Architectural Oddities in England

When it came to designing his own small office building, the eccentric architect wasn't afraid to show the world what he could do.

One of the last doorless, continuously moving elevators still in use in the U.K.

Henry VIII's forgotten castle was built by the gunpowder-obsessed king to be defended solely by cannons.

Carved initials which are nearly 500 years old preserve the deposed Queen's presence at Hampton Court Palace.

A relic from one of London's worst 19th-century slums.

A gardener saved a beloved clock face from destruction by building it into a wall outside his house.

This oddly placed 15th-century church is one of only six bridge chapels left in England.

A majestic mansion designed in Mughalai style, complete with a turquoise onion dome.

The unusual clock on this 18th-century market building has an extra minute hand for "Bristol time."

Installed at a chaotic intersection, this gave London traffic cops a place to hang their heavy woolen coats.

An eccentric 18th century naval officer built a ship's quarterdeck on his roof, the inspiration for Mary Poppins's "Admiral Boom."

A folly built to satisfy a gentleman's bet that he could drive his horses through the eye of a needle.

The whimsical twist of this spire was either caused by the Devil, an unexpected virgin, or lead.

Britain's answer to the NSA is based out of this deliciously-named circular headquarters.

A rotating bridge that carries a little canal over a larger one.

The elegant structure of this 19th century railroad bridge creates an illusion of infinity.