Sunny Southwark

We were lucky in having a bright and sunny day for our PhotoWalk in Southwark and London Bridge. This meant that a decision was made not to photograph inside the cathedral but to get out straight away and make the most of the bright conditions.

Some time was taken trying out the focal lengths of the lenses on different cameras by focusing across the river on the facade of the FISHMONGERS’ HALL (1835) by Henry Roberts, some interesting comparisons were made between compact, bridge and SLR cameras.

Looked at the remaining granite arch of LONDON BRIDGE (1831) by John Rennie, then photographs of the outstanding St OLAF HOUSE (1932) by Architect H. S. Goodhart-Rendel.

Crowds of people visiting Borough Market made it difficult to get around with the camera but some exterior shots of the cathedral were taken before moving on to photograph THE HOP EXCHANGE with very interesting ironwork depicting hop leaves and flowers.

An appreciation of some of the other buildings and their relation to hops then back through the crowds of the market to look at the remains of Winchester Palace with its rose window. Very congested along Clink Street as the granite sets are being replaced with what looked like good quality new ones well laid.

Views across the Thames of the City of London and it’s varied skyscape of office blocks, looking particularly good in the bright weather. Finally onto SOUTHWARK BRIDGE (1921) by Mott & Hay engineers with Sir Ernest George architect, to look up and down the river for interesting views and angles of the riverside.

A good PhotoWalk.

PhotoWalk - Southwark & London Bridge

In preparation for the ‘PhotoWalk’ on 25^th February I have prepared the following notes for those attending:

SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie. Created a Cathedral in 1905.

A church first erected in 1106. Much altered and restored over the years. The oldest part of the present building is the Retro-choir and Choir built in 1207. The Transepts remodelled 15C, the Tower dates from the late 14C - 15C.

Restoration began 1818 – 23 with the Choir and the Tower by George Gwilt the younger . The Transepts much altered in 1830 by Robert Wallace. Retro-choir restored in 1833 by Gwilt. Tower pinnacles by Gwilt.

The Nave was pulled down in 1838 and replaced in 1839-40 by Henry Rose then swept away in 1890 – 97 and completely rebuilt by Sir Arthur W Blomfield.

The Havard Chapel 12C but largely by Blomfield. Contains a Tabernacle by A W N Pugin, shown at the 1851 exhibition, it went to St Augustine Ramsgate and then given to the Cathedral in 1971.

South Transept vaults and South window by Blomfield. 20C Retro-choir Altars and Screens by Ninian Comper. The 1520 stone Altar Screen much restored with 1833 canopies, friezes and demi-angels restored by Wallace, the statues by Nicholls date from 1905, guilded and repainted by Comper in 1950. 


Behind the screen East window The Glory of God also by Comper.

Organ case by Bloomfield. Creation window by Henry Holiday 1893, N. Aisle windows by Kempe. Martyrs window by Ward & Hughes, 1890.  Shakespeare window by C Webb, 1954. Shakespeare Memorial by Henry W McCarthy, 1911. (Edmond Shakespeare buried in church 1607).

Austin Memorial in N. Transept by Nicholas Stone, features the Angel of the Restoration pointing to the Sun of Righteousness, supported by Rock of Christ from which issues a stream and a serpent.

St. Olaf House. 1928-32 Architect H. S. Goodhart-Rendel.

The Hop Exchange.  Now called Central Buildings. 1866 by R H Moore.

Canon Street Railway Bridge. By Hawkshaw. Built 1863-6 (widened 1886-93, strengthened 1979-81).

Southwark Bridge. 1912-21, Mott & Hay engineers with Sir Ernest George architect.

The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture

A W N Pugin’s major guide book on Neo-Gothic architecture and design ‘ True Principals’ starts off by stating -  The two great rules for design 1^st, that there should be no features about a building which are not necessary for convenience, construction or propriety; 2^nd, that all ornament should consist of enrichment of the essential construction of the building. The neglect of these two rules is the cause of all the bad architecture of the present time.

I think that these rules still apply even today, you only have to look at what has been produced in the last 60 years to agree. 

A W N Pugin cont.

A W N Pugin

I’m fortunate to have three of Pugin’s original publications, although in poor condition (the books are over 160 years old) they are still very interesting to look at, even if his words are dated! But his writings were to change the state and look of British Architecture.

In ‘An Apology for The Revival of Christian Architecture in England’ Pugin starts off by saying ‘The age in which we liveis a most eventful period for English art. We are just emerging from a state which may be termed the dark ages of architecture.’

He condemns classical "pagan" architecture, commenting on the (1840) 'moderns' Pugin says that 'we are called upon to admire their thrice-cooked hashes of pagan fragments (in which the ingredients are amalgamated in utter confusion) as fine national monuments of the present age.' He then goes on to promote Gothic as the only true Christian style.

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin

Very pleased to see that one of my favourite architects is getting an airing on BBC4 ‘Pugin: God’s own Architect’.

I’ve been interested in Pugin from the early 1970’s when he was little known and overshadowed by other more well known Victorian architects, happily he is now recognized as a major influence on British Architecture.

Architect and designer he lead a frantic life, producing plans for hundreds of churches and buildings including the Houses of Parliament (with Barry) and drawing thousands of designs for interior decoration, married 3 times and having 8 children - he was dead by the age of 40 !

CITY OF LONDON

A dull overcast Saturday in the City of London, almost deserted streets except the occasional tourist straying away from the usual traps of St Pauls and the Tower of London. The city is a great place to walk around with a camera when people are not at work.

Apart from the disappointing lack of light there was lots to see and (try) to photograph. I found some parts of the city that I had not seen before and managed to find some listed buildings that I had read about in the architectural guide books and revisited buildings already seen and photographed on previous excursions around the city.

The second ‘PhotoWalk’ planned for Sunday 25^th March will cover the area from Tower Hill to Monument looking up and down the roads and odd narrow alley for interesting angles to photograph. Some of the buildings and sculpture can be seen in the ‘London’ set of images on FotoLIBRA  http://www.fotolibra.com/?u=26969