A history walk around Covent Garden
Today I joined my walking group to visit the Covent Garden area which began as a market held three days a week in the 1650s behind Bedford House (a mansion owned by the Duke of Bedford).
We started at Holborn Station, opposite the entrance is Kingsgate House which was built in 1903, and designed by Arthur Keen. On top two statues have been concealed by anti-bird netting which is a shame as the one on the right is Edward VII (newly crowned in 1901) and the one on the left is Edward I who reigned from 1272-1307. If you click to enlarge, you can still see them:
More photos under the cut with theatres, a gentleman's club, former pissoirs, old market buildings and sundials...
We walked down Kingsway, a street "designed to rival the boulevards of Paris" linking the North and South of London. Building started in the early 1900s with the demolition of many slum houses and streets. It was officially opened in 1905 by Edward VII, but there were many unfinished buildings and gaps as it was eventually finished 20 years later, however, the whole length of the street had gas lighting. It's one of the widest streets in London and connects with The Aldwych. It also has an underground tram tunnel.
We passed the former Africa House built in 1921
Further down is the 1920s Freemason Temple.
We continued to Whitecross Street where you can find the original housing built by the American philanthropist George Peabody for the poor in 1883. This is still managed by the Peabody Trust for those needing affordable housing.
We walked beside the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (which isn't actually in Drury Lane). These columns are made of steel.
The entrance of the theatre - this one was built in 1812, although there have been theatres on the site since 1663.
Around the corner of the building is a monument to August Harris who was the manager in 1879 and was instrumental in making the theatre very popular with opera and annual Pantomimes.
These interesting red 'lights' used to be pissoirs which were inside the theatre for the relief of the gentlemen watching the performances.
The foyer is rather grand:
We walked past the very posh Penhaligon's perfume store which is in a lovely Georgian building
The arched area on the left used to be part of the old Floral Hall (the flower market) but is now part of the Royal Opera House on the right
We walked down Floral Street under the 'Bridge of Aspiration which allows the dancers from the Royal Ballet School to cross to the Royal Opera House:
Covent Garden Tube Station is one of Leslie Green's 1930s designs with the Ox blood tiles on the façade.
Covent Garden - this covered area was built by John, Duke of Bedford in 1830. Before this date the market was in the open air and not a very nice area with lots of 'ladies of the night' plying their trade along with the market stalls.
Inside there was a display of Tina Turner costumes from the show Tina, which is currently running in the West End.
Christmas decorations are going up everywhere at the moment. These were HUGE!
Russell House - this was originally built in 1716 for the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Orford and you can see it in Hogarth's engraving 'Morning'. The façade is a copy as the original was damaged.
Continuing down Rose Street. This is one of the oldest pubs in London - The Lamb and Flag became a pub in 1772 (the façade is newer).
The Garrick Club - a gentleman's club founded in 1831 (named after David Garrick the actor). It was only this year that they allowed women to join and there are now two ladies - the actors Dame Judi Dench and Sîan Phillips.
Some of the old housing still survives from the Georgian period with the cobbled streets
Seven Dials where seven streets meet at a roundabout with a column which has seven sundials (the seventh dial is the column itself). The area was developed by Thomas Neale. The netting is a web of lights for Christmas.
The rather lovely interior of the Cambridge Theatre from the 1930s
All around the area, you'll see little busts of 'Mercers' Maidens' (click for bigger below the top floor windows). They are on many of the buildings around Long Acre which was given to the Worshipful Company of Mercers in the 16th Century. They are a livery company and have existed since the 14th century managing the finances of wealthy wool and silk merchants. The Mercers Maidens mark the buildings they own.
A Barbara Hepworth sculpture on the side of Orion House
62 St Martin's Lane was built around 1753. This house used to be next to the Thomas Chippendale furniture-making workshops on the right.
It was a very interesting walk (as usual!) - next week is the last one and we will be exploring the area around London Bridge and Borough Market ending in one of the oldest London pubs built in 1677.
We started at Holborn Station, opposite the entrance is Kingsgate House which was built in 1903, and designed by Arthur Keen. On top two statues have been concealed by anti-bird netting which is a shame as the one on the right is Edward VII (newly crowned in 1901) and the one on the left is Edward I who reigned from 1272-1307. If you click to enlarge, you can still see them:
More photos under the cut with theatres, a gentleman's club, former pissoirs, old market buildings and sundials...
We walked down Kingsway, a street "designed to rival the boulevards of Paris" linking the North and South of London. Building started in the early 1900s with the demolition of many slum houses and streets. It was officially opened in 1905 by Edward VII, but there were many unfinished buildings and gaps as it was eventually finished 20 years later, however, the whole length of the street had gas lighting. It's one of the widest streets in London and connects with The Aldwych. It also has an underground tram tunnel.
We passed the former Africa House built in 1921
Further down is the 1920s Freemason Temple.
We continued to Whitecross Street where you can find the original housing built by the American philanthropist George Peabody for the poor in 1883. This is still managed by the Peabody Trust for those needing affordable housing.
We walked beside the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (which isn't actually in Drury Lane). These columns are made of steel.
The entrance of the theatre - this one was built in 1812, although there have been theatres on the site since 1663.
Around the corner of the building is a monument to August Harris who was the manager in 1879 and was instrumental in making the theatre very popular with opera and annual Pantomimes.
These interesting red 'lights' used to be pissoirs which were inside the theatre for the relief of the gentlemen watching the performances.
The foyer is rather grand:
We walked past the very posh Penhaligon's perfume store which is in a lovely Georgian building
The arched area on the left used to be part of the old Floral Hall (the flower market) but is now part of the Royal Opera House on the right
We walked down Floral Street under the 'Bridge of Aspiration which allows the dancers from the Royal Ballet School to cross to the Royal Opera House:
Covent Garden Tube Station is one of Leslie Green's 1930s designs with the Ox blood tiles on the façade.
Covent Garden - this covered area was built by John, Duke of Bedford in 1830. Before this date the market was in the open air and not a very nice area with lots of 'ladies of the night' plying their trade along with the market stalls.
Inside there was a display of Tina Turner costumes from the show Tina, which is currently running in the West End.
Christmas decorations are going up everywhere at the moment. These were HUGE!
Russell House - this was originally built in 1716 for the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Orford and you can see it in Hogarth's engraving 'Morning'. The façade is a copy as the original was damaged.
Continuing down Rose Street. This is one of the oldest pubs in London - The Lamb and Flag became a pub in 1772 (the façade is newer).
The Garrick Club - a gentleman's club founded in 1831 (named after David Garrick the actor). It was only this year that they allowed women to join and there are now two ladies - the actors Dame Judi Dench and Sîan Phillips.
Some of the old housing still survives from the Georgian period with the cobbled streets
Seven Dials where seven streets meet at a roundabout with a column which has seven sundials (the seventh dial is the column itself). The area was developed by Thomas Neale. The netting is a web of lights for Christmas.
The rather lovely interior of the Cambridge Theatre from the 1930s
All around the area, you'll see little busts of 'Mercers' Maidens' (click for bigger below the top floor windows). They are on many of the buildings around Long Acre which was given to the Worshipful Company of Mercers in the 16th Century. They are a livery company and have existed since the 14th century managing the finances of wealthy wool and silk merchants. The Mercers Maidens mark the buildings they own.
A Barbara Hepworth sculpture on the side of Orion House
62 St Martin's Lane was built around 1753. This house used to be next to the Thomas Chippendale furniture-making workshops on the right.
It was a very interesting walk (as usual!) - next week is the last one and we will be exploring the area around London Bridge and Borough Market ending in one of the oldest London pubs built in 1677.