Stoke Newington Ghostsigns Walk

Waterman’s Ideal Fountain Pen and Walker Bros privilege.
John Hawkins and Steele’s palimpsest.
Fragment of the Daren/Hurstleigh’s privilege sign.
Cakebread, Robey & Co. palimpsest. Photo: Roy Reed.

Join ghost signs expert Sam Roberts for the Stoke Newington Ghostsigns Walk. You’ll take a stroll (in real life, or virtually) through Stoke Newington, North East London, and learn about its fading painted signs. With both audio and text options, you’ll hear their stories told, and those of the businesses they represent, including:

  • The flirtatious electioneering of a Duchess in 1784;
  • How one ghost signs has been recognised by the council for its artistic and aesthetic merit;
  • Why some signs appear as multi-layered ‘palimpsests’;
  • What happened to a Banksy piece when the council went on an anti-graffiti drive.

The walk lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes on foot, or 40 minutes if done in ‘armchair’ mode using the google streetview links. Each stop is located on google maps, with directions given to aid navigation between them. The signs are transcribed and their stories (audio and text) enriched with a wealth of archival and other contextual images.

Many of the featured signs are included alongside more than 250 across the Capital in the book Ghost Signs: A London Story, published by Isola Press (order page).

Your Guide

Sam Roberts Sam Roberts Author
 

30 Days

£4.99
30 days of access

This plan gives 30 days’ full access to the Stoke Newington Ghostsigns Walk, including audio, text and images for each of the 20 stops along the route. Every one is geo-located with google streetview links if you want to access the content remotely. There are also links to further references and resources. If you are a full-time student or unemployed then please contact sam@ghostsigns.co.uk to receive a discount coupon.

 
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