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the smallest police station in britain

London's Lilliputian Police Station

FreeHidden gem
Trafalgar Square · Charing Cross
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Britain's tiniest police post, built for one officer into a corner of Trafalgar Square, now a glorified broom cupboard.

Getting there. In the south-east corner of Trafalgar Square, by Charing Cross.
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Trafalgar Square · Charing Cross
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The lowdown

Hollowed into the stone balustrade at the south-east corner of Trafalgar Square is what is often called Britain's smallest police station, a tiny one-man observation post built in 1926 so an officer could keep an eye on demonstrations and call for backup. It has room for barely one person, with narrow slit windows to watch the crowds.

Legend says the ornate lamp on top came from Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. No longer used by police, it now serves as a cleaners' store, which only adds to its charm. It is free to find, an easily missed and wonderfully eccentric piece of London street furniture.

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The insider tip

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Look for the stone cylinder built into the corner of the square's balustrade, easy to mistake for a decorative pillar. Peek at the narrow windows that let the lone officer watch the crowds without being seen.
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