One of the highlights of this month’s Open House London weekend looks certain to be the opportunity for the public to get a first sight of the impact of the £3.5million restoration project to the historic Grade II*-listed Crystal Palace Subway, just ahead of its 160th anniversary in 2025. The historic Grade II* listed Crystal Palace Subway is set to reopen following major restoration work, in time for its 160th anniversary in 2025. A new roof over the East Courtyard and repairs to the walls, floor, steps and entrances have “breathed new life into the Victorian subway”, according to the Crystal Palace Park Trust. The structure dates from 1865, shortly after the vast Crystal Palace was moved, pane-by-pane, from Hyde Park to Sydenham, and it is now the most substantial surviving part of the huge complex which was destroyed in fire in 1936. THe subway originally served as the access point for first-class rail passengers to the Crystal Palace.
A Community Effort: The Crystal Palace Subway Restoration
The restoration is the result of a 14-year, community-led campaign, spearheaded by the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, with the capital works led by Bromley Council and made possible thanks to generous funding from Historic England and the City of London Strategic Investment Pot. The £3.5m project was funded through various sources, including the City of London Strategic Investment Pot, more than £1m from Historic England, and generous donations from numerous individuals. The repair and restoration project also benefited from significant local support spearheaded by the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, with the group collaborating closely with Bromley Council and Historic England over the last decade to see the site brought back into public use. Victoria Pinnington, the recently appointed chief executive of Crystal Palace Park Trust said: “We would like to extend our gratitude to the passion, dedication and hard work of those in our local community who campaigned tirelessly, under the leadership of the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, for this restoration to happen. It simply wouldn’t have happened without you.
A New Era for Crystal Palace Subway
The project represents the first major stage in transforming the Subway into a unique new venue, with the Trust and Bromley Council seeking further grant funding and investment in the coming years to realize these plans,” the Trust says. Further grant funding and investment will be sought in the coming years to enable the full transformation of the Crystal Palace Subway into a venue for hire that can be opened to the public permanently. The subway is a remarkable survivor of the Crystal Palace. It originally provided a richly decorated brick vault passage for first-class passengers using the former Crystal Palace High-Level railway station to the Crystal Palace.
Reopening for the Public
That door-opening will be on Saturday, Septembr 21, from 10am to 2pm, as part of Open House Festival. Entry is free for self-led visits and there is no need to book, you can just turn up on the day. However, please be aware we anticipate significant queues on the day. Crystal Palace Park Trust will open the doors to the restored subway as part of the Open House Festival on Saturday 21 September from 10am to 2pm – details here. After the Cystal Palace closed, although used occasionally as a shelter or for filming, it remained largely untouched, and some of the structure was decaying. Fortunately, after years of planning and fundraising, restoration started in 2022, and is now nearly complete.
A Vision for the Future: Reviving Crystal Palace Park
“We can’t wait to open the doors and welcome people from our surrounding five boroughs, as well as those from further afield, to visit this beautiful space.” Restoration of the subway is part of an effort to revive the park and celebrate its rich heritage. Crystal Palace Park is home to numerous historic features including the Dinosaur sculptures and the Italian Terraces with their Egyptian-style Sphinxes. The next major works for the £52 million Regeneration Plan for the park includes the restoration of the Italian Terraces and the Dinosaurs, where Historic England has also been providing expert surveys and advice. Funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting this phase, with wider funding for the Regeneration Plan coming from a number of sources, including the sale of residential developments coming forward next to the park. Planning approval was recently granted for this next phase of the Regeneration Plan.
