World Art Utopia

Abbey Road Zebra Crossing — London

A line of people walks across the Abbey Road zebra crossing in London in single file, while a friend standing in the road takes their picture
Artwork FileLondon, England

Abbey Road

SeenJul 2025

Zebra crossing with Belisha beacons · Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, London · listed 2010

Photo: Paul Gillett / Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0), as published on Street Art Utopia.

This zebra crossing on Abbey Road, outside Abbey House to the south-east of Abbey Road Studios, is the one on the cover of the Beatles’ 1969 album Abbey Road. Historic England says Iain Macmillan took the photo on 8 August 1969. On 22 December 2010 the crossing was listed at Grade II, “the first of its kind ever to be listed”. Source Source Checked

Seen July 2025: fans crossing in single file · Wikimedia Commons. Source Checked

💡 4 things to know

  1. Six frames
    Visit London says only six photos were taken at the 1969 shoot, “one of the quickest album cover shoots in the band’s history”. Source Reported
  2. Listed in 2010
    Tourism and Heritage Minister John Penrose listed the crossing at Grade II on English Heritage’s advice; Abbey Road Studios had been listed that February. Source Checked
  3. Still in the same place
    A move in the 1970s has been suggested, but Historic England says comparisons with the album cover and old photos show it is essentially where it was in 1969. Source Reported
  4. No tripods
    Visit London tells visitors to bring a friend, since tripods are not allowed on the busy road, and to keep moving. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, London, outside Abbey House to the south-east of Abbey Road Studios. Source Checked

Open in Maps

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 19698 Aug

    Beatles cover photo · Historic England

  2. 201022 Dec

    Listed Grade II · GOV.UK

  3. 201324 Apr

    Fans re-enact the cover · Geograph

  4. 202522 Jul

    Fans on the crossing · Commons

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

✅ The facts

Type
Zebra crossing with Belisha beacons, mid-20th century Source Checked
Place
Abbey Road, outside Abbey House, south-east of Abbey Road Studios Source Checked
Album cover
Abbey Road (1969); photo by Iain Macmillan, 8 August 1969 Source Source Checked
Listing
Grade II, 22 December 2010 Source Source Checked
Stripes added
Probably in the 1950s, or from March 1949: Historic England’s entry gives both Source Conflicting
Installed
Date unknown, according to Historic England Source Unconfirmed

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 10 November 2026. How we verify art