The Imperial War Museum

A look at the redesigned and recently reopened Imperial War Museum. Major changes in the central area and improvements/changes around the galleries. The new WW1 Gallery was too busy, in fact the whole museum was too crowded so a quick exit was made with the decision made to return at a later date, probably in January or February when hopefully it won’t be so popular.

The most interesting part was the Art Galley with a display of paintings and sculpture relating to the First World War. Some excellent works by John and Paul Nash, Stanley Spencer and a large relief sculpture by Charles Sargeant Jagger – in plaster but not executed.

Jagger also designed the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner (considered to be one of the best war memorials) and the Great Western War Memorial at Paddington Station, as shown below.

Hornsey Town Hall

I volunteered as a guide to Hornsey Town Hall for the Saturday of Open House London weekend having known the building from when I lived nearby and been to a number of events there.

Up to Crouch End for a 9.30am start, already a number of people waiting outside expecting to be able to get in without prior booking (not the case) but a breakdown in communication with Haringey Council caused the problem – and Haringey had not got my name on their list even though I had confirmation from Open House that I was booked in as a volunteer.

The guides were given a tour around the bits of the building that visitors were able to see. Most of the main areas of interested were accessible, although we were restricted to the rear part of the Assembly Room. Visitor groups were kept to around 15 people with two of us taking them around for half an hour or so, although due to the number of visitors we ended up with 35 on one tour.

Most visitors were locals but a few had come some distance for the chance to see inside. The people who came from the area were aware of the current situation regarding the building and proposed future plans for its use. Some expressed concern over its fate and the fact that it had been left to deteriorate since 1965 when it passed from Hornsey Borough Council to Haringey Council.

There’s great potential but funding is the problem and finding a suitable viable use is the challenge. Hopefully public access will be improved but it may well not be open again until Open House London 2015.   

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

A recent visit, my first since most of the park has reopened. A lot has changed since my last visit and it seems empty without some of the main Olympic venues which were temporary structures , now just open space. The Aquatics Centre looks must better now that the temporary stands on each side have been replaced with glass.

The original landscaping is still in evidence now enhanced with new plantings. Stands of Liquidambars (Sweet Gums) were looking and massed plantings of grasses at their best. The ‘World’ planting scheme which looked so good in 2012 still has some good plants in it but it will be interesting to see how future planting develops.

I did ask the QEOP about their planting plans and received the reply:  We would hope eventually to be able to provide more information on the planting but work on this is currently under consideration.

There is quite a walk between the main facilities such as the Stadium and the VeloPark. I made the suggestion to the QEOP that they might consider installing a Miniature Railway as a means of moving people around the park and as an attraction in its own right.  Their response was: Due to future plans for the Park, including building significant amounts of housing, we are afraid it would not be possible for us to have a railway running through the Park as it will constantly be evolving.

The 'Year of the Bus' at QEOP -

St. George’s Cathedral

Relatively unknown St. George’s RC Cathedral in Southwark is well worth a visit. Originally designed by Augustus Welby  Northmore Pugin in 1848 but bombed out in 1941. Rebuilt and reopened in 1958, in a stylized Gothic style by Architect Romilly Craze.

Quite a successful design, Perpendicular/Arts & Crafts whilst retaining some of Pugin’s original building. The stained glass, apart from a few small surviving original fragments, is modern  with two windows by Goddard & Gibbs, chief designer John Lawson (a family connection).

Little remains of Pugin’s church but what survives shows just how much decoration and colour there was  - a stark contrast to the 1950’s building.  The Cathedral lacks a tower and spire as money has never been available to build one which means the building looks unfinished and does not stand out in its surroundings. If it had one it would get more of the attention that it deserves. 

Romford

A return visit to Romford to see what changes have taken place since I was last there. A busy outdoor  market and a smallish indoor market - I think markets especially large covered markets make a town. I hope that the new town centre plan for Guidford includes a covered, 7 day a week market.

Not much of architectural interest in Romford and only a few listed buildings in the town centre with the church being the main one. St Edward the Confessor probably looks better inside than outside which is not outstanding, designed by J Johnson and built in 1849. An interesting set of stained glass windows.

The other best buildings at the centre are two banks (as I’ve found Banks are usually some of the best buildings in town centres). Neither of these two banks are listed and it seems that mid C20 bank buildings are often overlooked for listing.  I missed looking at the Town Hall which is listed and built in 1935 in the Moderne style as the building lies on the other side of a major road - will have to take a look next time.

London War Memorials

Currently at the Quadriga Gallery in Wellington Arch there is an interesting exhibition about War Memorials, focused mainly on the London ones cared for by English Heritage.

One of the most outstanding examples being the Royal Artillery Memorial, situated at Hyde Park Corner. With excellent carved relief panels by sculptor Charles Jagger graphically portraying scenes from WW1 around the base. ‘No other memorial is as dramatic and brutal in its depiction of modern warfare’.

The exhibition gives an insight into the move throughout the country to erect memorials after the First World War and to the fact that most of them were not paid for by the State but many were the result of contributions from individuals and fellow service men.

Mention is also made of the conservation work being carried out and the need to record the thousands of the memorials from all conflicts that have involved the British.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/wellington-arch/exhibitions-at-the-arch/current-exhibition/

GWR War Memorial on Paddington Station

Salisbury

A train trip to Salisbury on a wet and windy day in February, the last time I visited the city I remember that it was dull and very cold, so I’ve probably not seen Salisbury in the best light!

The city centre busy with people shopping, but first into Wetherspoons The Kings Head Inn, an interesting building with a history going back to the fifteenth century. Watched the rain through the leaded windows.

Then into St Tomas’s church and bought from their book sale a copy of The Red Guide to England, quite a lot has changed since it was published in 1974. I do recall visiting the church back in the late 1960’s but don’t recall much of it (although I still have the guide book), quite a large church with a ‘Doom’ painting.

A good number of interesting buildings in the centre, the Town Hall being especially good, as is Lloyds Bank. Behind the bank the Post Office building and outside two very neglected telephone kiosks – the situation with listed phone boxes needs to be resolved.

Then into the Cathedral with just a few visitors so great to be able to walk around without hoards of tourists, lots to look at but I was particularly interested in a memorial to a Railway Accident in Salisbury on July 1^st 1906 involving the boat train which left the track when travelling at over twice the speed limit through the station resulting in 28 people being killed.

Birmingham

A very wet visit to Birmingham primarily to do the Photography Show at the NEC – that dire collection of sheds where you have to walk miles to get anywhere, anyway it was a good show and worth visiting.

Whilst in Birmingham I wanted to revisit the new Library, a great building. This time I was able to get to see the Shakespeare Memorial Room, this original feature from the city’s Victorian library was designed by John Henry Chamberlain in 1882, it was too busy on my first visit as the library had only just opened, but not too many people this time -  strange to be in a wood panelled period room on top of a modern building.

The Museum & Art Gallery always has things of interest that I have not seen before and the Pre-Raphaelite paintings are fantastic in detail and execution.

Birmingham still has many good Victorian buildings but due to the weather I was unable to take any photos, although I have shot many of them in the past but mostly on film. I ended up sheltering in the Cathedral and looking at the Burne Jones stained glass windows, a fine set.

One building in Birmingham that badly needs to find a new use is the original 1838 London & Birmingham Railway Curzon Street Station by Philip Hardwick, the oldest railway terminus in the world. Unused and neglected for years it’s one of the most important buildings in the city and must be given the attention it deserves. 

Coventry

I’ve visited Coventry many times and quite like it as a city, it has some good parts as well as some post war eyesores. I looked around the two medieval churches in the city centre which I was pleased to find were open for visitors, both have interesting features and stained glass. On this occasion I did not visit the Cathedral due to time constraints and at £8.00 admission I would want to get my monies worth! (not sure how they can justify £8.00?).

One of the best features of Coventry is the central covered Market, a round construction with a car park on the roof. Busy and full of good things that can be found in a proper market – fruit & veg, Meat, hardware, fabrics and household items (nothing arty or crafty). It would be good to have a covered market in Guildford but economics are against having one, although most big towns and cities have a market hall as an asset.

The Banks, as is usual with pre 1960 bank buildings , display their facades to the public with columns and Portland stone giving an impression of solidarity and importance  - it’s disappointing that Banks now no longer value their buildings (or customers) and many good examples have now been sold off. I have written about bank buildings in a previous blog.

Looking Back to 2013

Walthamstow and Crawley

A couple of visits made in 2013 to two different places neither having much of architectural interest to offer.

Walthamstow, apart from the William Morris gallery (which I've not yet returned to after it’s makeover), can only offer the Library as a building worth looking at. Built 1907-9 in red brick by J W Dunford, in a style typical of the period, interesting interiors with good stained glass on the staircase, listed grade 11.

Crawley has a few old buildings with the church of St John the Baptist being probably the best building in the town, C15 and C19 with Horsham slab roofs, listed grade 11*.  The town centre is a disappointment and lacks the post war planning of somewhere like Coventry (which I quite like).