Some places in London shared by a Local

 

Christine's Corner   

While the weather was good, the views were stunning and we walked around the entire cove

 

While on the Isle of Wight for a HF Holiday country house walk, I met a lovely woman

at the breakfast table one morning.   Most of the guests were British (I was the only American) and

I chatted with Christine about suggestions for places to visit in London that are not featured in most travel books.    

Below are a few of her suggestions.   As a London resident I hope she will continue to share unique places to add to my yearly visit to London.

Bunhill Fields Cemetery - burial place of Daniel Defoe, William Blake and others.

Abney Park Cemetery - burial place of William Booth. Lots of community activities take place here. Near to Stoke Newington Church Street - lots of nice shops and restaurants.

Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath - stately home bequeathed to the country, managed by English Heritage. Art gallery includes works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, among many others. Very nice cafe, beautiful vista from the house and, of course, walks on the Heath.

Wilton's Music Hall - rescued from dereliction- is now a theatre with bars and a cafe (not an actual music hall though!). Near to 'Battle of Cable Street' mural depicting locals taking on Oswald Mosley's  Union of Fascists in the 1930s. Also near to Jack the Ripper museum - a bit grim but very moving biographical information on the victims.

All Hallows by the Tower - very interesting crypt. Also quite near to the above.

St Olave's Church - very close to above. Samuel Pepys worshipped here. Both churches near to the Tower of London.

Where to Eat
Turkish Restaurants Green Lanes Harringay - lovely cheap fresh food, many restaurants to choose from. Nearest tube Manor House, Piccadilly Line.

Zedel - very reasonably priced, beautiful, art deco restaurant with street cafe, cabaret and American Bar. Bang in the middle of Piccadilly.

Thank you Christine, I look forward to many more posts
More on the HF Holiday stay soon.

London: Following Charles Dickens

I wanted to walk into a Charles Dickens novel and Context Travel  generously offered to show me this part  of London on their Charles Dickens walking tour

The Old Bell bar

I met my Context tour guide at The Old Bell bar on Fleet Street.  Dating back 300 years, the pub was rebuilt after the Great fire of London and is exactly what I think a pub should be.

A very rainy day did not dampen the enthusiasm of my amazing guide and we were soon off to our first stop 
The Brides Church.

Tucked behind this entrance is a shady, quiet courtyard.

As often happens while exploring a city, you can stumble upon the entrance to amazing places, small treasures tucked away from the main traffic.  

 St Bride's Church on Fleet street, also known as The Journalist's Church, has been the location of a church for centuries.  From the long history, as described by my guide and found on the church's web site, I learned that St. Bride's is "know worldwide as the 'journalists' Church, a spiritual home to all who work in the media."

The Brides Church is also know as the Journalists' Church

Below this quiet oasis is remnants of Roman pavement and visitors are welcome to explore the narrow passage way with artifacts and original walls exposed.

Guides at the palaces, cathedrals and famous houses in London never fail to amaze me with the centuries of history they can share.   

We stopped at the Old Curiosity Shop only to find it closed and now selling shoes.   Over the centuries the building has listed to the side a little.  It is under a protective order so shall  remain a wonderful reminder to the story Charles Dickens wrote and Little Nell and her grandfather.

Peering in the windows you can see wood floors, low ceilings, small doorways.  


The Streets Dickens Walked
Most of the streets and alleys that Dickens wrote about have been replaced with office buildings and modern architecture.   But a few small streets or narrow lanes still remain.

I was surprised to learn Dickens spent time as a law clerk in London  and our tour visited many of the Inns of Court in London.   The heavy rain may have kept the clerks and solicitors inside.  All the courtyards were empty and quiet.   I wonder if you can see wigged and robed barristers traveling too and from at other times?

• The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn
• The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
• The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
• The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn

The Inns of Court in London, professional associations that English barristers join,function as offices, libraries training and sometimes dining facilities for barristers. 1

The British system is far different than that of the USA and it may take a bit-of-a-study to understand the Inn's concept.   A tour of  the Inns alone would share a rich history of legal London.

Fountain Court in the center of Middle Temple

 

• White and red roses, symbol of the two sides in the Wars of the Roses
•  was outside one of the dining halls

Middle Temple hall

We also visited The Temple Church.   If you saw The Da Vinci Code you may recognize the Temple Church.  The 800 year old church was built by the Knights Templar.  According to church web site "the order of crusading monks were founded to protect pilgrims on their way to and from Jerusalem in the 12th century."

The domed portion of the Temple Church is modeled after the domed Church of the Rock in Jerusalem.  

The dome over the round part of the church

The round portion of the church has a wonderful group of carved stone faces, each with an original expression.

There is a wonderful collection of stone faces around the circular part of the church  See more photos here.



My thanks to Context Travel London for this wonderful complementary tour.  

All photos are the property of Mature Solo Travel 2016


1from Wickipdia as referenced

London in the fog

   

London Highgate Cemetery: The Dead Share Their Secrects

Highgate Cemetery:  London

One of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ historic cemeteries around London, Highgate Cemetery was described as the best example of Victorian architecture.

I have had a fascination with stone angles and other tomb sculptures for years so a visit to Highgate was on the top of my list.    I was not disappointed.

Highgate is divided into East and West sections.     Visiting the east side required a reservation and a ticket that I booked weeks in advance for Halloween, an appropriate day.

How strange that you must have a reservation and pay to visit the sleeping.

Promptly at 2 PM the small group was allowed to enter the chapel in the two story stone building at the entrance.   We were introduced to Peter and started our adventure.  For the next hour we were entertained, informed and gained a little insight into Victorian burial practices.   Dating back to 1839 there was much to learn.  A wonderful book available in the ticket office, “Highgate.  Saved by its Friends” was a good source of details on the history of the cemetery, the more famous people buried here and the distinctive architectural styles found.

My goal was to photograph the monuments throughout the cemetery, particularly the angles.   But there were many other buildings and decorative carvings that were equally as interesting.   Highgate is a rolling terrain of natural growth of trees and plants that surround the monuments and border the trails.  This is not the trimmed grass and standardize monument cemetery we find in many American locations.   At first glance you think the many acres are not tended.  Peter explained that invasive plants and trees are being replaced with other plants that will not damage the monuments.  

This is a very peaceful place.  Although only families of the interred and paid tours are permitted to visit, there is no sense of sorrow or dread.   The most noteworthy avenues lead you to the Joshua Tree which is believed to be 100+ years old.  The impressive Egyptian Avenue leady to the Circle of Lebanon.  You could easily spend all day in this beautiful ‘forest’, strolling and reading the inscriptions on the monuments.

Peter (our guide) pointed out some of the symbolism that the carvings depicted:

Lotus
Pointing angels
Wreaths
Inverted Torch
Broken Columns
Draped Urn

To describe each monument and give the history of the more famous ‘residents’ would become another book on this one of a kind locations.

www.highgatecemetery.org

Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust