About the Elephant

The Elephant and Castle

South Bank University is located in an area of London known as the Elephant and Castle, also known simply as the Elephant.

Many people, including many Londoners, believe the name is derived from 'Infanta de Castile' a suggestion that is debunked by Michael B Quinion in his World Wide Words Web site where an accurate, but less amusing, explanation is given.

The Elephant is located at the junction of the Walworth and New Kent Roads, as shown on this map, a historic part of London as explained by Southwark council.

It is currently most famous for its traffic jams and hideous shopping centre although there are redevelopment plans which will probably be just as bad!

However the Elephant is only a 10 min walk from:

The George Inn
The Hayward Gallery
The Imperial War Museum
The London Eye
The London Imax Theatre
The National Theatre
The OXO Tower Restaurant
A Replica of the Drake's Golden Hinde
The Royal Elizabeth Hall
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
The Tate Modern

. . . and many other interesting places, pubs and restaurants!