The protected views of London

Before continuing with my series on London canalscanals, I thought it best to write a brief post on something not very well known but that nonetheless has played an important role in the modern development of London, namely protected views. London is far from the only city in Britain to have protected views, namely views… Continue reading The protected views of London

Walking Londons canals… Little Venice

If you haven’t read my recent posts on canals in general and the Paddington Basin in particular then do feel free to go back and take a peek before coming back here. It’s amazing how much the scenery changes once you pass under the A40 flyover, the 21st century is left behind as you emerge… Continue reading Walking Londons canals… Little Venice

Walking Londons Canals…. the Paddington Basin

Having created a new London Canals Walking Tour with Ye Olde England Tours I thought it was a good excuse to make good use of some of the many photos I took whilst working out my new tour. As mentioned in the previous post on canals, they were once the backbone of the economy before falling… Continue reading Walking Londons Canals…. the Paddington Basin

The age of the Canal

During February I have spent some time exploring some of Londons canals and I thought I would do a short series of posts about canals.  They are are great place to enjoy some leisure time as I often do at the Grand Union canal near me but they weren’t always so sedate. It’s impossible to… Continue reading The age of the Canal

Now and then on an old London street corner

A few years ago I did a short series of then and now photos showing how places have changed since the advent of photography I’ve seen the photo below before and still think it is very evocative. This is the junction of Fieldgate Street and Plumbers Row in Whitechapel, London. The building in front is… Continue reading Now and then on an old London street corner

The Tintagel Bridge over the troubled waters of King Arthur

There are few places in the world where history and legend intermix so thoroughly and so naturally as at Tintagel in Cornwall. Following the retreat of the Romans from Britannia,  from about the 5th to the 7th century AD it was an important stronghold, and probably a residence of rulers of Cornwall. Many fragments of… Continue reading The Tintagel Bridge over the troubled waters of King Arthur

The tragic tale of Gelert the trusted hound of King Llwelyn The Great

These days people travel to Snowdonia in North West Wales for the incredible old castles and villages and particularly the rugged, wild landscapes and outdoor pursuits. It was a lot different in the thirteen-century when as with much of Britain and indeed the world, anywhere outside the city walls was seen to be a devilishly… Continue reading The tragic tale of Gelert the trusted hound of King Llwelyn The Great

Taking a ride on the Shields Ferry

Last summer when I was walking Hadrian’s Wall on my fundraising trip, I took a brief diversion on the way to see Bede’s chapel at Jarrow and the ancestral home of of George Washington in the aptly named Washington Hall. In order to do this, I took a trip on the Shield Ferry that crosses… Continue reading Taking a ride on the Shields Ferry

Wesley’s Chapel – The Mother Church of Methodism.

Almost directly across the road from Bunhill Fields Cemetery  which I wrote about last week is Wesley’s Chapel which can be considered as the mother church of Methodism and so I thought I would take a look. I’m not a Methodist but I have an interest in most religions and notable people and there are… Continue reading Wesley’s Chapel – The Mother Church of Methodism.

For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry

The internet is always full of cat videos and cat memes and I thought I would try to raise the bar a little by bringing up the marvellous poem by Christopher Smart, a poet and mystic who led an eventful life at a time when religion and science were competing for the greatest minds in… Continue reading For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry