In what is one of London’s best kept secrets, Hoxton boasts a work of art that is truly special and unique. Here, in Shepherdess Walk Park, there is a magnificent display of Roman-style mosaics that celebrate life in the area and depict the colorful history with beautiful artistic licence.
One of the reasons it is so unknown is also one of the best things about it – there is a small lane on Shepherdess Walk between the terraced houses with steps down below the houses. You can honestly blink and miss it as you walk by.
But for sharp-eyed explorers, there is a hint of what awaits on the other side of the row of houses. A small sign at the bottom of the steps in the alley simply reads “To the Mosaics” with an arrow pointing down the dark alley. If you are brave enough and follow the sign, you will come out into a courtyard with the amazing Romanesque artwork.
READ MORE: The Roman road to London that is 2,000 years old and you can still see clues today
One of the massive panels shows the four seasons and how contemporary locals enjoy each time of the year in the area lined with beautiful geometric patterns. A skateboarder, dog walker and runner adorn spring. In the summer there is swimming in the lido, picnics and ice cream. In autumn kite flying among the red leaves. In winter it feeds ducks, makes wreaths and takes pictures of the stark beauty of winter in London.
These mosaics were designed by Tessa Hunkin and completed over two years by a huge volunteer team of 150 people. They were finally completed in 2012 to celebrate the London Olympics that year and were funded by Hackney Council.
Although not only humans are represented here, plants and animals are important. There is a cat chasing a mouse on one panel, several types of local birds and native trees and flowers are also shown. The floor of the courtyard is taken up by various plants surrounded by a beautiful geometric pattern like the other panels. A large part of it is devoted to sheep – it is in Shepherdess Walk.
There is a whole Shepherdess Walk panel where you can see the fields being grazed and tended by the shepherdesses themselves. This is due to the historical use of the area which used to be largely rural in the mid 18th century with many uninhabited meadows enclosing the growing urban metropolis of London. Shepherdess Walk was a common route for driving cattle from outside London towards Smithfield meat market, which is how it got its name.
In fact, in the 18th century there was a nearby pub called the Shepherd and Shepherdess, according to Hackney Council, which has now become The Eagle today. Funnily enough, The Eagle is the pub named in the nursery rhyme Pop Goes the Weasel.
Eventually the area was developed and had houses on it until the 1970s but the area was cleared to become the park we know today. The alley is actually one of the last remnants of the developed area but was shortened when the park was created.
To see more videos from our London’s Hidden Secrets series, see the topics page.
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