These London photos are grouped under various headings, trying to keep adjacent areas together – albeit not very successfully. London is a great city for wandering around – always something to discover. There’s no real logic to the sequence but, hopefully, it does give you an idea of what there is to see in the different parts of London:
City of London: River Thames: The East End: Camden: Westminster: Islington: Kensington & Chelsea: Hammersmith & Fulham: Southbank:South London: North London
The Magnificent Seven cemeteries are featured in a separate post.
City of London
High Towers:
St Helen Bishopsgate – and neighbours…30, St Mary Axe – otherwise known as “the Gherkin” A view from the City Social Bar on the 24th floor of Tower 42, Old Broad StreetA view from the City Social Bar on the 24th floor of Tower 42, Old Broad StreetA view from the City Social Bar on the 24th floor of Tower 42, Old Broad StreetA view from the City Social Bar on the 24th floor of Tower 42, Old Broad StreetThe Sky Garden is on the 35th floor of this tower block, known as the “walkie-talkie”It is free to enter but you need to book to get in so that visitor numbers can be managed. There are two restaurants and a general bar area…Fantastic viewsAbseiling down the “cheese grater” for charity – a descent of around 224mAbseiling down the “cheese grater” for charity – a descent of around 224mThe Leadenhall Building also known as the “cheese grater”The Shard – the Labour government ignored the advice of its own heritage agency by approving construction today of the “shard of glass” – the tallest tower block in Europe…
St Paul’s Cathedral:
St Paul’s Cathedral is undoubtedly a masterpiece – but it costs a pretty uncharitable £26 (as at September 2025) to get in and, once inside, you can’t take photosA model of St Paul’s Cathedral as it was in the 1320’s
Other Churches:
All Hallows by the Tower is the oldest church in the City of London, founded in 675 around 300 years before the Tower of London…All Hallows by the Tower St Mary Abchurch – one of Sir Christopher Wren’s finest parish churches – in Abchurch Yard off Abchurch Lane, it was completed in 1686. This photo was taken one sunny Friday lunchtime, pre-pandemic with happy office workers enjoying a lunch time beverage outside Harry’s Bar… St Mary Abchurch on a Sunday morningSt Mary AbchurchSt Stephen Walbrook – another Christopher Wren churchSt Stephen Walbrook St Mary le Bow, Cheapside – designed by Christopher Wren -to be ‘born within the sound of Bow Bells’ is the traditional definition of a Cockney… St Mary le BowSt Helen’s church in Bishopsgate looks incongruousApparently the site of the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the country – Bevis Marks Synagogue, Aldgate…St Andrew Undershaft – built in 1532, it is a rare example of a City church that survived both the Great Fire of London and the Blitz. A church has existed on the site since 1147. The church’s name derives from the shaft of the maypole that was traditionally set up each year opposite the church.St Mary Aldermary – a medieval church on this site was replaced by one in the Gothic style in 1510 but was then destroyed in the Great Fire. Rebuilding was completed in 1682 and it is now regarded as one of the two most important 17th century Gothic churches in England… St Mary Aldermary – the fan vaulting is particularly spectacular but much of the interior furnishings reflect the Victorian refurbishment in 1876,St Mary Woolnoth was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. The previous church was badly damaged during the Great Fire and re-building began in 1716 and it reopened in 1727…
The Tower of London:
William the Conqueror built a stone tower at the centre of his London fortress in the 1070s. Henry III (1216-72) and Edward I (1272-1307) expanded William’s fortress, adding huge ‘curtain’ (defensive) walls with a series of smaller towers, and enlarging the moat.The central tower was built in the 1070’s by William the Conqueror. The Tower took around 20 years to build using masons from Normandy and stone from Caen. Most of the actual labour was undertaken by the defeated English. It remained the principal palace for 500 years…
Tower Bridge:
Tower Bridge was built between 1886 and 1894. Two massive piers were built on foundations sunk into the riverbed to support the construction, and over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the Towers and Walkways. This framework was clad in Cornish Granite and Portland Stone to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the Bridge a more pleasing appearance. When it was completed, Tower Bridge was the largest and most sophisticated bascule bridge ever built (‘bascule’ comes from the French word for ‘seesaw’). These bascules were operated by hydraulics, using steam to power the enormous pumping engines. Despite the complexity of the system, the bascules only took about a minute to raise to their maximum angle of 86 degrees. See: https://www.towerbridge.org.uk/On my way to go up into Tower Bridge – you walk along the gangway at the top – you get great views. I didn’t count the number of steps but there aren’t that many and there are several landings with displays so you can climb up quite leisurely…Don’t look down – but then, don’t look up either as you’ll see a mirror image…View from the gallery in Tower BridgeThe “walkie-talkie”, the “cheese grater”, the “gherkin” – funny how these tower blocks acquire nicknames…
The Monument:
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, built between 1671-77 to commemorate the fire of September, 1666…The fire began at a baker’s house in Pudding Lane
The Guildhall:
The Guildhall – built between 1411-1440, it was badly damaged during the great fire of 1666 but rebuilt with further changes in the 18th and 19th centuries…The Guildhall with an RAF display in the courtyardA Hawker HurricaneA Supermarine Spitfire
Liverpool Street Station:
When the Great Eastern Railway was formed in 1862 it quickly drew up plans for a new terminus in the heart of the City of London. It had inherited the nearby Bishopsgate station in Shoreditch from the Eastern Counties Railway, but this wasn’t big enough or convenient enough for the City commuters it hoped to attract. The first suburban trains departed from a partially completed Liverpool Street station in 1874. The terminus’ ten platforms and completed station opened full in 1875 and the old Bishopsgate station was closed and turned into a goods yard. Over the next ten years demand for services, especially suburban commuter trains into the city from north east London soon outstripped capacity at the station. The GER acquired more land and extended the station to the east. This east side extension opened in 1894 added 8 new platforms housed under a plainer trainshed roof.Broadgate Venus: specially commissioned for Broadgate and, at five tonnes, Broadgate Venus is one of Fernando Botero’s most voluptuous pieces and her generous curves have made her a long-standing favourite across the neighbourhood. She’s all-encompassing love personified, apparently…Broadgate Venus – a sculpture by Colombian artist Fernando Botero in Exchange Square
Streets of London:
This vague plaque is in Threadneedle Street
Oranges and lemons, Say the bells of St Clement’s You owe me five farthings, Say the bells of St Martin’s When will you pay me? Say the bells of Old Bailey When I grow rich, Say the bells of Shoreditch And when will that be? Say the bells of Stepney Oh I do not know, Say the great bells of Bow Here comes a candle To light you to bed And here comes a chopper, To chop off your head
Two Sticks and Apple, Ring ye Bells at Whitechapel, Old Father Bald Pate, Ring ye Bells Aldgate, Maids in White Aprons, Ring ye Bells at St. Catherine’s, Oranges and Lemons, Ring ye bells at St. Clement’s, When will you pay me, Ring ye Bells at ye Old Bailey, When I am Rich, Ring ye Bells at Fleetditch, When will that be, Ring ye Bells at Stepney, When I am Old, Ring ye Bells at Pauls
33-35 Eastcheap – designed in 1868 by Robert Louis Roumieu as a vinegar warehouse – talking of vinegar, I had always supposed that balsamic vinegar was a recent hideous creation designed to ruin salads – but, no: the first recorded reference to the vile concoction was in 1046…Aldgate, City of London, at 5pm on a Friday afternoon (25.06.21) – the effects of the pandemic and a series of lockdowns self-evident…London is full of hidden little gems like this – it’s a Shepherd Neame pub now but they’ve retained the old exteriorThe Gibson Hall – opened in 1865 as the head office of the National Provincial Bank. It closed as a bank following the Nat Pro merger with Westminster Bank – it has been an events venue since 1990The Bank of England began as a private bank that would act as a banker to the Government. It was primarily founded to fund the war effort against France. The King and Queen of the time, William and Mary, were two of the original stockholders. The original Royal Charter of 1694 explained that the Bank was founded to ‘promote the public Good and Benefit of our People’. It is the second oldest Central Bank, the oldest being the Bank of Sweden. The Bank’s original home was in Walbrook moving to its current location on Threadneedle Street in 1734. Construction of Mansion House began in 1739 and was completed in 1758. The first Lord Mayor to take up residence was Sir Crispin Gascoigne. The colourful Leadenhall MarketSmithfield or, to give it its official name, London Central Markets, is the largest wholesale meat market in the UK and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Located within the Square Mile of the City of London it is housed in three listed buildings. It is a place packed with history as there has been a livestock market on the site for over 800 years…Ludgate Circus was constructed at the junction of Ludgate Hill and Fleet Street between 1864 and 1875. Named after the mythical King Lud, a pre-Roman who supposedly built Caer Lud – the predecessor of London. There are 3 effigies of Lud on the building that now houses Leon…Fleet StreetSt Dunstan in the West, Fleet Street – Dunstan was one of the foremost saints of Anglo-Saxon England: he was also one of the most venerated before the cult of St Thomas Becket took hold. The original church was built between 988 and 1070 AD and narrowly escaped the Great Fire of London in 1666. St Dunstan’s was rebuilt in 1831
River Thames
The London Cable Car:
The cable car that runs across the Thames from Greenwich to the Royal Victoria Docks opened in time for the London Olympics in 2012The Millennium Dome opened on New Year’s Day, 2000 and was intended as a showcase for the UK in the 21st century. It closed at the end of the year. It was eventually sold and re-opened in 2007 as the O2 Arena
The Riverbank:
London’s ever changing skylineThis attempt at a panoramic shot of the Downing Roads Moorings is poor. On the south bank of the Thames downstream of Tower Bridge, it is the capital’s only floating gardens, devised by architects Nicholas Lacey & Partners. Known as Tower Bridge Moorings at Downings Roads– or Garden Barge Square… A police patrol boat on the ThamesThe “walkie-talkie” has a commanding view of the ThamesSt. Saviour’s Dock at Bermondsey has its origins in the 11th century when the monks of a nearby monastery turned the tidal mouth of the River Neckinger into a landing place. It is where Bill Sykes met his death in the Charles Dickens novel ‘Oliver Twist’…The Anchor Brewery, purchased by John Courage in 1787, although the oldest remaining parts date from 1871, largely rebuilt in the 1890’s and restored in the late 1980’s…
The East End
Aldgate:
Ye Olde Replica in Aldgate
Whitechapel:
Whitechapel Art GalleryThe old Mann, Crossman and Paulin BreweryGunmakers – Commercial Road, London The Whitechapel Bell Foundry – it made the original Liberty Bell (1752) and Big Ben. The company was founded in 1570 and moved to this site in 1739. It closed in May 2017. In 2021 a proposal to turn the building into a boutique hotel was approved…A statue of Catherine Booth – co-founder of the Salvation Army – in the Mile End RoadA statue of William Booth – co-founder of the Salvation Army – in the Mile End RoadA memorial to Edward 7th in Whitechapel – opposite The Royal London Hospital… The Royal London Hospital looking sad and neglected The East London MosqueTrinity Green Alms Houses – dating from 1695 and in a miserable state – however they are now being restoredTrinity Green Alms Houses – dating from 1695 and in a miserable state – however they are now being restored
Shoreditch:
They do indeed have a bloody lovely garden – bloody lovely beer and food, tooSavoy CornerWhen I grow rich – ring the bells of ShoreditchA bit of forgotten London…Who’d have thought: a pint of Truman’s! Now brewed in Hackney Wick – a couple of miles from the old Truman Hanbury & Buxton brewery in Brick Lane. The original yeast strain has been stored since 1958 at -196C in liquid nitrogen. Modern science resurrects the past – cor blimey guvnor!The Geffrye MuseumThe Museum of the Home is housed in almshouses built in 1714. The money to build them came from Sir Robert Geffrye (1613–1704). In 1911 the London County Council (LCC) bought the building and gardens. The main reason was to save the gardens which represented 14% of the open space in Shoreditch, a densely populated area of London. Designers, artists and architects at the time were petitioning for an exhibition space for arts and crafts. The Geffrye Museum opened in April, 1914.
Stoke Newington:
Lunch at Kookies, Stoke Newington after visiting Abney Park Cemetery – sat outside in the glorious sunshineStoke Newington’s famous Egg Stores
Hackney:
Commissioned by Oswald Stoll, the prominent theatre impresario, Hackney Empire was built by renowned architect Frank Matcham in 1901. It was one of the first theatres to have electric lights, a built-in projector box, and central heating.Hackney Picturehouse – originally Hackney Central Library. After adopting the Public Libraries Act of 1903, Hackney council bought land in Mare Street for a library, designed by Henry Crouch and built with funds from Andrew Carnegie. It opened in 1908, becoming a concert venue in 1991 and then it was converted into a cinema in 2011…The Tesco in Morning Lane, just off Mare Street, where Tesco began…Tesco on Well Street, where I worked during 1977Nice to see that one of the stores I worked at during the 1970’s is still open…The Cock TavernThe Cock is a very nice pub – with 8 draught ciders; 6 cask ales and 8 interesting keg beers. And 9 types of picked eggs, which is just bizarre…A house in Sylvester Path, just behind the Cock Tavern, has this amazing brugmansia suaveolens (Angels Trumpets)Hackney’s old town hallShop window on Amhurst Road
St John’s Church
St John at Hackney – not open to the public…St John’s, Hackney The tower is all that remains of St Augustine’s – which was demolished in 1798.The tomb of Francis Beaufort – creator of the eponymous scale…Tidying up the dead…
Gigs:
Here to see ThylaA dress shop with a bar, beer garden & venue upstairsStrange placeApparently it was “sold out” having sold 100 tickets – bizarrely a lot of the audience talked throughout the entire setMillie Duthie is an engaging performer – good singer, too – with Dan Hole, bass, and Danny Southwell, drums. Mitch Duce, guitar, has left the band but is here tonight as I guess he’s not been replaced yet…At Oslo to see Desperate JournalistJo Bevan (singer), Rob Hardy (guitar), Simon Drowner (bass), Caroline Helbert (Caz Hellbent – drums) and Charlie Stone on rhythm guitarJo Bevan (singer), Rob Hardy (guitar), Simon Drowner (bass), Caroline Helbert (Caz Hellbent -drums) and Charlie Stone on rhythm guitarAfter London were the support band
Dalston:
St Mark’s rather grand Church in Dalston – the largest parish church in London, apparently. Still shut, though..Saint Mark’s, Dalston, was built between 1864 and 1866, with a second phase added between 1877 and 1880. It is built in Early English Gothic style in yellow stock brick with stone dressings, the church’s most impressive feature is its size and the west tower. The church has a unique feature on the tower – a turret barometer, the only one in England. Kingsland Road, Dalston – the Ridley Road market is very colourful and lively…This is where the Dalston Tesco was – the McDonald’s and the store next door – I was dreading working there but it turned out to be great…
Haggerston:
Regent’s Canal in Haggerston – it is just under 14km long and runs from The Thames at Limehouse to the Grand Union Canal at PaddingtonRegent’s Canal in Haggerston – it is just under 14km long and runs from The Thames at Limehouse to the Grand Union Canal at PaddingtonBeside the canal
Camden
Camden Town:
St Pancras Church:
St Pancras Church is a little gem and probably most famous for one particular tree…The architects Roumieu & Gough transformed this medieval church between 1847 and 1848…The Hardy Tree – a relative youngster – probably only around 150 years old…Sir John Soane memorial – he and his wife are buried here…This is the tomb of Mary Wollstonecraft – who in 1792 wrote: A Vindication of the Rights of Women
St Pancras Station:
St Pancras Station – this gorgeous building was designed by George Gilbert Scott but by the 1960’s it was earmarked for demolition. We Brits are good at this kind of thing: we don’t care much for our past and, apparently, 52% of us don’t care about our future, either. But in 1967 it was given Grade 1 status thereby preserving it and this is largely due to the work of John Betjeman. Financing for restoration and refurbishment finally came from the USA (where else?) and in 2011 the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel opened. And – do you know what? – I’ve always fancied staying here.The Victorians didn’t like this building – they thought it too ostentatious – makes you wonder what they’d have thought of the ghastly British Library next doorSt Pancras Station, a glorious example of Gothic Revival architecture. The architects were George Gilbert Scott and William Henry Barlow. It wasn’t universally popular when it opened in 1868 – it was perceived to be too ornate, vulgar and not in keeping with the times. By the mid-1960’s it was threatened with demolition and was saved following a campaign by John Betjeman. In 1967 the building was granted Grade 1 listing status just days before demolition was due to start…The calm between two storms: Dudley and EuniceA view from insideMy room is about a mile awaySir went for the Anonymous Suite, I see…The view from the cheap sleeps…A lift spriteThe breakfast room…Trampled underfootThe 11.31 to Paris…
Kings Cross Station:
King’s Cross Station was opened to passengers on 14 October 1852. Designed by Lewis Cubitt to be simple and functional it was at the time the largest railway station in Britain.Kings Cross station: understated eleganceDesigned by architect Hiro Aso, this is a rare example of fine modern architecture in the UK. Restoration of Kings Cross was completed in 2012Kings Cross has a Platform 0. There’s a Platform 0 at Leeds now, too. Daft…
Street Scenes:
Colourful – opposite Kings Cross StationThe Lighthouse BuildingLess colourful mural opposite Kings CrossLondon’s latest horror show – the Francis Crick Institute. Although four scientists were involved in the discovery of DNA – Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins – the name of Francis Crick is the one everybody remembers. History is cruel, however, as it was Rosalind Franklin’s work that led to the breakthrough. At King’s College London, Rosalind Franklin obtained images of DNA using X-ray crystallography, an idea first broached by Maurice Wilkins. Franklin’s images allowed James Watson and Francis Crick to create their famous two-strand, or double-helix, model. It is clear that, had Franklin lived, the Nobel prize committee ought to have awarded her a Nobel prize, too – her conceptual understanding of the structure of the DNA molecule and its significance was on a par with that of Watson and Crick, while her crystallographic data were as good as, if not better, than those of Wilkins… Head Office of NUTS (national union of teachers) – motto: Quid pugnes contra nosOriginally constructed as the Carreras cigarette factory in 1928, this art deco (or Egyptian Revival) office is sometimes referred to as the Black Cat building after their famous brand of cigarettes
Kentish Town:
The old Kentish Town South underground station opened in 1907 and closed in 1924Kelly Street in Kentish Town is one of the prettiest of London’s many multi-coloured streets. It is composed of early 19th century curving terraced houses with ornamental ironwork, each painted a different colour…
Primrose Hill:
Primrose Hill rises to 66.7m and affords a fine view of London…Lots of sweet little Hawthorn trees in Primrose Hill Park…
St John’s Wood:
Westminster City Council first bought the plot of land which now forms the burial ground behind St John’s Wood Church in 1808, and the church itself was built to accommodate the growing population of the neighbourhood by the Vestry of St Marylebone Church in 1814. The architect was Thomas Hardwick who also built the new church at St Marylebone shortly afterwards. In 1886 the burial ground was closed and in 1889 St John’s Wood Chapel became part of the parish of Christchurch, Cosway Street. In 1952 the Chapel became a parish church replacing St Stephen’s, Avenue Road, which had been damaged in the war. Not open outside service times…St John’s Wood Church cemeterySt John’s Wood burial ground is now in a public garden adjacent to St John’s Wood church. It became a garden in 1886. The reason for coming here is that this is where Joanna Southcott is buried. According to the signs there is a marker stone – a memorial erected in 1965 – and her grave is about 8m from that. Anyone familiar with the story of Joanna Southcott will not be surprised to know that there is no marker stone – no signs pointing to the grave – nothing…The graves are now so overgrown and the headstones so badly weathered that even knowing her grave is “not far from Reverend Samuel Godley’s” (seen here and one of the few still legible) is of no help whatsoever. Joanna Southcott was born in Devon in 1754. At the age of 42 she started getting apocalyptic dreams and visitations and started writing prophecies. She attracted the attention of eminent people in London and thousands of followers, known as Southcottians. At the age of 64 she declared herself pregnant and that she would give birth to Shiloh, who would announce the second coming as foretold in the book of Genesis. Sadly, Joanna wasn’t pregnant but had an infection from which she died. The enduring mystery is that she had a box in which she kept various papers and there were strict instructions that the box could only be opened and the contents revealed in the presence of 24 bishops. The whereabouts of the box is a closely guarded secret, known only to members of the Panacea Society, based in Bedford – Bedford also being the home of Mabel Barltrop and, perversely, John Bunyan…The London Central Mosque – opened in 1944The Fazl Mosque (The Grace Mosque) was the first purpose-built mosque in London and opened in 1926 in Southfields. London’s first documented Mosque opened in 1895 in a house in Albert Street, Camden…Park Road
Highgate:
Holly Village, Swains Lane, Highgate – created in 1865 by Baroness Burdett-CouttsBeanfeast is an early 19th century expression relating to an annual dinner laid on by employers for their employees – the implication being that these meals usually involved beans as they were plentiful and cheap…Bistro Laz – a Turkish restaurant in Highgate Hill…St Pancras Way bridge opened July 1897
Holborn:
In 1879 the Prudential Assurance Company entered its new head office, Holborn Bars, designed by Alfred Waterhouse, one of the most popular and successful architects in the UK, particularly well known for designing the Natural History Museum and Manchester Town Hall.
Interesting Pubs:
The Cittie of York is another Sam Smith’s pub – there has been a pub on this site since 1430 but this incarnation dates from 1924…The interior of the Cittie of York is intriguingThe interior of the Cittie of York is intriguingThe Princess Louise was once owned by Vaux – it’s now a Sam Smith’s pubThis is a Fuller’s pubOne of two Wetherspoon pubs in HolbornShakespeare’s Head – the other Wetherspoon in HolbornThe Rosewood Hotel – it was built in 1914 and was the head office of Pearl Assurance until 1989. The Manor Suite at the hotel is the only one in the world with its own postcode: WC1V 7DZ ( the rest of the hotel is WC1V 7EN)
St Alban the Martyr:
St Alban the MartyrSt Alban the Martyr
Inns of Court:
Staple Inn is the most intact survivor of the Inns of Chancery. First recorded in the 13th century it became c.1415 the home of the Society of Staple Inn, an association of lawyers and legal students. In 1580 the society built a new and magnificent hall. It was hit by a flying bomb in 1944 but rebuilt using materials that had been salvaged from the wreckage. Since 1887 Staple Inn has been the headquarters of the Institute of Actuaries.Gray’s InnStaple InnStaple InnLincoln’s Inn was founded in 1422 – but this block is early 19th century. Lincoln’s Inn is undergoing restoration
Doughty Street:
The Charles Dickens Museum, Doughty Street: Dickens lived here from 1812 – 1870 – it has been a museum since 1925…At the Malawi Embassy: visa secured
Warren Street:
The Smugglers Tavern – there has been an inn on this site since 1798…The Ship was originally licensed in 1777, when it was known as The Centurion. It was rebuilt in 1887. The Wenlock Brewery – Shoreditch – was bought by Bass in 1961University College Hospital: the first hospital on this site was founded in 1834 but by 1877 it was too small to cope with demand. Building of a new hospital began in 1897 and opened in 1906. The architect was Alfred Waterhouse. A new medical school opened in 1907, designed by Alfred’s son Paul Waterhouse…
Fitzroy Square:
Fitzroy SquareAt the Mozambique Embassy: visa securedFrancisco de MirandaThe Post Office Tower
Bloomsbury:
The British MuseumSicilian AvenueSt George’s in BloomsburySt George’s in BloomsburyThe building housing the Waterstones book shop in Gower Street was designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll in 1908St Giles in the Field – There has been a church on this site since 1101, when Queen Matilda, wife of Henry I, founded a leper hospital here. At this time, St Giles stood outside the city of London with the lepers isolated from the population as a whole; the chapel probably became the church of a small village, which serviced the hospital. The hospital was closed during the dissolution and the hospital chapel became a parish church in 1542, while the area surrounding it became the parish burial ground. The parish was large, stretching from Lincoln’s Inn Fields in the east to what is now Charing Cross Road in the west, to Seven Dials in the south, and including all of Bloomsbury. This was when the words ”in-the-fields” were added to its name. From about 1600 St Giles developed as a wealthy suburb and in 1628 the church was rebuilt. By the early 1700s the church needed rebuilding. This was carried out between 1730-34, designed by the architect Henry Flitcroft in the Palladian style. Post war restoration was carried out between 1952-3Marquis Cornwallis, Marchmont Street – good food, good beer
Interesting Streets:
Wonky windows in Marchmont StreetWoburn Walk, designed by Thomas Cubitt, dates from around 1822 and was restored in the 1990s. WB Yeats had his London base here from 1895-1919Lenin lived here in 1908 – when he lived here it was numbered 21, Tavistock Place – it is now numbered 36Lamb’s Conduit StreetCalthorpe Street
Fitzrovia:
The Fitzrovia MuralFitzrovia Chapel – part of the Middlesex Hospital – dates from 1891 (the hospital itself dates from 1740s)Fitzrovia ChapelFitzrovia ChapelFitzrovia Chapel
Islington
The City of London as seen from the Premier Inn, Islington
The Angel:
No.1 Islington High Street was originally the site of a coaching inn called The Angel. The current building dates from 1903 and the architects were Frederick James Eedle and Sydney Herbert Meyers. It later became a Lyons Tea House and is currently a Co-operative Bank…The Union Chapel near the Highbury & Islington station
Clerkenwell:
Finsbury Town Hall was designed by William Charles Evans–Vaughan in the Flemish Renaissance Revival style. It was built with red bricks and Portland stone dressings and was opened by Lord Rosebery as the Clerkenwell Vestry in July 1895…Exmouth MarketExmouth MarketMount Pleasant sorting office: This area used to be known as Coldbath Fields and was also the site of London’s largest prison that opened in 1794. The prison closed in 1877 and ten years later the Post Office adapted it for use as a parcel depot, subsequently extending operations here to create the largest sorting office in Europe. The mail centre was rebuilt in 1934. An underground rail service used to carry letters and parcels from the Mount Pleasant mail centre to district offices to its west and east. The line extended 6½ miles (10.5 km) from Paddington to Whitechapel…St Mark’s Church – the parish was originally part of the parish of St. James, Clerkenwell. The building of St Mark’s began in 1825 and was consecrated in January 1828.Myddleton Square Gardens – Myddelton Square and the surrounding streets were first developed by the New River Company in 1824 – 27. It is named after Sir Hugh Myddelton who was responsible for building the New River, which carried fresh water from the town of Amwell, north of London, to nearby reservoirs where they provided drinking water to London’s growing population…Myddleton StreetLooking up Myddleton Street towards St Mark’s at duskSt Peter’s Italian Catholic Church – opened in 1863, it was at the time, the only church in Britain designed in the Roman basilican style. The Irish architect John Miller Bryson worked from plans drawn by Francesco Gualandi of Bologna, modelled on the Basilica of San Crisogno in Rome.St Peter’s Italian Catholic Church St James’ Church is built on the site of St Mary’s Nunnery of Augustinian canonesses, founded in 1140, which was dissolved in 1539 and the church converted to the parish church of Clerkenwell. In the 1780s the building was declared ruinous and demolished. The present church was built 1788-92 by the architect James Carr, one of the most respected Palladian architects of the period. The steeple was rebuilt in 1849 by William Pettit Griffith and the church was further restored 1883-84. The Crown Tavern, Clerkenwell is where – in 1905 – Lenin and Stalin met for the first time – London, eh?Lenin & Stalin’s local – not sure what they’d make of Truman Zephyr at a bourgeois £4.55 a pint – although it is very nice…St John’s Gate: in the 1140s the Priory in Clerkenwell was set up as the English headquarters of the Knights of the Order of St John. During the dissolution, the Order in England was dissolved and all its lands and wealth were seized by the Crown. The Order was restored briefly by Queen Mary, who granted it a Royal Charter. However, on the accession of her Protestant sister, Queen Elizabeth I, the Order in England was dissolved for good. The buildings in Clerkenwell were put to different uses in the years that followed. During the sixteenth century, they were used as the offices of the Master of the Revels. Thirty of Shakespeare’s plays were licensed here. In the eighteenth century, the Gate was briefly used as a coffee house, run by Richard Hogarth, father of the artist William Hogarth. Dr. Samuel Johnson was given his first job in London at St John’s Gate, writing reports for The Gentleman’s Magazine. At the end of the eighteenth century, the Gate was used as a pub, The Old Jerusalem Tavern, where artists and writers, including Charles Dickens, used to meet. The modern Order of St John in England was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1888. Humanitarian in its aims and purpose, the modern Order recognised the need for public First Aid and ambulance transport services, as no such system existed in newly industrialised England. See: https://museumstjohn.org.uk/The Charterhouse: in 1348, during the Black Death, the land was used as a burial ground for victims of plague. In 1371, the Charterhouse was built – a Carthusian monastery, which flourished throughout the later medieval and early Tudor period. With the dissolution of the monasteries, the Charterhouse became a mansion for wealthy noblemen and a refuge for royalty. Elizabeth I met the Privy Council here in the days before her coronation in 1558 and James I used the Great Chamber to create 130 new Barons before he was crowned. In 1611, Thomas Sutton bought the Charterhouse and established the foundation that now bears his name…Wellington, Gladstone and Cromwell were Governors and The Charterhouse appears in the writings of Daniel Defoe, Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray. Indeed, Thackeray, Robert Baden-Powell and John Wesley attended school here. When the school moved to Godalming in 1872, the Brothers remained at the Charterhouse in Clerkenwell. See: https://thecharterhouse.org/The cricket club belongs to the Honourable Artillery Company – and is about 500m from Liverpool Street Station – see: https://hac.org.uk/…/venue-spaces/artillery-garden/cricketThe Globe, Moorgate Street on the left and Electra House on the right. Electra House was the head office of Cable and Wireless and is now the London Polytechnic Business School…Mercury rising… – there is a figure of Mercury atop the tower of Triton Court in Finsbury Square
London Museum and City Walls:
A model of St Paul’s Cathedral as it was in the 1320’sAn intriguing exhibit at the London MuseumRemains of London’s city wall – between the late 2nd century AD and the early 3rd century AD the Romans built a wall around the city of Londinium, present day London, and parts of this wall can still be seen… Remains of London’s city wall
Chequer Street:
Wood was preferred to brick or stone for horses and carriages…This is the last remaining stretch of road in London paved with wood – Chequer Street – the wood was last replaced in the 1990’s. I say “stretch of road” it’s just this small strip but it is still illustrative….Houses in the Peabody Estate – www.peabody.org – founded by George Peabody, an American philanthropist – it is one of the largest housing associations in the UK…Whitecross Street market – lots of tempting food stallsSt Luke’s Church, Old Street, is a Nicholas Hawksmoor church dating from 1733…St Bartholomew the Great is a higgledy-piggledy building and London’s oldest parish church, founded in 1123St Bartholomew the Great, Cloth Fair, BarbicanA service had just finished and the atmosphere was thick with incense – I love the smell of incense, luckily…
Gigs:
At The Garage, Highbury Corner to see the brilliant FriedbergFriedberg tuning up with Anna Friedberg centre stageFriedberg belting their way through Pass Me On – a work of sublime genius
Westminster
Regents Park:
Gates of Distinction – Regents ParkRegents Park (including Primrose Hill) covers 197 hectares. Like most of the other Royal Parks, Regent’s Park formed part of the vast chase (land reserved for hunting) appropriated by Henry VIII. Marylebone Park, as it was known, remained a royal chase until 1646. It was John Nash, architect to the crown and friend of the Prince Regent (later King George IV), who developed Regent’s Park as we know it today.This fountain was a gift from Sir Cowasjee Jehangir – a prominent Parsee…Regents Canal – it was built to link the Grand Junction Canal’s Paddington Arm, which opened in 1801, with the Thames at Limehouse https://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/history/regents.htmhttps://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/history/regents.htm
Marylebone:
Marylebone Station – having breakfast outside Gino’s on a glorious sunny Saturday morningGino’s opposite Marylebone Station – best breakfast in LondonThe Marylebone Grammar School: founded in 1792 and closed in 1981Elizabeth Garret Anderson – England’s first female physician and surgeon. In nineteenth century Britain, her attempts to study at medical school were denied. She enrolled as a nursing student and attended classes intended for male doctors. She remained determined to obtain a medical degree, so she taught herself French and went to the University of Paris, where she earned her degree. However, the British Medical Register refused to recognise her qualification. In 1872, Dr Anderson founded the New Hospital for Women in London, staffed entirely by women. Dr Anderson paved the way for other women, and in 1876 an act was passed permitting women to enter the medical professions. In 1908, she became the mayor of Aldeburgh, the first female mayor in England.The old Salvation Army Hospital for Women & Children – looking very sad and neglectedThe Landmark HotelThe former Walmer Castle pubThe Swedish Church, Harcourt StreetSt Cyprian’s Church, designed by Sir Ninian Comper and built in 1903. St Cyprian was Bishop of Carthage and martyred in 258…Never noticed these angels on the Marylebone parish church beforeThe London Eye HospitalColourful – Chapel Street NW1Chapel Street, Marylebone looking towards the London Hilton Metropole Hotel. The hotel is Europe’s largest convention hotel and was built in three phases; the original 28-storey tower in 1972, an 11-storey extension in the 1980s (the East Wing) and a 16-storey extension in 2000 (the West Wing).
Aldwych and the Strand:
Land was bought by the Crown in 1865, through slum clearance, for the construction of new Law Courts. George Edmund was appointed as sole architect. Work began in 1874 and the building was opened in 1882 by Queen Victoria. The overall aspect of the facade is 13th century Gothic…The Law CourtsDanish settlers who had married English wives were allowed to settle in the area, taking over a small church dedicated to St Clement, the patron saint of mariners.The church became known as ‘St Clement-of-the-danes’. William the Conqueror rebuilt the church in the 11th century, but was not kept in good order and was left to decay.Although the Great Fire of London (1666) didn’t reach St Clement Danes, the church was in poor repair. Christopher Wren was invited to rebuild the church. The tower’s steeple was added by James Gibb in 1719. William Webb Ellis, credited with the invention of Rugby football in 1823, was the rector of the church from 1843 to 1855 and is commemorated by a memorial tablet in the church.The are around St Mary le Strand has been tidied up with seating and gardens…St Mary le Strand: after the Great Fire and the subsequent rebuilding of St Paul’s Cathedral, the City Commissioners proposed a scheme to build fifty new churches for London, of which St Mary’s was the first. The original church of St Mary le Strand was demolished in 1549 to make way for Somerset House. In 1711, the parishioners successfully petitioned the Commissioners that a church should be reinstated in the Strand and work began in 1714. The new church was consecrated on 1st January 1724…Australia HouseThe Waldorf Hotel, AldwychBush HouseSomerset HouseLooking over the Thames from the terrace at Somerset House…Looking down The Strand towards Trafalgar Square
Covent Garden:
The London Transport Museum
Long Acre:
Trafalgar Square:
Trafalgar Square is named after Britain’s victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The square was designed by John Nash in 1830 and it opened in 1844. The area had been the site of the Royal Mews…The memorial to Lord Nelson was built in 1843. Interestingly, the memorial to Lord Nelson in Great Yarmouth was built in 1819 and is almost as tall (144ft v 145ft). The memorial to Lord Nelson in Bridgetown was built even earlier in 1813…St Martin in the Fields. There has been a church on this site since the 1220s. Henry VIII had a new church built here in the 1540s and in 1607, during the reign of James I, it was enlarged. That church was demolished in 1721 and replaced by this church, which was designed by James Gibbs and opened in 1726…Charing Cross Station was built on the site of Hungerford Market; having operated since the 17th century and only recently extended, the market had to be demolished. The station plans also required the relocation of St Thomas’ Hospital. It initially opened to traffic on 11 January 1864 and quickly became a busy station for both commuter and continental departures, having a direct link into London Bridge station and onwards to Folkestone and Dover. The station frontage was provided by the elegant Charing Cross Hotel, designed by Edward Middleton Barry in the French Renaissance style. The Charing Cross monument is modelled on an early medieval commemorative cross erected by King Edward I for his queen, Eleanor of Castile. The original cross, from which all distances from London were once measured, was probably at the top of Whitehall and was demolished in 1647. In 1863 the new Charing Cross monument was built here as a meeting place for Charing Cross Station, also designed by E. M. Barry and carved by T. Earp…
Piccadilly:
Piccadilly CircusThe Royal Academy of ArtsThe Royal Academy of Arts
Soho:
The former Welsh Presbyterian Church, Charing Cross Road – designed by James Cubitt and opened in 1888. Converted into offices in 1994…The Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, opened in 1891 as the Royal English Opera House. It was designed by Richard D’Oyly Carte. It became a variety theatre in 1892…The White Horse a Sam Smith’s pubThe Angel, in St Giles High Street, is a little oasis of calm – being a Sam Smith’s pub it has retained its Victorian features…Sam Smith’s is still family-owned and uses Shire-horse drawn drays in Tadcaster, their beers are all organic and all brewed in accordance with the Reinheitsegebot – i.e. water, hops, malted barley and yeast – however, worthy though all this is – the beers are all dull…There are 3 little bars and a courtyardThis used to be the Red Lion and it was here in an upstairs room where, in 1847, the communist party held its second congress. Between November 29th and December 8th, Marx and Engels came up with their manifesto (inspired by Mary Burns), which was published in February 1848. The rest, as they say, is history…90 Wardour Street was home to the Marquee Club from 1964 – 1988Soho SquareThe French Protestant Church in Soho Square
Oxford Street:
Selfridges, Oxford Street
Westminster Abbey:
Central Hall opened in 1912 as a centenary monument to John Wesley, principal founder of the Methodist church. Quite why it’s a “centenary monument” given that John Wesley lived from 1703-1791, I don’t know. The Attorney General’s OfficeWestminster Abbey ceased to be an abbey in 1559 – it isn’t a cathedral, either…Westminster Abbey – started off as a small Benedictine monastery around 960 and was endowed by Edward the Confessor. In the middle of the 13th century it was rebuilt in a gothic style by Henry III. Since 1560 it has been a royal peculiar and its correct title is “Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster” and is under the control of the crown. It is astonishingly lovely and well worth visiting but it costs adults £27 to get in…The Abbey contains over 600 monuments, and wall tablets – the most important collection of monumental sculpture anywhere in the country…Around 3,300 people are buried in the church and surrounding cloisters…Consecrated in 1516, the glorious Lady chapel was built by King Henry VII, first of the Tudor monarchs. This has a spectacular fan-vaulted roof and the craftsmanship of Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano can be seen in Henry’s fine tomb.
Houses of Parliament:
The oldest part of the Palace of Westminster is Westminster Hall, which was built in 1097 by William II. Over the centuries the palace was extended and rebuilt but was also destroyed by fires in 1263, 1298 and 1512. In 1789, a report signed by fourteen architects complained about the danger of fire at Westminster. Needless to say these complaints were ignored even when, in 1828, John Soane again drew attention to the fire risk, pointing out that much of the Palace was constructed of timber covered with plaster. On the night of 16 October 1834, a devastating fire broke out. The fire quickly swept through the entire Palace and destroyed many of its buildings. Westminster Hall was saved, and the wind was blowing away from the Jewel Tower, which preserved the historic records stored inside it.In 1835, a Parliamentary Committee decided that the Palace should be rebuilt in either the Gothic or Elizabethan style. A design competition was held and won by the architect Charles Barry, who drew up plans for a new Gothic-Revival palace. Construction began in 1840 and was completed in 1870. Big Ben was installed in the Clock Tower in 1859.County Hall was the home of London’s government, in the form of the London County Council and latterly the Greater London Council (GLC) and Inner London Education Authority (ILEA). It was designed by Ralph Knott, started in 1911 and opened in 1922. Various other blocks were added in the 1930’s and building was completed in 1974.In 1986, the GLC was abolished and the building lost its role as the London government’s seat…
Whitehall:
The Guards Crimean War Memorial, St James’Commissioned by King Edward VII to commemorate Queen Victoria’s death, and designed by Sir Aston Webb and completed in 1912, Admiralty Arch stands at the end of The Mall.Looking along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace The Old Admiralty Building was designed by Thomas Ripley and completed in 1726The Household Cavalry Museum sits within Horse Guards in Whitehall, and dates from 1750. The Household Cavalry was formed in 1661 by King Charles II and now consists of the two senior regiments of the British Army – The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals.St James’s Park includes The Mall and Horse Guards Parade, and is surrounded by Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Whitehall. It covers about 57 acres (23ha). King Henry VIII established a deer park here in the 1530s. In 1603, King James I had the park landscaped and King Charles II had further changes made in the 1660’s. The park today reflects the changes made by John Nash in the 1820s on instruction by George IV.
Victoria:
Westminster Cathedral is relatively modern in historical terms. Building began in 1895 and completed in 1903. The architect was John Francis BentleyIt’s a bit gloomy inside…An 1864 rebuild of the 1831 Blue Coat Boy was named after the recently-deceased Prince Consort; Grade II listed and one of very few Victorian buildings left on a street now largely modern glass and concrete…It’s taken longer to renovate Victoria Station than it did to build it…The London Brighton & South Coast Railway Station opened in October 1860. In 1909, the South Eastern & Chatham Railway opened an adjacent station. The two stations were joined in 1923. Between 2010-19, Network Rail spent £700m upgrading the station followed by further renovation and improvements that are still underway
Berkeley Square:
Mayfair:
Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers art galleryThe Third Church of Christ Scientist, Curzon Street, opened in 1911. It looks very grand…But inside…
Hyde Park:
Wellington Arch was built as an original entrance to Buckingham Palace, later becoming a victory arch proclaiming Wellington’s defeat of Napoleon. Crowned by the largest bronze sculpture in Europe, it depicts the Angel of Peace descending on the ‘Quadriga’ – or four-horsed chariot – of War. The 18ft statue of Achilles, the Greek hero of the Trojan War, commemorates the soldier and politician, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852). It was installed by order of King George III and unveiled on 18 June 1822. The statue was made by Sir Richard Westmacott using 33 tonnes of bronze from cannons captured in Wellington’s campaigns in France. The body of the statue is modelled on a Roman figure on Monte Cavallo in Italy. The head is based on the Duke himself.Australian War Memorial, Hyde Park Corner – unveiled in 2003 – this photo doesn’t convey the size and shape of the memorial. When seen from above it is shaped like a boomerang – very clever…New Zealand War Memorial, Hyde Park Corner – unveiled in 2006 – is more affecting and hypnotic than this photo suggestsFrom the sublime to insulting: after the poignant Australia and New Zealand war memorials – there’s this monument to avarice. The oddly named Number One Hyde Park, which used to be an ugly 1970’s tower block here. It’s a perverse achievement that they’ve replaced it with something worse: 4 ugly residential blocks….The Devonshire Gates, Green Park
Bayswater:
St Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral – on Moscow RoadThe Synagogue on St Petersburgh PlaceA Volvo Amazon with a 1965 registration…
Little Venice:
This area of London is known as Little Venice…This area of London is known as Little Venice…
Paddington:
The Paddington Arm of the Grand Union CanalLondon’s Paddington Station – the London terminus of the Great Western Railway (GWR). Isambard Kingdom Brunel was planning a grand building at Paddington but was ordered to economise due to the soaring costs of building the main line. A temporary station opened in 1838 using the arches of Bishop’s Bridge Road as a façade and to provide passenger facilities. The new line went as far as Maidenhead. As the main line through to Bristol was opened, and the GWR’s involvement with other companies whose railways joined with the main line increased, the temporary terminus was extended. In 1850 construction began on a new station, the design of which was influenced by the use of wrought iron and glass in Crystal Palace…
Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington:
The Royal College of MusicThe Royal College of OrganistsA statue of Prince Albert in front of Albert HallThis would be a lot more colourful if the flags were unfurled – but hey – the embassies of: Azerbaijan; Belarus; Mongolia; St Kitts & Nevis and lastly St Vincent & Grenadines. I’ve got my visa for Belarus… At the Zambian embassy: visa secured
Kensington Palace Gardens:
The Albert Memorial undergoing restorationThe Albert Memorial was designed by George Gilbert Scott and built between 1864-1876Fully restoredKensington Palace: King William and Queen Mary asked Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral, to turn Nottingham House into a palace. . The clerk of works, Nicholas Hawksmoor, was told to do the job quickly and cheaply so that’s why Kensington Palace was built with bricks, rather than stone. It was completed in six months and William and Mary moved in on Christmas Eve 1689. Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace and lived here until 1837.The Elfin Oak: the Elfin Oak sculpture was designed by Ivor Innes in 1930 and is made from the trunk of an ancient oak tree which originated in Richmond Park. It was given to The Royal Parks by Lady Fortescue in response to an appeal to improve facilities in the Royal Parks.In Kensington Palace GardensIn Kensington Palace GardensThis is a memorial to John Hanning-Speke: in 1858 whilst on an expedition with Richard Burton he became the first westerner to see what we now call Lake Victoria – he later died of gunshot wounds from his own gunThis bronze statue of a man on horseback is called Physical Energy and is the work of the British artist George Frederic Watts (1817-1904). This statue is one of three – the other two are in Cape Town and Harare…This travesty is built around a genuine 1932 Rolls Royce…
Sloane Square:
The Holy Trinity Church was dubbed the Cathedral of the Arts and Crafts Movement by the Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman – the stained glass windows are marvellous…The stunning East Window was designed by Edward Burne-Jones and Morris & Co
Olympia:
Kensington Olympia: Destinations Show – holiday & travel showVisiting a travel show at London’s Olympia called: “Destinations” – can be a bit traumatic. You discover that most of the visitors are even older than you are; you discover that none of the countries you want to visit are represented – small, out of the way places like Ukraine, Russia, Indonesia; and you come across travel companies with unbelievably stupid names. Really: “Travel the Unknown” – what? Like in Star Trek?Undiscovered Destinations – seriously? Earthbound Expeditions – give them time.. I had a brilliant trip to TunisiaI picked up some useful brochures from the Moroccan stand but didn’t plan my trip well, at all…Jordan had a smart standAbu Dhabi: neither the biggest nor the tallestEgypt’s pretty half-arsed stand
South Kensington:
The Natural History MuseumThe Victoria and Albert MuseumHarrodsThe peace and tranquillity of the haven that is St Mary Abbot, KensingtonThe Churchill ArmsThe Churchill Arms
Brompton Road:
The Brompton OratoryMichelin House was originally builtas the MichelinTyre Company’s UK headquarters, which opened in 1911. The building was designed by François Espinasse. The front of the art deco building was originally a tyre-fitting bay for passing motorists; the building also housed a sales area and a touring office, where motorists could plan their journeys. In 1985, Michelin sold Michelin House to publisher Lord Paul Hamlyn and retailer/restaurateur Sir Terence Conran. They subsequently extended the building, restoring many of its original features and creating replicas of the windows and cupolas using drawings and photos. The name Bibendum dates back to the 1890’s when Michelin created a mascot from a stack of tyres known as “The Michelin Man” or “Bib”. Bib was often seen raising a glass in his ads with the words ‘Nunc est Bibendum’, which is Latin for ‘now is the time to drink’. Kensington SquareAbingdon Road – several houses in this road have wisteria adorning themThe Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Ennismore GardensEnnismore Garden MewsSt Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Allen Street – as with the Greek Cathedral it is only open for services
Parsons Green:
The White Horse, Parsons Green
Earls Court:
Utterly baffling signs – Earls Court – home to confused travellersA group of Kiwis celebrating National Day by going on a pub crawl around the Circle Line – I assumed they were Aussies as Dick Smith is an Australian retailer but they have stores in NZ, too, now. Although, they had just gone into liquidation…
Missing:
Chelsea, Holland Park, Notting Hill, Portobello
Hammersmith & Fulham
Hammersmith:
St Paul’s School, Hammersmith
Fulham Palace:
This Holm Oak in Fulham Palace Gardens is thought to have been planted in the 1550’s – some estimates put it as early as 1495…This Holm Oak in Fulham Palace Gardens is thought to have been planted in the 1550’s – some estimates put it as early as 1495…
Missing:
More of Fulham & Hammersmith…
Southbank
Bankside:
Emilija & Vasja catch up on the latest gossip from Skopje…
Greenwich:
Lucy & Jack with half of London by the statue to General Wolfe – generously donated by the people of Canada (though possibly not the people of Quebec)…General Wolfe has a commanding view over the River Thames to Canary Wharf and the Isle of DogsOne of several old (Spanish) sweet chestnut trees planted in the 1660’sOne of several old (Spanish) sweet chestnut trees planted in the 1660’sJack investigating one of several old (Spanish) sweet chestnut trees that were planted in the 1660s
Rotherhithe:
Entrance to the Rotherhithe tunnelThe Norwegian ChurchNext door is a Finnish Church but it is in a block of flats so didn’t take a photoThe Brunel Museum – ought to be really interesting, right?This is it and it cost £6 to get in – the Thames Tunnel wasn’t even open…St Mary’s Church, Rotherhithe was completed in 1716, replacing a 12th century building. It was designed by John James, an associate of Sir Christopher Wren You can’t actually go inside St Mary’s church beyond the foyer – so this picture is taken through the glass in the locked doorsIn July 1620, the Mayflower set off from Rotherhithe with 65 passengers. They sailed to Southampton for supplies and to rendezvous with the Speedwell but after many delays, false starts and a devastating leak, the Speedwell’s journey with The Mayflower was abandoned. On 6th September, 1620, Captain Jones, along with 102 passengers and approximately 30 crew members, set sail from Plymouth for Virginia but landed in what is now Cape Cod in November. Captain Jones later returned to London on the Mayflower, arriving in Rotherhithe on 6th May 1621…In 1958, Mann, Crossman & Paulin merged with Watney Combe & Reid to become Watney Mann Ltd. Their Albion Brewery in Whitechapel closed in 1979. Manns Brown Ale is now brewed by Marston’s…
Southwark:
The Imperial War MuseumSouthwark ParkTwo Caryatids in Southwark Park that once guarded the entrance to Rotherhithe Town Hall and have been here since 2011 They were sculpted by Henry Poole (1873-1928) whose most notable other works include the sculptural detail on Westminster Central Hall and the exquisite Blackfriars pub…Curiously, despite its name, the London Plane is not native to the UK – it is thought to be a hybrid of the Oriental Plane and American Plane and introduced from Spain in the 17th century…
Southwark’s Cathedrals:
Southwark Cathedral of St Saviour and St Mary Overie – legend has it that was a community of nuns based here in 7th century but the Domesday Book of 1086 is the first written record of a church on this site. In 1106 the church was incorporated into a priory and the church dedicated to St Mary – later St Mary Overie (as in “over the river”). The church was under the control of the Diocese of Winchester.Following the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 and the church became the property of Henry VIII, who rented it out to the parishioners and it was renamed St Saviour’s. In 1611, the church was sold by King James I. It became a cathedral in 1905.The tomb and effigy of William ShakespeareThe remains of the Bishop of Winchester’s Palace. The prostitutes in Southwark were under the jurisdiction of the bishops of Winchester, who taxed them accordingly. They became known as “Winchester geese” and gave rise to expressions such as “goose bumps”, which allude to contracting syphilis…The Catholic Cathedral of St George
Borough Market:
London Bridge:
The George – last surviving galleried coaching inn in LondonIt is now owned by the National Trust
The Horniman Museum, Forest HillThe Horniman Museum, Forest HillThe Horniman Museum, Forest HillHavelock Walk – a little mews with studios in it – very arty…Havelock Walk – a little mews with studios in it – very arty…Havelock Walk – very colourful…This used to be the Tesco in Forest Hill – and I worked here for a while – about 100 years agoThis fine Art Deco building in Forest Hill is now a Wetherspoon. The décor is looking a bit tired – it could do with some refreshment…The rather grand looking Christ Church, in Forest Hill, dates from 1854 – so quite recent – declared redundant in 2003 and is now a mix of private residences with a small area retained for worship….For some reason there is this German church in Forest Hill. This ugly building dates from 1959 and replaced the German church in Sydenham – which was destroyed by German bombs in WW2…This Elim Pentecostal Church in Brockley looks a bit more Germanic than the Bonhoeffer Church in Forest Hill. It was built in 1893 and was formerly St George’s Church but the CoE sold it in 2003 to the Elim church….
Morden Hall Park:
Morden Hall Park – a 120 acre park owned by the National Trust…The roaring River Wandle – the Wandle rises in Croydon and flows for 20km before joining the Thames at WandsworthMorden Hall Park Morden Hall Park Not all of heaven’s gates are gildedAn old snuff mill – odd to think of, now…There’s an important wetland reserve here…Morden Hall ParkMorden Hall ParkOn the banks of the Wandle
Colliers Wood:
Colliers Wood
Balham:
St John’s and St Mary’s in Balham
Brixton:
There’s a windmill in Brixton – I couldn’t get any closer as the park was closed, which is a bit odd on a Saturday afternoon – http://www.brixtonwindmill.org/.St Matthew’s Church, Brixton was also closedThis pub was open – but I didn’t go in – far too hip and trendy for an old bloke like me…As made famous by Guyana-born musician Eddy Grant…A Renault 4
St Andrew’s Church in Totteridge dates from 1706…Inside St Andrew’s Church – it is quite pretty but otherwise unremarkable – except for one thing…The Yew tree on the left is reckoned to be about 2,000 years old – although the oldest tree in London, the Yew tree in the church yard in Fortingall, Perthshire is estimated to be the oldest in the U.K. at around 3,000 years old…
Woodside Park:
What is there to see in Woodside Park…A little bit of Belarus in Woodside Park, north London – opened in December 2016 it is the first wooden church to be built in London since the Great Fire in 1666…At Marian House, Woodside ParkSt Barnabas’ Church, Woodside Park
Canons Park:
St Lawrence Church – only open for services – adjacent to Canons Park. The land was originally owned by the Priory of St Bartholomew the Great. It later became a palace for the first Duke of Chandos – the land became a park after WW2…
Dollis Hill:
Unfortunately, it’s a bit gloomy today…Dollis Hill House was once the home of William Gladstone and later Mark Twain stayed here, saying that he had “never seen any place that was so satisfactorily situated, with its noble trees and stretch of country, and everything that went to make life delightful, and all within a biscuit’s throw of the metropolis of the world”Wembley Stadium – seen from Dollis HillNow a block of flats, this was the Post Office Research Station, which opened in 1933. A centre of research and investigation of electronic communication. Everything from new signal methods to cable testing were explored there. It was home to the Colossus Computer – the world’s first programmable electronic computer, created in Dollis Hill. Head engineer, Tommy Flowers, led a team who designed and built the cipher machine Colossus which was used by the code breakers at Bletchley Park to decode defence tactic messages from Hitler’s office and army generals helping the Allied Forces plan their D-Day approach that ended the war.
Willesden Green:
Edward’s Bakery, High Road, Willesden GreenThe Sikh Temple in Willesden Road…This used to be St Andrew’s Church but is now apartments..
Kilburn:
Kilburn High RoadThe colourful Islamic Centre…St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn
Walthamstow:
God’s Own Junkyard, Walthamstow – this place has to be seen to be believed – http://www.godsownjunkyard.co.ukGod’s Own Junkyard – entry is free, donations welcome, and they have a nice little café – there’s a gin distillery next door and there are two microbreweries in the vicinity…God’s Own JunkyardGod’s Own JunkyardGod’s Own JunkyardGod’s Own JunkyardGod’s Own JunkyardWalthamstow is a surprising place – it is home to the William Morris Gallery as well as God’s Own Junkyard and the Vestry House Museum…St Mary’s Church dates from Saxon timesThe “Ancient House” (as it is known) dates from the 15th century and a Victorian post boxThe intriguing Vestry House MuseumThe first petrol-engine car to be made in England was made in 1892 by Frederick William Bremer in his garden shed in Walthamstow…The first aeroplane flight by an English aircraft was made by AV Roe in Walthamstow…Walthamstow was a major centre for toy manufacturingWalthamstow village has an amazing Spar – accolades include: ‘The Grocer Magazine’s Best Store in the UK 2012’ and ‘2013 Finalists for Best Store in the World‘ – https://www.eat17.co.uk/Walthamstow has Europe’s longest street market – https://walthamforest.gov.uk/content/walthamstow-marketKeeping East End traditions alive… – http://www.manze.co.ukThere’s one, maybe two plague pits at St. Mary’s Church in Walthamstow: one from the Black Death and one from the 1665 plague. ‘Vinegar Alley’ is said to take its name from the ditches dug near the churchyard, which were doused with vinegar in an attempt to stop the plague from spreading…
