Image credit: No Swan So Fine · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
Perrin's Lane cannon bollard
Hampstead · Hampstead · Expansion route discovery
Story
On Perrin’s Lane stands a bollard that, while appearing to be little more than an iron obstruction, has its municipal history written directly into the metal. Dating from around 1828, it is cannon-shaped and carries the inscription 'St. John’s Hampstead B. Griffin & J. Kelly 1828', naming the parish surveyors responsible at the time. This inscription offers a direct glimpse into how local public space was managed almost two centuries ago. Crucially, it was not originally an isolated object. When the feature was listed in 1974, it formed a pair with an identical bollard, but the second one has since disappeared. What you see today is therefore both street furniture and the sole survivor of an incomplete set. This tiny object encapsulates how parishes controlled streets, entrances, and traffic long before modern road signage, revealing an early form of urban planning reliant on local administration.
What to look for
Look for the 1828 inscription on the bollard's body, which names 'St. John’s Hampstead' and surveyors B. Griffin and J. Kelly.
Secret detail
This now solitary bollard was originally one of a pair. Its identical partner is long gone, leaving this as the sole witness to its original design.
Where exactly
On Perrin’s Lane near the edge of the roadway. Look for a single cast-iron cannon-type bollard with an inscription.
Orientation
Keep your eyes at street level rather than only on the façades. It is a small object easily lost among parked cars and kerbs.
Why it matters
This bollard is a physical testament to how 19th-century parishes managed and marked their boundaries and streets. It's a small detail revealing local autonomy in urban planning.
Access & opening
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Accessibility
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