A local’s guide to visiting the secret Surrey Street and its architecture between The Strand and Temple, along with its Roman Baths and abandoned Tube station!
Surrey Street in Central London is one of the best hidden gems you could dream of – especially if you’re into history and architecture.
Over time, I’ve shared with you plenty of beautiful areas and streets you may not know of, like Poplar’s Aberfeldy Street or Camden Town’s Bonny Street.
Filled with Grade II-listed buildings, Surrey Street is located so close to London’s most popular areas, that it would be a true shame to miss it!
Surrey Street: A Hidden Architectural Gem in Central London
I love walking around London and getting lost in streets whose beauty I’d never even have been able to fathom, had I followed a simple itinerary.
Dark Academia places are my jam; spending autumn in London is one of my favorite things to do when I live there – and when it comes to an impressive, almost eerie atmosphere, Surrey Street delivers.
Further down on The Strand, you will find other hidden spots, like the female sculptures at Milford Lane, also part of London’s history.
For now, though, make sure you soak in the street’s wonderful vibe when you’re around Covent Garden, Temple or Waterloo Bridge!
Visiting London’s Surrey Street: Location and Accessibility
Surrey Street is very centrally located, and easily accessible from The Strand (close to Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and on the other side, Waterloo Bridge).
I’ve found the easiest way to reach the street is by alighting at Temple Tube station – atop which you’ll find a free rooftop with a view of the Thames and buildings in the distance.
Then, all you have to do is go up Surrey Street to reach the Strand on the other side.
Visiting London’s Surrey Street: Why Visit the Area?
Surrey Street sits beside several institutions of London; mostly legal (we’re close to the Temple area and the secret Elm Court) and cultural.
Indeed, half of Surrey Street has formed part of King’s College London’s Strand Campus since the end of the WWII.
Pictured above is the Norfolk Building, one of the most aesthetic buildings in London – we’ll talk about it more further down, and it’s truly one of the it-spots to see when in the area.
London’s Surrey Street: Roman Bath
Aside from the Norfolk Building, the Roman Baths are another spot to visit on Surrey Street.
They’re located just beneath and accessible via a narrow alley that runs between Surrey Street and Strand Lane.
Despite their name, these baths are not Roman; they were created around 1612-1615, as part of a water tank that formed part of a system supplying water to nearby Somerset House.
The brickwork is red Tudor/early Stuart, and in the 18th century, the bath was reused as a cold plunge bath, advertised as a health remedy for the public.
The name ‘Roman baths’ comes from an antiquarian, William Stukeley, who described them as Roman in 1721 – the name was later on used by the likes of Charles Dickens in David Copperfield and William Hogarth.
What about today, then?
Well, Surrey Street’s Roman baths can be viewed through a glass door from Strand Lane if you’re curious; tours are rare, but you can still visit them on Heritage Open Days and pre-booked group tours.
London’s Surrey Street: The Norfolk Building
Surrey Street’s Norfolk Building is one of the most beautiful historical buildings you’ll find in the city – granted, there are other wonderful spots along the Strand, but this one impresses.
The Norfolk Building is located right next to the Roman Baths, and occupies the former site of the ‘Queen’s and Norfolk Hotels’ at numbers 24-32.
The building is Grade II-listed – it was designed by John Dunn between 1891 and 1897 for the Arundel Estate, and is now part of the Strand Campus for King’s College London.
This kind of building, faded with red brick and terracotta dressings, makes for a wonderfully secret photo spots when you’re near the Strand – the Flemish Renaissance revival style attracts the eye, with arched windows and carvings galore.
London’s Surrey Street: Disused Aldwych Underground Station, Another Hidden Gem
When you come from Temple station and walk up Surrey Street, you’ll spot at the end of the street, on your left, the street-level frontage of Aldwych Underground Station.
Originally opened as Strand Station in 1907, as part of the Piccadilly Line, the station was renamed Aldwych in 1915, and closed in 1994 due to low passenger numbers and lift replacement costs.
The glazed terracotta (Leslie Green style) makes the disused station, now Grade II-listed, a little less creepy than it could be.
However, book a tour to see how it looks downstairs (London Transport Museum/Hidden London) and you’ll feel the creep of the old and abandoned – tours are rare, but provide a glimpse into London’s past.
London’s Surrey Street: What to Do After Visiting?
When you’re done admiring Surrey Street’s buildings, you’ll find there are lots of cool places to visit nearby.
You could start with Lincoln’s Inn Chapel and its hidden gems, to dive deep into the heart of historical and legal London – it’s located on the other side of the road, through Clifford’s Inn.
You could also walk up Fleet Street, the old beating heart of journalistic London, with its faded shopfronts and newspaper names printed on buildings.
A few minutes’ walk, the Victoria Embankment Gardens are one of London’s most secret gardens, peaceful and really local – then, you can keep walking down the Thames towards Southbank and London Bridge.
If you’d like to go back to a more lively version of Central London, you’ll reach the Covent Garden area in about 10-15 minutes; there, shops, breakfast spots, and other hidden spots await.
Surrey Street: A Hidden Architectural Gem in Central London
From the first time I ever visited Surrey Street, I knew the day would come that I would share with you its hidden bits – it’s one of the prettiest streets in London, and so quiet!
It’s unbelievable to me that some of the city’s most visited neighborhoods are located so close, too – Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden are just minutes away.
If you’d like to discover more hidden gems, these are a few guides I’ve written for you, so you can get to see way more than the mainstream London: