London – Page 3 – My London+

Three churches and something completely different

It was lovely to be back in London last week, and despite the rain (most welcome after the heatwave) I enjoyed it. I thought I’d start with the ‘something completely different’.

I began at This Bright Land currently at Somerset House courtyard (closes 29th August). The stalls don’t open until midday, but I just wanted a wander around and see what was there. I loved the garden, the toadstools, flamingos and giraffes!

My second stop on my wanderings was St Clement Danes Church in Strand. I have been here once before, but a small orchestra was rehearsing, so on this visit I was able to walk around freely. St Clement Danes is the RAF central church. Here they hold remembrance records and memorabilia. It is a most beautiful church with the insignia of the RAF everywhere.

By the time I left the church a light rain had begun to fall.

I made way towards Temple Church, I place I hadn’t been to for maybe 20 years. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) made this place rather famous as the author used this for one of his locations. I have read the book, and despite all the bad reviews (unchecked locations!), I loved it. The book had not long been out when I went to Temple Church, though this was not my main reason for going. I just like visiting new places! It was free to visit then. Now there is a charge of £5 (£3 concession), but very worth it. There is a lot of merchandise available now which wasn’t there before. And even more exciting to me was the opening of the upstairs. Something new to see.

Temple Church was the English headquarters of the Knights Templar and built as London’s Jerusalem. There are information boards all around the walls telling the story. The church is a working church and is most beautiful with its pews facing across the nave, rather than towards the altar. It has some fantastic stained glass windows.

Looking from the nave towards the round church

On the steps leading to the upper floor is a tiny cell (penitentiary), said to be too small to stand up in! From above you look down on the round church, consecrated in 1185. The church is also the place where the Magna Carta was discussed. For more of the history, please have a look at Temple Church website.

By the time I came out of Temple Church, the rain was really going for it. I decided now was a good time to stop for lunch, so that’s what I did. From my table I was able to watch the rain pounding the pavement. Thankfully, it tailed off, and I was able to continue my walk to Trafalgar Square with a visit to St Martin-in-the-Fields.

And here is what I came to look at! Easily missed in Trafalgar Square, though I have seen it before. Built in the 1920’s this was used by the Police to watch Trafalgar Square because there were so many protests! It used to have a telephone and the gas lamp on top was converted to electric. These days cleaners keep their buckets and cleaning equipment in there!

I hope you have enjoyed this little jaunt around London with me.

Red House, Bexleyheath, Kent

Red House was built by architect Philip Webb for William Morris. The two were good friends. The Morris’ only lived here for five years, and some of the wall decorations are incomplete, but the house is beautiful and fascinating. There were plans for Edward Burne-Jones and his family to move in later, making it a village for the Arts and Craft Movement, but the extension planned was never forthcoming because circumstances changed. The Burne-Jones’ lost their baby boy shortly after birth (he was premature) and the constant trips to London for business got too much for William Morris, so it was decided to move the family back to London. Morris could not bear to return to house once it was sold on. It was his dream home.

As readers to this blog will know, William Morris is a hero of mine and regularly crops up in posts! This house has been on my ‘hit list’ for many years and it did not disappoint. Entrance to the house is by tour only, booked in advance. It’s free to National Trust members. Not all the rooms are accessible, but enough. Owners after the Morris’ did paint over things, but on occasions left strips to show what it was like. Most of the furniture is not original (though there is little furniture anyway), but what is there is in keeping with the Arts and Craft Movement. Original pieces were gifted to museums. The Ashmoleum Museum in Oxford has some pieces (gifted by Janey Morris after William’s death) as Morris studied at the University as well as helped paint the Debating Chamber of the new Oxford Union, recruited by Rossetti. Other pieces can be found at other houses the Morris’ lived in and the museum in Walthamstow (Morris’ childhood home)

The inside of the front door is not original, but the then owner repainted it and followed the lines of the previous decoration. The stained glass was also added. I think it fits in well with the style.

The entrance hall is large and was used by the Morris’ as a dining hall. A table was moved into the space and lively conversation, as well as good food, would have made for an interesting evening with all of Morris’ friends. Morris was known for his love of food (Edward Burne-Jones often drew little cartoon sketches of Morris as round and jolly, and sometimes in a fit of temper, which his close friends seemed to encourage!). Morris also liked his drink and would come up from the cellar with several bottles of wine.

The settled in the entrance hall was designed by Philip Webb especially for the house. Morris painted the central panels with a scene from Malory (Sir Lancelot bringing Sir Tristram and the Belle Iseult to Joyous Gard). They include portraits of Janey (seated left) and Burne-Jones feeding a cherry to his wife Georgiana. However, the piece remains unfinished and was later painted green, and then brown during the second world war when the house was occupied by the National Assistance Board. I believe Rations Books may have been kept in in the settle cupboard!

The wallpaper in the house is not original as the house was pre-Morris’ wallpapers, but was added at a later date.

The dining room has a row of original William Morris chairs as well as a dresser designed by Webb and painted dragon’s blood red (in keeping with Red House!). This was a favourite colour of William Morris.

Kindy do not sit on the WIlliam Morris chairs!

Embroidered panel depicting Aphrodite designed by William Morris and believed to have been worked by Morris’ sister-in-law, Bessie Burden)

I loved the landing with its wood floor, sofa and beautiful windows worked by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones.

Not sure if this is original. I suspect not, but covered with William Morris fabric. (Landing)

William Morris’ bedroom was quite a surprise in that it was quite small. There were no furnishings here except wall paintings, unfinished and not in best condition. Those who came after Morris whitewashed the walls, but there are patches where you can see what was there before. Again, the paintings are unfinished.

Unfinished painted wall in the bedroom depicting characters from the Bible, including (far left) Adam and Eve

This wall hanging is a copy of one worked on by Janey Morris. The original is at Kelmscott

Morris’ studio. This is one of two wood blocks on show for Morris wallpapers

In the studio the walls are cracking! Apparently, the foundations were not sunk deep enough and lies on chalk. However, the outside cracks have been dealt with, but inside they have been left. I believe it was here that the extension was going to be placed for the Burne-Jones family.

Fireplace, drawing room. Apparently it was rather smoky!

The drawing room is upstairs (like the studio) and the room I most wanted to see as I’d seen images of it online. Look closely at some of these photos to spot the cracks in the walls!

The ceiling was painted over by a new owner, but he left a few strips of the original (he also put the false beams in to make it look more rustic!). The original ceiling would have looked like the photo below.

The piano was given by Ford Maddox Brown, a pre-Raphaelite artist

The settle in the drawing room was designed by William Morris for his Red Lion Square home, but when it moved here Philip Webb added the canopy and ladder to create a gallery where plays were performed. It also had another use as access to the massive loft space where things were stored. Little doors leading to places interest me. There is another door similar to this on the landing which we were told was used to go through to ‘clear the pigeons away’ as it went into loft space.

The wall decorations are by Edward Burne-Jones and Rossetti. They seem to be the only completed works in the house!

Wall painting by Edward-Burne Jones (top) decoration to the bottom (William Morris), drawing room

We were told that the house is freezing in the winter and hot in the summer. It was certainly very hot inside the day we were there, and not many windows open. (I did wonder whether the windows were too delicate to open or that they were worried about things inside being spoiled!)

Our tour was almost over. Downstairs there is a room given open as a museum with various information boards with the history of the house and objects belonging to Philip Webb and Morris. And then we went into the garden where we were free to roam.

The house exceeded my expectations. I may go back one day as it is a lot to take in. I loved the gardens, too. The house is only open on certain days of the week and there is no cafe any longer. However, there are the all important toilets! The nearest railway station is Bexleyheath with trains into London. However, due to a mistake (I hold my hands up to this one!), we went on a different train and ended up at Bexley. I have to say in hindsight, this turned out to be the best option. Bexley has a village feel whereas Bexleyheath is just like most big towns (Morris liked Bexley!). Bexleyheath is just a short bus ride away and we were able to stop and have some lunch. Coming from Bexleyheath station it is a bit of a walk to the town and then you have to walk back to the house. Had the cafe at Red House still been there, this would not be a problem.

Summer Exhibition – Royal Academy

A friend and I have been going along to the Summer Exhibition for some years now. There is always something provocative, stunning and surprising to see. What I particularly like is the contrast of art, from prints to watercolour, mixed media, installations, models, oil. You get the whole spectrum. Some of it is beautiful and some is downright terrible! But that’s only my opinion.

There were many art pieces highlighting climate change

What is art? That’s the question that keeps raising its ugly head. Well, I have learned that anything can be art, and if the artist says it is art, then it is. I’ve come to believe that over the years. I also think that anything in creative arts that provokes a response (whether good or bad) has done its job.

Cairn: Sea-worn concrete by Ever Grainger. Is it art? Well, I liked the quirkiness of it.

At the Summer Exhibition, works are chosen by various people. I’m always fascinated to see what Grayson Perry has chosen. His selections are in two rooms, the walls of which are painted bright yellow. I loved it, but my friend found it sickly!

Acciona Ombu, Madrid by Lord Foster of Thames Bank RA

There is something about model buildings that remind me of dolls houses and Diorama (a miniature three-dimensional scene in which models of figures are set against a background). Sometimes these come displayed in boxes, like a world in a box. I just love them. I always look forward to seeing what is on display at the Summer Exhibition each year.

There are 1465 exhibits. Some baffled us, a few we wondered why someone who was a member of the RA would draw/paint something a school child would do. What are the judges seeing in those? The exhibits I have chosen to photograph (and there are more than I have posted here) are ones that I either liked, found clever or ‘spoke’ to me. But even I couldn’t take photos of everything. I thought this year was better than the previous year. My friend disagreed! But disagreeing is fine. We all have our own opinions. We still enjoy our day out.

Espirit D’Art by Bob and Roberta Smith RA

The piece above sums up my feelings about art well, which is why I like it. Do I need any other reason?

Another general shot of works chosen by Grayson Perry

When I took the above photo, my friend (probably despairing of me) said ‘What are you taking now?’ I was drawn to Mass Extinction Includes You by Nick Fieldhouse because what he says is true. But also I wanted another general view.

The photo of the above art work doesn’t do it justice as I couldn’t get a clear shot with all the reflection off the glass. What I like about this is the different cultures, religions, races, all brothers and sisters together.

What is it about dolls that can look scary? Well, certainly dismembered ones. Remember Toy Story?

Beekeeper (Girl) II by Yinka Shonibare RA

Yinka Shonibare has had exhibits in most (if not all) the Summer Exhibitions I’ve been to. I like her work. The above is one of four exhibits by her this year.

Because You’re Worth It? II (Slaves of Fashion Series) by The Singh Twins

I couldn’t find the artist to this, but I like it! I couldn’t take the whole thing in one shot, so I did it in two. Quirky eh?

Dante’s Inferno – Canto 3 (just guessing by Leonardo Frigo. I love this.

Church of the Lateral Flow Saints by Matt Wickham. Brilliant!

The Summer Exhibition is on until 21st August. I’m sure every one of you would find something different that appeals. My choice would not be for everyone, but I hope it gives you a flavour. You can also view all (or most?) online here. I’ve just had a bit of shock when I saw online that something I thought had just been left there was actually a piece of art! See the exhibit here! Back to that question…what is art?

Cornelia Parker at Tate Britain

I didn’t know a great deal about Cornelia Parker‘s work other than the piece featured above, and Thirty Pieces of Silver, but I thought this might be my sort of thing. It very much was. It held for me the same wow factor as the exhibition by Antony Gormley I’d seen a few years ago.

What did I like about these works? Well, ultimately I love the way the artist thinks and how she re-purposes objects. I think you need to read the information to each piece to appreciate what she is doing. I certainly did. I also like the way the suspended art pieces create shadows on the walls.

The Kiss is in the main entrance hall (where you buy tickets). She rather likes string! I like the way the string wraps around the couple, binding them further together.

Thirty pieces of Silver (a quote borrowed from the BIble) is a work that took the artist around car-boot sales, markets and auctions collecting silver plate. Even friends and family donated items. All of them were steamrollered over before being assembled into thirty separate piles and suspended a few inches above the ground. They hover, twirling slightly as air moves around them.

Cornelia takes items, breaks them, shoots them, uses remains and sets them under glass, like the sawn-off shotgun and residue in the photo below.

The Oliver Twist doll in the above photo was cut in half by the guillotine used to behead Marie Antionette (guillotine is in the Chambers of Horrors). Cornelia was also able to visit Customs & Excise UK and persuaded them to give her certain objects for her to repurpose, including the incinerated remains of some cocaine in the next photo!

I took many photos of Cold Dark Matter. It is possibly my favourite of the whole exhibition. This once garden shed was blown up using Semtex by the Army School of Ammunition. The artist pressed the plunger! The soldiers then helped her collect the pieces from the field. In one of the Art History classes I attended, we touched on pyrotechnic art, and I became rather fascinated with it. Although the artists we looked at used their explosions to destroy their art as part of the art, I much prefer Cornelia Parker’s idea of using the pieces afterwards. The shadow effect created in these displays fascinated me (I love photographing shadows).

Forgive me another view of Cold Dark Matter

As soon as I saw these framed items, I thought Turin Shroud. I read everything I could find about the Turin Shroud when I was younger. Indeed, I was right about this. The artist used paper and a hot poker (I think it was) to create the burn marks that are like the Turin Shroud, which was rescued from a fire, leaving similar marks on folds of the cloth.

The artist worked in Bunhill Fields in London and took casts from the path where William Blake is buried for the above artwork.

Poison and Antidote (read the caption below)

This is what remains when a vinyl record is made from making the grooves. As someone who has kept all my lovely vinyl records I love this!

Perpetual Canon – another steamroller exhibit!

In Island, the glass is painted with white brushstrokes of cliff chalk. The artist says ‘(The structure)… becomes enclosed, inward looking, a vulnerable domain, a little England with a cliff-face veil.’ The greenhouse sits on worn encaustic tiles from the Houses of Parliament.

I should say that in War Room every empty mould represents a life lost, but not everyone. It really makes you think.

The artist printed off the Wikipedia page and then asked people to embroider the work! Wow!

Magna Carta (can’t get it all in on well on one photo shot)

As well as the installations and framed items, there are two video rooms. One of the films, War Machine shows Remembrance Day poppies being machine made. I wondered if this was in the Poppy Factory in Richmond, which I went to many years ago with a group from church, but it was a different factory. However, we did see poppies being made this way, as well as ex-veterans making them by hand. We also had the opportunity of making one of our own (which I still have), and to write on a wooden cross the name of a someone serving in the war who didn’t come back. I was able to do that for my uncle and his cross was later set out with others in Parliament Square.

The exhibition is on until 16th October. I hope I have inspired you to see it for yourself.

Fulham Palace House & Gardens

The back of Fulham Palace from the garden

Getting around Britain is becoming rather difficult right now as last week there was a national rail strike (three days and disruptions on other days). One of those days coincided with a London tube strike. I could see my trips being curtailed. However, I had enough of not being able to go anywhere during lockdown, and I was not to be beaten. I began looking at options that I could get to by bus.

Although I have been to Fulham Palace before, and the gardens a few times, I had not been inside the house for a good number of years. The day was hot and sunny, and the bus got caught up in a traffic jam just outside Putney, though I never did find out what the problem was. Still, I got there. I exited the bus at Putney Pier and walked over the bridge. From the bridge there is a nice view of All Saints Church, Fulham which stands next to the Palace. When I reached the church I found the door open. I don’t believe I’ve ever been inside before, so I went to take a look.

On to the main event! Fulham Palace was acquired in AD 704 as a residence for the Bishops of London. The last Bishop to live there was Robert Stopford who retired in 1973. The building has 70 rooms and was lived in by the Bishop, his family and servants. The Bishop would run the Diocese of London from there, entertain dignitaries and receive candidates for ordination. In 1975 the Palace and garden was leased by the Church Commissioners to Hammersmith & Fulham Council for 100 years. Since 2011 it has been run by a charitable trust(Fulham Palace Trust) who run the site and carry out restoration.

On entering the palace you cross over the former moat. To left is the porter’s lodge (back to its original pink!) and to the right is the coachhouse. At one time the River Thames had inlets right up to the garden walls.

The moat with the coachhouse nearest and the porter’s lodge behind

The palace and gardens are free to enter. There is a small shop, the all important toilets and a cafe overlooking the gardens. The museum part of the house has been updated since my first visit and has lots of interesting facts and displays about the history, archaeological finds on the site and details about the former Bishops. There is a short video at the beginning of the tour, and another at the end.

Approaching the palace. Through the arch is the courtyard

Not all the rooms are open to the public. Some are obviously offices. The rooms available to view are all on the ground floor. You need a plan as there are a few coridoors and it took me a while to find the chapel (even with a plan!).

Bishop Compton was particularly interested in plant collecting and brought in many specimens to the palace gardens (Museum)

Collect your own – I need no persuading!

The Great Hall – the oldest room in the building. Queen Elizabeth dined here in 1588 and 1600.

The rooms are mainly empty. The above photo shows the only things in this room. The photos in the guide show what these rooms would have looked like, but sadly they do look rather stark now.

And so into the gardens. The photo below is my favourite. Walking through a gate you enter the walled garden and the first thing you see are these greenhouses, some of which are accessible.

The market garden stall. Buy plants and veg from the gardens

The Bisghop’s Seat! Children love this (as do childlike adults!)

The courtyard. The chapel is to the right (out of the picture)

The cafe overlooks the gardens and has long windows so you can admire the view. The tables outside were busy today, but as all the tables with shade had already been taken, I decided to park myself inside, though I did have to suffer jazz music! The food is very good though.

I had just finished lunch and was on my way to view the chapel when the fire alarm went off. Gosh it was loud! People headed out into the courtyard. As we walked across I looked up and saw smoke coming out of one open window and what smelled like burnt toast. The brigade arrived and we waited for the all clear. It came very soon (yes, I think it was a toaster!)

I then went in search of the chapel. I realised I had seen this before (I’d convinced myself we’d not found it before). It has stunning painted walls, a beautiful mosaic and stained glass windows.

It’s a shame there aren’t more rooms open as the upstairs looks interesting (the guide book has some photos), but the house and gardens are lovely. There are plenty of benches in the gardens to sit and just enjoy the peace.

I’m sure I shall return again soon, to sit in the gardens if nothing else.

Wimbledon Bookfest and a trip down the River Thames

Every year on Wimbledon Common the tents go up and Bookfest is here. It used to be just once a year, in the autumn, but now there is one in June too. I’ve been to quite a few events over the years, and bought a number of books as well. Authors I have seen include Tracy Chevalier (Girl with a Pearl Earing), John Lanchester (The Wall and Capital) Jessie Burton (The Miniturist), Chrisy Lefteri (The Beekeeper of Aleppo) and Karen Armstrong (Through a Narrow Gate and History of God).

This year I had signed up for three events. My first was all about William Morris and his wife Jane. Now there’s a surprise! William Morris has connections with the Borough of Merton, so there is even a tent on the common in his name, always my favourite tent! The author of this book How We Might Live: At Home with Jane and WIlliam Morris, tells the story more from Jane’s perspective. In life, Jane is known more for her affair with Rossetti than anything else. But she was a beautiful embroiderer, artistic model and a great hostess. I shall look forward to reading her account. After William, died I want to know what happened to Jane.

Suzanne Fagence Cooper – author of How We Might Live

The second event was writer/journalist Tim Marshall. He writes political and world affairs and I have read his Divided in the past. He spoke about two of his other books, about how the world is changing, the geography of countries and the situation between Ukraine and Russia. I couldn’t decide which of his books to buy, so I didn’t buy either. This just means they are on my mental list of books to buy in the future! He is an engaging speaker and writer, and explains things at a level I can understand. I’m not a big reader of world affairs at all, but his books have helped me understand the world.

The last event I booked was the stand out one as far as I was concerned. This was held in my favourite tent (William Morris) and consisted of a workshop followed by a walk on Wimbledon Common hunting wildflowers. Botanist Leif Bersweden explained how he came to write his book Where The Wild Flowers Grow and has spent a lot of time on the common (his parents live here). Leif took us onto the common on a very hot day and promised to keep us in the shade as much possible. Two stewards accompanied us carrying bottled water, should we need them.

Leif made the walk so interesting and had little stories about each flower he found for us. I particularly loved the Pineapple plant which, if you squeeze the flower heads, smell of pineapple. They really do! I began to realise how more enjoyable it is to identify flowers and plants during a walk. How much more you get out of a walk just knowing these things. I made notes of all the flowers Leif found (I wouldn’t have remembered otherwise) so I could identify them when I loaded up my photos. I feel this is something I need to look into more and could do with a good book on identification.

Roseday Willowhurt also known as Firebomb as it grew on bomb sites in the war

When we arrived back we each received a copy of Leif’s book (included in the price of the ticket), which he signed individually for us. The event was uplifting and not ‘over my head’ as I wondered if it might be. Leif made everything accessible and was willing to answer questions we had.

Walking across the common – Leif is in the front wearing a black tee shirt

On the Thames

The day after was an even hotter one. I met a friend in London and bought lunch to eat in the gardens near Embankment tube station. Afterwards, we set off to Westminster Pier where we boarded a Thames Cruise to Greenwich. Both of us have Freedom Passes which gave us a great discount on the return fare. We sat on the top deck in the sun and enjoyed seeing London from the river. We had a commentary, though our guy is not an official Tour Guide. However, he was most amusing. We spent a little time at Greenwich, mostly drinking (cold for my friend and tea for me!), sitting the shade near the Maritime Museum. We then caught the boat back into London, and we had the same guide, which was fun.

Viking Cruise ship coming into Greenwich to dock. This is as far as they can go. The water is deepest here, about 70 feet.

Outside the Information Centre, Greenwich

Mock-up of a seaman’s hospital room (Info Centre)

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations

The world feels a little flat after all the celebrations over the last four days. I didn’t attend any of the London celebrations myself, but I did go into London on Wednesday last week, the day before everything kicked off. I went to see the decorations in Oxford Street, Regent Street, and around Covent Garden., before walking on to the Tower of London and London Bridge. On Saturday there were celebrations in the town square where I live with stalls and live events, which I went to. We decorated our house, and it was my birthday on Sunday! So, I was celebrating with the best.

Here are some of my personal reflections of this time.

Emery Walker’s House, 7 Hammersmith Terrace

You are probably saying, ‘Who is Emery Walker?’ Well, he was a printer, engraver, and photographer (1851-1933). He was also a close friend of William Morris, who lived a short walk away at Kelmscott House. Yet the two met accidentally on a train coming home from Bethnal Green after a political meeting. They hit it off and later set up the Hammersmith Socialist League, a branch of the Socialist Democratic Federation (forerunner of the Labour Party) in 1883. The men also discovered they both had an interest in printing.

Emery Walker’s start in life was very different. At 13, he became the main breadwinner of the family as his father went blind. He stuck out a job as an apprentice to a linen draper for many years. He hated it. It wasn’t until he changed jobs and worked for Alfred Dawson’s Typographic Etching Company that he found his true vocation. In 1885, he went into partnership with a colleague, Walter Boutall as Walker & Boutall Automatic & Process Engravers (later Emery Walker Ltd) and specialised in fine printing, engraving and photography.

It was to Emery Walker that William Morris turned when he wanted to produce books. Morris was a master at many things in life, but typeface wasn’t one of them. When Morris formed the Kelmscott Press, he asked Walker to join him. Walker declined, but his help was invaluable.

Originally Emery Walker lived at 3 Hammersmith Terrace. He had longed to live in this terrace, but the first house was a little too small. He lived there with his wife Mary Grace and his daughter Dorothy (1878-1963). This house, and number 7 where he moved in 1879, were rented to Walker, though later he bought number 7. Mary Grace Walker suffered illness throughout her life and spent a greater part of her life living at a property she owned in Surrey.

The house at 7 Hammersmith Terrace is unique in that when the last person living at the house (Dorothy’s companion Elizabeth de Hass died (1918-1999)), it passed to a trust she had set up for the property herself. Everything you see in the house is original. The only alterations carried out by the trust were to remove the kitchen (which was the telephone room and is now the reception for guided tours). The kitchen was moved from the basement when Dorothy was living there. As a town house, it has many floors, and at seventy-years old she wanted to make life easier for herself. She also installed a bathroom. The basement was converted into a flat, which was rented out. This is still the case.

There is no photography allowed inside the house (you can take photos in the garden), but the website is excellent and you can explore everything through photographs of both the rooms and objects of note inside. Please do explore the website here. There is much more information too about the house, people and their relationships. There is also a virtual tour.

For me, this was an amazing tour. Being a huge William Morris fan (have I mentioned that before?!), it was wonderful to see original wallpaper on the walls, and a line of photographs of William Morris. The most touching thing was a drawer in Walker’s bureau, which held some items of Morris’, including several pairs of glasses, a dish (possibly for ink) and a lock of William Morris’ hair which was taken on the day he died.

Furniture in the house is a mix of arts and craft and older things, but a greater part belonged to Philip Webb, another close friend, and architect of Kelmscott Manor (Morris’ house in Gloucestershire). The rooms are stunning, and I could happily move in tomorrow!

There is an exhibition space in the room adjoining the drawing room. Currently, this is about the Doves Press which Walker set up with Thomas Cobden-Sanderson originally from number 1 Hammersmith Terrace, and named after The Dove public house set between Walker and Morris’ house (the pub is still there and overlooks the River Thames). The Doves type is modern in appearance and is based on a 15th century Venetian model. You can read all about it here. It is a fascinating story. Basically, the two men owned the type together, but Cobden-Sanderson worried that when he died Walker would use it to produce books not of the same high literature, Cobden-Sanderson, over a period of a few months, threw the type over Hammersmith Bridge into the Thames. Parts of it have recently been recovered from the river, and the exhibition holds a piece of it to view. The exhibition is about to close, but you can still view pieces of Doves Press type on the website, and there is a video too.

The dining room and the drawing room have views over the River Thames, as does the bedroom which was Dorothy’s, and later Elizabeth de Hass. Emery Walker’s bedroom was in the attic, which is now offices.

The garden is beautiful, and immediately you walk out from the conservatory, the fragrance hits you. Originally, this would have been the front of the house, as there was a small walkway along the back of these houses. Later, the walkways were incorporated into the gardens and the entrances switched from back to the front of the houses.

The garden. On the left hand side is number 8, where May Morris lived.

At number 8 Hammersmith Terrace, May Morris (William Morris’ daughter) lived, and worked with her embroideries. It was not a very happy house, due to the gradual breakdown on May’s marriage to Henry Halliday Sparling (who William Morris referred to as ‘the drip’! He never minced his words).

I came away from this house utterly overwhelmed by it. It has a great atmosphere and the furnishings and decorations are beautiful.

View of the Thames from the garden, looking towards Hammersmith.

The garden looking towards the basement, once the kitchen.

After leaving the house, I set out to find Thomas Cobden-Sanderson’s house. I walked past it twice before I recognised it because it is clad in scaffolding and overgrown foliage. But there is Blue Plaque. I wonder what is going to happen to the house. It would be good if it was opened to the public, but I guess it depends on what is left of it inside.

Also in the terrace is the house of Edward Johnston who designed the type for London Underground. This seems to be a great area for artists and crafters. On my way back I saw a house once lived in by Eric Ravilious, and into Chiswick there is Hogarth’s House, which I have visited in the past.

Looking towards Hammersmith Bridge where Doves type was thrown into the river by Cobden-Sanderson.

Aga Khan Building, King’s Cross

The Aga Khan building was designed by Pritzker prize winning architect Fumihiko Maki and opened on 26th June 2018 by His Highness the Aga Khan and His Highness Prince of Wales. The building is set in the education quarter, and is a centre of education, knowledge, cultural exchange with an insight into Muslim civilisations. Clad in light limestone, the building is inspired by Portland Stone and the layout reflects traditional courtyards of Morocco and Egypt.

I have wanted to explore this building for a long time. A few years ago, when on a walk in the King’s Cross area with a group, we went into the reception area of the building. The sculpture which rises through all nine floors impressed me. When I arrived home, I tried to book a tour on their website. However, tickets go quickly and they were all sold out. I then put it to the back of my mind. Recently, I heard the Aga Khan building was re-opening for tours after the pandemic, so straightaway I went online and this time I was lucky and secured tickets for myself and a friend.

Tours run on Thursday afternoons (5pm) and Saturday mornings. The tour takes about an hour. Last Thursday, eleven of us set off with our volunteer to explore the library (over several floors), The Crown Room, the terraces and gardens.

We began at the entrance where a bronze art work stands. The bronze depicts the names of God and Allah.

Bronze with the names of God and Allah. Note the eight-pointed star pattern on the windows. This runs throughout the building.

Looking up: Rasheed Araeen’s artwork; ‘Rhapsody in Four Colours’ which reinterprets classical Islamic geometric forms into a three-dimensional sculpture that rises nine-storeys high.

The building has nine floors and a basement. Lifts stop at all floors except the most precious floor of the library where rare books live, some behind locked temperature controlled cases. These have to be specifically asked for. The library feels calm and has a few individual rooms for silent study. We noted that as well as books there were DVD’s.

The first terrace we visited was The Terrace of Learning, which is accessible through the library, giving students a chance to relax during a break from studies. This terrace is planted with rosemary, myrtle and other greenery. Note the tiled floor. There is no grouting between them to allowed the water to seep through. The water is then recycled. The Aga Khan building, when built, was the most eco-friendly building in London. It is also a working building, which is why tours are only offered twice a week.

The views across London from all the terraces and gardens are stunning. You can see Coal Drop’s Yard, Gasholders and King’s Cross in one direction, and Canary Wharf and St Paul’s Cathedral in the other direction.

View from the Terrace of Learning – note old GPO Tower

Next we entered the Crown Room where meetings are held. The windows here, like in the library, are anti-glare, keeping the areas bright yet not a strain on the eyes. The walls of this room are of sycamore. I can tell you it has a lovely smooth feel to the touch, and I liked the patterning.

The terrace off The Crown Room has beautiful patterning on the rail – the eight-pointed star again – reflecting the carpet in The Crown Room. This is one of my favourite terraces.

A better view too. The gasholders have been turned into apartments and it has a roof garden!

From the ninth floor, if you have a head for heights, you can follow the artwork all the way down to first floor.

The next garden we visited was The Garden of Light. Around the walls is Arabic inscription, some of which is scripture. It has a small fountain, and the garden is lit at night.

The Garden of Life is beautiful. Water runs from a small waterfall along a channel, and the planting is colourful.

Back on the first floor, we entered The Garden of Tranquility, which overlooks Jellico Gardens.

Our tour was at an end. What an interesting place. I couldn’t resist one more photo. This time I looked up through the floors to the glass roof. The roof here and in other parts of the building reminds me of the roof in the gardens at the Crossrail building at Canary Wharf.

Going through the floors (lifts to the right)

King’s Cross has been rejuvenated over the years. Building work is still marching on with more apartments and the new Google building.

I’d urge you to look at the Aga Khan Building website for more information on the structure, terraces and gardens. The tours are free, but must be booked in advance. At the time of writing, there are still spaces available until the end of June.

East London: Bow Creek, Trinity Buoy Wharf, East India Dock Basin, Virginia Quay, Royal Victoria Dock

What a full day I had in East London recently. Bow Creek Ecology Park had been on my list for a while, and then I read about the area in a wonderful book entitled London Clay by Tom Chivers (just one of many London books in my every growing collection!).

Bow Creek is an offshoot of The Lea river, and it runs into the River Thames. The nearest tube station is Canning Town on the Jubilee Line (the DLR also runs here). It was hard to know where to start on arriving, but decided the park would be the best place. In fact, one of the DLR lines runs right through the middle of it. The park is small and oblong in shape, and there is the option of a ‘Lee Valley’ walk, via a path taking you under a bridge. All around me were tall buildings and cranes. Like the rest of London, it seems to be a continuous building site as more apartments are built.

Bridges are everywhere! Bow Creek Ecology Park

Doubling back on myself, my next adventure would take me over the red bridge to City Island. Now this really did look like apartment city! Building work is still going strong, but there is a path along the river that leads to Trinity Buoy Wharf, another place I wished to visit.

The bridge that leads to City Island (right)

I have to admit it does feel like an island, but what I liked was how quiet it was considering it was the Easter school holidays. Maybe they were all off exploring the usual tourist places in London. In fact, later I discovered one of those popular places, and walked away!

Again, there are roads running through here

Just to the left in the above photo, I entered the wharf. This is container world! This once derelict area is now a place for arts, crafts and industries, workspaces and event space. And, of course, it is the home of the Trinity Buoy Lighthouse. Built in 1864, it now houses the installation of ‘Longplayer’, a record which has been playing for twenty-two years. You can listen to it either on visiting (open weekends) or online here.

Container world! Home to art and industry

Michael Faraday worked here as Trinity House Scientific Adviser, and there is a school here named after him.

At the Gate House you can pick up a plan of the area, showing all the buildings and information on what they do. There are two places to eat, though Fat Boy’s Diner seems to be up for rent. There are tug boats, part of the maritime heritage, and art works, a story box and the Faraday Effect, one of London’s smallest museums documenting the life and times of Faraday.

Lighthsip LV95 built in 1939. First ship to be converted to solar power in the 1990’s, it is now a floating recording studio.

Returning the way I’d come, but before crossing the bridge again, I found a path leading to East India Dock Basin, still with some buildings reflecting its past.

Just around the corner is Virgina Quay, where a ship sailed off to America. Part of the old memorial has been saved in this now new housing area built by Barratt Homes.

Finally, I headed off on the DLR to Royal Victoria Docks. I took the wrong exit (as you do, or I do!), but came across this lovely wall running along the roadside. Here is what people say about living in London, what they did in the past, all sorts of comments.

Sometimes there is a good payoff for taking the wrong exit!

Nice to see notices up about the Elizabeth Line. Can’t wait to travel on it!

Found myself walking through Excel London!

In among the new is a reminder of the old

This is where everyone was! I thought I might cross over on the cable car, but look at the queue!

I have actually been over on the cable car at least twice before. Great views.

And here I ended my day. It was lovely exploring somewhere new, though I’ve been to the Royal Docks a few times. I would happily return to Bow Creek and Trinity Buoy Wharf. That was a wonderful place, and easy to get to. I hope you enjoyed my journey too.