For me, Sunday morning is time to be in church. My parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all taught me that people who believe in a Higher Power will have happier and more responsible lives. I know that many of my dearest friends challange that position, but it has been the underlying source for the happy life and journey I have experienced. I love dearly people of all religious backgrounds. Therefore, on Sunday morning I like to be with people of faith. I love to go to Westminster Abbey Sunday morning and hear the choir boys sing, the great organ play, and sit in those seats and just soak in that magnificent building. Oh, that music goes right to the soul–all kinds of goose bumps, for sure! I start my day in Westminster Abbey, then I take my walk up Whitehall all the way to the National Gallery, and then I grab a taxi and rush to church meetings with people of my own faith on Exhibition Road. But let me take you on my walk up Whitehall. It is a very cool morning here in London–high of 60 degrees today, so I have my warm cashmere sweater under my lined jacket. Got my unbrella and my camera. So, we are all set–let’s go!
Since this is a Sunday walk, I suggest you start your walk at the Abbey after attending a service. You will leave the abbey with all kinds of emotions, sitting among the tombs of names which filled our history books. When I go to the abbey and find my chair over the grave marker of THOMAS HARDY, I know I have a lot ot think about. After the service, I leave through the great west door and walk past the TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER and read words that only an Englishman could write: FOR GOD AND KING. Sometimes, we are directed to leave through the CLOISTER, but that is a spectacular diversion as well. STAND BACK AND LOOK AT THE ABBEY IN ALL ITS BEAUTY–A creation to honor God and certainly the GREATS OF ENGLAND’S LONG HISTORY.
Walk past the Great East Door where you will see the BIBLE in stone. The central doorway is particularly beautiful, and I enjoy it very much as I pass by on my to see the beautiful triptic in St. Margaret’s.
St. Margaret’s is the church for members of the government. Churchill was married here. I attended Lord Renton’s funeral here a few years ago where I heard the John Major speak and watched Lady Thatcher arrive to be seated on the second row after the family. It was a magical experience. I felt honored to have been invited. It is a beautiful church.
As I leave St. Margaret’s I stand and look at BIG BEN ready to strike. I took a photo this morning of Big Ben towering over Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster where Henry VIII played tennis and where England’s Kings and Queens have lain in State. I rushed to London when the Queen Mother died, and I was determined to stand in the 6-hour line to walk past her coffin. I loved the great old Queen, and I felt that I owed her that experience for all the joy she had brought me and other members of the British public over her long life. She won a lifetime of love from her people when she and the King were faced with the safety of their two daughters during World War II: THEY WILL NEVER LEAVE WITHOUT ME; I WILL NEVER LEAVE WITHOUT THE KING, AND THE KING WILL NEVER LEAVE. Well, we could spend all day going over the history of WESTMINSTER HALL.
Let’s walk around Parliament Square to see the large bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln. If you have a $20.00 US gold coin, you will see the similarity of this sulpture and your coin. Look it up; you will see why. Walk on round to the corner and see the amazing bronze statue of WINSTON CHURHILL. By all means, tip your hat out of gratitude to this great leader. I think Winston Churchill is the greatest hero of the 20th century. He loved himself, and I admire him almost as much as he did.
Enjoy the RED PHONE BOX. These are disappearing these days, but this a particularly beautiful one.
I walk up the west side of Whitehall. I can’t stop snapping images of these fabulous buildings. Edward VII’s cyphers adorn the entrnace into the CABINET WAR ROOMS. So grand–so England.
Then move on to the glorious building THE EXCHEQUER. Stunning. I am in no rush when I come to this building. When I watch all the glass buildings popping up all over London, I understand the great debate about modern architecture. I don’t believe architecture should stand still, but the question is QUALITY which I think the public senses. And the debate continues.
The CENOTAPH is a memorial TO THE GLORIOUS DEAD and was placed in the center of the street leading to the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey at the same time the TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER was brought from the battle fields of France after World War I and placed in the Abbey. Each year, the Royal Family honors those who died for their country at the CENOTAPH. The King of Norway used to come from Norway to stand on the balcony with the Queen Mother to show his gratitude to Britain for British help during World War II. Goodness, the stories go on forever.
Then we pass by the MEMORIAL TO THE WOMEN OF WORLD WAR II. This is a comparatively new monument, but the history behind this MEMORIAL is amazing. The women of Britain during World War II were tough. They got to the task and did their job. AGAIN FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
Then, you will walk past 10 Downing Street, the home of the British Prime Minister. Those heavy gates tell me that sometimes, people get mad at the Prime Minister. Margaret Thatcher put them up–the Iron Lady–and that says it all.
I chatted with the guards with their high-powered rifles. These fellows are sharp shooters. I told them I come from the town in the USA where JOHN MOSE BROWNING lived and designed the BAR which was instrumental in the Battle of Britain. I was amazed at how informed these officers were. And, they were wonderful to talk to. It was early Sunday morning, and I was the only person at the gates, so they had time, and I had the interest. Wonderful. Oh, I do love to travel. I learn so much.
We then pass by HORSE GUARDS. It is a holiday in London today so the horses were not in their stalls. The fabulous early entrance once was the entrance to WHITEHALL PALACE which burned down, all except THE BANQUETING HOUSE across the street–Inigo Jones’s masterpiece is still there in all its glory. If you have time sometime, go back to the BANQUETING HOUSE and see VAN DYCK’S glorious ceiling. We could go on and on about this place. I wrote a blog early on about the BANQUETING HOUSE which you might wish to pull up from the archives and read.
But, don’t walk away without noticing the little sculpture placed over the entrance to THE BANQUETING HOUSE. It is CHARLES I who was beheaded by CROMWELL on this spot mid-1600′s. Charles I’s equestrian statue is at the top of the road–you will see it. But, this horrific event which took place on this spot had huge effects on the social and political life of 17th and 18th century England. Fabulous. I could read about it for hours.
It was unfortunate this morning to see that the gates to the offices of the HIGH SEA LORD were fenced off for repairs. I love to look through these gates and see the magnificent Ionic Columns of this Georgian facade. Imagine, the offices of Lord Nelson and Earl Mountbatten of Burma right in front of you. People with a sensitive historical nature find places like this almost sacred. I love to be in this spot–sort of I WALKED TODAY WHERE……..WALKED. I have huge respect for both these men. When I went to OSBORNE HOUSE, I took particular note of Lord Nelson’s ship VICTORY.
Be sure to note the nautical detail all around the HIGH SEA LORD’s offices. Fabulous and meaningful.
Before you come to the end of the street and face TRAFALGAR SQUARE, look up Craig Court. There is a wonderful pub there with all its original early lamps. It is right out of the past. We have a flat there, on Craig Court, which is perfect for people who want to be right in the middle of the HOT SPOT. Great for young people; not so good for older folks who sleep at night. Oh, what a beautifully historic location.
Now are are coming up to TRAFALGAR SQUARE. The first histoic site is the EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF CHARLES I. He was beheaded just down the road, but he now sits forever at the top of the road. I think the Stuart ROYALISTS have something to say here. They did dig up CROMWELL after Charles II returned to England, and they beheaded his corpse and stuck it on a spike. So, King Charlie, we got ol’ Cromwell in the end. I can tell you that Merry Old England had had enough of puritans and no dancing or merry making. The RESTORATION PERIOD was one of great pleasure, led by the King and his many ladies. (Ah by the way, the spot where the EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF CHARLES I IS NOW LOCATED IS THE ACTUAL CHARING CROSS OF MEDIEVAL TIMES, AND THE CROSS ORIGIINALLY WAS LOCATED IN THIS VERY SPOT. CHARLIES I CAME LATER.)
Note the lamp bases on Trafalgar Square. THEY CARRY THE CYPHER OF QUEEN VICTORIA VR=Victoria Regina. Keep your eyes open for these wonderful details.
As you cross the street to reach TRAFALGAR SQUARE – be careful – look left and you will see the MEMORIAL GATES to honor Queen Victoria which are the entance to the MALL which crosses through St. James’s Park to BUCKINGHAM PALACE. But that is another walk which I have written about in an earlier blog. You can find it in the archives of this blog.
You are now on Trafalgar Square in the neighborhood of St. Martin in-the-Fields named after Gibb’s 18th century church where we all attend concerts, one night after another.
Don’t miss the smallest police station in London.
Before you is the Natonal Gallery, a place I go back to over and over again during a stay in London. But let me tell you about the splendid colums in front of the NATIONAL GALLERY. When King George IV and his architect NASH rebuilt Buckingham Palace, these colums were salvaged from his home CARLTON HOUSE which was demolished. The furnishings of Carlton House went to Buckingham Palace and became the basis for the Royal Collection, but the columns were saved to eventually adorn the NATIONAL GALLERY. They are so beautiful; I just can’t imagine their being destroyed. There they are in all their glory. Ah, THE NATIONAL GALLERY–it’s a place of worship for a lot of us.
Turn your head to the top/right of TRAFALGAR SQUARE and you will see ST. MARTIN IN-THE-FIELDS, Gibb’s wonderful church; it became the style which determined much of the religious architecture in Colonial American. I am going there for a concert tomorrow night, and I find myself sitting on those benches many times each year. This is where our American Founding Fathers went to church. Again I say….TODAY, I WALKED WHERE…..WALKED. What a wonderful feeling. I can’t imagine Benjamin Franklin in church, but I am going to find out. Go inside the church, sit for a moment for a rest, and just enjoy this beautiful religious structure–just restored.
AH, you will run into GEORGE WASHINGTON in front of the NATIONAL GALLERY. He said he never wanted to put one foot on English soil, but there he is. There is a real story about this–I wrote an article about this story which you can find in the archives of this blog site. It is a fabulous story.
Now, stand at the top of TRAFALGAR SQUARE and look down WHITEHALL where you have walked. When you look back, Somerset Maugham’s words in OF HUMAN BONDAGE come to mind: AND THE OMNIBUSES PASSED TO AND FRO, AND I WAS HAPPY–Something like that. This is one of the most splendid vistas you will ever see in Europe’s capitals. I have sat in this spot JUST ADMIRING its beauty and history for years and years. I invite you to join me.
This has been a long post. I have spent my afternoon writing it, and I hope it is helpful if you decide to take this walk. TAKE YOUR MICHELIN GUIDE WITH YOU, AND YOU WILL BE A SCHOLAR WHEN YOU FINISH. What a fabulous experience. Thank you for taking this walk with me. My wife has done it with me so many times–she never refuses, and she is very patient with my love of strolling through London. It is certainly not as much fun doing it alone, however, so I invited you all to come along to keep me company.
I really enjoy you all. Your emails are meaningful and highly regarded.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
http://www.londonconnection.com
