London On The Ground

31/10/2024

We were very happy to supply some interesting facts about Angel for Islington Giving to include in their handmade charity crackers. 100% of the proceeds will help vulnerable people in Islington. Suggested donation £5 each. Available in a number of Islington locations. https://islingtongiving.org.uk/angel-crackers-pulling-together-to-end-loneliness-in-islington-this-winter/?utm_source=Islington+Giving&utm_campaign=788ea92e3c-October+2024+newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-41e5c825c6-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

30/10/2024

The Regent's Canal at Islington, between Danbury Street and City Road Lock, dusk, late October.

29/10/2024

Dr John Hunter, a renowned 18th century surgeon, had a villa and garden in Earl's Court, which included an animal menagerie and an institute of anatomy and physiology. He even had a lion's den!

The watercolour below is part of the 'Lost Gardens of London' exhibition at the Garden Museum, depicting disappeared gardens and parks from the 17th to the 21st centuries.

See more from this excellent exhibition on my blog:
https://www.londonontheground.com/post/lost-gardens-of-london-at-the-garden-museum

28/10/2024

The Bethlem Hospital in Moorfields, with its impressive courts, yards and gardens, c1747

This engraving by John Maurer is part of the 'Lost Gardens of London' exhibition at the Garden Museum, an eclectic collection of paintings, photographs and prints depicting disappeared gardens and parks from the 17th to the 21st centuries.

See more from this excellent exhibition, curated by landscape architect and historian Dr Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, on my blog:
https://www.londonontheground.com/post/lost-gardens-of-london-at-the-garden-museum

26/10/2024

St Paul's Cathedral from Peter's Hill. I photographed this view on one of my long walks in lockdown, May 2020, and again in October 2024.

25/10/2024

Great Arthur House, Golden Lane Estate, in the early evening sun.

For more on the City of London's modernist Golden Lane Estate and its architects, please see my post from earlier this year:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/XGmBfrGx6md9Cd5c/

23/10/2024

Walking along the South Bank of the River Thames today, I remembered taking photos there in the early weeks of the covid-19 lockdown in 2020. It's easy to forget how quiet London was and to take for granted how it needs people to energise it!

In each pair of pictures below, the first was taken on 2 May 2020 and the second was taken on 23 October 2024.

National Theatre Southbank Centre South Bank Book Market

23/10/2024

I was just walking past the always busy London Eye on the South Bank of the River Thames and remembered one of my solitary walks in the early weeks of the covid-19 lockdown, in May 2020, when nobody was there.

London without people in the streets was an empty shell, so it's great to see it bustling.

The Official London Eye

21/10/2024

Have you ever noticed the sculpted stone relief on The Monument to the Great Fire of London and wondered what it's all about?

Read my blog to discover its meaning!

https://www.londonontheground.com/post/the-monument-the-relief-and-its-meaning

11/10/2024

Mosaic, 'Old London Bridge at Night C15th', on the south bank of the Thames at Hay's Galleria.

On the other side of the river, the 21st century skyscrapers of the City of London's Eastern Cluster loom over the 19th century Custom House and the 17th century spire of St Dunstan in the East.

Old London Bridge was completed in 1209. Until 1758, it had shops and houses on it and was very crowded (it could take up to an hour to cross the bridge!). The buildings were all removed and the bridge widened by 1762 in order to improve traffic flow. In 1831 the old bridge was replaced by a new one 30 yards upstream, in turn replaced by the current London Bridge in 1967-73.

The mosaic was created in 2008 by what was then known as Southbank Mosaics and is now London School of Mosaic.

A charity based in Gospel Oak, London School of Mosaic states its mission is to "provide opportunities for well-being and social cohesion through the creation of mosaic art and other art activities". Working extensively with vulnerable people, it has over 350 installations in public spaces (including the Queenhithe mosaic, which depicts the entire history of London and which I wrote about in a recent blog post - see the link in my bio).

10/10/2024

I'm looking forward to leading this tour for St Mary Islington and Islington Guided Walks this Saturday, 12 October at 2pm

Please join us to learn about 1,000 years of Islington's history and for the best views in London from the church tower.

Tickets via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-mary-islington-church-and-tower-tour-tickets-542957158477

08/10/2024

Galeon Andalucia, a replica 17th century Spanish ship, will remain at St Katherine Docks until 14 October (last on board visit 13 October).

The four masted galleon is 130 feet long, has six sails and was completed built 2010.

07/10/2024

06/10/2024

A variety of interesting ships and boats at St Katherine Docks, close to the Tower of London.

These include:

Gloriana (the rowbarge built for the late Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012),

Two Thames Sailing Barges, Adieu (built 1929) and Gladys (1901),

Galeon Andalucia, a replica 17th century Spanish ship built in 2010.

St Katherine Docks has origins in the 12th century and was an important commercial dock for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. It is now a marina, with leisure and residential developments.

05/10/2024

Walking past the Tower of London recently, I couldn't resist taking some photos in the early evening sunshine.

Just a short walk from the relentless modernity of the 21st century City of London office blocks - and in spite of its makeover by the Victorians - the Tower retains a timeless quality acquired over nearly one thousand years since its foundation by William the Conqueror in the 12th century.

04/10/2024

Architect Richard Rogers loved buildings where you can see the lifts from the outside. There are four of his 'inside out' buildings in the City of London.

02/10/2024

Tower Hill tube station, Circle line train, early Saturday evening in September.

London On The Ground on the London Underground

01/10/2024

Tower Bridge opens for Thames Sailing Barge Will.

Built in 1925 with a steel hull, Will is 98 ft (30 m) long and operated as a cargo vessel until 1966. After a refit, she was used by P&O as a floating board room from 1986 until 1999. Will is now used for charter cruises on the Thames in London, the Estuary and the east coast.

Will is moored at Hermitage Moorings at Wapping when not cruising. Cruises start and/or end at Tower Pier, in the Pool of London, so require the opening of Tower Bridge to allow Will's masts through.

Tower Bridge

30/09/2024

I recently paid a rare visit to the Albert Memorial's hidden undercroft, as well as a close up look at its elaborately detailed sculptures above ground. See more on my blog.

https://www.londonontheground.com/post/the-albert-memorial-a-rare-look-at-the-undercroft

The Royal Parks

Simple brick arches support one of Victorian London's most elaborate monuments.I recently joined the first ever public tour of the Albert Memorial's hidden undercroft, whose plain brick arches are in stark contrast to the magnificently detailed complexity visible above. But first, some background on...

29/09/2024

'Girl with a Dolphin', a 17ft high 1973 sculpture by David Wynne (1926-2014), is on the north bank of the Thames just east of Tower Bridge.

I took the first photo on a sunny day in August 2020 during the covid pandemic while on a long walk and when few people were around and the sculpture's water fountain was switched off. Passing by yesterday, another sunny day, I took the second picture when the area was bustling with people and the fountain was gushing (see my third photo in the comments section below for a more complete view of the fountain).

The sculpture and its creator have fascinating stories.

David Wynne studied zoology at Trinity College Cambridge, but spent most of his time having fun, rowing and making sculpture (which he taught himself). Although his work was sometimes frowned upon by the art establishment and critics, he achieved considerable success.

Among his many commissions, he created sculptures of the late Queen, tennis player Fred Perry (at the All England Club at Wimbledon), actor John Gielgud, violinist Yehudi Menuhin, The Beatles and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (he introduced the Fab Four to the famous guru).

In preparation for 'Girl with a Dolphin', the sculptor spent hours swimming with a dolphin. In 2023 former tennis player and Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade revealed that she had been the n**e model for the human figure in the piece.

The sculptor created a sequel in 1974, 'Boy with a Dolphin', which is in Cheyne Walk in Chelsea. It was modelled on his then nine year old son Roly, who later took his own life at the age of 34. The sculpture was then dedicated to Roly's memory.

David Wynne was not troubled by criticism of his work. 'Nobody has yet erected a statue to a critic and I doubt anybody ever will,' he said.

27/09/2024

Tickets are still available for Monasteries, Martyrs, Murder & Meat tomorrow, 28 September at 11am (when the weather is forecast to be sunny).

"Fascinating and fabulous. Recommend for both London locals and visitors. Do it, you’ll love it."
"Another wonderful walk… excellent - and highly recommended."
"Fantastic, so interesting."

https://www.londonontheground.com/service-page/monasteries-martyrs-murder-meat?referral=service_list_widget

Visit the City of London

From St Paul's via Greyfriars & Old Bailey to Smithfield, St Bartholomew's & Charterhouse. London has a long and dark history of martyrs, public executions, body snatchers, crime and punishment - and butchery. "Fascinating and fabulous. Recommend for both London locals and visitors. Do it, you’ll ...

26/09/2024

Congratulations to all our newly qualified guides who received their certificates and Islington Guided Walks badges from Mayor of Islington Anjna Khurana last night at the Town Hall. Keep an eye out for them on the streets soon!

And if you'd like this to be you next year come along to our Meet the Guides evening on Wednesday 16 October and we'll take you on a free tour and tell you about our training course.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/clerkenwell-islington-tour-guiding-course-2025-meet-the-guides-tickets-1000290825787?aff=oddtdtcreator

26/09/2024

Images of the Priory Church of St John Clerkenwell at different times in its history.

Originally built for the Priory founded in 1144, the church was consecrated in 1185 and rebuilt many times both before and after the closure of the Priory by Henry VIII.

In 1723 it was rebuilt as a second parish church for Clerkenwell, before eventually reverting to the revived Order of St John in 1931.

Largely destroyed by bombing in World War II, it was replaced by the church we see today in 1951-58.

However, the crypt beneath the church is mostly the same as it was in the 12th century.

Museum of the Order of St John

25/09/2024

This week I was one of a group of guides from Islington Guided Walks leading walks for Dame Alice Owen's School, one of the oldest schools in England. We showed children in their first year at the school the area around Brewers' Hall in the City of London, where they received their traditional beer money.

The school's links with the Brewers' Company have endured for more than four centuries, going back to the school's founder, whose name it carries.

Born as Alice Wilkes in 1547-1616, she grew up in Islington when it was a rural village outside London and its southern fields were used for archery practice.

While still a young woman she was out walking with her servant in an area between Islington and Clerkenwell called the Hermitage Field. She asked a milkmaid if she could have a go at milking a cow.

As she sat down on the milking stool a stray arrow pierced her hat, but left her unscathed. She promptly vowed that one day she would create a legacy in gratitude for her escape from death.

Some five decades later, in 1613, she had been widowed three times and inherited considerable wealth from each of her husbands. Her servant (still with her) reminded her of the promise she had made.

Now called Alice Owen (her third husband was Thomas Owen), she bought the Hermitage Field and established a school, chapel and almshouse for the poor there. She asked the Brewers' Company, one of the City of London's livery companies, to manage her legacy into the future, because her first husband (with whom she had 11 of her 12 children) had been a member of the Company.

She died in 1616 and, although she had lived most of her adult life in the City, she was buried in her native Islington, at St Mary's on Upper Street. Her death mask is kept at Brewers' Hall.

Dame Alice Owen's School moved from Islington to Potter's Bar in Hertfordshire in 1974 and the almshouses and chapel no longer exist. However, street names such as Owen Street and Hermit Street in that part of Islington are reminders of her legacy.

The school's connection with the Brewers' Company has led to a tradition whereby the Master of the Company gives all students 'beer money' every year. Those in their first year at the school visit Brewers' Hall in the City of London to receive a £5 commemorative coin from the Master.

As part of their day in the City, we led a circular walk from Brewers' Hall and back, showing them sights such as Guildhall and explaining Alice Owen's links with the City of London as well as Islington. We also pointed out the similarities between their school crest and the Brewers' Company coat of arms.

Guides and students alike all had a very enjoyable time!