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
