Charing Cross to Hyde Park Corner

In London to check out a new PhotoWalk route from Charing Cross to Hyde Park Corner via Horse Guards and Buckingham Palace. Starting at the Eleanor Memorial cross (1863), then down Whitehall passing the Old Admiralty Building (1726) to Horse Guards (1748) by William Kent.

Through into Horse Guards Parade and on the left a statue to Field Marshal Earl Roberts – Frederick Sleigh Roberts, then the very strange Cadiz Memorial (1814) with a mortar mounted on a dramatic Chinese dragon with a two headed dog.

Walking across towards The Mall the Citadel comes into view (can’t miss it) built as a bunker - fortress and air raid shelter in 1939, with pebble and flit aggregate block facing, the English Heritage listing calls it a “Massive Cubist fortress”.

Then up The Mall, looking at The Duke of York's column and round the outside of St James’s Palace coming out at the front of Buckingham Palace and having to fight the crowds of tourists watching the changing of the guard. Could not get near to the Victoria Memorial (1911) by Sir Aston Webb but instead looked at the impressive ‘Canadian’ gates with gilded crests.

Nothing much to see along Constitution Hill until the Wellington Arch comes into view. 1829 by Decimus Burton topped with the Quadriga sculpture of 1912 by Adrian Jones. The orientation of the arch was altered in 1883 with the original massive statue of the Duke of Wellington on horseback being moved to Aldershot. It’s worth going into the arch for the views that can be had from the top and English Heritage exhibitions held in the Quadriga Gallery.

Delving into one of the subways put in by the London County Council I came out by the Hyde Park Screen (1829) by Burton, originally the entrance to Hyde Park. Finally Apsley House (1778) by Robert Adam, remodelled and enlarged by Wyatt in 1830. Known as ‘No1 London’ the house of The Duke of Wellington, is worth a look inside – good interiors and fantastic silverware and ceramics.

Altogether an interesting day even if it was dull, windy and a bit wet, with no good photos taken but the basis for another PhotoWalk in The City of Westminster.

City to City

The City of London to The City of Westminster ‘PhotoWalk’

A depressingly dull and windy day last Sunday for the walk starting at Blackfriars Station, not good for taking photos so concentrated on looking at details and aspects of buildings on the itinerary. It’s surprising what can be missed or passed by if you don’t stop and look properly!

Found new things to include on future walks and discovered enough animal carvings and mythical beasts plus heads and figures on buildings to make an interesting future photo project.

I see that Bush House in Aldwich, built 1935 (ex BBC) is currently undergoing refurbishment, it has some good stonework and unusual column capitals and carvings. Looked into St Mary Le Strand, 1717 by James Gibbs and arrived just after their service had finished so ended up talking to their clergy, it sounded as if they had not had many people turning up.

Then across to Somerset House and a visit to the exhibition on Nicholas Hawksmoor http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/nicholas-hawksmoor-methodical-imaginings                    

Hawksmoor is one of my favourite architects and this exhibition has some good photos of his churches but I was particularly impressed by the ‘Digitally conceived and fabricated resin models’ of his towers.

Hawksmoor’s St Mary Woolnoth, 1727 is one of the most interesting churches in the city, in the way it fits its site and is an ‘exceptionally original design’.

Finally a quick look at the old Whitehall Police Station a 1930’s stone faced building on Victoria Embankment which is to become the new home of Scotland Yard. 

Michael Sleigh 2013 www.polypodphoto.co.uk