Old Fire Station, Kennington

The Old Fire Station on Renfrew Road stands as a remnant of a very different era of city safety. Built in 1868, it was commissioned by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade to serve the rapidly growing population of South London. Architect Edward Cresy designed the building during a period when the fire service was moving away from ad-hoc, parish-based firefighting toward the professional, organized brigade system that defines the city today.