Sunday 19th May 2024

Another slow start...I'm evidently getting in the mood for a life of retirement slovenliness! Aki cooked brunch. Lovely weather out today, so we decided to take one of my Dickens walks, catching a No.17 bus to Holborn Circus. Walked down Charterhouse Street, turning left into Ely Place to take a look at a 12th century church, St Etheldreda's, tucked away in a Georgian terrace. The interior sports several figurines, mounted high up on the walls, each one commemorating a Catholic martyr, presumably burnt at the stake in nearby Smithfield. At the bottom of the street, we turned into Saffron Hill, in Dickens' time an area of slums, where Oliver Twist was housed by Fagin and his gang. St Andrews House, tucked away behind a rather gross 80s era office block, was built in 1870, and was the first Council housing to be built in the country. We happened to bump into a lady outside the gates who enquired what we were up to; she turned out to be the property manageress, and she gave us a little background to the current use of the flats...they are, rather ironically, now owned by global mining conglomerate Anglo-American, and house their overseas employees when on working visits to London! We walked down Farringdon Street to get a view of Holborn Viaduct, built in the 1860s to bridge the Fleet valley, then on down to Ludgate Circus, turning left towards St pauls, and then left again into Old Bailey. The Edwardian courthouse was erected on the site of Newgate prison, and crowds would often congregate in the open space between the prison and the church on the corner of Giltspur Street, to watch a good hanging...the noose would be tightened as the church clock sounded 0730. We wandered up to Smithfield, where there is a memorial to William Wallace who was hung drawn and quartered in the field there in 1305. Looked inside St Bartholomew's church, another 12th century edifice, which was built at the same time as the famous hospital next door. Walked through the Victorian Smithfield dry meat market, now under refurbishment...it will house the Museum of London, due to open in 2026. Walked on up St John's Lane, beneath St John's Gate, which in Dickens day was known as the Jerusalem Tavern, and where he and his fellow literati met once a year at a supper to mark the birthday of William Shakespeare. Ended the walk on Clerkenwell Green, with the House of Quarter-sessions on the western fringe of the Green. Wandered up to Exmouth Market and had tea and cake in Gail's Bakery there, before jumping on a bus back to Holloway. We went past several pubs on Upper Street, and Holloway Road, packed with Arsenal fans, spilling out onto the streets, watching the final game of their season against Everton...they needed a win, and for Manchester City to be held by West Ham at the Etihad. We got home and listened in to the R5Live commentary on the Man City game...they ran out comfortable 3-1 winners, handing the Sky Blues a sixth title under Pep's leadership ...remarkable stuff. I cooked a chicken traybake dinner with aubergine, potatoes, tomatoes, and torn bread, for dinner. Watched Simon Reeve travel through Alaska before tuning in to The Ten, and MOTD. Bath and bed...