Malplaquet

Page 1

Spellbound in Spitalfields The ‘Gentle Author’ writes a blog every single day about his life in the heart of London. We join him on a visit to a magnificent Spitalfields home, lavished with a collection of natural history specimens, old masters, architectural and religious artefacts. Welcome to Malplaquet House PHOTOGRAHS: PHILIPPE DEEBERST

majestic four storey mansion (completed in 1742 by Thomas Andrews). Here I recognised a moment of anticipation comparable to that experienced by Pip, standing at the gate of Satis House before being admitted to meet Miss Havisham. Let me admit, for years I have paused to peek through the railings, but I never had the courage to ring the bell at Malplaquet House before. Ushered through the gate, up the ▲

16 March-April 2016 Antiquexplorer

WALKING EAST from Spitalfields down the Mile End Road, I arrived at the gateway surmounted by two stone eagles and reached through the iron gate to pull on a tenuous bell cord, before casting my eyes up at Malplaquet House. Hovering nervously on the dusty pavement with the traffic roaring around my ears, I looked through the railings into the overgrown garden and beyond to the dark windows enclosing the secrets of this

www.antiquexplorer.com www.vintagexplorer.co.uk


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.