Beginning on Pentonville Road, which used to be completely lined with Victorian terraces. Clues abound in these decorative corbels (phrase I've learned today from @Londonographer) which can be seen bookmarking modern shop signs all along the road in odd places. You see them in loads of London shop fronts ...
The bottom of the hill and one of my favourite streets signs, since it's not obvious to anyone that it's a bridge at all (it covers the underground railway; although may also hint at the course of the River Fleet which lies below). Also, because it's two signs bolted side-by-side ...
The kink in the road after King's Cross is great for picture-postcard views of St. Pancras Station ... note the (looks tiny here) black Britannia on top of the station ... we'll come back to her ...
Here's the beautiful station roof ...
and here's a close-up on Britannia herself. Arguably, she looks better from a distance. Nice trident, though.
The suspicion that TfL put this tube roundel here solely for photo opportunities persists ...
This could have been taken at any time in the last 150 years, except that the gaslights now harbour security cameras ...
Erosion of the original decorative stone near the Euston Road ... the nearer to the road (left) the worse it is ...
Above, some lovely decorative ironwork ...
Note the early street sign with just NW (i.e. no number) ...
Next door, how could any ardent lover resist this place?
Euston Fire-Station, similar age to the pub, trying to blend in with what was once (before its destruction in the 1960s) a classical masterpiece of a station ... hence EVSTON ...
Egyptian-style lotus-flower and spearhead railings in Euston Square, and signs of an Open Day at nearby UCL ...
Someone, meanwhile, has smeared tomato ketchup into the O of Stockport on the Grecian station lodge which lists all the Victorian destinations ... of course they have.
More Egyptian influence, rather creepy really, opposite the Wellcome Institute ...
Drummond Street, I think possibly the area under threat from HS2 redevelopment. Here, a very typical, bog-standard Victorian terrace, promises SIZZLING BOMBAY ...
Apparently there used to be a new age astrology sort of shop below, which perhaps explains this ...
These randomly placed Victorian-style (or possibly Victorian) gates, however, are inexplicable ...
On Albany Street, behind Regent's Park, the home of Henry Mayhew, the great 1840s social investigator, whose records of the poor in Victorian London have inspired so many people with curiosity about the era ...
Some perfectly wrought railings ...
And someone very determined that you don't sit on their wall ...
The lettering is great, but I can't warm to Nash's Regency monoliths that overlook the park ...
Subtle advertising by the railing manufacturers ... Peachey of Regent Street ...
This is magnificent ... the lettering is raised on this decorative pillar, but either originally, or after the raised lettering eroded, they also added faux raised letters, done by a sign painter ...
Burglar (and neighbour?) prevention methods along the grand balconies ...
Base of an early gaslight from George IV's time ...
York Terrace East, and some remarkable back-doors ...
An Egyptian-style boot-scraper, no less ...
and a Grecian gaslight ... don't think you see this anywhere else in London ...
Just you so are aware that you're leaving the Crown Estate, York Gate is suitably decorated. A sign here explains these gates originally belonged in Hyde Park but moved here for the Diamond Jubilee. Not sure how roving gates celebrates a jubilee, but there you go.
Across the road, some astonishing angels on Marylebone Church ...
although the building itself is not entirely welcoming, perhaps ...
Down to Marylebone High Street, with a defunct ?1940s? sign for a holistic hospital ...
This sign, meanwhile, presumably altered to notify of a change from 'High Street' to 'Marylebone High Street' ... the 'LATE' oddly 1960s/70s?
In Grotto Passage (the name reflecting, I think, when there used to be a Georgian pleasure garden hereabouts) one of the earliest Ragged Schools in London (I think they started in 1844). Presumably it was a converted warehouse ... had no idea one survived ...
Reminded here of Google Street View ... the arrows come alive!
A bollard belonging to St. ... Mary ... Le ... Bone ...
A slightly sentimental statue of a 'street orderly boy' donated by a local Alderman in the 1940s ... street orderlies were lads employed to sweep horse dung off the streets, by the way.
On Chiltern Street, an 1880s fire station is now a restaurant/bar (sigh) ... but still harbours these brave fireman out front ...
Down Marylebone Lane to Oxford Street, which actually has some nice stuff above the shops ... here's a very welcoming lady above the Swatch shop ... presuming this was a pub ... and now home.
This is wonderful!! You know, I've written somewhat extensively about Mayhew (in a past life), and sojourned in London while doing so, but I never saw his house! Thanks for that picture, and all the others. Such a beautiful and richly-storied city. I look forward to reading your new book. BTW, have you seen the book (Dover, I believe) of Photographs of Victorian Street Life? London Labour and the London Poor in the flesh, so to speak.Glad I found your blog!
ReplyDeleteCheers ... glad you like the pics ... yes, I never knew Mayhew's house was there ... thanks to the London County Council for that plaque. I know the street life book of old, too ... do you know my website www.victorianlondon.org ... lots of good stuff there, as well. best wishes, Lee
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I've been through Paddington Street Gardens a million times but had no knowledge of Grotto Passage or the Ragged School (or what a Ragged School was; thanks Wikipedia)
ReplyDeleteOnly found it by chance myself - so much to discover in London, if you peer down alleys and by-ways.
DeleteSo very true; I ventured down last Sunday intent on finding the school and after wandering around like a criminal in the alleys surrounding it, was not disappointed when I eventually came across it, it really is a lovely building. Apparently Grotto Passage is named after John Castle’s shell grotto which stood there in the 18th century
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