Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London

Introduction

As I walk through Greenwich Park and up a steep hill, I begin an approach to the former site of Greenwich Castle. Once at the top it is easy to see why this would have been the perfect location for a castle. The views from the top are rather impressive. Sadly, the castle is long gone, and though I was not here primarily for the wonderful views over the Thames and greater London they were a bonus. I was here to visit the ‘Royal Observatory’, another London Landmark and part of the Royal Museums Greenwich. This was to be a meandering full of education, and one that, as always, I hope provides inspiration! During this visit I delved into the world of astronomy, time, longitude and latitude. Read on as I walk back through the corridors of time on a voyage of discovery.

Early beginnings

During the 17^th century England had suffered some turbulent times. I have always been fascinated by the struggle between Oliver Cromwell and Charles I. I have never paid much attention to what happened next. After the Civil War, then the execution of the king in early 1649, the subsequent republic and then the death of Oliver Cromwell, the monarchy was restored. Charles II was defeated by Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 and had to flee to Europe where he remained in exile until 1660 when the English throne was restored to him. He was 30 years old. He was a controversial character but left a lasting impression by way of improvements in navigation and ship design.

Under his orders he founded the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. The world and, particularly, European nations, were now relying on the sea for trade as their empires were expanding. These ships needed to know where they were headed. Incredibly they could work out their position using the sun and stars to work out North and South (latitude). They had no idea how to work out East and West (longitude). So, Charles was convinced by leading scientists that an observatory was needed to find longitude and put England back at the forefront of seamanship.

Flamsteed House

John Flamsteed was appointed as Charles II’s astronomical observer. As he was the first Royal Astronomer, I begin to understand why the oldest building at the Royal Observatory is named after him – Flamsteed House. John was appointed on 4^th March 1675, but it wasn’t till 22^nd June that the decision was made to build ‘a small observatory within our park at Greenwich, upon the highest ground’.

The name Christopher Wren has come up in my previous meanderings in Oxford and more recently at Kensington Palace. A well-known architect, I have yet to write about his most famous work, St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Watch this space! Before Christopher became a well-known architect, he had been a professor of astronomy at Oxford. He and his assistant, Robert Hooke, suggested the ruined site of Greenwich Castle. They reasoned that solid foundations were already in place, there was excellent access to London via road and river, and the site was far enough away to avoid air pollution from the city.

The foundation stone was laid 10^th August 1675 by John and 11 months later, on 10 July 1676, he moved in. John was to spend the next 40 years observing the moon and the stars. On entering Flamsteed House, you are provided with information regarding the 10 Astronomers Royal that lived and worked here:

John Flamsteed (1675-1719), Edmond Halley (1720-1742), James Bradley (1742-1762), Nathaniel Bliss (1762-1764), Nevil Maskelyne (1765-1811), John Pond (1811-1835), Sir George Biddell Airy (1835-1881), Sir William Henry Mahoney Christie (1881-1910), Sir Frank Watson Dyson (1910-1933), Sir Harold Spencer Jones (1933-1955) & Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley (1956-1971).

As I walk round Flamsteed House it becomes clear that the Royal Observatory’s life began to evolve from the early days of a basic observation post into more of a family home. The tour looks at the families of two of the Astronomers Royal and their families – The Maskelyne & Airy Family. Observatory life began to change as guests would be wined and dined, and the families began to live with the astronomers. This meant that Flamsteed House was expanded to accommodate more people as seen when walking around.

The Octagon Room

As I leave the first rooms visited, we make our way up into the Octagon room. It is a bland and tall room, full of windows which beam natural light in and is filled with clocks. The eye is drawn to the many fascinating devices. When the room was built there were no instruments installed so John Flamsteed had to bring in all his own.

The Octagon room design didn’t consider the true north south line so, was unsuitable for measuring star positions. Instead, John used this room for the observation of specific events like the appearance of comets and eclipses. Most of his work was completed in a purpose-built structure nearby. A lot of the clocks in there were supplied by Thomas Tompion, London’s leading clock maker and paid for by John’s patron, Sir Jonas Moore.

The time ball at Royal Observatory

The rest of the visit to Flamsteed house is spent looking at a vast array of clocks, chronometers and other such devices. The Royal Observatory established itself as a centre for measuring and sharing time.

When leaving the house, look immediately at its roof. You will notice a funny looking pole, located on top of the Octagon Roof, with a large red ball. This was an installation by John Pond, the sixth Astronomer Royal, in 1833. Nearly 200 years later it is still in operation. Fortunately, I timed my visit to witness the time ball descend at 1300 though I had no prior knowledge that this event took place each day. This time ball is dropped to provide a visual time signal. Having walked up from the River Thames I reckon that a telescope is needed to observe the red ball and its movement.

It was designed so that all the ships at the docks in London could see the ball drop and know that it was 1pm and set their clocks to the right time. You could say that this was the beginning of establishing Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as measured at the Meridian Line (the earth’s zero degree line of longitude). I found it interesting to learn that, around Britian up until the mid-19^th century, the sun was used to set local time in villages, towns and cities. For example, this meant that Yarmouth to the east was 7 minutes ahead of Greenwich and somewhere as far west at Penzance was 22 minutes behind.

The development of railways was to change all this. There was the need for a centralized time. The chaos and lack of management from trying to run a timetable where every destination was in a different time zone on such a small island is beyond contemplation. Sir George Airy saw the potential in a new clock system. He ordered one for Greenwich which was made by Charles Shepherd of London and had it mounted on the gates to the Observatory. It is known as ‘The Shepherd Gate Clock’. It was then linked to other parts of the observatory and London train stations.

Airy wrote of this system ‘I cannot help but feel a satisfaction in thinking that the Royal Observatory is thus quietly contributing to the punctuality of business through a large portion of this busy country’.

Shepherd Gate Clock at Royal Observatory

The Meridian Observatory

The other important building of the Royal Observatory is the Meridian Observatory building. I mentioned above that John Flamsteed did most of his work away from the octagonal room in a purpose-built structure. By the time his successor took over the building was subsiding and falling away which meant that subsidence rates had to be factored in to measurements of star positions!! Edmund Halley commissioned a new building to replace the old and installed an improved quadrant device and accurate timekeeper supplied by the prestigious clock maker from London George Graham.

James Bradley was Halley’s successor, and he was granted money to build additional spaces to Halley’s original buildings, which included a new observatory, bedroom for the assistant, a library and calculating room. These were the rooms which I saw on my visit. It is also where the astronomical work was completed until the 1950s before such work was carried out at the rural location of Herstmonceux in East Sussex.

As time went on, each Royal Astronomer kept collecting more data and improving the instruments in use. The 7^th Astronomer, George Biddell Airy, designed the Airy transit circle. This was the defining instrument of the world’s prime meridian. Unlike the equator which provides a natural zero line north and south there wasn’t a natural prime meridian for longitude.

In 1884 at the international Meridian Conference in Washington delegates recommended that the Meridan passing through Greenwich should be used. They also recommended that Greenwich be the starting point of the day, year and millennium at the stroke of midnight Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This applied to the whole world thus creating the time zones system with which we are familiar today.

Transit instrument, Edward Troughton, 1816

Device from inside the Meridian Observatory

The Camera Obscura

Across the courtyard from the Prime Meridian line is the camera obscura. This is an example of how attempts were made to capture images before photography was invented and developed. This obscura was a former summerhouse. On clear days you can see a projection of Romney Road and the Queen’s house.

Sadly, this isn’t the original. John Flamsteed’s original was removed quickly after his tenure before Nevil Maskelyne installed a new one during his stint at the observatory. The one that I visited today was built in 1994 and provides a chance to see London the way they did back in the day.

Conclusions about Royal Observatory

This concludes a fascinating and educational visit to the Royal Observatory. Being close to the Cutty Sark it was convenient to expand my knowledge of Maritime Greenwich. The visit to the Royal Observatory taught me about longitude and latitude. I found out that it is possible to navigate using the moon and the stars! The importance and history of this site will be remembered every time I talk about time, travel, etc.

The visit has also challenged me to revisit Christopher Wren’s masterpiece and finally write about St Paul’s Cathedral. Yet, surprisingly, it has given me a completely different direction in which to travel as I feel a visit to Herstmonceux in East Sussex would prove very inquisitive and interesting in building on the knowledge gathered here. I hope that you have enjoyed reading about my visit to the Royal Observatory and have joined me in learning about longitude, latitude and GMT.

May 18, 2025May 20, 2025

Cutty Sark, Royal Museums Greenwich, Greenwich, London, UK

Cutty Sark
Royal Museums Greenwich, London, UK

The Cutty Sark is one of the most famous ships in the world and is another London landmark that has been visited. Not a battle-hardened ship, with stories of famous victories. Instead it was a state-of-the-art and record-breaking tea clipper. The Cutty Sark now resides in Maritime Greenwich close to the banks of the Thames.

It is an award-winning visitor attraction and is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich site which also includes the National Maritime Museum, the Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory. Join me as I explore this iconic ship and learn about its dramatic life, the tea trade and how it was saved before coming to ‘live’ in London.

Cutty Sark

The ship was built by Scott & Linton at their premises Woodyard at Dumbarton on the bank of the River Leven, Scotland. It was commissioned by John Willis. John had retired from sea to take over his father’s established shipping business. John paid Scott & Linton £16,150 to complete the works by July 1869. Design problems resulted in cashflow issues which meant that works were suspended before creditors, most prominent among them being William Denny & Brothers, completed the building.

The Cutty Sark was a clipper ship which was designed for speed. The Cutty Sark’s clever design, neither a wooden nor an iron ship but a composite construction. This meant that there was more space for storage as well as having high speed. 138 iron frames and over 20,000 bolts were used to construct the Cutty Sark. The hull was sheathed up to the waterline with thin plates of Muntz metal (this was done to protect the hull and ensure it wouldn’t slow down).

The main mast is 153 feet high and if all the sails were out, they would measure 32,000 square feet in total. The Cutty Sark is 64.7m long and 11m wide. Its Scottish origins meant it was given the name Cutty Sark, which means ‘short skirt’ and came from the garment worn by the witch Nannie in Robert Burn’s Poem ‘Tam o’Shanter’.

China Tea Trade

Walking on to the ship you’re immediately greeted by differing educational stations where you can learn about the China Tea Trade, Opium wars and the Cutty Sark’s history. The British have a reputation for drinking tea, but did you know that it didn’t reach these shores until the 1650s. This was primarily due to Catherine of Braganza (wife of King Charles II), who was from Portugal where tea drinking was already popular.

At the time tea was heavily taxed which meant that only the higher echelons of society could afford to enjoy drinking the tea. But, by the 19th century taxes were slashed. This was because of the extensive smuggling network supplying tea and driving its popularity across the nation. As a result, the great tea races were born. Ships were built for speed and competed to be the first boat back carrying the cargo. These races were the reason that the Cutty Sark was built.

The Cutty Sark would complete only 8 of these races. As steam ships developed and the opening of the Suez Canal happened making the ship almost redundant.

Australian Wool Trade

Having been forced out of the tea trade, the Cutty Sark entered the Australian wool trade in 1883. It was here that the she made her name. Upon its first entry in a race to sail halfway round the world, it beat its competitors by 25 days in 1883 before, in 1886, Captain Richard Woodget mastered the ship and set a record of 73 days for the trip from Sydney to London.

The wool trade was to succumb to the same fate as the tea trade as the steam ships made their way into the market. Not making money, the Cutty Sark was sold to a Portuguese firm.

Portuguese Ownership

The purchasers of the Cutty Sark were the Ferreira & Co. of Lisbon who paid £2,100 for her. Upon acquiring the ship, the owners renamed it Ferreira, and it became a cargo ship. It was responsible for transporting goods between Portugal and countries in its own empire. The Cutty Sark managed to come through the First World War unscathed but was starting to show signs of ageing.

A stroke of good luck occurred when, after suffering damage during a storm, she was sent to Falmouth for repairs. It was here that a retired sea captain, Wilfred Dowman, recognised her and was determined to save her. He paid £3,500 to buy her, which was more than she was worth, and more than Ferreira & Co had paid for her.

Cutty Sark’ first Restoration

Wilfred completed the purchase in October 1922 and made plans to restore the Cutty Sark to its appearance in 1870 with help and support of his wife Catherine. They succeeded and in 1924 they opened the ship as visitor attraction and training ship for cadets. It was to stay in Falmouth till 1938.

Wilfred died in 1936 on a homeward voyage from the West Indies and was buried at sea. Wilfred’s widow gave the Cutty Sark to the Thames Nautical Training College along with a generous gift of £5,000 to help with its maintenance. The ship was taken from Falmouth in 1938 and remained as a cadet ship until the end of the Second World War.

With the changing times the Cutty Sark became redundant as more modern ships were utilised. The college took possession of HMS Exmouth and started ploughing its resources and funds into that ship. The Cutty Sark had become unloved and unwanted.

Cutty Sark at Greenwich

The ship’s final saviour was a Frank Carr. He was Director of the National Maritime Museum (mentioned above as one of the 4 museums that make up the current Royal Maritime Museums). Frank set about forming the Cutty Sark Preservation Society. He managed to persuade HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to join who provided much support and enthusiasm. The funds were raised and after a short period of display it was moved into a purpose-built dock.

And so, the Cutty Sark came to her final resting place, a memorial to Britain’s illustrious maritime history. Following further restoration, the Cutty Sark was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. The Cutty Sark would go on to be one of London’s famous and most successful tourist attractions.

A significant report was completed in the mid-1990s that highlighted that without further work the ship would cease to exist. Thankfully the funds were raised with the help of the Heritage Lottery fund and work began in late 2006. In May 2007 a fire broke out which delayed the project but thankfully didn’t destroy the ship. The works were completed, and the Cutty Sark was finally re-opened on 25th April 2012 by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This was the second time, 55 years after the last time she did the honours.

Conclusion

This completes an educational visit to the iconic Cutty Sark. Built for speed in the transportation of cargo and exclusively for the tea trade, she had a very small window of operation, before different ways have been found to preserve her. She was a record breaker when she started to ferry cargo for the wool trade.

My visit taught me about the tea trade and the Australian wool trade, both of which I was blissfully unaware. Her home port was London and is fitting that this is where she found her final resting place. A big thank you to all those who helped preserve her for future generations to enjoy and to learn and appreciate the history that made this country great.

October 22, 2024April 28, 2025

Coronation Church, Westminster Abbey, London, UK

Blog writing is a journey. What may have started as a set of reports about trips made to many destinations has developed. Speaking generally – to write about a trip to a place with a sunny climate to spend time on the beach presents no real challenge and this was realised early in the journey, but, with increased age, an awareness and pursuit of delightful places to explore, observations to be made, history to be learnt, etc., has happened. This has not been by chance but by design.

London is not a sun seeker’s destination – certainly not in April. Not too many beaches there either but, with care, the mind can be broadened by a trip there. By now seasoned followers will have gathered that a long list of London landmarks that I would love to see has been formulated. In this blog I try to explore and investigate an architectural wonder but on walking away from the site I have a thousand more questions than I had when I entered. That’s not a bad thing. It is good to question.

Now, I am not averse to entering a church, abbey or cathedral. I find them good places to calm down and contemplate life. Often, I am there alone with my thoughts but on this occasion (as was the case in July 2022 at St Paul’s cathedral) I was there with my father. He, like me, was bowled over by the fact that a timed entrance slot had to be pre-booked and further surprised to see so many people inside Westminster Abbey. There were significantly more people inside this building than there were in the height of summer at its neighbour on the hill. This was the first difference but, immediately on entering, our minds raced back to our previous experience together (I paid for him that time as well!!) and noted each further difference with each step that was taken as we were shepherded on a one-way system around the building. It was all rather regimented but necessary due to the volume of foot traffic.

Perhaps it was the phenomenal number of things to see, the multitude of tombs/memorials of/to famous people to locate and the number of visitors sharing the experience with us that contributed to a feeling of confusion. I was completely baffled by it all and I don’t think that my dad was too far behind me (I refer to his feelings rather than his walking pace!!).

The building is very famous, strikingly beautiful and massively interesting. To me it was an intriguing and beguiling place. To us Brits there seems to be a lack of appreciation or willingness to visit such iconic places but to foreign tourists, there appears to be incredible levels of fascination. The ‘abbey’ is situated in the heart of central London, in the city of Westminster (some people refer to Westminster as one of its boroughs, however, I call it one of London’s two cities) and a short walk from the River Thames. It stands
proudly alongside the Houses of Parliament with the Supreme Court nearby. The first question I have is – is there a link between all three? It is left open ended as I search for the answer to this and many other questions.

We in England, and I speak generally, associate what transpires at Westminster Abbey as the apparent religious heartbeat of the nation. Perhaps even this statement is a basis for debate. This was my first visit inside the building and, possibly my father’s first as well (he may have been taken inside the building as young lad by my grandfather but that would have taken many years ago!!). Both of us had witnessed (via the TV!!) special occasions with people dressed appropriately and ushered to a set place according to a
seating plan and not one of them wearing headphones. The pomp and circumstance of these occasions are manifest in a carefully scripted programme that leaves the TV viewer, to our minds, focused on the people involved, the music that is played, the words that are spoken/sung and the way they are delivered, the colour, the pageantry, the precision, etc., rather than the surroundings. Now we saw the building from a different angle alongside people from all over the world and there are no complaints. The experience was not to be missed and thoroughly enjoyed. The trip to St Paul’s was on a Friday, I believe. This was a Saturday. Did the change in the day of our visits have anything to do with the marked difference in footfalls? Perhaps that is something to be considered ahead of a return visit.

From my point of view the experience was eye opening, sometimes jaw dropping but a rather confusing visit. There was no dome that required craned necks to see the inner detail and then to climb to stand on it and view London from a never-before-seen angle. There was no crypt that we found that housed memorials to the famous and noble. And yet there were plenty of ornate memorials to kings and queens that were above ground so to speak. Notwithstanding the beauty and the splendour of the things seen, I came away with a range of thought-provoking observations.

Church, Abbey or Cathedral?

You may question this question as there is a clue in the name. Westminster Abbey is in fact its historical name or should I say nickname. So no, it is not an abbey. Confused? Bear with me. I’m sure we’re well aware of the reformation during the reign of Henry VIII, where he famously broke away from the Roman Catholic church though not for the same reasons as, say, Martin Luther. He and others ruthlessly ravaged, and destroyed and dissolved many of this country’s abbeys, and took a lot of their wealth and land. When we picture an abbey we see romantic ruins and not a perfectly kept building. Maybe Westminster Abbey survived the iconoclasm of the 16th century due to its incredible royal connections and the fact that Henry VIII’s father, Henry VII, is buried here. I’m led to believe that it was re-founded as a cathedral after those dissolution days and spent a few years changing back and forth from an abbey to a church, but when Elizabeth I acceded the throne over ten years after her father died, she made it a church and a royal peculiar and it has remained such ever since. So contrary to its name, it’s neither abbey nor cathedral. There is a Westminster Cathedral but that it is another building a little further down the street. Westminster Abbey is, in fact, a church and it’s real name is Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster. That begs another question – what is a collegiate church? Let us consider this new term that I have encountered.

Royal Peculiar

For the next part of this blog, I had to resort to reading books and guides (which is not a bad thing) as it soon became clear after the visit that I understood very little about what I had seen. My father has lived significantly longer than I and is equally not averse to entering churches recognizing in them places to learn, among other things, about our rich history. He had never heard of ‘Royal particular’ either. What is one of these? The questions were coming thick and fast and the desire and need to learn came with them.
Much, if not all, of this knowledge is gleaned from reading books and guides. This church is owned by the monarch. It is another jewel in his crown and possibly the reason for it being so impeccably maintained. I am not yet able to understand the workings of the church of England. Perhaps after some really serious studying I can explore this in a separate blog. All we need to know is that this church doesn’t belong to a diocese (areas of the country in the care of a bishop) or answer to any bishop but instead to the monarch. This means that the Dean of Westminster runs the show and not a bishop. The Dean of Westminster features in the ceremonial occasions that take place at this prestigious building. Here’s another question I have to investigate – what is the difference between a dean and a bishop, an archbishop even, for the archbishop of Canterbury performs most royal ceremonies at Westminster Abbey?

Mausoleum?

For a layman it is hard to see how this is a place of worship. I would hazard a guess that the majority of visits are made to look at the graves to learn about English history and to admire the architecture rather than worship God. To be fair, that was the purpose of our visit and we were in no way disappointed. It was staggering to learn that over 3000 people are buried in the abbey and there seemed to be countless other memorials that occupy the available space. Upon entering the building, one feels small and dwarfed, a forgotten person, a mere mortal as the great marble statues of illustrious 18th & 19th century prime ministers loom high above the recent entrant in the reception area. There was a statue of Disraeli – his form is hard to miss. I remember seeing a statue of Robert Peel. There was a monument to William Pitt. These are perhaps excessive and over the top, but best sum up, in my opinion, the nature of the place. The presence of these statues be the confirmation of the political and religious links of the two neighbours. As one is borne along with the crowd, it is vital to constantly look down, up, left, and right, as with each step a grave or monument is seen and it is easy to memorials to really famous people. Stephen Hawking’s grave is a particular favourite of many of the visitors to the church. My own fascination is with the former monarchs of the land. At the very centre of the church is the resting place of Edward the Confessor. He was perhaps not laid to rest in this place as he was moved several times, and he was believed to be responsible for miracles and favoured by God. Edward the Confessor is surrounded by 5 kings and 4 queens. He is now laid to rest in St Edwards the Confessor’s Chapel. He died in early 1066 and his death triggered the events that led up to what we know affectionately as ‘1066 and all that’.

Henry VII Lady Chapel

To the east of Confessor’s chapel is the jaw dropping and glorious Lady Chapel. A truly spectacular and astonishing architectural achievement. Calling it splendid doesn’t do it justice – it is that sublime. I can’t recall ever walking into a place and being so amazed at what I saw. For a moment, a lengthy one at that, I was completely spell bound. The level of detail and expense put into such a place can see why it was described in 1545 as ‘the wonder of the entire world’ and a century later as ‘one of the stateliest and daintiest monuments of Europe.’ Questions flooded into the mind – what is a lady chapel? Why at the east end of the building? Why behind the main altar? Why are most churches built on an east west axis? How did the people back in the 15 th century construct these buildings (I refer to the fabulous fan vaulting in particular)? I am told that the lady chapel is built in perpendicular style (what does this mean?) with its most striking feature its fan vaulted ceiling. I hope the pictures do it justice. The flags add tremendous colour to the perfectly crafted yellow looking stone. Is this next sentence too strong? I implore you to visit it yourself. It is truly magnificent. There are a further 15 kings and queens buried in here alone, including Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth I and her sister queen Mary.

Coronation Church

The recent coronation of King Charles III was the 40th to have taken place in the church and provided further incredible evidence of our long-standing traditions. This dates back to the first coronation taking place at Westminster Abbey on December 25th 1066 (funny day to choose but maybe Christmas was celebrated in the same way or on the same day back then) when William the Conqueror decided to reinforce his claim to the throne. All the future monarchs have taken the oath here apart from two, the boy king (Edward VI) and the king who abdicated (Edward VIII). There are, no doubt, many tales of these coronations where it was not the perfect spectacle that we witnessed (albeit by TV) in May 2023. Thinking of the previous coronation on June 2nd 1953, my father wasn’t even born and, though there is footage of the events of that day (it was very wet outside I was told by an aged aunt), these seem to be of the placing of the crown upon Queen Elizabeth’s head and not of the rather weird parts of the ceremony that lead up to the crowning event. That day taught me a lot via the TV screen. I am still confused in that during the coronation ceremony it was not the dean, head (if that is the right term) of the most important church in the land, but the Archbishop of Canterbury who placed the crown upon Charles’s head. As we know, the coronation uses one of the most famous pieces of furniture in the world. It is over 700 years old and can be seen in a corner of the church, well protected by surrounding glass. This was removed during World War II when London was under attack from the air in the Blitz and taken to Gloucester cathedral and, no doubt,
stored in the crypt there.

Gothic Masterpiece

Construction of the church that we see today began in the 13 th century by Henry III when he decided to rebuild the church that had been raised under Edward the Confessor’s direction. He laid the foundations before running out of money!! The church was not finished when he died. The building is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture but what does this mean? Similar great projects were underway across medieval Britain and Europe in the middle of the 13th Century. The lady chapel was not started until the early part of the 16th Century and took 10 years to complete some six years after Henry VII died and his charismatic son assumed the throne. General observations I’m always in awe of the arches, the stained-glass windows (did we see many of these at either St Paul’s or Westminster Abbey?), the monumental tombs and ceilings that adorn the many churches and cathedrals in our land. There are terms which I still do not understand – it seems like a different language is used in these places and, by this, I mean all Church of England buildings that I have visited, and others as yet not seen – but I will find out. Whether I remember them or not is another matter. For some examples, what is a reredos (how is it even pronounced?)? What is a chancel (the spell checker wants to put in the word chance!!)? What does it mean? Where is it located? A nave? A transept? A misericord? A cathedra? A quire? A rood screen? The pelican in her piety? The lamb with the flag? The green man? The list is lengthy and this does not contain questions about other people who run these churches and cathedrals.

This building is a masterpiece but is by no means the only architectural wonder in Britain. Arches, both small and large, are spread in perfect unison from north to south side. Stained-glass windows adorn spaces along with windows providing natural light. Some of these were made in medieval times. Presumably the golden coloured dividing structure between nave and quire (?) and adorned with a memorial to Sir Isaac Newton to one side of the part that faces west is the rood screen, but it is quite unlike the beautifully carved wooden though narrower ones that are prevalent in churches throughout the land. Almost everything is confusing despite its undoubted beauty. The lady chapel is the jewel in this crown though the rood screen (I call it this not knowing if I use the right term) is marvellous. I am left thinking that if the fan vaulting has been made these 500 years or more, what could we construct in 2024 that looked anywhere near as nice and that would stand the test of time.

Another London landmark seen and many more to go – watch out for the next one! Coronation church is certainly a favourite.

Conclusions

This is starting to read like a report now but my (our) visit challenged me (us) to look beyond the narrative and explore what I was seeing. I hope that I have raised some interesting thoughts about this place and lesser places like it and perhaps inspired you to get out and explore. I’ve learnt about a royal peculiar and not I alone! I have delved deeper into the history of our monarchy and left with some puzzlement over the makeup of the church. An increased appreciation of architecture and construction grows with every visit as I try to learn and understand these engineering feats. I could and probably should have written a lot more but will hopefully leave you wanting to explore these places for yourself.

September 17, 2024May 12, 2025

Victoria’s Birthplace, Kensington Palace, London, UK

On a late summer’s Sunday, we took the opportunity to expand our knowledge and view of London’s landmarks by ticking another off our ‘must see’ list. Kensington Palace is a lesser-known building than some of the city’s more iconic ones. It is the second royal residence in London behind Buckingham Palace.

Kensington Palace clearly lacks the pomp and circumstance associated with other royal residences of the land. There are no red coats at the gate, or visible police presence protecting a so-called palace. We can only recall the odd statement from a palace security guard warning of pickpockets!! Our visit seemed slightly surreal as autumn seemed ever closer there was a real warmth and friendliness amongst the crowds of people wandering the palace and grounds. It certainly drew more of a crowd than we were anticipating.

The palace is nestled on the outer western boundary of Kensington Gardens which are joined to Hyde Park. Some way from the central sights of London, it certainly is a long walk from central (downtown for you Yanks) London, however, we made the short walk from Paddington station. Upon arriving one sees a statue of one of our most famous monarchs, Queen Victoria. Her connection with this palace was our main reason for visiting. Queen Victoria was born and raised at the palace and this connection is shown throughout the first part of the residence.

We walked through the first set of rooms of the palace which are associated with Queen Victoria. They were bland and plain, though Victoria’s father thought differently when he wrote this in a letter on the day that she was born there, “The apartment could not have been more comfortable, calm, close to the town but with the view over the most magnificent park with a beautiful bit of water”. It is very hard to disagree with this opinion as the view from the window of ‘the pond’ is, indeed, beautiful. The modern metropolis that now surrounds the pond in the distance brings a different perspective from yesteryear. There is a plaque by a window on a wall that reads ‘In this room Queen Victoria was born May 24^th, 1819’. By all accounts, Victoria had a very lonely and unhappy childhood through no fault of her own. She was manipulated and controlled by her mother’s partner and clearly out of favour with her uncle, the Prince of Wales, who effectively was king due to his father’s health and who became king George IV early the following year.

It is sad to think that Victoria was left hidden away here, and, even sadder, that this treatment was possibly a sort of punishment. Sir John Conroy was definitely a favourite of Victoria’s mother, Lady Flora Hastings. The potential was there for a young Victoria to become queen and Conroy realised this. Could it be that the introduction of ’The Kensington System Rules’, a set of strict regulations imposed on young Victoria, were designed to bring her under his control so that when she acceded the throne, he, in effect, had control of the Empire? Whatever his mindset we know that any such manipulation backfired on him for he was banished from the Royal household as soon as Victoria became queen. The rules are displayed on one of the walls for all visitors to see. Perhaps her closest friend during her childhood stay here was her furry friend Dash. Another couple of noticeable items on display are jewels (one of which was designed for Prince Albert as a gift) and a dolls’ house (which is a scale version of Kensington Palace). At around 0600 on the 20^th June 1837, Victoria was woken to be informed she was Queen and to make her way to the Red Saloon to meet the Privy Council. The Red Saloon remains and houses a painting of that famous meeting.

After visiting the Palace, the main attraction for me became the state apartments. These certainly felt grander than the Victoria rooms. A visit allows one to explore and educate oneself on a period of our British monarchy’s history of which I was previously unaware. When William III and Mary II, who were our first and only joint sovereigns decided to move here, they purchased a Jacobean mansion formerly known as Nottingham House (built in 1605 by Sir George Coppin). At the time of purchase, it was a two-story Jacobean mansion and was clearly going to require some work. They instructed Sir Christopher Wren to complete works on this mansion and to enlarge it to become a palace. Sir Christopher decided that to save time and money, he would keep the original house intact and add three story pavilions at each of the 4 corners.

Mary II’s sister (Queen Anne) would go on to finish these works and make significant improvements to the gardens. This included the construction of the Orangery (now a restaurant offering elegant lunches or indulgent afternoon tea). The Queen’s apartments include a staircase, gallery, closet, dining room, drawing room & a bedroom. Compared to the King’s apartments they come across very bland and basic. The King’s apartments are, in our opinion, the most appealing part of the palace.

The penultimate monarch to fully live here (George I) spent lavishly on the palace. What is seen here is the staircase, the presence chamber, the privy chamber, the cupola room, drawing room and the King’s gallery. The staircase immediately attracts one’s attention upon entrance. This grand entrance is a must see and was painted by William Kent as a vivid recreation of George I’s court. The other room which is superb, splendidly decorated and worthy of admiration is the Cupola room. This was the work of William Kent and his first commission. On looking upwards, the fictive coffered dome with the centre piece of the Star of the Order of the Garter is seen. This beautiful room was home to lavish parties given by George II, but in 1819 the baptism of Princess Victoria also took place here.

Our tour of Kensington Palace was complete but as we left, we walked around the grounds as everyone can do without purchasing an entrance ticket. Maybe this is where those pickpockets lie in wait!!

Our impression is that the beauties of this palace are relatively unknown, but, in our opinion, is testament to 300 fascinating years of royal history. As palaces go, it did seem to come across as more of a home and most definitely when in the Victoria rooms. The Queen’s apartments stir up the thoughts of being in a palace, but it was the king’s staircase and cupola room that give this place its ‘wow’ factor.

As we left London again, it was with a slight spring in our step. Another summer has passed by and we have completed another fascinating, educational and inspirational visit that has more than satisfied our curiosity and we are encouraged to return to this great city for more visual treats by way of our further education.

December 5, 2022May 12, 2025

Loving London, England, United Kingdom

Not a war time cry across the wireless but a phrase from the lyrics put together by ‘The Clash’ and with which its song leads I feel ‘London Calling’. The Clash would follow up their leading line with ‘to the faraway towns’, and this is so as I sit on the train back from this incredible city and return to my faraway town.

Some would associate London calling with the punk record or look back at memories of when it was the leading line on the wireless before the BBC would deliver reports on the darkest periods of World War II. Relaxing by letting the train take the strain I start to ponder how on earth I can write a single blog about the ‘greatest city’ on earth, that has become the laughingstock around the world recently’ apparently. I will stay away from the politics, after all this blog is about travel, London has been calling me for a while now, but though my mission to visit every city has taken a hiatus, everything now looks to be getting back on track.

A city like many others on this personal journey, it is steeped in so much of Britain’s history, which is infused through every nook and cranny of this metropolis. It was the Romans who first established this city some 2000 years ago, before many ups and downs created what is seen today. The Black Plague, the Great Fire Spanish flu and even the German Luftwaffe tried to destroy it, but she still stood firm. These are just a few periods of its incredible history that have shaped the city seen today and perhaps are reasons for so many visitors.

London lures many people to visit, to work or even to in live in, I’m included in that number. What is the reason? Politicians strive for power, investors and bankers seek their fortune, some people arrive for a glimpse of the monarchy, or others just like to find fame in that ‘Instagrammable’) location. The facts surely speak for themselves. Before the pandemic struck, some 18 million people came to visit the city every year. This is further evidenced by London being voted the greatest city on the planet on numerous occasions. This, of course, is open for debate.

Someone wise once said, ‘Why, sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’ Sadly, as I write this, I tend to disagree because, on this day, I am willing to leave London. Has the world changed greatly from the day that this was said? In my opinion it has greatly! In my eyes the hustle and bustle are okay for a day or two, but full time? Not for me! That’s a rat race I don’t want to win. Perhaps many Londoners shared the same view as they flocked away from the city during the pandemic. As I see it there is a call from afar of green and pleasant lands that offer a quality of life that the city can’t match. Full time bloggers dedicate their blogs to this city. I’m just an inquisitive individual trying to learn about these lands.

It’s that thirst for knowledge that has taught me London is two cities the City of Westminster and the City of London. The City of London is surely a far cry from the small fort the Romans would have established when they invaded these lands. When the Roman Empire fell and the Romans left these shores, the city has evolved from sticks and stones into the financial hub of the world (would need confirmation that this is still the case). Now referred to as ‘the square mile’. It is adjoined on the western boundary by London’s second city, the ‘bubble’ (sorry City) of Westminster (the chaos of that City is reflected in the daily news, and I will leave that for you to follow). These two Cities combine to form the central heartbeat (downtown – if you’re reading from across the pond) of what many people associate as being London. The gothic grandeur sprinkled throughout as modern & medieval architecture stand side by side complimenting each other is a sight to behold. London’s addictive atmosphere evokes curiosity & excitement. This is true for me as a visitor, but for those who live here 24/7 they may have other feelings. These two cities, together with 31 boroughs, combine to form the Greater London Area (GLA). Camden, Hammersmith & Fulham, Richmond, Southwark, Greenwich to name a few. Six of these boroughs do not have “London Borough” in their names: the City of London and the City of Westminster, and the Royal Boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, Kensington, Chelsea, and Greenwich. For someone living in the countryside its astonishing to think that an incredible 9 million people call London home which is more people than live in Wales and Scotland combined or the entire population of Austria. This amount of people surely gives the city its rich & diverse culture. Over a third of this 9 million were born abroad which means London is probably as international as it is British.

These cultures combine to give a mix of cuisines like no other city. Forget ‘the best of British’, as food lovers are spoilt for choice. When visiting or living in London people are spoilt for choices. There are a remarkable 87 Michelin star restaurants in the city and 3 at the highest 3* level. There are even rumours that there are more Indian restaurants in London than in Mumbai and that the food is better than can be found in that city. A quick troll through Instagram will show you some of the famous ones, normally accompanied by a rooftop view for drinks – they certainly are the craze these days. If food isn’t what you seek, then perhaps a pint maybe calling you. Pubs are part of the very fabric of Britain, and it is claimed that in London you are never no more than 7metres from one (again how true this is I shall let you decide). The capital boasts some 7,000 public houses and inns. Afternoon tea is another very British tradition, and London (where it originates from?) does it like no other. A visit to the Ritz, Claridge’s, Browns, Dorchester and The Berkeley are all worth the financial outlay.

But London is more than food & drink. It can boast an incredible 4 separate world heritage sites. It has 2000 years of history. Meaning it has something for everyone. The Romans established it, it survived the dark ages before evolving through the Middle Ages, and now as technology advances at a rate of knots who knows what she might become. The great British Isles are blessed with many castles, London incredibly only boasts one these days, The famous and much visited tower of London. At one time there were 9 castles surrounding the city, but the only one remaining is to the west, which is her late majesty’s resting place, Windsor. A town not so far away, only a day’s march back in the day is well worth a visit but shouldn’t distract you from the time that would be lost to the vast amount of museums London has to boast. You could spend a couple of weeks in London and still not visit all the museums, as there are over 170 of them. The best thing is that most of them are free! Half of the 2 millennia (of the Christian era) have been ruled by the monarchy. Westminster Abbey (along with the Tower of London) dates back to the Norman invasion. Westminster Abbey is where our kings and queens are crowned. There is a fascination with the monarchy from old to young and far and wide, and while it gives us our rich traditions, values and pomp and circumstance the whispers grow louder for its very existence. London’s more recent history has been absorbed in political infighting that has come off the back of pandemic management. As we leave the ‘pandemic’ London, like the rest of the Europe, survived as it did the great Plague and fire. During the great plague some 40,000 Londoners were wiped out in 1665 and a year later the great fire tore through the city, but she still survived. As the city evolved from the turmoil of an epidemic and then ash, it rose again. The present St Paul’s Cathedral is testament to this. It left the medieval ages and golden years and went on to become the modern masterpiece everyone seems to love now. The impression I have is that much of London’s success can be put down to the Victorians. There may be similarities with the here and now as Britain looks to carve its new place in the world post Brexit. Perhaps some inspiration can be gleaned from its great and long-standing history. London is also home to some quirky street names.

I mentioned ‘wannabe‘ social media stars flocking to the city for the perfect location for food or spending money in the city’s fashionable drinking and eating establishments. Their arrival is clearly the city’s business gains. London is also one of the 4 fashion capitals of the world and is home to more shops than Paris. Oxford, Regent & Bond Street are famous as are Harrods in Knightsbridge, Saville Row or, my personal favourite, Covent Garden. Fashion is so popular in London that it requires two weeks and not one in the calendar year for its fashion week. The city has also produced some famous names in the fashion world – Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to name a couple.

With many people living, working or visiting the city, it needs a transport system like no other. Green taxes and overcrowded roads mean driving in London isn’t for the faint hearted. London is served by the largest city airport network in the world. The 6 airports that form this service to the city are Stansted, Luton, Southend, City, Gatwick and Heathrow. The London Underground with its famous map is an experience not to be missed when in the city. It’s the oldest metro system in the world, 402km long and boasts an incredible 270 stops. It is reported that 1.3 billon single trips are made each year on the ‘Tube’. It is also an interesting fact that more of the underground exists above ground. How could one write about transport and not mention London’s iconic Black cabs and red buses. They used to dominate the roads of the city, but now they are competing with uber, and bicycles as alternative forms of getting round. As the world looks to green alternatives, possibly the best way to explore the city is by foot. It’s certainly my favourite way to explore the place. You’ll hopefully be able to read my blogs soon of when I completed the Thames path which took me right through the heart of the city. The City is classified as a national forest. There are an estimated 8 and half million trees in the city with over 300 gardens. This equates to 40% of London being parkland.

So, as I draw this slightly longer blog to a close, I can only apologise for its length. Hopefully you can see how difficult I have found to condense this blog about the city, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. So, as I look to explore this great city in further detail, the capital of capitals, watch out for more and more blogs on this fascinating city. I will return to that famous quote ‘when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’ I’m not tired and look forward to returning. Are you tired of London? Answers on a postcard (email) please….