Explore Lambeth Bridge

Before the Old Lambeth Bridge was built, a horse ferry operated here for centuries. Although far bigger than most ferries of the time, it was not always reliable and over the years Oliver Cromwell and James I are rumoured to have fallen in the water here. The new Lambeth Bridge opened in 1932 and was designed by architects Sir Reginald Blomfield and G. Topham Forrest with engineer Sir George Humphreys. The colour scheme of the bridge emphasises red, the colour of the leather benches in the House of Lords, which is near the bridge’s northern landing. At the landings on either bank stand a pair of tall decorative obelisks topped with carved pineapples. What these fruits represent has been much debated. Some believe they are pinecones, an ancient symbol of hospitality. Others believe they are Masonic emblems of enlightenment. A popular theory is that they are a reference to Lambeth’s Tradescant family, in particular John Tradescant the Younger, a royal gardener to Charles I who cultivated the first pineapple to grow on British soil.

Leo Villareal's artwork adorns Lambeth Bridge with a red glow to match the colour of the benches in the House of Lords. Washes of light accentuate the curve of each of the bridge’s five steel arches.