bollards...?

2011-08-29T09:49:00.001+01:00

Whilst pushing (driving) my taxi-cab around the capital I end up in streets and roads that most would never walk nor even drive down and out of the corner of my eye I noticed this most amazing looking bollard that obviously dates back to the late 19th or early 20th century.

So have we found the Holy Grail of Bollards well the answer is no, but we have found a bollard with a direct link to the "Imperial Saw Mill" which used to be here in Wenlock Road. If we click on the following link we will find a page that tells a tale of bankruptcy and a Victorian past. http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/25692/pages/2168/page.pdf If you read the "Adjudications" page of "The London Gazette" dated April the 15th 1887 and look at the fourth case down we can see that the businesses filed for bankruptcy in the January of 1887 and the order was made on the 7th of April 1887.

The bollard is a relic of the 19th century and part of an industrial past that has gone. However take a look around the city and amongst all the street furniture and bollards we still see a city that never fails to reinvent itself by modernising and preserving the best of the past whilst building the future. Honestly who would have thought a dandy looking Victorian bollard would have such an interesting tale to tell.

Bollards of London...

Lomond Grove SE5...

2011-08-28T11:55:00.002+01:00

We are still in South East London and I'm still wandering around the streets/roads of the district area called Camberwell and my does this area throw up a few odd shaped bollards.

These bollards protect a kerb and stop people from parking at or near the fire/access gate/area to the local council estate. The bollards are painted a brilliant matt white are made of concrete. Cylindrical in shape with a very slight taper to the main stumpy body. The top is ever so slightly curved but not enough to stop you placing a cup or drink on if you can stoop that
low.

Bollards of London...

Cook's Road SE17...

2011-08-26T11:59:00.002+01:00

We are in South East London in an area known as Walworth bordering the trendy well known area of Camberwell. Here we have come across a row of square based tapering body square topped bollards.

The bollards are made of concrete and clearly divide the pavement area outside these homes. I must say the row or line of bollards is dead straight, a simple act of perfection.

Bollards of London the 151st...

The Raft London...

2011-08-14T13:34:00.000+01:00

We have reached another milestone and I'm pleased to present you with the 150th bollard of London at the Raft (Rail Air Freight Terminal) which is the Gatwick Express terminal/ rank for London taxi-cabs. I must admit I have driven a taxi-cab for over 15 years and I never knew why this rank was called the Raft, a special thank you to all my colleagues on twitter.

If we look at the picture above you may notice you've seen this particular type of bollard before. It has a circular base near cylinder shape that tapers slightly towards a wider flat (slightly domed) top. The body/column of the bollard is not smooth which deters the sticker/flyer brigade.

Very rare to find a red coloured bollard the majority tend to be black in colour. This one certainly needs a little repositioning and a good wash/lick of paint.

150 not out and we march on towards the 200th.

Bollards of London...

A Look Inside a Lambeth Bollard...

2011-08-05T19:54:00.003+01:00

The 149th bollard was always going to be a little different and hear we have a pair that I found on Lambeth Walk a few months ago.Green in colour and tubed or cylindrical in shape and topped off perfectly with a ball. These bollards are simple in design and easy to produce/make. I must say not to sure about hanging carrier bags from them but then again I'm probably more worried about the contents of the bag rather than the fact it's hanging from a bollard.Lambeth Walk is littered with street furniture and it just so happens one of these bollards lost its ball (top) so I took the liberty of taking a shot from above (see picture below) and in my opinion produced a rather interesting picture of the empty hollow dark place within these bollards.149th.

Bollards of London...

London Underground Ruislip Garden Station...

2011-08-03T04:23:00.001+01:00

Ruislip Garden Station is on the central line of London's Underground and very close to RAF Northolt and bordering the car park at this suburban station are these rather odd looking painted bollards. They remind me of sponge fingers used in trifles dipped in dark chocolate.

The bollards here are made of concrete with a circular base that taper slightly with a domed top.

148th.

Bollards of London...

Moon Landing...?

2011-07-30T04:12:00.003+01:00

Just off Blackfriars Road you will find Union Street and a rather new small busy little community of cafes and bars serving the rather odd looking Palestra Building which happens to house many staff who work for Transport for London.

Around the back of the building I happened to come across these concrete monsters guarding a rather odd brick/stone area that wouldn't look out of place on the moon. What is that lump in the background ( I thought the "Clangers" might pop out any moment). The bollards are square based rise slightly so not to be cubed in shape and then they have a domed (semi-circular) top.

These concrete bollards are huge in size and are a real eyesore in fact they blight the local area and must have cost a considerable sum of money. Now if you thought we were having problems with the odd bollard in London do click on the link below and have a look at what's happening else where in the UK.

The 147th.

Bollard of London...

www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Bollard-impales-two-more-cars-29072011.htm

Bollards for Pimlico...

2011-07-28T03:23:00.003+01:00

We are at Pimlico Road close to the junction of Ebury Street SW.1 where we find these rather delightful concrete cylindrical flat topped flared bottom bollards. They look like they're pebble dashed as well.

They guard a rather nice open public space that still has a couple of our wonderful (Sir Giles Gilbert Scott) red telephone boxes and a fantastic French restaurant around the corner.

The 146th.

Bollards of London...

Clapham Old Town SW.4...

2011-07-26T01:45:00.003+01:00

We are at Clapham Old Town where the local council have decided to create a roundabout in honour of the bendy bollard.

Just look at the beautiful intricate brick work involved here creating a mini-roundabout in homage to the bog standard bendy bollard that we find in this rather beautiful middle class area of south west London.

The 145th Bollard of London...

PS I was watching CBS news earlier and I was moved by a beautiful story about a Pit Bull Terrier that saved the life of a very brave American war veteran. If you get the chance put p2v.org in google and you'll come across an amazing programme helping young men/women and wonderful pet dogs.

Maidenhead...

2011-07-24T09:55:00.001+01:00

I dropped a very polite passenger the other evening in Maidenhead and on my leaving and heading back towards London I came across this rather unique bollard in the centre of a local Maidenhead roundabout.

The bollard is a traffic type made of what looks like enamelled steel, I reckon this bollard dates from the late 1970's. The curved top is rather cool and for the 144th a pretty good find.

Bollards of London, well Maidenhead on this occasion...

Rising Bollard...

2011-07-21T03:53:00.001+01:00

Earlier this year I did a little work with a Ms Eugenie Scrase a graduate at Slade School of Art at the University College London re bollards.

Now on entering the UCL what did I find but a rather fine example of a "Rising Bollard". The picture says it all and I must say I do love the reflection in the bonnet of my London taxi-cab.

The 143rd Bollard of London...

Farthing Downs, Coulsdon...

2011-07-19T03:00:00.002+01:00

I was sent this picture by a gentlemen who pointed out to me that the Corporation of London just don't plant bollards in the centre of London.

If you happen to be out in the suburbs of London you'll find open spaces that are the responsibility of the Corporation of London and here to prove the case is a bollard planted near a grass verge.

A befitting bollard for the 142th post.

Bollards of London...

The 141st Temporary Bollards...

2011-07-15T07:37:00.001+01:00

Back at Bollard central (the square mile) we find ourselves looking a rather neat display of temporary and permanent street furniture at the junction of Gresham Street and St Martins-le-grand.

Take a look at the centre of the picture and you'll see these rather angular Dalek looking orange/yellow temporary bollards with Castor's. We have looked at the very bog standard temporary bollard in the past but these are certainly stronger with handles to carry or tow.

Bollards of London...

PS the next post on here will be a City of London bollard found on the outskirts of London.

Stephendale Road SW.6...

2011-07-13T03:51:00.004+01:00

We are in Fulham SW.6 at Stephendale Road where I came across this rather dandy slightly old looking bollard.

With a solid square base that soon turns to beautiful smooth curves which then morph into a curved octagonal base reducing in size and then rising upwards, vertically and leads us to a ridge which then flares outwards and creates an almost fruit or acorn look to the top part of this pretty old bollard.

A lot of time and effort appears to have gone into the casting of this rather beautiful bollard, with layers of paint chipping/falling off. To the right of the bollard we find two posts rather bland/boring but serving the same purpose.

Bollards of London...

St Peter's Square W.6...

2011-07-11T01:01:00.001+01:00

We have moved west to Hammersmith and are in St Peter's Square where we find this rather beautiful but simple looking bollard.

It's cylindrical in shape and it column rises vertically until the very end just flares outwards slightly, curves with a flat top and a cannon ball finish.

Black and white paint job is perfect for this bollard has the square is not lit up with that many street lights.

Bollards of London...

What a pair of Bollards...

2011-07-09T13:28:00.001+01:00

London's Brick Lane is a wonderful place for a curry but who would have thought it would throw up a pair of bollards that are like no other.

With a sturdy square base and a tapering body we have the oddest if not the most interesting bollards I've found to date. The main body tapers and then a head appears which is bigger than the base this reduces in size and is finished off with a doughnut like top. The colour is black and white with the added luxury of graffiti.

These bollards will need further investigation because of their unique look.

Bollards of London...

Paddington Street Bollards...

2011-07-07T02:58:00.001+01:00

Paddington Street W.2 like many streets within the London Borough of Westminster has its share of bog standard bollards in the middle of the road and upon the pavement.

Marylebone (the ward/district) is a true village in the centre of London within a bristling vibrant part of the city.

In the picture above we see (in the background) a bog standard cannon shaped bollard but in the foreground we have a corker of a bollard that neatly slots into the very low kerb. The bollard is black in colour, octagonal in shape with a tapering base and a top flaring outwards and finished off with a slight domed nippled top.

Marylebone holds many secrets of a bygone era and plenty of Bollards of London...

Cannon Drive for the 4th of July...

2011-07-04T22:46:00.002+01:00

We are at Cannon Drive E.14 on the Isle of Dogs and very close to London's Canary Wharf estate. To the left of the picture we can see a smooth shapely bollard that certainly has a nautical theme about itself.

With a round circular base the bollard tapers to a lip/ridge and then continues to taper until the final third near the top where it bells outwards with a smooth slightly domed top. Looks like this bollard took a whack from a vehicle and it appears the brick pavement come off worse.

Many a Cannon was fired so that America could gain its Independence from Great Britain from Bollards of London may I wish all Americans a very happy 4th of July.

Bollards of London...

Islington N.1...

2011-06-23T03:14:00.001+01:00

Thornhill Road, Islington N.1 is a rather pleasant even village like part of north London. The local council is known to be keen on traffic calming measures and they plant bollards, bumps, humps, lumps quicker than most councils within the capital.

Thornhill Road is very narrow and heavy vehicles are discouraged from travelling on roads other than the main ones. The island here is a good example of a rather ugly/odd width restriction in the centre of the road.

At either end of the island we see the standard keep left traffic bollard in the middle we see two of the "bell" type bollards however either side we have these rather odd looking narrow slightly curved almost bottle like bollards that can be found to the left of the traffic bollard. This particular type of bollard can be found else where in London.

When all these bollards are placed on the traffic island/width restriction I must say doesn't it look rather ugly.

Bollards of London...

West Smithfield EC.1 in the City of London...

2011-06-22T01:36:00.000+01:00

We are right next to the central meat market in the City of London at West Smithfield which just happens to be right next to St Bartholomew's Hospital.

Well what do you make of these rather large tapered/pointed wooden bollards that border a rather pleasant paved seated area.

The bollards are weathered however I must say that the idea of planting wooden bollards when a small hardy tree would do the same job really does worry me and demonstrates an odd even illogical thought process by town planners of many borough's and not just the City of London.

Bollards of London...

Back to the City (again)...

2011-06-20T00:37:00.001+01:00

Yes the City of London never fails to produce the greatest types of bollards and than any other local authority.

Here in Copthall Avenue EC.2 we have come across a very modern simple looking bollard that appears to have been nominated for a new paint job but never got finished.

With more scratches than your average bollard you have to wonder did they just forget about the bollards of Copthall Avenue.

Bollards of London.

PS I would like to say a big hello and mention a rather decent chap who who goes by the name of @snobbyG on twitter. He is one of our unsung heroes a paramedic who just gets on with the job and rarely complains...

St Luke's Close EC1...

2011-06-16T02:06:00.001+01:00

At the top of St Luke's Close EC1 I came across these two rather wonderful looking bollards that certainly differ from anything we have looked at so far.

For starters the bollards are square based with a long tall rectangular shaped body. Near the top we come across a vertical striped area for decoration purposes and a slightly flared underside of the top/head that neatly rises to form a shallow looking pyramid shape.

Both are black gloss in colour and look in pretty good health for a pair of bollards.

Welcome to Bollards of London...

Duchess of Bedford's Walk W.8

2011-06-14T05:01:00.002+01:00

We are at Duchess of Bedford's Walk in Kensington at a border of Holland Park where we have found three bollards that are painted white, of a similar height but very different.

The bollard furthest from us in the picture is pretty common upon many streets/pavements in the capital. The middle bollard is a temporary one that is held in place by a padlock and has we can see looks like the hole it's placed in has seen better days or this bollard has been bumped a few times by the odd car/van.

The bollard of real interest to us today is the one in the foreground of the picture and to our left. It is a cylindrical in shape and tapers every so slightly and has a smoothed curved domed top. On the upper part of the body we can see what looks like a crown or maybe feathers ?

If we take a close look at the other side of the bollard in the picture below we can make out what appears to be two crosses above a crown or a collection of feathers.

Bollards of London...

South London Bollards...

2011-06-13T03:32:00.001+01:00

We have crossed the river Thames to an area just south of Westminster Bridge called Carlisle Lane which is in the London Borough of Lambeth and close to Waterloo station.

The bollards above are made from concrete and merely mark a boundary of a piece of land. They are small cylindrical stumpy looking bollards with domed tops and three deep cut away sections that rope could easily be wrapped or tied around.

These bollards match this rather sad piece of disused land and in an odd sort of way make the case for redevelopment of this part of capital.

Bollards of London...

The Whitechapel Bollards...

2011-06-10T18:47:00.007+01:00

Welcome to Whitechapel London E1 an area of the capital that borders the City/Square mile with its dark history of the notorious 19th Century murderer "Jack the Ripper". You can click on a the link http://www.met.police.uk/history/ripper.htm if you wish to find out a little more about the past dark history.

We though are looking at Blossom Street where we can see a bollard on the left that we've seen before in Kensington, opposite we notice these two massive bland looking ugly bollards with their white coloured tops. Considering this is a rather old cobbled stoned part of the capital it does the beg the question why aren't the pavements protected locally like some of the very fine Victorian properties that can be found in and around this area.

We will be coming back to Whitechapel shortly to look at a few more bollards the area hides/holds upon its pavements.

Bollards of London...

A Gem of a City Bollard...

2011-06-09T02:17:00.001+01:00

At the top King Street in the City of London we come to Guildhall Court Yard and right at its entrance we find a row of rising bollards with some of the usual bollards we normally see in the City (Square mile) everyday.

In the picture above we have managed to capture a rising bollard on the right hand side (still in the City/Corporation of London colours of black, white and red) with a more traditional looking bollard in the middle but on the left hand side we have found an absolute gem, a real one off that I have never seen before in the Square Mile.

The bollard on the left of the picture is most usual and unique at the same time for it has a rather large square base with a vertical body up until the red band where the body then tapers and forms an octagonal shaped top that rises slightly to be finished off with a nipple. The body of the bollard is painted predominately black with two red stripes. A badge on the front of the bollard is shield like and forms a George Cross, the upper part of the bollard is white in colour with only a red band on the nipple at the very top.

Bollards of London...

St Michael's Church - Chester Square SW1...

2011-06-07T05:58:00.003+01:00

If you happen to be in the area of Belgravia or Elizabeth Street do take a wander around Chester Square SW1 and admire the beautiful St Michael's Church of England.

At the rear of the church you'll find this beautiful but lonely bollard painted a sunburst red with a simple domed top. A third of the way up the main circular column you come across a ridged/ring that is painted gold. The ring is repeated a further two thirds up the column and just before the ball/domed top.

This is a rather beautiful looking bollard which contrasts well with the pinkish paving slabs and the yellow/greying church stone walls.

Bollards of London...

125th Bollard(s) of London...

2011-06-06T16:34:00.000+01:00

We are at Onslow Crescent SW.7 in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to take a look at a pair of bollards that look nothing like the usual this "Royal" borough has to offer.

The bollards are circular at the base with a cylindrical column rising vertically only to be interrupted by a ridge/ring near halfway up the column. The top of the bollard is tiered and is topped with a near perfect ball. Coloured green these really do not match the dandy/ornate larger bollards found in the rest of this borough.

According to a report by Jill Sherman in the Times today the future for bollards and other parts of the "street furniture" family may well be under threat by the Localism Bill which is presently making its passage through parliament.

Welcome to the 125th Bollard(s) of London...

Richmond Royals...

2011-06-05T15:54:00.004+01:00

These three Bollards can be found by the Thames in Richmond and how beautiful they are. We can see they have a square base that is planted in the cobble stones that immediately forms a curve that flares outwards to form a circular lip that now forms a tapering cylindrical column which again flares outward and then tiers inwards to form a rather dandy strawberry shaped top.

The bollards have ornate patterns on the side of each of a floral design, the bollards in Richmond are ornate/dandy and pretty marvellous and the search for others will continue throughout Greater London.

Bollards of London the 124th...

What's the Buzz about Bollards...?

2011-06-03T14:34:00.009+01:00

Pop down to Waterford Road off the New King's Road and you might come across these bee striped steel bollards protecting a border/piece of commercial property.

I must say don't these bollards look ugly and certainly make a semi industrial area look even worse. If people/businesses who own property private/public intend to plant objects to protect a border should they not think about better looking street furniture ?

Bollards are everywhere no matter where you travel in the metropolis or any other large city here in the UK, so if we are going to use these street objects to define protect and create borders should we not at least ensure they look reasonable and not look like the above.

Bollards of London...

Royal Bollard of Richmond...

2011-06-02T09:14:00.002+01:00

If you take a stroll around Richmond you may end up near the green where you'll come across a beautiful area surrounded by the odd Royal Bollard of Richmond.

The bollard is almost shard like in shape and ribbed. Sitting upon a square base and planted firmly into the paved area the four sides rise upwards literally double into eight and taper towards a peaked octagonal shaped top. The badge upon the side of the bollard is clearly a crown with the roman numerals two underneath and the initials ER standing for Elizabeth Regina. Painted a matt white these bollards surrounding the green at Richmond stand out even in the darkness and certainly catch the headlamps of any passing motor vehicle.

Welcome to a summer special of Bollards of London...

Keep Left...

2011-06-01T02:27:00.002+01:00

Just when I thought this style of plastic "keep left" bollard was going of fashion here in the capital along comes the Boris bike or should I say male bike hire scheme painting blue lanes along Millbank and placing central reservations where they are not required along with the latest design of "keep left" traffic bollard.

It appears the "bendy bollard" may well be going out of fashion and this new design which is different to the similar style of bollard that used to be square at each end with a rectangular body/upright shape.

If we look closely at this type/design we can see that the base is hinged allowing access to the area containing the bulb/lens. The body of the bollard tapers slightly but is coloured like all similar designs. Predominately white with yellow panels and the blue circle with white "keep left" arrow.

Welcome to a super summer special of Bollards of London...

The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn Bollard(s)...

2011-05-20T17:17:00.004+01:00

It is a privilege to ply for hire in a taxi-cab in London for you manage to see places and things that many never will and true to form I managed to drop off at Gray's Inn recently and what did I find but plenty of Gray's Inn Bollards.

The actual design of bollard is in the tradition of a "cannon" notice the domed cannon balled top. However as we look at the main column/body of the bollard you'll notice the "badge" with a Golden Griffin upon a black field. The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn seal is the "badge" encirlced by the motto (in Latin) "Impartial Justice, guardian of equity, mistress of the law, without fear or favour rules men's causes aright".

The bollard itself is cast iron and sits on a square base, which then forms a sturdy slightly tapering column divided only by three ribs.

Welcome once again to Bollards of London...

Camley Street NW1...

2011-05-16T14:48:00.002+01:00

Just off Camley Street NW1 you will find the King's Cross Taxi Centre and just inside the entrance you'll find a leaning slightly worn bollard with a floral (wild) arrangement at base.

The bollard is black and yellow (colour) the top is ribbed with a dome to finish off and looks silver in colour now.

You may have noticed the majority of bollards we have looked at so far have been in the central part of London. So over the coming weeks and months we will be travelling to outer London borough's and taking a look at the bollards they plant all over our pavements.

Bollards of London...

Big George Webley RIP...

2011-05-08T19:05:00.001+01:00

This project is down to one man a radio presenter and a talented musician called "Big George Webley" who I had the pleasure of knowing. I've laughed with him, nearly cried with him and even fell out with him but like a true working class man he was pleased to hear from you and say hello. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-13327591

He was such a talented musician/composer just read the credits of "Have I got news for you" and I'll always remember his wise words of advice "never give up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut", I can hear him saying that now...

I had the pleasure of sitting in a radio studio broadcasting with him, he was such a patriot and I'll always remember a broadcast about the "Cenotaph" in Whitehall with him. If you click on the link below you can hear the piece, to me the poem and the last post is a befitting honour to a wonderful kind talented man called "Big George Webley"

Talk the Walk the "Cenotaph" http://www.freelondonevents.co.uk/ttw081108.htm

The colour of the bollards says it all for me...

Chocolate Bollards...

2011-05-05T02:07:00.001+01:00

Here at the forecourt of the newly refurbished St Pancras Station front/apartments we find a collective of three chocolate bollards guarding the stairwell to pavement/ground level. The bollards look ornate and have a circular base with a few bevelled edges that taper upwards to a more ornate top third with an almost orange juicer style top.

I must say the work to return the building back to its former glory is breathtaking however chocolate coloured bollards are a real mistake due the reddish coloured brick/stone work on the building and surrounding area.

Welcome once again to Bollards of London...

Abbeyville Road SW4...

2011-04-30T12:28:00.001+01:00

Here we are on Abbeyville Road, Clapham SW4 with what can only be described as a bollard now but at some point in the past this object looks like it was a hydrant of some sort. How do we know it was a water hydrant, well if we look we see threaded parts which would be used to connect pipes, hoses to.

With its dark green body and cylindrical shape and obvious engineered parts it is a rather odd but interesting looking lonely bollard. If anyone does know any different please do get in touch via my email address john.bollards@gmail.com or via the comments section of this blog.

Have a great bank holiday weekend and welcome once again to Bollards of London...

Garlick Hill...

2011-04-28T08:02:00.004+01:00

Here at Garlick Hill EC4 just by the side of Mansion House Station we find a beautiful cobble stone street/road lined with "bollards" rather like a pageant. The bollards are the usual type we find within the City of London but considering all that is going on in the City of Westminster right now (Royal Wedding) it might be an idea to focus on another central part of the capital and wonder where this beautiful old street/road leads.

At the bottom of Garlick Hill you will find a beautiful church called St James Garlickhythe where Lucy Inglis was married, you can follow Lucy on twitter @lucyinglis and who would have thought a post about some bollards would have led to chitter chatter about a beautful church. If you wish to see more of the area just outside of the church please do log onto http://www.benchesoflondon.blogspot.com/ !

Bollards of London...

A Bollard to Grace a Gate...

2011-04-23T15:19:00.001+01:00

Here we are outside the Grace Gates at Lord's cricket ground the home of the game of cricket.

Octagonal in shape this is a real solid brilliant white chunky sturdy stone bollard sitting in front of the gates. The body of the bollard tapers towards the top where an edge is created and the traditional domed top appears. Upon the top we can see a brass/metal piece which may allow a pole or a rope to be placed upon it.

Lord's Cricket ground is on St John's Wood Road and considering it's St George's day if you do get a chance to visit the ground please do take a walk towards Regent's Park where you may notice at the junction of Park Road and St John's Wood Road a beautiful statue/monument of St George slaying the Dragon. The statue/monument is dedicated to those who fought in the two world wars of the last century.

Happy St George's day from Bollards of London...

Tabard Street Bollards...

2011-04-20T07:18:00.001+01:00

On a beautiful spring day the sun brings out the best of any area and here on Tabard Street we have a number of rather early concrete bollards.

The bollard sits on its square base from which a tall octagonal column rises upwards which levels off to be topped off with a domed "half cannon ball" top.

South London holds many secrets and over the coming weeks and months Bollards of London will be spending a little more time south of the river Thames.

Bollards of London...

PS please don't forget to have a look at our new blog http://www.benchesoflondon.blogspot.com/ for where there's a bench you'll probably find a bollard.

The Washing of the Bollards...

2011-04-17T15:38:00.002+01:00

Good to see that Lambeth council is taking road safety seriously with this chap "washing the bollards" in the centre island of a zebra crossing on Lambeth Road.

In the foreground you'll notice the keep left bollard has been sprayed with a chemical of sort and is looking a lot cleaner than the grey almost black looking bollard in the background.

The Washing of the Bollards...

PS we have a new blog starting shortly and that is http://www.benchesoflondon.blogspot.com/ let's see if we can make a bench as popular as a bollard?

Back to the City...

2011-04-16T10:38:00.003+01:00

Just when you thought the City of London couldn't chuck anymore bollard surprises your way they do.

What a jolly nice rather chunky dandy City of London bollard we have here too. It is octagonal in shape and the base tapers inwards with a layered effect. The sides then rise upwards and painted a gloss black. The bollard then tapers outwards and then we taper back inwards with a more curved rounded top. The upper part of this bollard is painted white with a bright red border.

This bollard is painted in the traditional colours of the City of London. However what is extremely rare is the crest upon its side, George Rex and the Crown above the initials.

This is extremely rare to see in the City of London however we are near the Tower of London and very close to the old Custom House.

Bollards of London...

PS I would like to dedicate this bollard to the quiz master general on twitter a @missprofanity be warned she takes no prisoners...

A Royal Albert Hall Bollard...

2011-03-30T07:40:00.001+01:00

How many times have I driven past or stopped and even ranked at the Royal Albert Hall and not noticed this rather dandy if not extravagant looking bollard.

You will notice that this bollard has attached to it a similar colour coded (black/gold) gate leading to a secure parking area to the side of the Kensington Gore entrance to the hall.

The bollard celebrates victorian splendor and is jet black in colour (in the main) with some rather fancy pattern work that happens to be painted gold. Its shape is cylindrical and the bollard tapers towards the top with a rather urn like finish. If we look closely we can see that the gate is attached to the bollard by a metal strap(s). I do like the near square nut piece on the side of the bollard two thirds up the column.

Sometimes bollards are actually staring at you and you don't even notice the most colourful or even orante of them.

Bollards of London...

Wet Paint Bollard...

2011-03-29T10:28:00.002+01:00

Whilst walking around Marylebone the other day I came across a real solid Mary-le-bone bollard, you can just make the lettering out on the main body of the bollard.

Very much cannon like, certainly has the traditional cannon ball top. Good solid body with three ribbed rings around the main column. The base is square and flares outwards from the cylindrical bottom of the column. What is rather sad though is the paint job, it appears that the local council just keep slapping paint over another coat of paint and although this may look fine at a distance when close up it looks rather slap dash and lazy.

Please do look at the back ground of the picture and I hope you've all noticed the pink chalk writing on the block brick paving telling us the bollard is covered in "WET PAINT" you may notice the little cute stone bollard protecting the corner of the building to the right of the picture with a big chunk of stone missing from above.

Bollards of London...

Strictly No Digging...

2011-03-27T13:27:00.005+01:00

If you happen to be in London's West End on Charing Cross Road by the Garrick Theatre have a look across the road and you'll notice a piece of pavement/tarmac that isn't used. In fact it is surround by bollards.

Underneath this piece of space/pavement is an underground toilet/disused no doubt closed by the council. Now if you walk into this area and take a peak at the lower part of the Westminster bog standard bollard (sorry couldn't resist that toilet pun) you'll see the words "STRICTLY NO DIGGING" with the telephone number underneath.

The signs only appear on the side of the bollard facing inwards to this space/pavement area and if you did happen to dig here you'll end up in an old public loo/bathroom area.

Bollards of London...