Churches and a Monastery in Sandwich
Similar to all the Mediaeval towns I have seen, there are several churches and a former monastery in Sandwich. READ MORE
Richborough Castle
It was time to return to London and we visited Richborough Castle and Chilham on the way, reluctant to return to work. The days in Sandwich were interesting, and relaxing, and we are... READ MORE
Exploring in Sandwich!
Exploring in Sandwich was fun! It is a Mediaeval town and so the streets are higgledy-piggledy and there are surprises around every corner. Sandwich evolved from a sea port to today’s inland town... READ MORE
Guildhall in Sandwich
The Guildhall in Sandwich is a very attractive old building which also houses the museum. We started the day here before going out of the town to explore the Monks Wall Nature Reserve.... READ MORE
River Stour nature reserves in Sandwich
We enjoyed walks in two more River Stour nature reserves in Sandwich, after we had explored the Gazen Salts nature reserve. And we were lucky with the weather too. READ MORE
Gazen Salts Nature Reserve
In Roman times, Gazen Salts Nature Reserve was the bottom of the Wantsum Channel, the channel of water which divided Kent from the Isle of Thanet. John Gason was once a leaseholder here,... READ MORE
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Evening in the City
As I walk around London with Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London, 1862, my thoughts and eyes are frequently diverted from the serious job of exploration.
Barnard’s Inn
Barnard’s Inn today is a secret place, entered through a doorway on Holborn which gives no hint of the history through the doorways and narrow corridors. (Authoritative article here.) By 1435 a School of Law had been established on the site … Continued
Freemasons’ Hall – Stunning Art Deco
‘..Freemasons’ Hall is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England and the principal meeting place for Masonic Lodges in London. Grand Lodge has been in Great Queen Street since 1775, the present Hall being the third building on … Continued
Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London, Day 6, A warren of streets & Covent Garden (no.34)
I felt Mr Bradshaw was a little uncomfortable guiding me around Long Acre, Covent Garden and the warren of streets behind Drury Lane, but we will do our best to share the visit with you.
‘Nude Girl’ by Ernest Schaufelberg
Mr Bradshaw and I were wandering in the streets around Covent Garden, and in Russell Street is The Fortune Theatre opened in 1924, the first theatre to be built in London after WWI. Mr Bradshaw could not have known the … Continued
The Bishops’ Tree at Fulham Palace
Fulham Palace has been the country seat and home of the Bishops of London since about 700. It is surprising sight, perhaps unduly neglected, but now undergoing major renovation. In the grounds is the Bishops’ Tree.
Autumn Colours in London
London is filled with trees, shrubs, and flowers. Amazingly the leaves haven’t yet fallen, and occasionally there is a blaze of colour. In my wanderings with Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London, 1862, as my companion, I have found these wonderful sights.
Curious textual similarities?
Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London 1862 says of Seven Dials on p.120: ‘..The angular direction of each street renders the spot rather embarrassing to a pedestrian who crosses this maze of buildings unexpectedly, and frequently causes him to diverge from the road … Continued
Bradshaw’s Hand Book, Sixth Day, The West, St Giles to Lincoln’s Inn (no.33)
We return to Oxford Street and just beyond Argyll Street should find the Pantheon, converted in 1834 into a Bazaar. (Pictures here.) However, the building was demolished in 1937 and the site is now M&S.
Town or Country?
Mr Bradshaw accompanies me to London each week for an intensive guided tour. I plunge into the London of 1862, trying to understand, comparing his thoughts to my own, and just savouring me-time. I am learning a lot – retaining … Continued