The London Underground station left abandoned and hidden by the Tower of London

From the Tower of London to ancient Roman walls and age-old churches, London's Tower Hill area has a lot to offer history fans. But one less well known piece of history can be found hidden in one of the subways near the tower itself.

Here lies an abandoned Tube station that many Londoners might not even know exists. This intriguing history is detailed in Bill Simpson's book 'A History of the Metropolitan Railway'.

The Mark Lane station, named after a nearby street, was initially intended to be called 'Seething Lane', but the name Mark Lane was eventually chosen.

As you journey on the Tube between Monument and the current Tower Hill station, you can spot a well-preserved eastbound platform of the old station and the somewhat eerie stairs leading to it. However, only one platform remains.

In Seething Lane, remnants of the station have been integrated into the subway under the road. You can still glimpse the old stairs leading down to the platforms through large white grilles in the walls.

The 1911 station entrance is still visible as part of the All Bar One pub at 16 Byward Street. It bears all the classic features of an early London Underground station with its arched windows and white brick facings. So, next time you're travelling between Monument and Tower Hill, try to catch a glimpse out the window!

The long-lost station first opened its doors in 1884, replacing the nearby Tower of London station. It was specifically designed to accommodate the newly-formed Circle line, a merger of the separate Metropolitan and District Railways.

The station boasted two platforms and an entrance at the junction of Byward Street and Seething Lane. Regrettably, the surface station building was demolished in 1911, with a new entrance established slightly to the east, integrated into an office block. Then, on September 1, 1946, Mark Lane station was rechristened as Tower Hill.

In 1957, plans were made to enhance the station by improving lighting and expanding the platforms, but these never materialised. However, it became increasingly evident that the facilities at Tower Hill were inadequate to handle the growing passenger numbers.

The decision was made to close Tower Hill and replace it with a new station on the former site of the old Tower of London station. The last train stopped at the old Tower Hill station on February 5, 1967. Yet, intriguing remnants of the old station can still be seen.

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