Mad Bulls and Dead Meat: Smithfield Market as Reality and Symbol

The Changing Feel of Smithfield

Smithfield is one of London’s most historic districts—but not it’s best known or most visited—which is sad bcause within it’s boundaries is one of Lodon’s oldest churches, same rare Jacobean houses—a bit of tht pesky Roman Wall and don’t forget a rare Ionly one left is central London) a surviving food market.

As I mentioned in the titl today—it’s history —-as one must expectfor those long gone by histories are very bloody—-

Wat Tyler’s Rebellion

First and most famous involves a rebellion and it’s leader Wat Tyler who brought his angry followers to London as that is where the king—a quite young Richard II resided—–the rebels gained entry to the capital  with the help of the citizens of the city and burned some major buildings before they were met by the king  (who was only in his early teens) to discuss the tax reduction and  their servatude that was so affecting these poor people’s lives.   They ended  talking in Smthfield  where Richard and his group gained the upper hand and managed to kill Wat Turner—-for a more in depth account of that click above.

Peasants’ Revolt Plaque Unveiled In Smithfield

Lost Worlds: Braveheart’s Scotland and William Wallace (S1, E11) | Full Episode | History

Prior to this a Scottish Patriot:  William Wallace—was seriously mutulated here in the market area (rememeber Mel  Gibson in Braveheart—yes now you got it)——

He was first tried at Westminster —-there’s a monument there—-after being found guilty and stripped down he was dragged to Smithfield where he was executed- drawn and quartered, his male equipment removed and finally beheaded-near St Barthomews—which also bears a plaque—–yes it had been there for a while at that time. Then

and finally his

 body (or pieces there of)

were scattered about the land.

William Wallace Memorial

John Rogers – the first of the “Marian martyrs” – is burned at the stake in Smithfield (1555)

Finally there was Henry VIII’s  Daughter, Mary who seemed to carry on her father’s bloody use of the axe—-only she had Protestant killed for their beliefs—-and these murdered persons who were  called the Marian martyrs were executed all over the land but in London these executions were carried out at Smithfield as well.

‘Smooth Field’ – a wander around Smithfield

Fox and Anchor

115 Charterhouse St.

Smithfield

This pub use to have early hours to satisfy the worker’s at the near by Smithfield market.

It has been fancied up and reopeen from that time. The pub (Grade II was closed in 1993—–It was bought at that time by one of the founders of th Malmaison Hotel Chain.  When it was reopened it had an improved menu ands hotel was added with 6 luxury bed room.  The small hotel is said not to have affection the pub.

The Charterhouse

This buildin which dates to the 17th c contains remnants of the medieval monestary and a school where John Wesley studied.

The Charterhouse is seperated from the square by an ancient wall and ached gateway.  Originally a Carthusian monastery (14th c),

There was also a school here (prestigious and very expensive from what I’ve read) which moved to Surrey in 1812 leaving the place to the penniless old men.

There use to be a tour here ocassionally but more recently they have opened the gardens (which sets on the site of the original 14th c monastic chapel with the low tomb of monesatry founder Si Walter de Manney–there is a museum and programs given as well as various tours during the week—and it still cares for the old gentlemen.

Oh you really can’t miss the main gate–the same wood door to which Henry VIII —-the hands nailed  here of the last Abott that refused to give the site up when Henry took over the monestary as part of his dissolution. (some acounts state here was hung here when he was drawn and quartred—but most historical accounts say that he was cut up at the Tower (which was typical—if not inside then more likely fo a peasant on tower hill.   The king’s pople (under Henry VIII still) used the area here to lodge persons with business with th crown—like some musicans who were providing entertainment for the king and his guests.

Ancient Historical London Sites -The Charterhouse

l

Damaged in the Blitz but havee been rstored and some medieval and

16 century fabric rmains.

The school buildings on th site of a former monastic cloister bcame

the home of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School—-still there

but much re-developed.  Also The London Queen Mary’s School of

Medicine and Dentistry.

Charterhouse now has 40 male pensionerrs, known as Brothers.  It’s

annual income is in  excess of 3 million pounds.

Start out along Charterhouse Square heading north

From 1133 to 1855 Smithfield was the location of Bartholomew Fair—one of London’s summer fairs–opening on August 24th. as a trading event for cloth and other goods–a four-day event which drew all classes of society.    It was supressed in 1855 by the City for encouraging public disorder and Smithfield Market wa built on the site.

We’ll reach our destination after 61 yards.

                                      Most cities offer these and it is a tour usually by an experienced guide:  Click below to see what other tours Historical London Tours  offer and how much they charge:

https://historiclondontours.com/gallery-%26-video

Ruby Red Depression Glasses (3)

1 in stock

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The City of London, a financial hub, is seeking ways to draw people as a shift toward flexible work keeps some professionals away.Credit…Tolga Akmen/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Self-guided walks and trails

Click here for a bit about available tours.

This site has a bit more flexible agenda for you  as well as more structued tours with themes from Harry Potter to the Beatles—there are 20 and these are up for purchase—-but while you pay—you do get the freedom of doing them on your own.

Custom Walk: Create Your Own Walking Tour

How it works: Download the app “GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities” from iTunes App Store or Google Play to your mobile phone or tablet. Each walk comes with a detailed tour map as well as photos and background information for the featured attractions. The app’s navigation functions guide you from one attraction to the next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Chocolate-Toffee-Black Bean Brownies

A UK man created Idiot Coin to study the ‘hype coin’ craze. It took a few minutes and $300 to mint 21 million coins that hundreds of people were clamoring to buy.

5 Twist-Filled Books to Read This Month

Imbolc is celebrated Februry 1-2 (later transfomed into Candlemas by the church, and popular now as Groundhog Day).  Imboic marked the beginning of SPring (hard to imagin wr w live!), the beginning of new lif (in Britain th bginning of lambing season).  Dedicated to the ancient mother goddess in her maiden aspect, it was later transformed into a feast for the Irish saint of the same name (and attributes, St. Bridgid).

Celtic Tattoo Mythlogy

Frozen Watermelon Margaritas

S’mores Thumbprint Cookies

Key West and the Movies!

You might be surprised about the movies made in Key West—I mean the obvious ones—like Goldie Hawn’s movie Cris Cross where she plays a single parent in Key West  and then there’s the crazy Running Scared with Billy Cristal and  Gregory Himes about two cops who leave the north to hide out in Key West and end up buying a bar—-crazy Key Wes in a great preformance.

I did some research and found that the first movie was made by 20th Cemtury Fox “The Frogmen”

with Dana Andrews and RIchard WIdmark—-now I got and earlier date t from some Key West brochure thing– but the Wikipedi sayes 1951.     After additional reviews confirmed the date as:

so 9 years later but still black and white.

And Key West has gotten recognitation and more—in 1953 when they made Twelve Mile Reef   extras got $10 a day

of note for this one—whose’s name was officially

Below the Twelve Mile Reef

provided a few other perks for this one:

Seems that one of the stars Terry Moore actually attended the KW High School prom with a lucky senior.

and Robert Wagneer made an appearance at the

now defunked Key West Drive in Movie

on Stock Island where they were playing one of his movies.

Stars And Stripes Forever

Where he signed photos of the movie which he starred in.

–on to  1989 when

License to Kill

was made there and the take  by an extra for a day was $80.

They even did a TV show  about the town, it wasn’t great and didn’t last long—-but I watched every episode (all 13) :

Key West Episode 1 Pilot

that show’s claim to fame was that a girl named Joy Hawkins actually got a speaking part in it—-I wonder how much that paid—-probably less than $80, TV payes (doesn’t it?) less than movies.

Running Scared – Key West

Hotel With a Past: Ciragan Palace

 Located in a 19th-century Ottoman palace, this 5-star hotel features an infinity pool with views of the Bosphorus. It has a spa and wellness center, and offers elegant guestrooms with free WiFi.  Rooms at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul include luxury bedding and floor-to-ceiling windows. Each room has a balcony with views of gardens or the sea.  Boasting stunning views of The Bosphorus Bridge and The Maiden’s Tower, The Bosphorus Grill Restaurant offers international and Turkish cuisine with a large variety of meat and seafood selections.  Guests can enjoy The Bosphorus view on the terrace while having their à la carte breakfast, cakes, snacks and afternoon tea at The Gazebo Lounge.  Le Fumoir Bar serves a wide range of premium beverages and cocktails in the relaxing atmosphere of a lush green garden.  Guests can relax in the Turkish bath, or enjoy a massage in a private cabana by the pool. Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul has an indoor pool and a fitness center.  Stay in the heart of Istanbul   Booking.com

Discover Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul

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The Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk

 The Rose and Crown:  N.E. Engand:  Set next to a Saxon church in the middle of three village greens—looking out over a water pump and some stones–is this quintessential 18th c English inn.  There’s a wonderfully atmospheric front bar displaying brasserier menus.  There’s a good range of dishes with a core of classics and some substantial offerings at dinner in the evening.  Residents tend to favor the traditional linen laid dining room with its china filled dressers and seasonally changing four course menu.

Michelin Eating out in Pubs 2013

THE ROSE AND THE CROWN

Tiffany’s Fireplace Hood

While many of you have heard of

Louis Comfort Tiffany—

if just for the glass, jewelry and much more he created, most of you may not have heard of

Laurlton Hall.

….but they are connected—-

The hall was built between 1902-1904 on a 580 acre estate a few miles from Oyster Bay on

Long Island New York

Prior to the Hall this had been the site of a 19th century resort hotel also called Laurelton.   But the Hall was magnificant (or at least it sounds so ) with it’s 84-room, conservastories and don’t forget the 60 acres of gardens.

At the time Tiffany built the hall French and Italian architecture and designs were all the rage—but Tiffany who like the artist he was, was not swayed by that which was popular—-and for that he went with what had before inspired him—the Asian.  The house was said by some to be looking toward the coming architectual style….with a distintively modern form.   Tiffany’s ornaments in glass mosaics, carved wood and other decor showed a blend of Asian and Middle Eastern.

All this set in the beautiful and extensive gardens with ponds accented behind by the woodlands and down to the bathing beach with tennis courts and ponds to accent it all.  And the estate looks down to the grand view of Cold Stream Harbor—what more could you want?

The inside was his or members of his shop’s designed furniture, lights, windows and so on and on—-then add the objects he collected from all over the world and one can become weak trying to imagion what is must or at least might have looked.

Tiffany made plans to preserve all this for the ages, but alas the best laid plans.  Tiffany died in 1933 and his finances didn’t pan out—which resulted in the sales of the hall’s contents at auction in 1946.  The house was sold and the land subdivided   Then in 1957 a fire destroyed the remains of the house which had been abandoned for some time.   But I  like to believe that Tiffany still lives on in all the beautiful creations that still survive him.

Louis Comfort Tiffany – World’s Most Comprehensive Collection

Tiffany designd this chapel (picture below)  for the 1893 World’s Columbian Expo

In 1916 he had it installed in a special built building at Laurelton Hall

It now resides at Morris Museum in Winter Park Fl.

It is now my favorite place to visit at the Museum i

Tour of London’s Mayfair

London Tourist Guide 🇬🇧 Soho and Carnaby Street

West London:  London’s west side begins in Mayfair & Soho

and then runs along to Kensington

London Video Tour: Kensington & Chelsea

Paddington

Walk from Paddington Station around the Paddington Area in London

Notting Hill

Look Up London Live – Notting Hill Virtual Tour Part I

and Shepherd’s Busch

London Walk: Shepherd’s Bush【4K】

and then on to Chiswick

Chiswick London Walking Tour

Hammersmith

London Walk: Hammersmith | W6【4K】 – YouTube

and Ealing.  Its central zone includes theatres, cinemas, and night clubs plus the busiest shopping district.

Five hundred Buildings of London

Gill Davies

Best places to live in London: Ealing Broadway ( Street Tour) #London #Ealing

Breham–Washington County—-Texas

www.rafikifoundation.org

Divination:  Telling the future—one form is casting of new wands inscribed with mystical words in ogham…..it is said that it was a pre-occupation of Druids

HISTORIC DISTRICT of Longwood, Fl

Looking at old time America thru their older buildings.

Edward Henck House (picture just above here)

398 Freeman Street

Built in 1886  for Edward Henck, one of the founders of the town (he had come to the area in 1873)  by Josiah Clouser.

1896-1914 Hench was in new Jersey but owned the house.  He in fact left it after the Great Freeze (1845) and worked as a broker until 1914 when he returned and lived here for the next 16 years, until his death.

Payne Building

107 E. Church Ave

Constructed by Lester Payne and S.. Long, a local carpenteer.

Masonry vernacular style

of rusticated concrete blocks

features a stepped parapet wall on the front facade

and

a  sleeping porch.

Payne and his wife Blache opeerated a hardware store on the ground floor

and

 lived on the second.

Old Longwood Post Office

117 E. Church Ave.

Built 1910

Later owned by Paynes.

Longwood Post office 1932-1946

With Blanche Payne acting as the post mistress.

Henck-Tinker Building

See below

315-323  South CR 427

Constructed of brick and false brick stucco.

South east corner.

1925 (approx) by Edward Henck and Baseball Hall of famer Joe Tinker, a short stop for the Chicago Cubs.

The Longwood state bank operatd out of the building’s north end, and a drug store, a grocery and a barbershop operated out of the south end,  Hit by the Depression, the bank folded in 1932, but its vault is suppose to still be inside the building.

Central Walking Tour

St Michael-Le-Belfrey Church: History of York

People are often baptiseed at the front of church.  When babies are baptised, the vicar pours water over their heads and we welcome them into the family of the church.  Their parents and Godparents promise to teach them about God and bring them up in a Christian way.

Welcome to St. Mike’s

For younger people

Contemporary reordering of St Michael le Belfrey, York.

www.LaurensKids.org

Texas Brazos Trail

Outdoor Florida History: Visit Marjorie Kinnan’s Cross Creek

Preserves the author’s rambling cracker house as it appeared when she lived there.  An antique typewriter sits on the screened-in porch, tinned goods and dried herbs stock kitchen shelves and bottles of Appleton Rum and a carton of Lucky Strikes sit by the parlor fireplace.  All this tells the story of a woman who called herself “part man” and who endured the hardships of bare-bones backward living.  Tours are given to a limited number of visitors (it’s best to go early or late in the day) by a woman who dressees and plays the part of Rawlings.

Florida Frontiers TV — Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Is Sweating Good for You?

It’s been a long hot summer and despite at least one president who has advised there is no such thing—-it does seem like Global Warming just might have put it’s foot in the door with a vengance—-so ya gotta take care of your self:

First Drinking (not that kind) Is very important

You should be drinking more fluids during this extremely hot weather even if you’re not usually outside—taking this higher amounts of fluid will make it easier for your body when and if you venture out.  Oh and take a full water bottle with you whenever you do venture out.

Those of us who are older needs to take special attention to this matter as we tend to retain much less fluids than our younger counter part.

During this hotter time it is best to cut back on your outdoor exerise and if you gotta do it drnk a few (recommendations I’ve seen are 2 – 4 glassees:  Cool, and (sorry) non-alcoholic fluids every hour.  Also stay away from coffee and other drinks (like Coke) with caffeine as it excellerates dehydration—oh and make sure they’re low sugar as well—summer is getting less fun by the minute and while you’re at it nothing with ice in it as that can cause problems too.  Oh and if you’re on water pills ask the doctor about how much you should drink—or look up the medicine you’re taking and see if they have any recommendations on their site as its their job to drain fluid off our bodies.  Oh and at any outside event  you might bring for friends, family —you know what I’m talkin’ about—bring cool drinks to help hydration.

Whenever you’re spending outside time be sure to wear lightweight and colored (light again) clothes that are loose.  Don’t forget your sun glasses and a hat might be a good idea as well…..and you might give the family a heads up to bring theirs as well—or throw some in the back of you vehicle to share—or both.

When you can get into a building out of the sun with a breeze or of course AC—-maybe if youre at a park with facilities you could cool off in the shower —-or plan a trip to the lake and/or beach where cooling water is always just a short trek.  Recommendations are to stay in the shade—-bring those beach umbrellas (between 11 am – 3 pm is most HOT in that sun.)  No beach valley ball or runs or anything like that in the heat please.  ..have something cold or at least cool to eat and drink and keep the protein to a minimum.

Oh I almost forgot—-don’t you!!!   SUN GLASSES, and SUN SCREEN (SPF 15 or higher.  “Broad spectrum of UVA/UVB are best.  ARE A MUST.

and be aware of the systems:

Heavy sweating

or

Hot and dry skin

rapid pulse

Clammy skin

cramps

in

legs

or

abdominal muscles

could mean you are having heat issues.

Heat Stroke: Know the Warning Signs

The Dance of Death during the Black Death

In Celtic mythology Mountains are an aspect of th diety.  Brigants claimed dscent of the goddess Brigeda and Brigid. and many high points were dedicated to this goddess.

How Did History’s Worst Pandemics Finally End?

My pictures—main, first and this one–last are from Wales today

OK before we start Day 3 in Lodon and a few comments using this trip to help you plan your own vacation.

Last week I had mntioned some  theaters—-but London has so many more:

Theatre Royal/Drury Lane

Click about to find out shoes, prices and tours given of the theater.

This is the theatre that Charles II’s favorite mistress, Nell Gwyn made her debut and caught the king a new addition to his mistress pol.   It seems to be a popular place and something to do for Kings especially those exapanding thier well any way it might be noted I’m not over working this angle as William II is also said to have met his favorite here as well.    But not always a fun place—-while attending a performance here King George III was the victim of an attemmpted assassination by a man in the audience who apparently also thought he was king..  The building was ealier the site of riots at least twice in the 17th c and has been rebuilt in 1672 (by Wren?), in  the 1700s (by Holland) and in 1811 (Benamin Wyatt) following a fire.

West End and London Shows & Theatre Productions

Covent Gardens

This is London’s modrn theatre land–the West End.

In 1732:  The Royal Opera Housee opened here on the eastern side of  the Inigo Jones designed Covent Garden Plaza, and  more would soon follow.

Coliseum/St Martin Lane:  London’s largest.  First revolving stage and the first in Europe to have lifts.  In 1968 it became the home of the English National Opera which remains there today.  It is best described as London’s first really modern theatre.

Shaftbury Ave.  near Covent Gardens. (just click on the names for more info)

The Lyric

Apollo

The Shaftsbury

The Queen’s (now the Sondhin)

The Palace

All of these were built her betwen 1888 and  1907.

Be warned that these ticket aren’t cheap but know that you can buy tickets in London—usually one for play dates that have excess and are usually within a day or two or so of the date you buy them—you’ll see ads all over London—on buses and the like—–but you may not be able to make your first choice unless you pay full and make reservations well in advance for the theater here.

Tips for buying cheap theatre and musical tickets in London

and we can’t forget South of the river—we’ve alreasy mentioned the Globe (last week)

But there’s a couple more in the land Shakespeare knew so well

Royal Victoria Theater–1833 —named in honor of the princess who would be queen.  It later became the New Victoria and it is now called

The Old Vic

National Theatre

1976

with a Foundation stone that is said to have originally laid by then princess Elizabeth 1951,    The project idea dated back to 1848.

Theater in London: The Complete Guide

So let’s look at a London citizen in 1968 no less:

The Passion Man:  Stanley Green

He made his reputation on Oxford  Circus and Tottenham Court Rd-

where he was often find carryin a sign bearing the logo:

Less Passion from Less Protein

Blaming we human being’s passion on the intake of “fish, meat, birds, chees, egg, peas, beans, nuts and sitting.”  Don’t ask me about the sitting part—but I’m told he explains it all in his booklet On Passion Proteins—which he sold for 10 to 12 pence to those who asked.  They say he printed it himself and evidentally not with a lot of condistency so it was said to be a bit wierd to say the least.

It is also said that he devloped his life view about life during the war when he was in the Royal Navy where he was shocked by the excess passions of his fellow shipmates.  After the war there were a series of jobs until his 50s when he’d decided how things should be and started his street activities—though he was arrested a couple of times he continued until he passed away in 1993.

Oh and the sitting:  He deecided too much protein and too little exersize let to a sedentary life which led to unhappiness and dissatisfaction with a desire for things one  couldn’t find.

Stanley Green

Now I look into all kinds of tales and stories and people in the areas I wander—and though that story may not have whetted your appetite for protein, you might have enjoy learning more about the places you go.

if you don’t want to find thing out yourself—not everybody is crazy like me you can take tours—–maybe a tour where everything from you flight—-hotel, agenda is arranged and you have a guide to tell you all about wherever you plan and want to go.

a little less structured fit you?

London has the On and off buses and other bus tours:

and look around for more—I have taken tours with street arrtists that you didn’t have to pay till  the tour was over in case you didn’t like it….and all kinds of other —  to me finding this kind of thing is interesting and fun—but use your good sense and stick to tours you can check on —-Remmber London was also the home of Fagan, Bill Sikes and the Artful Dodger.

So finally we start the day—-now I usually do walking tours for which I do my own directions—I keep these in a note book—-but those of you who trust electronic more could use  phone or a tablet to get there.

In London like most big cities and lots of smaller ones you have a choice—-of driving yourself—-thanks I drove in NYC once on my own—-I gave that up permanenty then and that was in the 70’s—-so—but now days with all the directions on your phone or car’s dash it’s probably easier and helps if you have a laser installed to wipe out the other traffic (sorry just couldn’t resist that).

With out the car you have:

Cabs—–in London there are the big black ones—did you know they’re shaped that way to allow room for those high top hats the Brit men use to wear—-the driver have to be very knowledgable (they have to apprentice or at least use to) and the cabs are huge—we had four of us in one that had double seats in the back and we had room for all of us (two of which were over 6′ and our luggage on a very comfortable trip.

Public transport in the UK

Taxis are great but not at rush hour—they are pricy, especially if you’re stuck in traffic.  Late night they’re my favorite…..in addition to the standard cabs (which is my preference) there is Uber and I took that once after a play south of the river…..no problems but have more faith in the main ones.

I  have seldom eever taken a bus—and that leaves the subway—-I purchase a card when I get to London and put X # of dollars on it at the station with my cedit card and then I just swipe it when I enter the station.  I always look up the route I need—there are several.  the underground or tube the Brit’s names for it—in London is clean—no grafity and I have (knock on wood) never been in a scary situation of any kind—–I’ve even been offered  (on more ocassion) a seat from a kind gentleman.  Oh and before you return home you stop at the station and have the amount on the card you haven’t usd refunded to your card.

You can take the tour bus to get around on the on and off again, but that gets much more costly than anything  but each his own.

OK however you get there we did get there to St Paul’s

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Any time you go to a European City you have to grasp the idea that this gathering of peoplee ar not the only ones that probably have lived here.  I found that there have been legends and tales of the St. Paul’s  site being the site of a temple of Diana—-but alas I have found nothing to prove this—but given the history and the depths of the city all about its riverside location still might one day cough up something.

The Entire History of Roman Britain (55 BC – 410 AD) // Ancient Rome Documentary

There has been a church here honoring St Paul since sometime in the 7th c AD when it was built  for the Anglo-Saxon King Aethelberty  of Kent—-there may have been a return to a pagan philosphy shortly after that …..but evntually Christianity returned and so did the clergy to  the city.

Fast forward to the end of the 17th century when this church was built—again rumors that while they were working on the church—burned along with most of London in

1666 in the Great Fire

-they found remains of Diana’s Temple—but if they did I have not seen any refernce to it…….but anyway.

Wren’s Church—a Cathedral became even more important as  the Reformation seemed to discourage the addition of more of these—-and is is Wren’s classical architecture and while not popular with the powers that be and thought he eventually was allowed to put it up it was not particularly popular.   Though all that has changed in the current city I think.

Visiting St Paul’s Cathedral

There is so much to see here–the pediment carvings done from  1706 and showing the conversion of Paul—The West Porch–it’s main entrance.  A statue of Queen Ann in the forecourt.  The largest Dome (well almost—after St. Peter’s in Rome) in the world.  The 850 lb lantern.  The stone gallery with a grand view of London.  The whispering gallery.  John Donne’s tomb (1631) which was the only monument to survived the Great Fire.  The crypt with its memorials to famous figures including Lord Nelson and Lawrence of Ababia.  And of course Wren’s tomb…..marked by a slab with the inscreption.  “If you seek his memorial look around you.”  And much much more.

St Paul’s Cathedral Tour – London

from there we go to Cannon Start…..Starting along St Paul’s Church Yard heading east.

After 150 yards continue straight into Cannon Street still going east

and continue for 1/2 mile on Cannon Street

and you’ll come (see above picture) to the

London Stone

Now this is an example of finding those little things that are interesting and make you amazing to your tour guides and other people who live in London who might not eeven have heard of it.

But always remember that all big cities have areas where you probably don’t belong and might not be able to go there in safety—–so check carefully. I was looking into one area of London as to whether it was a good place or a bad place I found an apartment (like a condo in US) for sale for a couple of hundred pounds—-figured they could afford to be in the good part.

The Ancient World in London – The London Stone (1/25)

This forgotten stone was once considereed to be the very thing that kept London prosperous– that without it’s presence the city would must surely falter and fail.

I have heard all manner of tales of its origin from the Roman occupation when it was said to be a gold painted Roman milestone……some have even dated it many, many years early back to ancient Troy and tells that an  exiled King who brought it (I mean who’d go anywhere without their big stone) with him when he feld and he kept it with him , there was also some mention of giants but after all that I began to question the whole acuracy of this account.    Or maybe that temple of Diana—if not at St Paul’s loction, others speculate it was where the London Guildhall is today.  There’s also a St Paul’s connection (described as a ceremonial stone—what ever that means.)  Or maybe it was on a ley line that runs between St. Paul’s and the Tower of London—-that’s an interesting combo of sites.

What we do know  is that it surviveed in London for many, many years—some say a thousand originally –eventually at a site the Lord Mayor made officialy it’s site and when the road was enlarge it was moved less than 50′  to the wall of St Swithin’s Church where it outlasted the church (the Luftwaffee did it–destroyingthe church while the stone survived) and was placed in the Wall of the building that would eventually replac the church—the office of the Overseas China Banking Corp.

When we visited the site the building was empty—it had been a restaurant or pub at the previous time and there was

London Stone Pub near by. 

It’s my understanding that it has closed and is out of busineess

The London Stone

Oh and Just an FYI:  more recently that building was torn down—-and so the stone was taken to the Museum of London temporarily —-as you can see in 2018 (or there about/the above picture) it was returneed to the street—it’s visible through that oval in the stone between the new building’s doors—-back on Cannon Street.

Diana News Paper 9/7/1997 on Princess Diana 1961-1997

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So I’m back and hopefully are most of you.   We’re still exploring making your own plans and carrying them out yourself as vs. going thru others.

So you just have to look it up and see what you want to do—go, eat and so on– Or you can be adventuresom and just try it to see if you like it–if you’re more adventuresome—–especially in cities like London, NY and LA you can decide to just figure it out whn you get there—-but I prefer to know—you don’t have to decide you can just print  make notes—save info to your phone or tablet etc  and then make the decision when you get there.

Up until around the time of Dr. Charles II the theater in England had only men involved—-men wrote, directed sold tickets to–oh and yes played all the parts—both sexes……this was changed and provided at least one famous mistress (very popular with the people) the afore mentioned Nell….And you wander why I love the UK

Who was Charles II? Why was he called the ‘Merry Monarch’?

In Roman times a theatre existed south of St. Paul (it was in existance back then I know—but it gives the newer visitor like most of us a reference point in the current century.  There was also an amphitheater laid out at the site of the Guild hall, but this all pretty much left when the Romans took their marbles and headed home and by the the 16th c there wasn”t even a trace of those in sight.

 About the closest thing  London had for theater was religious plays that were started in the middle ages and performed at the churches usuall on the steps at the entrance.  And an older world of street performances existed and were popular and faires and other events that brought in large crows—these can be traced back to the advent of the Anglo-Saxon days.

Eventually plays came back—there was the swan which ws near Blackfriar’s bridg which was flint and mortar construction and faux marble pillars 3,000, but alas it lacked any regular actors and soon faded away.

The Globe many of you may have heard of with Lord Chamberlain’s Men (actors) and later the King’s men who were actually the actors that made it famous and included William Shakespare (if you went to school in the USA  you’ve heard of him—and a few of us have even attened his play—-I saw many—but my favorite was Taming of the Shrew at the new Globe in Southwark of London fame.—The original Globe was built (of timber orginally from a building north of the river :  The Globe) Opening in 1599.   That building (like many buildings of the time, burned to the ground in June 1613.)   It was rebuilt but was permanently closed in about 1642 when all theaters were closed by the Puritans .   

and was pulled down 2 years later (1644) it was pulled down to make way for more practical buildings.

 My drops of tears I’ll turn to sparks of fire: Burning down and building up the Globe Theatre

The current theater was built in the 1990’s a reproduction of the ancient theater and includes a restaurant (The Swan which is great) and a bar as well as a theater staging regular plays and tours are available.

Shakespeare’s Globe Tickets & Tours (and other Things to Do in London)