How many benches are there in London? It is impossible to say. There are benches in parks, benches by the river, benches in courtyards and benches on tube platforms. They are unremarkable but vital objects, providing Londoners with a space to lounge, sleep, eat and contemplate.
But if you take people out of the equation, benches lose their civic purpose. An empty bench is a melancholic — and occasionally eerie — sight, especially in such a busy city. This selection shows that benches can be objects of beauty in their own right too.
All photos via the Londonist Flickr pool. Many thanks to markspokes49, stephskimo, Laura Nolte, Alan-S2011, Artee62, artofthestate, curry15, IoanWilliams and psyxjaw.