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Where in London can you find a giant upturned ice-cream cone bursting out of someone’s roof, gardens full of headless mannequins, a nature reserve and a working boatyard? Eel Pie Island, a tiny Thames mudflat in Twickenham, may only be 500m long, but it manages to pack in a whole lot of weird and wonderful stuff.
Never heard of it? There aren’t that many bits of London that are actually secret any more, but the residents of Eel Pie have done a very good job at keeping their island as clandestine as possible. Only accessible by boat or via a little footbridge reaching over the river, a ‘private property’ sign at the entrance usually keeps people out, except for twice a year when the public is allowed to snoop around the place at the island’s Open Studios event.
The island was once at the epicentre of the UK’s rock ’n’ roll music scene. In 1963, you’d find weekly Rolling Stones gigs here and bands like The Who, Pink Floyd and Screaming Lord Sutch all played at the Eel Pie Island Hotel. Basically, it was the place to be in the ’60s.
While the island’s music scene isn’t quite as thriving today, you’ll find 26 artists’ studios full of painters, potters and sculptors all working away in the shadow of an old boatyard. And it still has plenty of boho charm. The summer open days are usually a laidback affair and a chance to see a hidden part of the city.