About 1760 the smithy, that was then here on the line of the Roman Stane Street, from London Bridge to Sussex, was replaced by a pub called The Elephant and Castle. Apocryphally the name derived by the corruption of 'El Infanta de Castille' which was supposed to be the title of some royal bride who had an unspecified association with this area. According to Cherry and Pevsner's 'Buildings of England', this considerable congregation of roads was described in the 1950's as 'the most unselfconscious muddle of buildings and traffic'. Their description of what is here now is quite rude. However they note 'one inspired touch; a Generating Station clad in shiny aluminium panels, doubling as a monument to Michael Faraday, the pioneer of electricity. Especially effective at night.'

O/S Co-ords:3195.7906
Source(s):

The Buildings of England - London 2: South

The Map of London from 1746 to the Present Day