Plaque: The World's First Cash Machine

There's a plaque in Waltham Cross that marks where Barclays Bank installed the world's first cash machine in 1967. It's not much to look at - just a modest commemorative marker on a building facade - but it's genuinely significant if you're into that sort of thing. You're standing at the exact spot where someone first punched in a PIN and watched money come out of a wall, which fundamentally changed how we all bank.

The plaque itself takes about five minutes to find and photograph. Don't expect fanfare or a visitor centre - this is a real-world moment preserved without fuss, which is rather refreshing. History enthusiasts will appreciate it; casual tourists might shrug and move on. It's the kind of thing that appeals to people who get excited about industrial heritage and the mundane objects that reshaped society.

Waltham Cross itself is perfectly serviceable as a stopping point, with decent high street facilities and train connections to London. The location isn't far from several decent parks if you're basing yourself in the Lee Valley area - Theobalds Park is just 2.5 miles away and makes for a proper day out with more sprawling grounds to explore. Lee Valley Campsite sits 3.2 miles off, while Fowley Mead is another mile further. You could easily tack this plaque-spotting onto a broader visit to the parks rather than making it a standalone trip. Free to see, open whenever the street is, and worth ten minutes of your time if you're passing through.