Music fans of a certain vintage often stop by at the Marc Bolan Shrine London to remember one of the great figures of British music in the 1970s.
Bolan was the lead singer and guitarist of T.Rex, one of the best bands of the glam rock era of the early ‘70s. He tragically died in a car crash in west London on 16th September 1977, aged just 29. A small shrine was set up at the site of his death in 1997, with a small memorial stone,and later additions including a bust of the late singer.
In this article I’ll describe what there is to see at the shrine, and explain how to get there. I made my own pilgrimage there recently with my son – T.Rex is the first band I can remember hearing as a young child in the early 1970s, so I fulfilled a decades-old wish to visit it myself.
The Marc Bolan Shrine London – A Short History
Marc Bolan died when the Mini in which he was a passenger crashed on Queens Ride in Barnes, west London, in September 1977. Bolan hadn’t been wearing a seatbelt.
They had spent the evening at a restaurant in Mayfair, and were returning home around 4.00 am.
The car struck a fence post and a tree, and Bolan was pronounced dead at the scene by the ambulance crew which arrived there soon afterwards.
His girlfriend Gloria Jones – mother of his son, Rolan – was driving the car, was critically injured, sustaining a broken jaw.
Bolan’s house in Richmond was looted by fans soon in the days following the accident.
The shrine was first founded in 1997, when a memorial stone was placed at the site by the Performing Rights Society.
In 1999, the T Rex Action Group were given responsibility for the site, including maintenance of the tree into which the car fatally crashed.
The bust of Marc Bolan – by Canadian sculptor Jean Robillard – was installed at the site in 2002.
What To See At The Marc Bolan Rock Shrine
The site of the memorial is small, and kept very simple.
The memorial stone is at the base of a flight of five steps.
The bust of Marc Bolan is at the top of the steps to the left, next to the tree into which the car crashed. There is a crash barrier separating the shrine from the road just above it.
Fans have left many of their own tributes. Some of these are drawings and paintings with short messages. Others have left painted stones around the base of the bust.
One of my favourite tributes was the White Swan figure (pictured). It’s a reference to the T Rex single Ride A White Swan, which was released the day after I was born in October 1970.
Where Is The Marc Bolan Shrine?
The Marc Bolan Shrine is between Gipsy Lane and Queens Ride in Barnes, West London.
The postcode for Gipsy Lane – where you need to go to visit the site safely – is SW15 5RG.
How To Get to the Marc Bolan Shrine In London
The Marc Bolan Shrine is easy to reach by public transport.
It’s a 5-minute walk from Barnes train station (not to be confused with Barnes Bridge train station).
From there, walk up the steps to Rocks Lane (which is also the A306), and turn right. You can continue to the end of Rocks Lane, where you reach a junction. Take a sharp left onto Queens Ride.
The Shrine is 200 metres along Queens Ride (which is also the B306), on the right-hand side of the road. Access to the site is blocked by a road crash barrier. So you need to continue around 40 metres further. Just before the bridge over the railway, turn right onto Gipsy Lane.
Walk 60 metres down Gipsy Lane, where you’ll see an offshoot of the street to your right. Walk there – you’re basically doubling back for about 40 metres. The narrow road continues to the left, where you’ll see the memorial stone.
What To See And Do Near The Marc Bolan Shrine
I managed to get my son to accompany me to the Shrine on the promise of a visit to the WWT London Wetland Centre. This is a brilliant place for anyone with an interest in wildlife, and my son and I loved it, bagging sightings of a kingfisher and sandpipers along the way. It’s a 15-minute walk from the Rock Shrine, including a shortcut across Barnes Common back to Rocks Lane.
Barnes is a great place to spend by the River Thames, especially at some of the riverside pubs including Ye White Hart and Waterman’s Arms. A summer evening at one of the tables outside the White Hart, with a meal and a bottle of wine or a couple of beers, is one of the best things to do in west London.
Barnes is also very close to Kew Gardens, the World Heritage-listed Garden just two miles to the west. It’s also a short train ride (as with the Gardens, to Kew Bridge) to some less-known London attractions, including the wonderful London Museum of Water and Steam and the nearby Musical Museum in Brentford.
If you head east from Barnes, you’ll soon reach the riverside suburb of Putney. If you were born in the late 1960s and early 1970s you may well remember the wonderful BBC children’s programme Mr Benn. If so, take a look at my article On The Trail Of Mr Benn, in which my son and I seek out our time-travelling hero’s home in Putney.
Where To Stay Near The Marc Bolan Shrine London
Coach & Horses Hotel – highly-rated hotel on Kew Green, between Kew Gardens and Kew Bridge station
Clayton Hotel Chiswick – popular choice on Chiswick High Street, great for exploring West London
Aparthotel Adagio Brentford London – close to the M4, ideal if you’re driving to London then using public transport
Marc Bolan Shrine London – Final Thoughts
I hope you find this article helpful. It’s a must for fans of Marc Bolan and T Rex, and it’s very touching to read so many heartfelt tributes to him. I’m a lifelong T Rex fan, and will always be grateful to Marc for my first baby steps on what has been a very long musical journey!
I have written extensively about London, a city I have lived in, and also visited countless times. Here is a selection of my articles on London to browse:
34 Famous Streets In London To Explore
16 Old Streets In London – London’s Oldest Streets
Where To Find The Best Red Telephone Boxes In London
Visiting Westminster Abbey – London’s Astounding Royal Church
15 Best Things To Do In West London
Visiting The Golden Hinde London – on board Sir Francis Drake’s recreated pirate ship
Sunrise In London – 10 Best Places To See It
Sunsets In London – The Best 20 Locations