In weather reminiscent of the opening passage of Dance I walked upstream to Richmond on Monday morning. The white notices on these trees are Preservation Orders dated last month. Does this mean every tree will have to sport a white badge if it’s not to be chopped down?
The barrier was lowered at Richmond Lock. It is an impressive bit of engineering, indeed the chief engineer took out sevent patents relating to the sluices, etc.
The supervisor of the toll booth had a cosy cabin on the south side of the bridge and you can see the remains of the turnstile where pedestrians spent a penny to cross the river.
I looked more closely at Asgill House, as I now know it’s called, and found this self-explanatory but interesting stone tablet set into a wall.
Later I noticed this almost finished building by the tracks of the District line in West Kensington. I guess it is for signalling or electricity but I am ignorant about so many of the day to day services I use and can only be grateful that other people make them work.
Under some arches by the towpath approaching Richmond Bridge there are a few studios and shops. One makes and sells pottery.
These are by Christina Gascoigne, married to Bamber. The postcard in the bottom right corner of the picture is their house, West Horsley Place, new home to Grange Park Opera. It’s a pity that my minimalist kitchen is much too chockers to accomodate any of her deceptively simple work.
I’ve enjoyed reading about your walks along the river, or ending at the river. I now have the desire to try them myself so thanks for the inspiration.
Compare the authors image of the delightful little cabin on Richmond Foot Bridge with that of the penultimate image of the ‘brick box’ adjacent to the district line. The purpose of both structures is purely utilitarian and yet the little Victorian toll booth is so ornately beautiful with its ornate barge boards, finials, lead roof & glazing bars. Contrast that with the structure from the present day: a monument to practicality with no aesthetic design quality or applied detail. Perhaps my thoughts may be explained away as a sentimental old fool but I feel, as a society we take delight in consuming architecture which is interesting and alluring but we are incapable of delivering such results today.
I agree with you but apologise that your comment had to await “moderation”. I thought I’d made a tweak but it seems I’d have to open the floodgates to spam which is sub-optimal so you will just have to have deferred gratification.
After enduring an (almost) dry January, and preparing to approach a sacrificial Lent next week I have resigned to accept all things in ‘moderation’. I do appreciate the authors valiant effort to resolve the issue but would not wish to subject him to a torrent of unsolicited electronic mail. As with much in life one has to wait for that which is worth waiting for.