A Day in London 3

Day in London Cool things to do in London . March 2016

SKY GARDEN GREENWICH PARK BRITISH MUSEUM LEADENHALL MARKET OLD BANK OF ENGLAND PUB

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A day in London

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A day in London

Few Words ondon. So many things to do. So many things to see. So many places to visit and so many good beers to drink.

There are an endless array of features to enrich your experience here that it may cause anxiety and confusion.

A Day in London, in its third edition, brings a selection of interesting features. We start having a brunch in the Sky Garden, situated in the top of the oddest building in the city, you can have a pleasing view of London and admire its majesty.

After that, we take you for a walk in the lovely Greenwich Park. Enjoy moments of peace and beauty and explore some of its cool attractions like the Cutty Sark ship or the Royal Observatory. The next stop is to admire the magnificent British Museum and its vast collection of art and objects from the beginning of the civilization. Then, we will visit Leadenhall Market, a hidden jewell of British architecture where we can taste some

our journey in a splendid pub, the Old Bank of England, to drink some fine beers

exquisite food. Now, maybe you got thirsty. No worries! We’ll conclude

and admire its stunning insterior. Well, enjoy the tour!

Photographs & graphic design by Pablo de Mello | March 2016

Having a pint in Old England Bank

42 To Drink

Wander and shop in the oldest market

36 Shopping

Hold your breath in the British Museum

24 Culture

A delicious walk in Greenwich Park

12 A Walk

Enoy a cup of coffee on the top of London

4

Having Fun

Contents

GARDEN Fancy design & ashtonishing view

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A day in London

L

ondoners just love to get high. So

Rhubarb restaurants Darwins Brasserie and the

boundaries of London, since the mountains

much so that all available slots to

Fenchurch grill.

at the South and at the North as well as the

visit the newly opened Sky Garden at the top of the Walkie Talkie

have been painfully disputed.

We recently had the wonderful chance

I think you’ll agree by the set of photos

extreme Thames by both sides. Tower Bridge

we’ve taken the view of the Walkie Talkie Sky

looks like a cute miniature and the distant

Garden is incredible but the most impressive

Canary Wharf seems even more imponent.

thing here is the Sky garden itself. When the

The building was completed in April

to visit the Sky Garden at the top of the tallest

lift doors open, it’s like you’ve walked into

2014 and its bulbous shape and location

building in the City of London, 20 Fenchurch

some futuristic space craft, like on Wall-E but

amongst some of London’s most revered

building AKA, The Walkie Talkie.

without the fat people in those floaty chairs.

heritage landmarks polarised the architectural

We look forward to the open air terrace to

world. It also created controversial headlines

one of the tallest buildings in London, costing

open later this spring, cocktail in hand and

that summer - the curvature of the glass

£200 million and designed by Rafael Viñoly.

watching the sun set over Westminster.

building concentrated the sun’s light and

So, that facts, 37 storeys high, 525ft tall,

The Sky Garden occupies the top 3 storeys and includes the Sky Pod seasonal bar and

The panoramic view is absolutely breathtaking. We can easily admire the

reflected a scorching beam into the streets below that melted car parts, blistered paintwork

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A day in London

and in one stunt was used to fry an egg by a

to the likes of make-up and aftershaves.

café in the spotlight of the building.

peering down on HMS Belfast, but the best bit is around the ‘back’, where staircases take

The views

you up to the 36th floor and the Sky Garden’s

by the numbers of visitants, Over 500,000

Let’s cut straight to the chase — this is

more gardeny parts, along with up-close views

people have made a free visit to the Sky Garden

probably why you’re visiting. The Sky Garden’s

of Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, The Gherkin

since opened to the public in last January.

main level is a large, spacious area dotted

and The Cheesegrater. Calling the space a

with tables and sofas. There’s deliberately

public park risks being a little bit over-the-

Getting in

little to get in the way of the striking 360

top, but there are plenty of plants, pathways

When you enter the building, be prepared

degree views, which has led some to suggest

through beds filled with overhanging ferns

for airport-style security before a lift whizzes

it looks a bit like an airport terminal — but

and even little seating spaces in ‘clearings’.

you up to the 35th floor. This means you’re

don’t listen too much to the cynics, we’ve

Add a carefully chosen soundtrack of ethereal

not allowed more than 100ml of liquid unless

never been as wowed on entering Heathrow

atmospheric music and you have a pretty

it’s either baby food or medication — but the

as we were here. When you first arrive you’ll

special atmosphere.

security staff were pretty sensible when it came

find yourself eye-to-eye with The Shard and

The success of public can be measured

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A day in London

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A day in London

What a breathtaking architecture achievement

The restaurants

where we ate. Peak time slots are filling up, but

(£18) boasting a flaky pastry crust, rich gravy

If you’re looking to reserve a space at one of

currently you can still get tables here within

and tender, robustly gamey-flavoured meat was

the Sky Garden’s restaurants, you have three

the week. This restaurant is set right at the

a hearty and satisfying main. A wobbly and

options.

front of the space overlooking the river, and

seriously citrusy lemon tart (£7.50) made for

probably boasts the Sky Garden’s best views.

a classy pud and also allowed us to linger long

of a kiosk than a restaurant. It’s open from

The menu is relatively moderately priced,

enough by the window to see London light up

breakfast through to dinner, serving well-

with the cheapest mains (club sandwiches)

as night fell.

priced snacks and platters — sandwiches start

costing around a tenner. We splashed out on

at £4 — along with cocktails, wines and beers.

slightly more expensive options but were very

flight of stairs up, is the Fenchurch Seafood

Dinner slots here seem to be fully booked well

impressed with the quality — this is serious

Bar & Grill on level 37. This looked pretty

into next month, which is probably because it’s

cooking rather than tourist attraction fodder.

empty when we visited, so could turn out to

the cheapest way to get up to the Sky Garden,

A large king prawn cocktail decked out with

be the easiest place to get a table — but given

as there’s no commitment to having a full meal.

quail eggs and a Bloody Mary sauce (£13.50)

it specialises in oysters, seafood platters and

made an indulgent starter, while a venison pie

caviar, it doesn’t take much for it to get pretty

The Sky Pod is on level 35, and is more

A level up is the Darwin Brasserie,

The third dining option, one further

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A day in London

pricey. It’s set much further back from the

London’s other towers. Thanks to the Sky

windows than the Darwin Brasserie, so views

Pod bar and the Darwin Brasserie, eating and

aren’t quite as good either.

drinking up here is also much more affordable

The veredict The Sky Garden blows The Shard out of the water. There, we said it. The Walkie Talkie

Fantastic views of a beautiful city

than at its counterparts.

Any other way to get in?

Short of abseiling? Well, maybe. We asked the

may not be the most popular silhouette on the

reservation teams while we were there, and

skyline, but that doesn’t matter when you’re at

apparently if you try your luck after 6pm on

the top, as it’s pretty much the only thing in London that you can’t see. It’s known as the building ‘with more up top’ and that really shows in the space there is to walk around — with a drink, if you like — and explore: it’s a much more free experience than visiting

A must for all, whether you live in London or just visiting, it is a fantastic way to see the city.

weekdays you’re reasonably likely to be able to get up there for a drink. Good luck!

Address 20 Fenchurch St, London EC3M 8AF Site www.20fenchurchstreet.co.uk Hours Open today · 10am–6pm

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A day in London

A weird building quickly became an icon of London’s avantgarde spirit

A

rchitecture has always had its icons. For

parliament building - all of which initially met with

chameleon of our time. We have seen it mutate from

centuries they took the form of churches

disapproval. These modern icons simultaneously

a Miesian ideal into a postmodern palace, into a

and temples. In our secular age we still

signal their function and their public importance.

hi-tech machine, into organic forms and now blobs

need familiar and reassuring reference points - but

They convey the spirit of their age; they are both

dressed up as art. Strangely, for buildings intended

in the rush to fill this void, designers have been

useful and memorable.

to inspire efficiency, these cosmetic changes are

falling over themselves to apply the iconic treatment

But there are also less significant buildings

rarely market- or customer-led. They are more

to every conceivable building. These new designs

that aspire to iconic status but do not always deserve

often than not driven simply by the need to get

have names like Spiral, Cocoon, Cloud or Vortex,

the profile their sponsors demand. In this context,

planning approval. We saw this at London Bridge,

inspiring a sense of poetic wonder. Often, though,

the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao has had a

where the planning inspector hailed Renzo Piano’s

they are just ordinary buildings distorted into

significant effect.

assembly of glass shards as an artistic success. This

unnecessarily complicated shapes. Their main

Too many iconic buildings and the fabric

domineering, elephantine project is made entirely

of the city is distorted, but too few and the city is

of glass and is claimed to reflect light in a way that

dull. It is the quiet strength of ordinary streets and

is varied and beautiful. Enormous it is; interesting it

that is unmistakable, often provocative, and carries

unexceptional buildings that allows the icon to be

is as well.

cultural signals far beyond its purpose. Obvious

special. We need to look at the city as a whole, and

iconic landmarks include the Sydney opera house,

no building should leave it worse off.

purpose is to attract our attention.

The true architectural icon is a building

the Pompidou centre, even the new Scottish

The office building, meanwhile, is the true

Wlakie Talkie prove that it is possible to create buildings that are at once visually impressive, workable and in keeping with their surroundings

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A day in London

Greenwich An enchanted spot in South London

A day in London

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A day in London

The banks of the eastern section of the River Thames are home to many of London’s most interesting areas. It’s here you’ll find stunning Greenwich, just 6 mi downstream of Tower Bridge, the traditional London base of the Royal Navy and home to the largest expanses of preserved historic architecture and parkland in England.

A

bout 8 miles downstream—

London skyline (there’s a guaranteed spine

the birthplace of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and

which means seaward, to the

chill on passing the Tower) and ever-changing

Mary I. Inigo Jones built what is considered

east—from central London,

docklands, and there’s usually a chirpy Cock-

the first “classical” building in England in

Greenwich is a small borough

er-ney navigator enlivening the journey with

1616—the Queen’s House, which now houses

his fun commentary.

a collection of fine art. Britain was the world’s

that looms large across the world. Once the seat of British naval power, it is not only

A visit to Greenwich feels like a trip to

preeminent naval power for more than 500

home to the Old Royal Observatory, which

a rather elegant seaside town—albeit one with

years, and the excellent National Maritime

measures time for our entire planet, but also

more than its fair share of historic sites. The

Museum details that history in an engaging

the Greenwich Meridian, which divides the

grandiose Old Royal Naval Hospital, designed

way. Its prize exhibits include the coat worn by

world into two—you can stand astride it with

by Christopher Wren, was originally a home

Admiral Lord Nelson (1758–1805) in his final

one foot in either hemisphere.

for veteran sailors. Today it’s a popular visitor

battle—bullet hole and all. The 19th-century

attraction, with a more glamorous second life

tea clipper Cutty Sark was nearly destroyed

Greenwich is an event in itself. In a rush, you

as one of the most widely used movie locations

by fire in 2007, but reopened in 2012 after a

can take the driverless DLR train—but many

in Britain.

painstaking restoration. Now it’s more pristine

Bear in mind that the journey to

opt for arriving by boat along the Thames.

This way, you glide past famous sights on the

Greenwich was originally home to one of England’s finest Tudor palaces, and

than ever, and has an impressive new visitor center.

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A day in London

Greenwich Park, London’s oldest royal park, is still home to fallow red deer, just as

Greenwich

it has been since they were first introduced here for hunting by Henry VIII. The Ranger’s House now houses a private art collection, next

1. Cutty Sark

door to a beautifully manicured rose garden.

2. Old Navy College

Above it all is the Royal Observatory, where

3. National

you can be in two hemispheres at once by

Maritime Museum

standing along the Greenwich Meridian Line,

4. Queen’s House

before seeing a high-tech planetarium show.

5. Greenwich Park

Toward north Greenwich, the hopelessly ambitious Millennium Dome has been

6. Old Royal

successfully reborn as the O2 and now hosts

Observatory

major concerts and stand-up comedy gigs.

More adventurous visitors can also go Up the 2

O2 on a climbing expedition across the massive domed surface. Meanwhile, those who prefer excursions of a gentler kind may prefer to

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Isle of Dogs

journey a couple of miles south of the borough,

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Greenwich

4 5

farther out into London’s southern suburbs, 6

to the shamefully underappreciated Eltham Palace, once a favorite of Henry VIII. Parts of the mansion were transformed into an art deco masterpiece in the 1930s.

Greenwich Lewisham

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A day in London

CUTTY SARK

Venture underneath and aboard one of the world’s most famous ships

T

he Cutty Sark’s name

the annual clippers’ race from

ship, with her gilded teak fittings,

naval prints and relics and largest

is taken from the poem

Shanghai to London in 1871, in a

and gaze up at the rigging on her

collection of carved and painted

‘Tam O’Shanter’ by

time of 107 days. However, with

three masts (capable of holding

ships’ figureheads in the world.

Robert Burns which describes

the coming of steam power and

30,000 square feet of canvas).

a witch wearing only a ‘cutty

the opening of the Suez Canal, the

sark’, a corruption of the French

usefulness of sailing ships began

Enjoy this unique experience

opened by the Queen in 2012.

‘courte chemise’ or short shirt.

to decline. It had an extensive

where you can walk the decks

As part of the restoration the ship

The figurehead on the prow of the

working life, visiting every major

in the footsteps of merchant

was raised 3 mteres and the hull

Cutty Sark is dressed in a similar

port in the World. The Cutty Sark

seamen who sailed her over a

area is now surrounded by glass,

garment.

made her last voyage in 1938 and

century ago

which caused some comments. The

Launched in 1869 as a tea

the Cutty Sark was restored and

was put on display here in 1957

space created is used for events,

carrier, Cutty Sark, the World’s

when HM The Queen opened the

last tea clipper, was launched at

display facility, since when over

decks reveal how the merchant

Dumbarton, Clydeside with the

15 million people worldwide have

seamen worked, lived, ate and

main objective of becoming the

enjoyed the grace and beauty of

slept in the very limited space.

fastest ship back in the annual race

this fine ship.

Exhibitions show the history of sail

to bring home the new season’s tea from China. And the ship won

Today you can wander around the beautifully restored

Following a fire in 2007

The crew’s quarters below

and the Pacific trade. The Cutty Sark also contains collections of

functions, and performances.

Cutty Sark King William Walk, SE10 9HT 020 8312 6608 www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark Monday - Sunday 10-17h Adults: £18.50 | Children: £8.50

A day in London

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The Cutty Sark is the world’s only surviving tea and wool clipper.

These fast merchant sailing ships crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in the 19th century.

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A day in London

Old Royal Naval College D

The Old Royal Naval College is Sir Christopher Wren’s twin-domed riverside masterpiece and one of London’s most famous landmarks.

esigned by

complex leave at noon daily, taking

Christopher Wren,

in areas not otherwise open to the

the grounds of the Old Royal

the Old Royal

public.

Naval College and see the poshest

used today by the University of

pensioners home that ever was.

Greenwich and Trinity Laban

Naval College

The complex was built

Take a wander through

at the Battle of Trafalgar.

The buildings are still

is a magnificent example of

on the site of the 15th-century

The Royal Hospital for Seaman, as

Conservatoire of Music and

monumental classical architecture.

Palace of Placentia, the birthplace

it was originally named, was built

Dance and if you visit during term

Parts are now used by the

of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

in the first half of the 18th century

time you can hear the students

University of Greenwich and

This Tudor connection, along

and was designed by Christopher

practising – it’s a beautiful noise!

Trinity College of Music, but you

with Greenwich’s industrial and

Wren and a number of other

can still visit the chapel and the

maritime history, is explored in

distinguished architects.

extraordinary Painted Hall , which

the Discover Greenwich centre.

It was a retirement home

took artist Sir James Thornhill

The tourist office is based here,

for sailors from the Royal Navy

19 years to complete. Hour-long,

along with a cafe/restaurant and

and some of the early inhabitants

yeomen-led tours (£6) of the

microbrewery.

included veterans of Nelson’s fleet

Make sure you visit the fabulous Painted Hall and the Chapel.

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A day in London

the Chapel

Painted Hall

The Chapel of St Peter and St Paul is one of the finest eighteenth century interiors in existence.

The Painted Hall has been described as ‘the Sistine Chapel of the UK’

T

by Benjamin West, it is one of the finest eighteenth century interiors

T

in the UK. A major visitor attraction ever since its completion in

hall for the naval pensioners who lived here at the Royal Hospital for

1789, and displayed to visitors along with the Painted Hall, the Chapel

Seamen. The walls and ceiling were painted by Sir James Thornhill

also still serves its original purpose as a place of worship: a service,

in two major phases between 1708 and 1727, and use symbolism

which members of the public are welcome to attend, is held here

to deliver powerful messages on a range of subjects, including the

every Sunday. Its acoustics are superb and it is also used regularly for

monarchy, religion, maritime power, navigation and trade. The theme

recitals and concerts. The ceiling of the Chapel is a wonderful piece

of Sir James Thornhill’s exuberant lower hall ceiling is the triumph of

of craftsmanship and is almost certainly responsible for the superb

Peace and Liberty over Tyranny. It pays tribute to King William and

acoustics of the space. It was designed by the master plasterer John

Queen Mary, seated in glory in the middle of the central oval, and the

Papworth in a neo-classical design of squares and octagons. The

importance of naval power to the fortunes of the nation. Look up as

intricate central ornaments were carved, rather than cast in moulds. It is

you enter the Painted Hall and you will see one of the most spectacular

plastered in a loveley light blue and cream.

domed ceilings in London rising 90ft above you.

he Chapel of St Peter and St Paul is a neo-classical masterpiece by James ‘Athenian’ Stuart and William Newton.

Featuring a Samuel Green organ and an altarpiece painted

he magnificent Painted Hall is recognised as the greatest piece of decorative painting in England and has been described as ‘the Sistine Chapel of the UK’. Designed by Sir Christopher

Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor, it was originally intended as a dining

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A day in London

National Maritime Museum D esigned by

complex leave at noon daily, taking

Christopher Wren,

in areas not otherwise open to the

the grounds of the Old Royal

the Old Royal

public.

Naval College and see the poshest

used today by the University of

pensioners home that ever was.

Greenwich and Trinity Laban

Naval College

The complex was built

Take a wander through

at the Battle of Trafalgar.

The buildings are still

is a magnificent example of

on the site of the 15th-century

The Royal Hospital for Seaman, as

Conservatoire of Music and

monumental classical architecture.

Palace of Placentia, the birthplace

it was originally named, was built

Dance and if you visit during term

Parts are now used by the

of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

in the first half of the 18th century

time you can hear the students

University of Greenwich and

This Tudor connection, along

and was designed by Christopher

practising – it’s a beautiful noise!

Trinity College of Music, but you

with Greenwich’s industrial and

Wren and a number of other

Make sure you visit the fabulous

can still visit the chapel and the

maritime history, is explored in

distinguished architects.

Painted Hall and the Chapel.

extraordinary Painted Hall , which

the Discover Greenwich centre.

It was a retirement home

took artist Sir James Thornhill

The tourist office is based here,

for sailors from the Royal Navy

19 years to complete. Hour-long,

along with a cafe/restaurant and

and some of the early inhabitants

yeomen-led tours (£6) of the

microbrewery.

included veterans of Nelson’s fleet

National Maritime Museum Park Row, Greenwich, SE10 9NF 020 8858 4422 www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum Monday - Sunday 10-17h Free

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A day in London

Queen’s house W

Greenwich buildings and portraits of Tudor and Stuart kings and queens associated with its history.

Rooms and galleries throughout the building are a fine setting for several superb maritime art collections which are held by the National Maritime Museum.

New artists and photographers are showcased through modern art and touring exhibitions. Restaurant facilities are in the adjacent

ith this

to become the focal point around

elegant house

which Wren created the grand

Inigo Jones

architectural landscape that is

the beautiful Queen’s House

considered remarkable for its break

introduced

Greenwich today.

Greenwich, bringing Classical

with the traditional, red-brick

architecture to England in the

Tudor style of building, and for its

process.

elegant proportions and the high

Palladian style to England.

Special features of the

National Maritime Museum.

Inigo Jones designed

completed around 1636 and is

Commissioned by King James I

House are the ‘Tulip Staircase’,

for his wife, Anne of Denmark, it

the cubic Great Hall and a logia

was a garden villa to complement

and orangery opening onto

of the most interesting buildings

first fully Classical building in

the Tudor palace at Greenwich.

Greenwich Park with fine views of

in the country. It is important

England.

Completed in 1635 during the

Wren’s unusual Flamsteed House

architecturally, and it is famous

turbulent years before the English

(the Royal Observatory) and

for its former occupants and its art

famous today for its extraordinary

Civil War, Charles I gave it to

Vanburgh’s castle on Maze Hill.

collection. The Queen’s House

art collection including works

even has its own ghost – if legend

by Great Masters such as

is to be believed.

Gainsborough, Reynolds, Turner

his queen, Henrietta Maria. It

The House now displays

survived the destruction of the

a series of historical paintings

Tudor palace by Cromwell’s army

portraying the history of these

The Queen’s House is one

The Queen’s House was

quality of its interiors. It was the

The Queen’s House is

and Hogarth.

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A day in London

The Royal Everywhere on earth is measured from here

T

he Royal

about 1720, after John Flamsteed,

Observatory, home

the first Astronomer Royal.

of Greenwich Mean

Flamsteed was appointed to

Time and the Prime

make a map of the heavens. It was

Meridian, is located within

hoped that this would solve the

Greenwich Park at the top of the

‘longitude problem’ that bedevilled

steep hill overlooking the Queen’s

early navigation.

House and the National Maritime Museum.

It is managed as part of the

and is dropped daily at 1pm as a

National Maritime Museum and

signal of the time to boats on the

contains the Astronomy Centre,

Thames. Tompion’s tall pendulum

Flamsteed House and the Meridian

clocks and the chronometers

Courtyard as well as the Peter

devised by John Harrison can also

Harrison Planetarium, London’s

be seen here.

only planetarium.

In the garden next to the

In 1675 King Charles II commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to build the Royal Observatory on the site of Duke Humphrey’s medieval watchtower.

It was named Flamsteed House in

The red time ball on the eastern turret was installed in 1833

In 1893, a 28-inch refracting telescope was designed

house is Flamsteed’s well. The

to keep the Royal Observatory

Astronomer used to lie on a

at the forefront of contemporary

mattress at the bottom of its 100-

astronomy and still remains the

foot drop to make observations

largest in the UK and one of the

through a glass.

largest in the world

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A day in London

Observatory Discover the past, present and future wonders of astronomy at the centre of time.

Drinks receptions may be

Meridian Courtyard for drinks

enjoyed in the Meridian Courtyard

reception on the Prime Meridian

or Flamsteed House. Dinner is

Line, spectacular views of London

served in the Octagon Room

skyline, private telescope viewings

which retains many original

and curator tours, list of accredited

historic features. This is the perfect

catering, production and floral

location to celebrate landmark

suppliers.

The Astronomy Centre features the Peter Harrison Planetarium, London’s only

pioneering inventions and the UK’s

Planetarium theatre. All events

largest refracting telescope, touch

include a viewing of one of

a 4.5 billion year-old asteroid, and

our Planetarium shows. With

travel the Universe at London’s

receptions held in the Astronomy

only planetarium.

You can visit the Royal

galleries and dinners in the modern

The Royal Observatory

Observatory, Planetarium and even

Greenwich is the “home of time”

stand either side of the Meridian

and the Prime Meridian Line.

Line. Explore how great scientists

Flamsteed House designed by Sir

first mapped the seas and the stars,

Christopher Wren in 1675 contains

stand astride two hemispheres

the world famous collection of

on the Prime Meridian Line, see

Harrison timekeepers.

lobby with a sliding glass wall.

occasions.

Features: Access to the

Royal Observatory Park Row, Greenwich, SE10 9NF 020 8858 4422 www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory/ Monday - Sunday 10-17h Adults: £9.50 | Children: £5.00

BRITISH MUSEUM AN UNIQUE TREASURE

dedicated to human history, art and culture

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A day in London

The Nereid Monument The Nereid Monument takes its name from the Nereids, sea-nymphs whose statues were placed between the columns of this monumental tomb. It was built for Erbinna (Greek Arbinas), ruler of Lycian Xanthos, south-west Turkey.

Although he was not Greek, Erbinna chose to be buried in a tomb that resembles a Greek temple of the Ionic order.

The monument is much influenced by the Ionic temples of the Acropolis of Athens and its lavish decorative sculpture, which can be seen reconstructed and displayed around the walls of Room 17, is a mixture of Greek and Lycian style and iconography.

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A day in London

What the Acropolis in Athens looked like, including the Parthenon of the gods, is best told today at the British Museum

B

ritain’s largest museum and one

million visitors per year. In addition to the vast

unquestionable, and now the British Museum

of the oldest and finest in the

permanent collection, the museum’s special

may be the museum to beat all the rest. In

world, the British Museum

exhibitions, displays and events are all designed

fact, it’s the top attraction in the country—6.7

is a remarkable display of

to advance understanding of the collection and

million people visited in 2013. Put on your

cultures they represent.

walking shoes because it’s huge.

fundamental art and objects from human kind, boasting vast Egyptian, Etruscan,

With a facade like a great temple, this

Inside are some of the greatest relics of

Greek, Roman, European and Middle

celebrated treasure house, filled with plunder

humankind: the Parthenon Sculptures (Elgin

Eastern galleries, among many others, and its

of incalculable value and beauty from around

Marbles), the Rosetta Stone, the Sutton Hoo

collections, only a fraction of which can be

the globe, occupies an imposing neoclassical

Treasure—almost everything, it seems, but the

on public display at any one time, comprise

building in the heart of Bloomsbury.

original Ten Commandments. The three rooms

millions of objects.

The British Museum’s breathtaking

Founded in 1753 and first opened in

that comprise the Sainsbury African Galleries

1759 in a converted mansion, the British

are a must-see in the Lower Gallery—together

collection spans over two million years of

Museum is as much a monument to great

they present 200,000 objects, highlighting such

human history. Enjoy a unique comparison of

craftsmanship as it is to the piracy carried out

ancient kingdoms as the Benin and Asante

the treasures of world cultures under one roof,

by 18th- and 19th-century Englishmen, who,

Holdings are grouped in numbered

centred around the magnificent Great Court.

on their trips abroad, plundered whatever

rooms by geography, with an emphasis on

goodies they could find and then told the bereft

the Greek and Roman Empires, Europe, and

Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures, and

that the thievery was for their own good. Yet

Britain. Dominating the center of the glass-

Egyptian mummies are visited by up to six

the exquisite taste of these English patriarchs is

roofed Great Court like a drum in a box,

World-famous objects such as the

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A day in London

the cream-and-gold, round Reading Room, completed in 1857, was once part of the British Library. Patrons had to apply for tickets, and they included Lenin and Karl Marx, who developed their political theories here; other habitués included Bram Stoker, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Virginia Woolf, who wrote upon entering “one stood under the vast dome, as if one were a thought in the huge bald forehead which is so splendidly encircled by a band of famous names.”

The Reading Room still houses some 25,000 books, but is usually closed to the public.

The museum’s focal point is the Great Court, a brilliant modern design with a vast glass roof atop the

Guide desk in the Great Court). There’s plenty to keep

museum’s covered courtyard. The revered Reading Room

kids interested here, by way of activities, games, and videos

has a blue-and-gold dome and hosts temporary exhibitions.

(check website for details), and the exhibits themselves, of

If you want to navigate the highlights of the almost 100

course.

galleries, join a free eyeOpener 30- or 40-minute tour by

The collection began when Sir Hans Sloane,

a museum guide (details at the information desk), or hire

physician to Queen Anne and George II, bequeathed his

a multimedia guide for £5 (available from the Multimedia

personal collection of antiquities to the nation. It grew

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A day in London

Designed by Foster and Partners, the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court transformed the Museum’s inner courtyard into the largest covered public square in Europe.

In the original Robert Smirke design the courtyard was meant to be a garden. However, in 1852–7 the Reading Room and a number of bookstacks were built in the courtyard to house the library department of the Museum and the space was lost. In 1997, the Museum’s library department was relocated to the new British Library building in St Pancras and there

The Rosetta Stone The pivotal Rosetta Stone (196 b.c.), in room 4, is what

was an opportunity to re-open the space to public. An architectural competition was launched to re-design the courtyard space. There were over 130 entries and

helped linguists crack hieroglyphics, and its importance to an-

it was eventually won by Lord Foster. The design of

thropology can’t be exaggerated. Napoleon’s soldiers found it in

the Great Court was loosely based on Foster’s concept

Egypt in 1799, but the British nabbed it in 1801. Consider it his

for the roof of the Reichstag in Berlin, Germany. A

first Waterloo. It now adorns everything from handbags to socks

key aspect of the design was that with every step in

in the gift shops; free museums have to profit somehow.

the Great Court the vista changed and allowed the visitor a new view on their surroundings. Work on the Great Court’s magnificent glass and steel roof began

quickly, thanks to enthusiastic kleptomaniacs after the

in September 1999. The canopy was designed and

Napoleonic Wars—most notoriously the seventh Earl of

installed by computer. It was constructed out of 3,312

Elgin, who acquired the marbles from the Parthenon and

panes of glass, no two of which are the same. At two

Erechtheion in Athens during his term as British ambassador

acres, the Great Court increased public space in the

in Constantinople. Here follows a highly edited résumé (in

Museum by forty per cent, allowing visitors to move

order of encounter) of the British Museum’s greatest hits:

freely around the main floor for the first time in 150

close to the entrance hall, in Room 4, is the Rosetta Stone,

years.

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A day in London

OLYMPIA`S HELMET HALICARNASSUS LION CARYATID COLUMN This gorgeous female figure sculpted serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The first examples come from ancient Greek architecture and indeed, the most celebrated examples are found in the south porch of the Erechtheion on the acropolis of Athens. The Caryatids now on the acropolis are copies, five of the originals reside in the Acropolis Museum of Athens and the other is in the British Museum.

Marble statue from the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos. It represents a lion which was placed at the base of the stepped pyramid.

The lion stands with both left legs slightly advanced. The statue is reconstructed from several fragments. It is nearly complete except for the paws and the end of the tail, the curve of which is seen on the left hind leg.

Bronze helmet of Corinthian type, with an inscription. The inscription records that the Argives (inhabitants of Argos) won the helmet in battle from the Corinthians and dedicated it to Zeus in his sanctuary at Olympia.

SUTTON HOO HELMET

PARTHENON MARBLE Marble statue from the East pediment of the Parthenon by Phideas. The East pediment showed the miraculous birth of the goddess

THE MUSEUM’S

Athena from the head of her father Zeus. Many of the figures from the central scene are now fragmentary or entirely lost.

This figure was carved as an isolated horse’s head. Its ears are flattened.

ASSYRIAN STATUE

ATHRIBIS BRONZE

Limestone statue of attendant god dedicated to Nabu by Adad-Nirari III and Sammuramat; carved from inferior limestone, standing in the attitude of submission, wearing the singlehorned crown proper to minor deities.

A bronze statue, the size of life, in all probability representing. Apollo as a young man and found near of the ancient Athribis, on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile

LAMASI STATUE Large stone sculptures and reliefs were a striking feature of the palaces and temples of ancient Assyria carved to protect the city

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A day in London

PARTHENON`S MARBLE The temple’s great size and lavish use of white marble was intended to show off the city’s power and wealth at the height of its empire. Room 18 exhibits sculptures that once decorated the outside of the building.

PARTHENON`S MARBLE The pediments and metopes illustrate episodes from Greek mythology, while the frieze represents the people of contemporary Athens in religious procession.

ANTINOUS STATUE Marble portrait head from a statue of Antinous (as Dionysus?) wearing a wreath of ivy, found in Lazio, Italy.

The Sutton Hoo Helmet is one of the most important Anglo Saxon finds of all time. It was buried in the grave of a warrior chieftain.

Cycladic Islands Marble During the early part of the Greek Bronze Age, the people of the Aegean islands known as the Cyclades began to produce items made from

TOP FEATURES

copper, silver, lead and the fine white marble of the area. Objects on display in Room 11 include marble vessels and the well-known Cycladic stylised figurines.

ASSYRIAN RELIEF The hunt scenes, full of tension and realism, rank among the finest achievements of Assyrian Art. They depict the release of the lions, the ensuing chase and subsequent killing.

APHROODIDTE`S STATUE Parian marble sculpture Aphrodidte, ancient Greek Goddess of Love

CELTIC CROSS A distinctive Insular tradition of erecting monumental stone high crosses began by the 8th century. Inspiration for high crosses came from earlier versions created from wood while some were faced in metalwork.

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A day in London

found by French soldiers in 1799, and carved in 196 BC by decree of Ptolemy V in Egyptian hieroglyphics, demotic (a cursive script developed in Egypt), and Greek. This inscription provided the French Egyptologist Jean-François Champollion with the key to deciphering hieroglyphics.

Also in Room 4 is the Colossal statue of Ramesses II, a 7-ton likeness of this member of the 19th dynasty’s (circa 1270 BC) upper half. Maybe the Parthenon Sculptures should be back in Greece, but while the debate rages on, you can steal your

collections of native culture outside North America, going

own moment with the Elgin Marbles in Room 18. Carved

back to the earliest hunters 10,000 years ago. Next door,

in about 400 BC, these graceful decorations are displayed

the Mexican Gallery holds such alluring pieces as the 15th-

along with a high-tech exhibit of the Acropolis. Be sure to

century turquoise mask of Xiuhtecuhtli, the Mexican Fire

stop in the Enlightenment Gallery in Room 1 to explore the

God and Turquoise Lord. The Living and Dying displays in

great age of discovery through the thousands of objects on

Room 24 include Cradle to the Grave, an installation by a

display. Also in the West Wing is one of the Seven Wonders

collective of artists and a doctor displaying more than 14,000

of the Ancient World—in fragment form—in Room 21:

drugs (the number estimated to be prescribed to every

the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos. The JP Morgan Chase

person in the United Kingdom in his lifetime) in a colorful

North American Gallery (Room 26) has one of the largest

tapestry of pills and tablets.

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A day in London

Elgin’s Marbles The museum’s most famous, and most controversial, possessions are the so-called Elgin Marbles, gingerly referred to as The Sculptures of the Parthenon (rooms 18 and 19) to disguise imperialist provenance These slab sculptures (called friezes and Metopes), plus some life-size weathered statuary, once lined the pediment of the famous Parthenon atop Athens’ Acropolis but were defaced (literally—the faces were hacked off) by invading vandals (not literally—they were Persian) in the 500s.

The temple’s great size and lavish use of white marble was intended to show off the city’s power and wealth at the height of its empire.

Upstairs are some of the most popular galleries, especially beloved by children. Rooms 62–63 are where the Egyptian mummies live. Nearby are the glittering 4th-century Mildenhall Treasure and the equally splendid 8th-century Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo Treasure (with magnificent helmets and jewelry). Next along is the Lindow Man, a ritually slain chap from the 1st century who lay perfectly pickled in a Cheshire bog until he was unearthed by archaeologists in 1984. The Korean Foundation Gallery (Room 67) delves into the art and archaeology of the

They suffered further indignities in a 1687 gunpowder explosion before being sawed off and carted away by Lord Elgin. They’re laid out in the gallery in the approximate position in which they appeared on the Parthenon, only facing inward so you can admire them. Greece begs ceaselessly for their return, but the British have argued that they’re better cared for in London. The smog-burnt portions left behind in Athens make a muddy issue of conservation and politics even murkier.

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A day in London

The Lion Hunt

Siege of Lachish

In ancient Assyria, lion-hunting was considered the sport of kings, symbolic of the ruling monarch’s duty to protect and fight for his people. The sculpted reliefs in Room 10a illustrate the sporting exploits of the last great Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal (668-631 BC) and were created for his palace at Nineveh (in modern-day northern Iraq). The hunt scenes, full of tension and realism, rank among the finest achievements of Assyrian Art. They depict the release of the lions, the ensuing chase and subsequent killing.

Lachish was one of the chief cities of the kingdom of Judah in the southern Levant and in 701 BC it was captured by the Assyrian King Sennacherib (704-681 BC). The siege followed the refusal of Lachish to pay tribute to the Assyrian Empire (based in modern northern Iraq) and is mentioned in the Bible. Many of the relief sculptures on display in Room 10b depict the capture of the city, alongside a selection of items and weaponry used in the siege. A “prism” inscribed with an Assyrian account of the campaign is also on show.

The Assyrian Collection

Lamasi The Lamasu is a celestial being of protection within the Assyrian culture. Often placed outside palaces, lamasu were colossal in size to illustrate the king’s power.

A key feature rendered in these deities was the addition of a fifth leg. Lamasu statues were intended to be seen from the font, as standing firm or in profile in mid-stride. To render this effect, one additional front leg is needed.

Balawat Gates Large stone sculptures and reliefs were a striking feature of the palaces and temples of ancient Assyria (modern northern Iraq).

An entrance to the royal palace of King Ashurnasirpal II (883859 BC) at Nimrud was flanked by two colossal winged humanheaded lions. A gigantic standing lion stood at the entrance to the nearby Temple of Ishtar, the goddess of war. These sculptures are displayed in Rooms 6a and 6b alongside fragments and replicas of the huge bronze gates of Shalmaneser III (858-824 BC) from Balawat.

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A day in London

The rooms and courtyards of the Neo-Assyrian Southwest Palace of King Sennacherib (704-681 BC) at Nineveh (in modern northern Iraq) were decorated with a series of detailed carved stone panels

An astonishing glimpse in the beginning of civilization

A

n impressive collection of

the viewer of the power and authority of the

Middle East. The rich resources of the study

objects from one of the first

reigning king. 2,500 years after the collapse

collection are also made more widely accessible

empires in human history

of the Assyrian Empire, beginning in the 18th

through handling-classes, behind-the-

can be admired in its full

century and reaching a height in the 19th

scenes tours, temporary displays and loans to

century, England led many archaeological

temporary exhibitions at other institutions.

imponence.

The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the

excavations and studies throughout Iraq,

The Middle East collection effectively

largest and last period of the Assyrian Empire

rediscovering a long forgotten civilization.

began with the bequest of drawings and

which had reigned for nearly 1,300 years from

Through these studies, architectural layouts,

other items from the collection of Sir Hans

1900 to 609 BCE. The Assyrian culture was

deciphering of the diverse cuneiform scripts,

and seals from the collections of Sir William

part of the Mesopotamian civilizations that

and an understanding of this ancient empire

Hamilton, which were purchased by the

lived along the Tigris River, including Sumer,

came to light. Held at the British Museum,

British Museum in 1772. The collection was

Akkad and the later Babylonian culturesAt

these vast objects continue to inspire viewers,

dramatically enlarged in the mid-nineteenth

the height of the Assyrian Empire, the Neo-

reminding them of the power once held and

century following A.H. Layard’s excavations at

Assyrian kings demonstrated their expanding

adding to the greater understanding of our

the Assyrian sites of Nimrud and Nineveh. At

power through large-scale architecture and

collective past.

Nimrud, Layard found the state apartments of

art. Grand throne rooms were guarded by

The Department of the Middle East

the North-West Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, as

monumental lamasi, winged bulls or lions,

covers all periods of the region from prehistory

well as three other palaces and various temples.

with a human head and standing over 11 3

to the present day. This includes a large

In the Palace of Sennacherib at Nineveh

meters tall. Depictions of the king’s victories

amount of archaeological finds, especially from

he opened ‘no less than seventy-one halls,

lined the walls in intricate and richly colored

Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq), but extending

chambers and passages, whose walls, almost

carvings detailing the events with extensive

from Phoenician colonies in the western

without an exception, had been panelled with

written accounts alongside in Akkadian

Mediterranean to sites in former Soviet Central

slabs of sculptured alabaster recording the

cuneiform. In every depiction, religious and

Asia. There are approximately 330,000 objects

wars, the triumphs, and the great deeds of the

royal symbolism represented and reminded

in the collection of the Department of the

Assyrian king.’

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A day in London

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A day in London

Leadenhall market A Hidden treasure with everything you need in the heart� of the City

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A day in London

L

eadenhall Market is a beautiful

Eyre, another rich merchant and Lord Mayor in

and Leadenhall Place. In 1885 an additional

covered Victorian market in the

1445, built a school, chapel, granary to service

connection was made with Lime Street to the

City of London. Under the elegant

those coming to the market which by then,

south. The entrances have beautifully sculpted

Victorian roof there are stalls

was one of the best places in London to buy

fronts; the entrance on the Gracechurch Street

selling flowers, cheese, meat and other fresh

poultry, game, meat, fish, eggs, butter, grain

is especially elaborate. Horace Jones’s design

food. There are also shops, pubs and restaurants

and herbs.

of the shops is colorful while the glass and

in the market building. Close to the Lloyd’s of

As a natural centre of commerce,

wrought iron roof allows plenty of light to

London building and the Bank of England, it’s

Leadenhall Market continued to grow. In

enter the alleys. An elegantly designed dome

a popular place for city workers on lunch break

1463, a beam was installed for the weighing of

covers the crossing. During re-building of

wool and markets for leather and cutlery were

Leadenhall, one of the Roman Basilica’s

established.

arches was discovered in the north-western

The site on which Leadenhall Market stands today has been used for trading since Roman Times, but it was not until the early

The present magnificent wrought iron

foundations and has now been preserved in the

14th century that the Manor of Leadenhall (a

and glass structure was designed in 1881 by Sir

basement of the Nicholson & Griffin Barber

Hall with a lead roof ) was first recorded.

Horace Jones, architect and surveyor for the

Shop in the Market’s Central Avenue. Sir

City of London Corporation. Jones’ other work

Horace’s new market consisted of wrought

hall had evolved into a poultry market and

included Billingsgate and Smithfield markets

iron, red brick, Portland stone and a glass roof

towards the end of the century the poulterers

and Tower Bridge. The design was probably

in a neo-classical style.

were joined by cheesemongers. In 1411 ‘Dick’

influenced by the Galleria in Milan, designed

Whittington, a rich merchant, politician and

twenty years earlier and built between 1865

market became more of a destination for

four times Lord Mayor of London, gifted

and 1877.

consumers rather than wholesale trade, with

By 1321, the area around the manor

Leadenhall to the City Corporation.

As the site grew in importance Simon

The covered alley connected the former market with Gracechurch Street

In between World Wars I and II, the

the latter business moving to Smithfield a mile away. Between 1990-1991, the market

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A day in London

was redecorated to enhance the architectural detail.

Within the centre of the market is the historic Lamb Tavern, which has stood on the site since 1309.

Today Leadenhall Market, with its narrow cobbled streets, passageways and attractive painted roof structure, is popular with both local city workers and tourists.

Open weekdays from 7:00am until 11:00pm, the market is a step back in time, a relaxing place to shop, eat and drink. There are many fresh food market stalls (only Mon - Fri),

Sir Horace Jones

was an English architect

particularly noted for his work as Architect and Surveyor to the City of London in the XIX century. His most recogni-

butchers, florists, commercial retailers,

sed work is Tower Bridge, a world famous London landmark.

restaurants, bars and, like 600 years

Beginning with Cardiff Town Hall and Caversham, he desig-

earlier, cheesemongers.

ned and carried out many buildings of importance and was

The market, with its unique environment, has been used as a film location for many movies including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

in charge of several renovations and additions to the Guildhall. Later, he designed and built some of London’s most famous markets, in particular Smithfield, Billingsgate and Leadenhall. He also designed the memorial at Temple Bar. Jones’ final legacy is one of the most recognised buildings in the world but one he would never see himself, the Tower Bridge..

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A day in London

A day in London

Leadenhall is not only a scenic market place which makes for a lovely stroll around, it also sells some of the finest food in London

41

A PINT IN THE COURT A beautifully preserved piece of London’s past, this place is the perfect lunch stop for history hunters in the capital

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A day in London

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A day in London

Few pubs in central London can match the opulence of The Old Bank

T

he Old Bank of England is

taverns were demolished in 1888 to make way

another of Fuller’s fine banking

for the construction of the Law Courts branch

hall conversions. Despite the

of The Bank of England, designed in the

the soaring spacious bar has three gleaming

name, however, it isn’t the

Italianate style which was popular at the time.

chandeliers hanging from an exquisitely

original Bank of England - that one’s been

The Bank of England traded on this site

reach the higher shelves.

It’s a Grade I listed Italianate building and

plastered ceiling that’s high above an unusually

in its familiar location since 1734. This one

for 87 years, until 1975, when the premises

tall island bar counter crowned with a clock.

was built as branch of the Old Lady to serve

were sold to a building society.

The end wall has huge paintings and murals

the nearby Law Courts. When it was built

Fuller’s spent a fortune restoring the

that look like 18th-c depictions of Justice, but

(in 1888) the one thing the Victorians didn’t

building when they took it over in the

in fact, feature members of the Fuller, Smith

do was stint on the dEcor and when it’s the

1990’s and, more recently, it’s had a bit more

and Turner families, who run the brewery that

Bank of England you’d expect it to be built to

renovation work. Nowadays, what you get is

owns the pub.

impress - and certainly it does.

Fuller’s excellent beers (accompanied by a jolly

Before the Bank of England was here,

There are well polished dark wooden

decent wine list) . The building is Grade I listed

furnishings, luxurious curtains swagging

there had actually been two taverns (pubs) on

(must be preserved) and Fuller’s have done a

massive windows, plenty of framed prints and,

this site in the 16th and 17th centuries called

grand job as the interior is opulent and the

despite the grandeur, some surprisingly cosy

‘The Cock’ and ‘The Haunch of Venison’. Both

centerpiece bar is so tall a ladder is provided to

corners, with screens between tables creating

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A day in London

an unexpectedly intimate feel. The quieter

Somehow or other, good home-made pies

galleried section upstairs offers a bird’s-eye

have become a speciality on the menu here

view of the action; some smaller rooms (used

too: sweet potato, spinach and goats cheese,

mainly for functions) open off.

lamb with red wine, rosemary and mint and

Seven Fullers beers are on handpump

traditional fish. Also, sandwiches, ham hock

alongside a good choice of malt whiskies and

terrine with piccalilli, beer-battered cod and

a dozen wines by the glass. At lunchtime, the

chips, feta and rocket pesto on linguine, beer-

background music is generally classical or easy

marinated chicken with bacon and beer and

listening; it’s louder and livelier in the evenings.

mustard sauce, burger with toppings, relish and

There’s also a garden with seats (one of the few

chips, and puddings such as chocolate brownie

pubs in the area to have one).

and raspberry and vanilla cheesecake.

The Old Bank of England Pub also has a

Of course, this attractive package is popular

more grisly connection with the past, as it is

in these parts so expect it to be very crowded

between the site of Sweeney Todd’s barber shop

at lunch times and early evenings, especially

- ‘The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ - and

towards the end of the week, but if you can get

Mrs Lovett’s pie shop.

in at a quieter time, it’s a great place to sip a

Pies have a long if rather dubious pedigree

good pint of bitter and admire the scenery.

in this area: it was in the vaults and tunnels below the Old Bank and the surrounding buildings that Sweeney Todd butchered the clients destined to provide the fillings at his mistress Mrs Lovett’s nearby pie shop.

The pub offers a good array of Fuller’s beer.

The Old Bank of England Pub 194 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2LT 020 7430 2255 www.oldbankofengland.co.uk/ Monday - Saturday 08-23h £ 3.80 a pint of Frontier Lager

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A day in London

Visit the site of the myth of Sweeney Todd - the building lies between the site of his barber shop and the pie shop owned by Mrs Lovett.

S

weeney Todd, “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” first came to prominence in the mid 19th century since when he has appeared in books, plays, a musical and in films. His gruesome story caught the public imagination yet again in 2008 when Johnny Depp played him in Tim Burton’s film Sweeney Todd. But who was this murderous barber, and when, if ever, did he live?

Before looking at the history of the story of Sweeney Todd one thing has to be made absolutely and unequivocally clear - there never was a barber on Fleet Street by the name of Sweeney Todd.Yet his story has thrilled, chilled and turned the stomachs of many generations of horror seekers ever since he slashed his way into the public consciousness by way of the Victorian Penny Dreadful periodicals in the middle decade of the 19th century.

In essence his story is a simple one. He belongs to a bygone age when men’s home grooming was little more than primitive. Electric and safety razors were luxuries of the future and so any gentleman that required a close, clean shave was forced to entrust himself to a local barber. Sitting in the barber’s chair might well feel, decidedly exposed and vulnerable!

The Sweeney Todd stories have at their root a simple, blood-drenched scenario. Todd is a successful and prosperous Barber with premises at 185 Fleet Street. Sitting his unsuspecting clients into his specially constructed barber’s chair he lathers up their faces and suddenly tips the chair back, pitching his unfortunate customers heel over head through a trap door into the cellar below. If the fall hasn’t

killed them, Todd is compelled to ‘polish them off ’ with his razor. Having robbed them, he drags their bodies through an underground tunnel to the premises of his lover Mrs. Margery Lovett in nearby Bell Yard.

Here the story takes another twist creating fear from the familiar in an age when people were far more dependent on outside caterers than we are today by the stomach churning device of having Todd’s victims turned into succulent meat pies for Mrs Lovett’s much vaunted Meat Pie Shop.

His victim’s worldly possessions are hidden away in Sweeny Todd’s shop, whilst any remains that haven’t gone into a batch of meat pies are secreted in the dank, disused vaults beneath St Dunstan’s church on Fleet Street.

As time progresses Sweeney Todd grows ever more confident and audacious, but in so doing his insatiable lust for blood proves his undoing. Thanks

to the efforts of a determined magistrate, a group of Bow Street Runners and a pair of lovers, Todd and Lovett are brought to justice and put on trial at the Central Criminal Courts or Old Bailey.

Despite the fact that several books and articles have confidently assured their readers that Sweeney Todd did exist, there is absolutely no historical figure by that name and indeed no barber by the name of Sweeney Todd ever found himself on trial at the Old Bailey charged with murdering his clients and, with the aid of his mistress and accomplice, using them to create killer recipes.

Yet the story of Sweeny Todd has never lost its popularity and this hideous creation and his foul deeds continue to shock and thrill in equal measure in television dramas and most recently in the film Sweeney Todd starring Johnny Depp. So what was the inspiration for this bloodthirsty tome and was there a real life counterpart upon whom the creators and developers of one of the most famous and long lasting Victorian melodramas based the character?

Although the Sweeney Todd story as we know it today first appeared in 1846 in Edward Lloyd’s The People’s Periodical as an eighteen part serial entitled The String of Pearls: A Romance, the story drew upon and was heavily influenced by several previous well known fictions.

In the 1830’s Lloyd had made something of a name for himself by plagiarising the works of Charles Dickens. Inevitably Dickens also part influenced Lloyd’s most enduring storyline, that of Sweeny Todd.

The Temple Bar Memorial

Old Bank of England Pub

Royal Courts of Justice