Pullens buildings, Victorian tenement buildings in Southwark, England
Pullens Buildings is a set of five four-story residential blocks in Southwark containing 351 flats, built with yellow stock brick and topped with terracotta arches that frame each window. The structures spread across multiple streets and retain their original Victorian character with these distinctive architectural details.
James Pullen developed this residential estate between 1886 and 1901, building it as a mixed community combining housing with attached workshops for working-class artisans. The original plan included twelve blocks containing 684 flats, designed to provide affordable homes for the expanding working-class population.
The original courtyards named Clements, Peacock, and Iliffe still function today as working spaces for ceramicists, painters, jewelers, and photographers. This continued craft tradition reflects the estate's long connection to hands-on creative work.
The buildings sit near Elephant and Castle station and spread across Amelia Street, Crampton Street, Iliffe Street, Penton Place, and Peacock Street. Exploring the different blocks and courtyards on foot gives you the best sense of how the estate fits together as a whole.
In the 1970s, residents organized successful resistance against total demolition of the complex, which secured its protection as a Conservation Area. This grassroots action saved the estate from destruction and enabled its transformation into the active creative hub it is today.
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