London's Soho - More London Villages Walk

Centre Point can't be ignored 

So on Wednesday met up with the CityLit course where we walk around various bits of London - enjoyed this one as it's an area I know something of - CentrePoint is iconic and was clearly in view for a lot of the walk.

We met at St Giles Church, plenty of people who are on edges of society seemed to be around the churchyard but despite this it was quite impressive and well looked after inside.

The church has an interesting history and was connected with the care and treatment  of  Cholera - partly caused by poor sanitation

A church 

Nice inside 

The area around Soho square is fascinating too - what looks like a Tudor cottage is in fact a  disguise for an Electricity  Transformer/Sub-station.

Not actually Tudor

A couple of interesting sculptures in the square which also has Sir Paul McCartney's MPL offices, one is Charles II the other a more modern Slithery Ways item by the  Dutch sculptor Pieter Obels.

Not aged well 

Slithery Way by a Dutch Sculptor 

There's a French Protestant Church on the square too.

MPL offices in Soho 

A French Protestant Church 

Nearby the Gay Hussar (once a popular restaurant for left wing MPs) and Quo Vadis  can be seen, on the site of Quo Vadis  Karl Marx lived for a while (it was a Brothel too apparently).

Quo Vadis with Plaque to Karl Marx 

Not so Gay now

We then moved on towards Chinatown and passed a pub, with a Dutch flavour (still) it's called De Hems I used to drink at on occasion when I was at BT Broadcast Services.

De Hems has a history 

A Gate to China-Town 

Walking towards Piccadilly Circus we took a look in Zedel a really well decorated restaurant and bar.

In the Carnabay Street area we  saw a public work of art by Julian Opie - it's called Shaida Walking 

Zedel Restaurant and Bar

A modern walking piece 

Next week we're meeting at The Argyll Arms Pub where in the past  I had the odd drink with Ian Grant.

Archway Walk - A hot one

The Archway -  a main thoroughfare cut into a hill. 

So this week we stuck with North London and visited a 'Further Village' which is perhaps not a real one -Archway .

Had a quick look around before we started the walk (which was in fact a little curtailed as it was so hot).

The Archway was once fairly rural and a route into London for farmers delivering livestock.

The Archway bridge is a clear feature that attracts visitors- sadly not all for good reasons


The Tube station is situated below offices where one of our walking party worked for some years (as Civil Servant) - some efforts have been made to regenerate the area and stop it just being a route into London.

A re-clad building 

Once a pub in the Archway area

Our walk started at the Miranda Estate - not historic in its' own right but once the location of Almshouses (Accommodation for the 'lower orders') .

Miranda Estate - once Almshouses

Social Housing

Like much of North London the area has links to 'Radicals' Charlotte Despard was an example of such a person and there's a pub named for her.

She probably liked a drink too.

The area is long associated with Dick Whittington 3 times Mayor of London and a statue commemorates this.

Turn and Turn again 

More stories from this too

We also heard something of the Bath Murder which took place in the area.

And a couple more pictures

Hotels show the area could be upcoming

The Roads into London were typically 'Tolled' that is users of the road were required to pay for the 'service' - here's where the Toll Gate once was.

Charity Shop - we all need one

Where the Toll gate was

The Modern London can be seen beyond..

More London Villages with CityLit

26 Church Row

Great to be again traversing some of the old villages that make up London, and many of the 'old crowd' have opted to join Paul Sinclair (great course leader)  as he reveals some of the history of the areas we explore.

This week it was Hampstead and our first 'port of call' was 26 Church Row where Bosie (Lord Alfred Douglas) lived, his involvement with Oscar Wilde led to Wilde's downfall (Stop 14 on this tour).

Then on to the splendid (but subsiding) church, St John at Hampstead- with its collection of famous graves (Like Astronomer Harrison).

Subsiding Church 

Inside the church

On our earlier walks we saw a famous home of Dame Gracie Fields (in Islington)  here in Hampstead we saw a far grander version at 20 Frognal Way a very exclusive address.

Gracie's posh home in Frognal Way

Other houses we saw included a fine example of Bauhaus architecture,

Bauhaus style has aged well methinks 

Mount Vernon Hospital

Kathleen Ferrer lived here

Hampstead is littered with Blue Plaques and their own Heat and Old Hampstead (Black) plaques showing famous former residents homes and we saw what was a hospital during the Great war in Mount Vernon Way.

Fenton Hosue through the gate

Constable moved here for his wife's health

Jack Straw's Castle-A Pub with a story

We went past Fenton House (a National Trust property which I've visited before) and saw the house artist John Constable moved to for the sake of his wife's health (Hampstead air was considered health giving to those with Tuberculosis).


We then walked up to Whitestone Pond nearby is Jack Straw's Castle, situated close to where Jack Straw (a peasant of the revolting type) held court.



In the Vale of Health named perhaps for connection with those seeking cures and more plaques -What's fascinates me about plaques is how they lead us to find out more about history, even though the Plaque to Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore is obscured by foliage (and his life too is somewhat obscure) - I find he met with Einstein and was also a friend to Gandhi - a plaque to the less obscure DH Lawrence is nearby too.

Rabindranath -A hidden Poet 

DH Lived here

In fact the nearby Vale of health Pond looks really  lovely on a hot day!


And it could make a great Constable Painting...

Another Constable home
 at 40 Well Walk 

Pond - looks inviting?

And then on to Brutal-ist architect Goldfinger's home (another revisit for me)  and  finally Campden Baths  - we had a great walk, up a few hills and my legs still ache!

Another National trust property - home to the real Goldfinger 

Campden Baths