Through the looking glass

Dusty city streets,
Between the looking glass walls,
No time to reflect.

..... had a fabulous day out in London with friends ChrissyPav and Claire and absent friend Amanda, with us in our hearts.

Gloriously not a lot of the day was planned (other than the idea of wandering aimlessly to see what we came across) other than lunch at a turkish restaurant near Tate Modern and then a walk across the Millenium bridge past St Pauls to go to St Sepulchre Without Newgate.

St Sepulchres has several claims to fame ... it is the "Bells of Old Bailey", in the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons: "Traditionally the great bell would be rung to mark the execution of a prisoner at the nearby gallows at Newgate"

St Sepulchres is also known as the musicians church as several famous musicians have been associated with it, notably Sir Henry Wood (founder of the Proms) who learned to play the organ there and later became the organist - his ashes are buried there.

However our reason for going was to see the "execution bell". This is a handbell which was rung outside the condemned man's cell at midnight on the night before his execution. A verse was also recited to warn him of his impending doom ....

"All you that in the condemned hole do lie,
Prepare you, for tomorrow you shall die,
Watch all, and pray the hour is drawing near,
That you before the Almighty must appear,
Examine well yourselves, in time repent,
That you may not to eternal flames be sent,
And when St Sepulchre's Bell in the morning tolls,
The Lord have mercy on your souls."


Poor buggers.

After paying homage here, we wandered some more and were heading for St Brides (the Journalists chapel) on Fleet Street. Much of the area is now full of shiny glass office blocks. While walking along a narrow road between buildings a security guard asked us to stop taking photo's as it was "private property" .... how can a building on a public street be private? Needless to say we walked on a bit and resumed taking pics.

It was fascinating to watch the people and buses going along Fleet Street being reflected in the mirror glass at the side of the building. I chose this shot because I like the fact that, because of the angle, you can't see the reflection of the guy in the foreground ..... it's sort of unsettling ...

Many blurred photographs of buses in the glass later, we continued to St Brides and were humbled by the lists of journalists killed in "action" ...
.. I have since learnt that all those tiered wedding cakes are based on Wrens rather ornate tower at St Brides ....

A fabulous day. I love London, so much to see and photograph I don't know how London blippers brains don't explode with sensory overload.

If you have the stamina, other pics here in colour, and here in monochrome