Caroline Street E1...

The 301st bollard of London...

Bollard top complete with converse/pole...

We have passed the three hundred barrier and I'm pleased to bring you the 301st bollard of London which I happened to find in Caroline Street E1. The photograph (top) really does display this rather beautiful bollard at its best due to the grey concrete pavement and the pleasant/wonderful grey/brown/blue (stocks) bricks of the wall in the background.

If we take a look at the base of the bollard we can see it is actually square and the main body of the bollard is near cylindrical. We should note this is not a cannon but an older bollard that happens to be ageing rather well due to its rustic good looks (for a bollard). The body has a ridged area near the base and in two places of its body. After the top ridged area you'll notice that the head of the bollard flares outwards (like a cannon).

If we take a look at the picture (below) we see the bollard top from another angle and can clearly see the stepped area leading to the traditional cannon ball looking top finish.

Another angle...

A beautiful stone bollard with chain...

The #guestbollard feature is back and will be for some time due to the sheer volume of photographs received from many of you and the fact I'll be merging all the 'Bollards of Britain' over the next fifty to sixty posts.

Today's #guestbollard feature is provided by @clareangela on the twitter and a friends son Daniel. The bollard (above) is a beautiful stone example with a rather large/old looking chain attached to the bollard with an eyelet located at the top. If we look at the photograph (below) we see another stone bollard (in better condition) with the Baptistery of Bergamo Cathedral in the background.

Now I was looking on google and happened to find a rather good website featuring the Bergamo Baptistery http://visual-italy.it and much more of Lombardia, Italy.

Now our final photograph (bottom) of a bollard today was provided by Daniel who has proved to any doubters that some bollards in London happen to be old disused cannons. Thank you very much indeed Daniel.

The baptistery of Bergamo Cathedral in the background...

A huge thank you to Daniel..

Bollards of London (and Bergamo, Italy)...

The 300th Bollard of London...

A sturdy white painted bollard...

The 300th bollard of London just so happens to be outside the Chelsea Gate of the Royal Hospital home of the most humble gracious proud loyal citizens I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, the Chelsea Pensioners.

The bollard(s) in this instance describe themselves rather well but what of the Chelsea Pensioners and their home the Royal Hospital ?

The 17th century was a very unsettled time for England with a civil war between the King (Charles I) and Parliament. The English Civil War ended in 1651, Oliver Cromwell the Lord Protector passed away in 1658 and the Restoration in 1660 placed Charles II back on the throne after the position between the King and Parliament was settled.

In 1681 King Charles II issued a Royal Warrant authorising the building of the Royal Hospital. Sir Christopher Wren was the King's Surveyor-General of Works and was commissioned to design/build the hospital which was completed in 1692, the first pensioners moved in in the February of that year.

I drive a London taxi-cab for a living and within the trade it is well known (unwritten rule) that if you come across a Chelsea pensioner in the locality of the Royal Hospital (in uniform) you'll give them a lift back on the house. The first 'Hackney Carriages' were licensed in 1662 in 1685 Sir Christopher Wren (also an MP) proposed that income gained from the licensing of 'Hackney Carriages' should be used to help fund the Royal Hospital. This measure was approved but no income has ever been received. It appears we may owe a few more taxi-cab rides !

If you wish to find out more about the Chelsea Pensioners and the Royal Hospital please do click on the following link 'Chelsea Pensioners' you can also follow them on the twitter @meninscarlet #thankyou !

The Chelsea pensioner in the background is actually a model...

The 300th post (bollard) is certainly another milestone for the blog/site and I do hope you enjoy these objects that we walk past everyday. Now I experimented with another blog/site 'Bollards of Britain' which has done ok but could have done a lot better so I'm closing that particular site down shortly and transferring all the wonderful #guestbollards over to this main blog/site.

With one door closing another opens and I've opened up a facebook account www.facebook.com/bollards.london it's another platform and who knows it may spread the word of bollards a little further around the city/globe.

Who to thank well the list gets longer but I'd like to personally thank on the twitter @DaveHill of the 'Guardian' @peter_watts 'The Great Wen' @AboutLondon and her latest work at 'Laura's London' @patrickbaty 'Historical Paint Consultant'  @FLASC_ 'Anomalies of Lost Street Furniture' plus the many more bollardarians @bathcat @itsyourlondon @WappingLondon @LondonStone @LondonHistorians @sophontrack @urberwoot @londonwalks @phillipkelly29 @Rigsbyhatstand @nancyco @LondonDreamtime @PeteBSW1 @clareangela @DMARIESTL and all who have contributed #guestbollards which I have plenty to still post.

Plus you, thank you all so very much.

The Chelsea Gate complete with a pair of white bollards protecting the piers/columns...

Bollards of London (300th)...

The 299th Limehouse Basin Bollards E14...

Bollard with dog doo bin...

A chunky white bollard...

Welcome to Limehouse Basin and a small selection of the many bollards I found whilst taking a walk around the area/dock the other week.

Let's start at the top where we have a bog standard bollard with chain plus a rather clumsy but practical dog doo bin. Pleased to say not a sign of any dog mess in the dock so the bins are been used.

The second bollard featured on this post (above) certainly has a use to tether/tie or should I say moor this rather nice boat to the dock wall. Its painted white in colour a short stumpy looking bollard with a horizontal near cylindrical shaped back to ensure the rope and then boat doesn't slip its mooring.

The bollard (below) forms part of a railing complete with two cable tied signs. The top sign warns you are near edge and close to water. The second prohibits swimming within the dock/basin.

Our final bollard (bottom) is a little older and may hark back to an era when the dock/basin was a busy place for work/employment of dockers unloading goods/commodities. Today the dock/basin is a beautiful to just walk about admire some of the boats along with the bird life that can be found here.

Bollard with railing and warning sign...

Eye level with a bollard base...

Bollards of London...

The 298th Borough Market Cannon Bollard...

Borough Market Cannon Bollard...

Welcome to Bedale Street at the junction of Borough High Street SE1 where I came across a new (smaller) part of the Borough Market and this fine example of a cannon bollard.

If you look at the photograph (above) you'll notice the long body (barrel) and the slightly flared end of the muzzle with a curved/rounded end.

Take a look at the photograph (below) and you'll notice the rather large tall glass building in the background which happens to be 'The Shard' but with those two open window/glass areas looking more like eyes the building may morph into a 'Transformer' at anytime.

If we take a look at the photograph second from bottom you'll notice the muzzle and the centre of the cannon is filled in with some sort/form of mortar even more evidence that this is an actual cannon and not just a plan simple bollard.

Does the Shard look like a Transformer...?

Bollard Top...

A great piece of boll-art...

The final photograph (above) is a brilliant piece of 'boll-art' and a wonderful #guestbollard provided by Lee Dobson who happens to be a member of The Bollardorium group on facebook.

Bollards is on facebook too at http://www.facebook.com/bollards.london so please do pop over and say hello.

Bollards of London...

The 297th The Lion Gate...

Stone eroding bollard...

Bollards outside the Lion Gate...

The Lion Gate is a rather impressive entrance to 'Hampton Court Palace' directly outside the gate on Hampton Court Road you'll find some rather impressive looking stone bollards with the odd one or two eroding  at a reasonable rate.

If you look at the photographs (above/below) you'll notice the bollards have a square base rise vertically for a short distance before they begin to taper inwards and capped off with a shallow pyramid shaped top.

I took these photographs of the bollards at night but it might be worth clicking on the link 'Lion Gate Piers' and marvel at the beautiful gate and learn a little about the conservation work that happens to be going on at Hampton Court Palace.

Another angle...

A Greyhound...

A Dragon...

You might be wondering why a Greyhound and a Dragon happen to be sitting upon a decorative post. Well these photographs were taken by 'Patrick Baty' who just so happens to be an Historical Paint Consultant. Patrick has been working at Hampton Court Palace and I simply admire the work this gentlemen does keeping the colours of many places/palaces/objects  historically correct.

Bollards of London (plus a Greyhound/Dragon)...

The 296th Regent's Canal Bollard...

A very simple stone bollard...

Welcome to the Regent's Canal in east London and please do admire this rather simple looking bollard with a circular base/domed top that happens to sit behind a Danger/warning sign letting canal/boat users know that their is a weir on the right hand side/archway.

In July this year British Waterways ceased to exist (in England and Wales) and has been replaced by the 'Canal and River Trust'. I must say doesn't the brickwork in the background look amazing. I often wonder what many of  the glass buildings will look like 25 years later let alone 100 years plus.

Over the next few posts on the blog/site you'll notice that I've moved away from Westminster/Chelsea. The time has come to look further afield from the central London boroughs and seek bollards where ever they maybe. Considering this was my first foray/search around this part of east London I did rather well collecting many fine photographs of old/new bollards.

Complete with Danger Weir warning sign...

We have no #guestbollard on this particular post because I was pleased to see (below) a swan and cygnet (dingy brown colour) here on the Regent's Canal and very close to London's extremely busy Commercial Road. Can I say even though British Waterways is now defunct they should be proud at the work they've done to keep this canal and its water looking so clean.

No #guestbollards here...

Bollards of London (a Swan and Cygnet)...

The 295th Tower Hamlets Bollards...

Junction of Johnson/Cable Street E1...

Welcome to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets  and Johnson Street London E1 where we are outside St Mary's Church and found this odd (above/below) but not uncommon bollard in the borough.

It's has a rectangular shaped base which then rises vertically and finished with a curved top. The body is painted black/white and if we look closely we can see the letters M B S. If we take a look at the civic heraldry website and refer to 'The London Borough of Tower Hamlets' we can click on a link within the article that refers to the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney (M B S).

Whilst reading the piece on the creation of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets I noted the reference to the Talbot dog (right hand side of shield representing the Isle of Dogs) which you'll also find on a statue at the junction of Belgrave Square/Wilton Crescent/Grosvenor Crescent SW1. If I'm right the Talbot breed of dog doesn't exist no more, a shame for it looked a proud mighty breed.

M B S...

Passo de Antonio Dias, Ouro Preto Brazil...

Stainless steel capped bollard...

Our #guestbollard feature is back to Brazil thanks to @nancyo on the twitter. We are in the Historic  Town of Ouro Perto which happens to be a 'World Heritage Site' where we have a pair of  rusting stainless steel capped tubed bollards. They stand outside the small shrine 'Passo de Antonio Dias which only opens twice a year on Palm Sunday and Good Friday.

If we look at the photograph (above) doesn't the cobblestone road, pavement slabs and dry stone wall look marvelous.

Bollards of London (and Brazil)...

The 294th Tite Street SW3...

Stone bollards...

Welcome to the 294th bollard of London which happens to be in Tite Street SW3. This is an extremely beautiful and rather pleasant part of London. No matter how busy you and I maybe this part of London feels more like a village that most people rarely walk down or around.

We are at the river Thames end of Tite Street just opposite Dilke Street where I recently found these beautiful stone bollards complete with interesting linked chain. The bollard sits on a near square base and then rises whilst the body tapers inwards towards a tiered flat top. Looking at the bollard (above) you'll notice the eyelet to the right hand side of the bollard and the rectangular linked chain.

A rather pleasant gate...

A wider shot/photograph...

If we look at the photographs (above) you'll notice that the bollard featured is a pair and you should also notice the two smaller domed bollards that protect the edges of the columns which support the walls and fixings for the gates.

The #guestbollard feature today is of a rather wonderful looking Richmond Green bollard photographed by @PeterMannionMP on the twitter. The design of bollard is not uncommon but the Royal crest/crown completes this rather beautiful ribbed/ridged white painted bollard.

On a slightly different note I've decided to put to use http://facebook.com/bollards.london account and see if it spreads the word of bollards as effectively as you and @twitter.

A beautiful example of a Richmond Green bollard...

Bollards of London...

The 293rd Guildford Street Bollards...

Guildford Street WC1...

Now there are three...

Welcome to Guildford Street WC1 a street I must travel down at least once a day when in London. Close to the junction of Grays Inn Road we come to Brownlow Mews where I found this rather warn slightly battered bollard(s).

If we look at the picture (top) you notice that it is a traditional cannon type design with three bands/ridges upon the body. An extra addition appears to be the stone protective bollard that has been carved/shaped to fit with the kerb and 'mind' the taller cannon bollard.

Taking a closer look at the picture (above) we actually see another bog standard type/design bollard (with red reflector) deny vehicle access to Brownlow Mews. Take an even closer look and you might notice the cobble stone/tarmac border, the dropped tactile block/brick kerb and finally the weeds/plant life growing around the smaller stone and cannon bollard. Our urban environment changes/merges just like the design/type of bollards we've found across the capital.

No actual photograph of a #guestbollard on this post but a link to a couple of websites that should make you smile and maybe get you thinking about sponsoring a bollard or two.

Recently on the twitter @ReevesHall pointed out a brilliant community art project involving bollards. I saved the link and only recently clicked on 'The Whitchurch Bollards Project' and was bowled over at the wonderful artwork placed upon 40 bollards. I know a couple of the designs and have featured a few of them over on 'Bollards of Britain' but I never knew so many bollards and the local community were involved.

The second future #guestbollard was brought to my attention via google news and I thought it would only be right to bring to your attention the chance/opportunity to sponsor a bollard or two. The bollards are to be placed around Richmond Green and would match those featured on this blog/site 'Royal Bollard of Richmond' (please scroll down after clicking on this link).

This Jubilee project is run by 'The Richmond Society' and if you click on the link you'll find all the information in the right hand column under the title/subheading  'Richmond Green Bollards Diamond Jubilee Project'.

Maybe you, a club/society or even a local/London school could become a sponsor ?

Bollards of London...

The 292nd Walton Street SW3

Walton Street SW3...

We are still in Chelsea at Walton Street where I noticed recently these rather pleasant pebble dashed concrete bollards that clearly with the help of a chain mark the border of the property and the public highway/pavement.

If you take a look at the picture (below) you will see that the bollards have a circular base and taper slightly towards the ridged flat top. To join the bollards a chain is used to link and create the border.

I was mucking about on my laptop with a bit of free google software/app and created a cartoon of the picture (below) of the pair of bollards and I must say it hasn't done a bad a job.

Concrete pebble dashed bollards...

Cartoon of bollards...

On the previous post I mentioned that there would be a link to this particular post. So the #guestbollard (below) for the 292nd post happens to be a small bollard created with the aid of a flower pot. I love the markings of the base of the flower pot on the the top of this rather wonderful homemade bollard. The link is the fact that the bollards are very small by the way.

A huge thank you to @richmondie on the twitter who just so happens to have a rather interesting blog/site herself 'The Art of Words' !

Flower pot home made bollard...

Bollards of London (and the homemade)...

The 291st St Luke's Sydney Street SW3...

What beautiful architecture...

Welcome to Sydney Street Chelsea SW3 where I came across the this rather wonderful church 'St Luke's and Christ Church' in fact we have been near here before with 'St. Luke's Chelsea 1820' a brilliant bollard found by pure chance.

If you take a close look at the pictures (below) you should notice these rather small/partially domed bollards. In fact these small bollards make perfect sense for they protect the grass verge but don't damage the view/splendour of this beautiful church/building.

On the next post our #guestbollard will link in rather well with these simple mold based bollards. The church/parish have a couple of exhibitions on at the moment one regarding the Olympics and the other about Charles Dickens who happened to be married in this church on the 2nd of April 1836.

Can you see spot the bollards ?

Small bollards...

A very simple practical design...

Welcome once again to our #guestbollard feature and this rather tall/ornate bollard (below) which was found in Granville, Normandy, France by @roseyprince on the twitter.

The bollard is tall and capped off with a near ball shaped top. The body is slim but tapers outwards slightly towards the middle. At varying points we note/see the ridges that give the bollard ornate features.

Granville, Normandy...

Bollards of London (and Normandy)...