Category: Architecture

St Patrick in Soho

In London in the 18th century there was a concerted effort by rich Catholics and the Catholic Church to alleviate the poverty and misery of their less fortunate countrymen. The Benevolent Society of St Patrick (1783) and the older Irish Charitable Society (1704) are manifestations of this, (There’s a Welcome on the Mat), another is… Continue reading St Patrick in Soho

Norman Conquest

Whatever the UK electorate decides about staying in or leaving the EU, many of us in the British Isles feel a sense of identity with the Normans. Our genes, our language, our architecture, our laws can to a large extent be traced back to Norman roots.

A Shell House and Some Up-Dates

Barmeath has a shell house built in the woods in the 19th century as a destination for walks and picnics, I was surprised to come upon a 20th century one in the centre of London.

Errata

Oh to be able to call this post Erratum. Looking back on old posts they are littered with spelling and grammar mistakes and inconsistencies. Yesterday provided at least one especially goofy example.

Palladio in the Park

I rarely visit Regent’s Park, perhaps once a year to go to the open-air theatre, so I was pleased to walk through part of it on Monday on my way to luncheon in Belsize Park.

Drying Greens

  This post is not about vegetables and their preparation, it’s about drying greens.

Wiggers

On Sunday I went to a concert at the Wigmore Hall. Wiggers works its socks off: they put on about 400 performances annually and don’t just sit back and enjoy the million pounds they get in funding from the Arts Council; they both raise money and sell tickets – hoorah!

An Invitation…

St. Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year and I’m inviting you to a Valentine’s Day themed Recital in an especially beautiful location.

Democratic Principles

  My house has what estate agents call “all the usual offices”; a strange expression as it has everything except an office. This drawing was done by Mike Stiff, of Stiff + Trevillion, in 1984. It’s a late Victorian terraced house with some original features, including a functioning coal hole in the path leading up… Continue reading Democratic Principles