Another trip to the City of London and a visit to the BANK
OF ENGLAND MUSEUM (anything to do money and gold bars is an attraction!). The
museum is in the reconstructed interior of Sir
John Soane’s original banking hall demolished in the 1920’s when the bank
was rebuilt and much enlarged (1923 – 1939) by Herbert Baker within Soane’s
original walls.
Took additional photos of the exterior of the BoE including
the elevation with the ‘Lothbury Ladies’. Also took photos of the Nat West
building (1929-32) by Sir Edwin Cooper
(former NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK))
opposite the Bank of England and of the MIDLAND BANK building (1924-39) by Sir Edwin Lutyens, a large and by the
looks of it, empty building. See pics on FotoLIBRA http://www.fotolibra.com/
A quick look at a couple of churches in the area including
one of my favourite churches by Nicholas
Hawksmoor St MARY WOOLNOTH (1716-27)
with ‘the most original church exterior in the City of London’ and probably
elsewhere with heavy rustication to the front elevation.
Unusual square plan interior with four groups of three big
Corinthian angle columns supporting
above a clerestory with large semicircular windows. When Bank
underground station was being built the church was under threat of demolition
but was saved by the crypt being removed (along with bodies) and the church
supported on steel girders.
