Emily Laurence Baker (2025)

07/04/2025

What a delight to get a tpur of the Hampton Court Palace greenhouses with Jo Ward, . The glorious landscapes the Palace is famous for begin in a modest nursery area, with painstaking efforts by a team of fulltime gardeners assisted by earnest volunteers.

It is a massive job, made challenging by not-so-cutting edge facilities, unwanted insects, the vagaries of hot and cold temperatures, and an army of rats.

There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes!

31/03/2025

What a difference a week makes. These images of the Privy Garden at Hampton Court Palace were taken exactly one week apart.

The team of Hampton Court Palace gardeners work incredibly hard to ensure the palace is continuously framed in beauty.

Privy is a fancy word for private, so these gardens located on the south side of the palace would have been important to the resident monarch.

They began with Thomas Wolsey, and when Henry VIII took over the Palace, he expanded them. Today, they are kept in the very formal style preferred by William and Mary in the late 1600s.

As you can see, they change regularly, so it's always a pleasure to see what is blooming.

28/03/2025

Reminders of Queen Victoria are dotted around London and it’s always fun to encounter one that now seems kind of randomly positioned amidst modern traffic patterns. I love this clock tower at Highbury Hill in Islington commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

The memorial was presented to the Islington Vestry in 1897 by local resident, Alfred Hutchinson. There are a number of Jubilee Clock towers around Britain in honour of the Jubilee.

Today traffic streams past; I wonder how many people stop to admire the beauty of the past.

13/03/2025

I’m following the trail of Charles Dickens today with some lawyers from the U.S. We are walking through the divine squares of Bloomsbury and into the peaceful refuges of London’s inns of court, the ancient institutions from which all barristers in England and Wales are called to the bar.

We will pass through the impressive gate of Lincoln’s Inn, the oldest and largest of the inns, and step into the chapel which dates from 1623 but contains older remnants.

Lincoln’s Inn is a central backdrop in Dickens’s "Bleak House", where, “at the very heart of the fog, sits the Lord High Chancellor in his High Court of Chancery.”
The Old Hall served as a courtroom until the Royal Courts of Justice were built in 1870s.

Gray’s Inn is where Mr Dickens clerked as a young lad. In South Square we will see the actual building where he toiled and then wander through “the Walks,” the gardens of this esteemed institution, which is one of the largest private gardens in town. The Walks are open every day from 12-2:30.

Charles had a rather gloomy perspective though, writing in “All the Year Round,” “Indeed, I look upon Gray’s Inn generally as one of the most depressing institutions in brick and mortar known to the children of men.”

Let’s hope my visiting lawyers don’t see it that way.

11/03/2025

Everytime I walk along Barton Street in Westminster, I like to imagine that Clarissa Dalloway, the protagonist of Virginia Woolf’s novel, Mrs Dalloway, might be walking in front of me. I’m sure that she lived in one of these grand houses, close to the Palace of Westminster, where her husband, Richard, was an MP.

This week, I’m taking groups of students who are studying the novel along the route that Mrs Dalloway followed when she went to buy flowers for her party.

We will begin at my proposed residence, and then head over to Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square, both of which feature in the novel.

As we gaze at the Houses of Parliament, we will ponder how Woolf feared that the government would encourage people to forget about the horrors of the First World War. “The fruits of our victory will grow as dusty as ornaments under glass cases in lodging house drawing rooms,” she wrote just before 11 November 1918. Just so that people wouldn’t forget the psychological and physical devastation suffered, Woolf resolved to write “a historical disquisition on the return of peace” – brought together by the characters milling around in her head.

Mrs Dalloway was published in 1925 and I believe remains a quintessential post-war London novel.

My students tell me it’s not an easy read but more memorable when brought to life in the streets of Westminster.

03/03/2025

I’ve been walking the streets of Bloomsbury and Holborn recently while preparing a Charles Dickens tour for some legally-minded guests. And I found a delightful respite off the busy Gray’s Inn Road that I’d never really noticed before, St Andrew’s Gardens.

This land was originally an overflow burial ground for St Andrew’s Holborn Church, a short distance away by Holborn Viaduct. The burial ground was closed in 1850 due to overcrowding (as with many London cemeteries) and reopened in 1885 as a public park. Today it is a restful place with a powerful reminder of the past, as tombs remain amongst the pathways. Some headstones are lined up off to the side, a common practice in the 19th century when many burial yards were converted to gardens.

As this is very close to Charles Dickens’s former home (the present-day Dickens Museum) in Doughty Street, it’s possible he visited here when it would have been a burial site.

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27/02/2025

How often do you pass by glorious buildings in London and think, “I’ll come back and visit this later…”

Next time you are near Lincoln’s Inn, by Chancery Lane Underground, don’t hesitate; have a peak inside the Chapel. Although Lincoln’s Inn dates from the 13th century and has written records from this site from 1422, the Chapel was built in the 1620s. There has been significant rebuilding but when you climb those stairs, you are stepping well into the past.

The stunning 17th-century east window depicts heraldic coats of arms from treasurers of the Inn. Also notice the detailed carvings on the pew ends. Glorious!

Lincoln’s Inn is the oldest of the four remaining Inns of Court, some of London’s oldest and most intriguing features. The four inns: Inner and Middle Temple, Gray’s Inn and Lincoln’s are professional organizations for barristers and it is from the inns that barristers in England and Wales are “called to the bar.”

The inns began in roughly the 14th century, as training and lodging establishments for barristers. Today many barristers have their chambers in one of the inns. The grounds of Lincoln’s Inn are accessible from the main gate at Lincoln’s Inn Fields and also from Chancery Lane.

The chapel is usually open weekdays from 9-5, although it does close for special services. But if you’re lucky and find it open, you are very likely to be alone and it’s a wonderful place for quiet contemplation, a bit of respite from the bustle of London streets.

24/02/2025

Sometimes the inside is even better than the outside. London’s Goldsmith’s Hall on Gresham Street in the Square Mile is a handsome building but its interior is sumptuous.

No expense was spared here! Marble, gilded wood, over-the-top chandeliers and astounding ceilings abound. Some of my favourite features are the gilded statue of St Dunstan, patron saint of the Goldsmiths. He used to pose on the Company’s river barge but now is keeping watch over the building’s majestic atrium.

The 10 types of marble on the main staircase are impressive and I was awestruck by the ceiling in the Great Hall. It is a “coffered” ceiling, referring to that rectangular grid pattern which isn’t uncommon but this one has a whole lot of gold. I just wanted to don my ball gown and twirl the night away!

The Goldsmiths Company is one of the 112 livery companies in the City of London. It received a Royal Charter in 1327 but it’s likely the company existed as a trade guild well before that, responsible for testing the quality of metals, mostly gold and silver. Goldsmiths is one of the few Guilds that is still involved with its original mission. The Trial of the Pyx, an ancient ceremony to ensure new coins from the Royal Mint conform to proper standards, takes place here annually.

Goldsmith’s Hall is open to the public occasionally, for the annual Goldsmith’s Fair in the Autumn and also on open days when tours are available.

14/02/2025

"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart."

From "Emma" by Jane Austen
Heart by the wonderful Jummy C, Stoney Street by Borough Market

12/02/2025

How happy am I? March is going to be deliciously full of literary tours. I’m happily pulling books from my shelves to help craft bespoke walks with some delightful angles from straightforward Bloomsbury Group and Charles Dickens trails, to more focused walks on specific books.

How lucky is this guide to live in one of the best literary cities in the world? There are specialist museums, bookshops, statues, houses, gardens…everywhere you turn, there is a literary reference. Heaven.

07/02/2025

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens and Happy 100th Birthday to the Charles Dickens Museum! This splendid museum, located in the only remaining London residence of the great writer, first opened its doors in 1925. To celebrate, the museum is displaying some of the first objects to enter the museum, together with recent acquisitions, in the context of an overview of his life and work.

I particularly enjoyed an exhibition on portraits. We tend to think of him as the older, distinguished bearded man but he was rather boyish and innocent looking in his early days. There’s even the chance to see the “Lost Portrait,” which was originally displayed at the Royal Academy in 1844 but then disappeared. It turned up, of course, in a house clearance sale in South Africa in 2017.

There are also original manuscripts (so fun to see scribbles and cross marks); his quill pen; personal letters and even his hairbrush.

The special exhibition opened earlier this week and is on until 29 June 2025. The museum is at 40 Doughty Street and open Weds-Sun 10-5, last entry 4pm.

03/02/2025

One of my favourite walking places in London is Brompton Cemetery, which might seem strange to those who are spooked by being surrounded by the dead. But I find it a place full of life. It’s a popular dog walking and jogging site for locals, and there is an abundance of wildlife.

The original cemetery planners intended for this 40-acre site to be used for recreation as well as for burials. Not long after the first burials occurred in 1840, Londoners would come here to picnic and enjoy the open space.

The burial ground was laid out in 1839 when London’s population was growing at a rapid rate and the small churchyards in the City of London became dangerously overcrowded.

Although it’s particularly lovely in summer months, the cemetery is broody and atmospheric in winter when the absence of leaves allows the layout to be seen more clearly. There are benches throughout, inviting people to relax with a book, a companion, or just to contemplate life.

28/01/2025

Pride and Prejudice! On this day in 1813, 212 years ago, Jane Austen’s momentous book was published.

A novel title known all over the world, and one that has spawned an extraordinary number of spin-offs, including books, stage productions, and numerous versions of films of the same title. It’s also inspired many derivative films, including the splendid Bridget Jones and (oh dear) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Pride and Prejudice is regularly at the top of “most beloved novels” in numerous countries and it is one of the greatest publishing sensations of all time.

I often wonder, what would Jane have thought of all this attention?

I think she would have been delighted, horrified, and perhaps a bit bemused. There is a much-touted myth that Austen wrote for her own amusement, to pass the time between embroidery and perfecting musical technique.

I think she was an ambitious writer with an eye on the bottom line. A writer who couldn’t manage her own career due to societal constraints. She was a woman of contrasts, and her most famous novel is equally complex.

Pride and Prejudice is often misread as a frothy tale of silly women in pursuit of husbands. On the surface, perhaps. But deeper reading reveals Austen’s intention to showcase the limited choices available to women during the 1700s, the lack of control over their destinies and the absurdity of certain societal structures among the aristocracy.

Even though some of those constraints no longer exist, the pride and prejudices with which we greet the world are universal. And if that’s not enough for you, the dialogue and characterizations are so very funny and stand the test of time.

24/01/2025

A very grand chapel interior and one that few people even realise exists. The King’s Chapel of the Savoy, more commonly known as the Savoy Chapel, is tucked in behind the Savoy Hotel – and no, there is no connection other than the shared name. The name comes from the Savoy Palace, a medieval palace located on the Strand, the royal ceremonial route that linked the City of London with the Palace of Westminster. (Very technically the name originated with Count Peter of Savoy who purchased the original 13th-century palace on this site.)

This was a prime location for nobility, as your grand house would have river frontage and a private boat landing away from the general stench of the city. The Savoy was the grandest of the grand, belonging to powerful John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. But his home was destroyed during the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 and years later, King Henry VII founded the Savoy Hospital, a refuge for the homeless, on this site.

Today’s chapel is the only surviving building of that complex. Although the basic structure dates from the 16th-century, the interior was completely renovated in the 1800s after two serious fires.

The Chapel is the spiritual home of the Duchy of Lancaster, the private estate held in trust for the Sovereign. So this is, in essence, King Charles’ private chapel. Apparently he doesn’t visit too often but I highly recommend dropping in if you are in the area. It’s usually open on Monday-Thursday mornings into the early afternoon. The entrance is on Savoy Street, behind the famous hotel.

10/01/2025

It’s not too often that you get up to ceiling height in an historic London building but this week, I found myself inches away from a particularly lovely one in the north wing of St Bartholomew’s Hospital on a special “Anatomy of the North Wing” tour.

Our lucky group climbed scaffolding where curators have been painstakingly brushing away centuries of grime from the ceiling and walls of the 18th-century Great Hall. The grand room was originally where hospital directors held fundraising banquets and more recently has hosted cultural events receptions and even students’ examinations.

The other restoration going on in the north wing is on the well-known Hogarth Staircase which boasts two enormous wall paintings done for free by William Hogarth in 1737. The staircase provided a grand entrance to the Great Hall above. One painting tells the biblical story of the Good Samaritan and depicts wounded and ill figures. Students at one time were invited to identify the ailments on view.

Bart’s is London’s oldest hospital, dating back to 1123. The £10 million restoration project is part of the hospital’s 900th birthday celebrations and has mostly been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Staircase and Great Hall are scheduled to re-open to the public later this year with special tours and events.

The final Anatomy of North Wing tour is on 27 January.

16/12/2024

Happy birthday, Jane Austen. On this day in 1775, one of England's greatest writers was born at a farmhouse in Steventon, where her father was rector at St Nicholas Church.

Her worldwide popularity is astounding, considering she had little formal education. Some people dismiss her as writing mindless domestic dramas because her novels don't dwell on the politics of the moment.

I think she was one of our great feminist writers and so very funny, sometimes downright scathing in her cynicism.

I am looking forward to exploring her lasting appeal in a course at Oxford in the new year. I will share some insights here.

England has lots of places associated with Miss Austen. I love to reconvene with her in Chawton where you can see her writing desk, personal trinkets and absorb the flavour of her life.

Happy Birthday, Jane, and thank you for many hours of enjoyment.

13/12/2024

There is a lot of hype surrounding “Poets and Lovers”, the current Van Gogh exhibition at The National Gallery. Tickets sold out rapidly and it’s led to a flurry of people joining the Gallery in order to gain access.

The exhibition, which displays some 61 works, including drawings and paintings, unites some rarely seen pictures with old favourites. I was delighted for the chance to view so many pieces from private collections and some on loan for the first time.

Because the show focuses on only two years of Van Gogh’s life, 1888-1889, the proliferation of works is striking. “Poets and Lovers” communicates what a careful planner the artist was, as to how finished works should be displayed and how they interact with one another.

The National Gallery has the space to show them as Van Gogh intended and it allows viewers to focus on his art rather than his psychological profile. What a treat to see two versions of Sunflowers, one the National Gallery’s own and one from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, bookend La Berceuse (The Lullaby) in a triptych which Van Gogh had always envisioned.

So special to have a fresh look at a much-discussed artist.

Poets and Lovers is until 19 January 2025.

12/12/2024

A fun side element of being a tourist guide is enjoying hotel lobbies (and washrooms but that’s another story). And it’s especially fun at Christmas. I think my award this year goes to Claridges, where the Christmas tree is designe by Paul Smith. Bright colours and fanciful workings abound.

There are 100 birdhouses, including a series of mechanical ones created by artist Nik Ramage. Birdsong trills through the lobby. It’s well worth popping in even if you aren’t greeting a guest there.

Emily Laurence Baker