An arch embedded in a modern office building on St Mary at Hill in London has intrigued locals. Initially perceived as historically significant, the arch's true origin connects it to a now-demolished Victorian building. Though the precise reason for its preservation remains a mystery, correspondence regarding a planned hotel conversion has shed light on its past. The development will retain the arch as part of developing a garden area for the hotel entrance, yet the purpose of the nearby stone heads remains unknown.
The site used to be home to a large Victorian building with ornate stone arches on the ground floor, from which the salvaged arch was likely taken.
It seems that someone decided to save one of the arches, but no one is entirely certain why it was worth preserving in such an odd location.
The brick wall was later whitewashed, leaving the brick arch looking a bit odd, as if it had been glued to the side of the building.
The planning request for the new hotel development confirmed the arch's origin, but the stories behind the stone heads remain a mystery.
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