MM4.Travel

London – Day Three

Tuesday September 3 – We decided to wander down to see some of the nearby high rises near us, they all seem to have nicknames.

Lloyd’s Bank doesn’t seem to have a nickname

You can go up to the viewing platform at the Walkie Talkie for free. Which is nice.

Leadenhall Market

After leaving the Walkie Talkie we start heading to St Paul’s. We accidentally discover Leadenhall Market.

There’s been a market here since 1321. The current arcade dates to 1881.

The Monument

From the market we head to the monument to the great fire of London in 1666.

Designed by Christopher Wren first Wren of the Day

The frieze on the side of the Monument. Not quite sure what’s going on here

St Magnus the Martyr Church

Walking from the Monument heading to St Paul’s, we headed onto Lower Thames Street which is largely pedestrian unfriendly and full of Lorries. However we stumbled on to St Magnus the Martyr Church, we had literally no idea about it, but it turned out to be our favourite church in London. It was very peaceful from the hectic pace outside. The church was built in 1671 and designed by the architect Christopher Wren, the second Wren of the day. Turns out it’s mentioned by Dickens in Oliver Twist, and by T.S.Elliott’s poem The Waste Land – thanks Wikipedia.

St Paul’s

Our third Wren of the day, the original gothic cathedral burned down in the great fire and was actually bigger. This is Wren’s third and final design and was built between 1675-1710 – more Wikipedia.

Quite Londonesque with the red double decker

We went on a tour of the Crypt

The tour was really interesting, it was given by a retired Northern Irish chap whose son is a paediatrician at Auckland’s Starship Hospital.

Lord Nelson’s crypt was originally swiped by Henry VIII from someone he fell out with (a pattern perhaps?), anyway Henry was too fat so it went into storage until they thought of Nelson.

Lord Wellington’s crypt we don’t think Henry swiped this one.

Our guide worked out that I work in architecture, and specially showed us the Geometric stairs designed by Wren. The steps cantilever so don’t have any other structural support.