BY Clay Larroy
In the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources
available to both new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites,
guides, books, videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I
hope that I am providing valuable information about wonderful vacation
destinations. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
Stalking
Dragons in the City of London
Smithfield Market
Smithfield Market is the largest "dead meat" market in the country and is another Victorian celebration in stone and polychrome ironwork. Remarkably, the striking purples, greens and blues of the market’s cast-iron skeleton and decoration are the same colors visitors would have seen when it was opened in 1868. The market is two city blocks long and walking around the 10-acre site reveals a range of dragons. Marvel at those crouched and ready to spring from the spandrels above either end of the Grand Avenue which bisects the buildings. Contemplate the massive dragons of Portland stone squatting below the market’s octagonal corner towers. A pair of prancing dragons display themselves in the playfully sculpted City coat-of-arms over the eastern entrance.
Smithfield Market is the largest "dead meat" market in the country and is another Victorian celebration in stone and polychrome ironwork. Remarkably, the striking purples, greens and blues of the market’s cast-iron skeleton and decoration are the same colors visitors would have seen when it was opened in 1868. The market is two city blocks long and walking around the 10-acre site reveals a range of dragons. Marvel at those crouched and ready to spring from the spandrels above either end of the Grand Avenue which bisects the buildings. Contemplate the massive dragons of Portland stone squatting below the market’s octagonal corner towers. A pair of prancing dragons display themselves in the playfully sculpted City coat-of-arms over the eastern entrance.
There has been a market on this site for over 1000 years. In the Middle Ages it was renowned for its horse market. Cattle were still being driven through the streets of London to Smithfield well into the 19th century - until the practice was banned due to drunken drovers playing silly buggers and stampeding cattle into houses and shops, (originating the phrase "bull in a china shop"). After slaughter, blood literally ran in the streets around here. But its bloody reputation didn’t end there. The adjacent open space ("Smithfield" = "Smooth Field") was a convenient venue for tournaments, jousting and rugged sporting events. Smithfield was also a place of public execution: hundreds of supposed rebels and heretics were variously burnt, boiled and roasted alive here over a span of 400 years. The pitch became fashionable for dueling in the early 17th century.
Even today vegetarians might want to give Smithfield a pass
before about 10am, to avoid the carcasses and slabs of meat lying about and
being stacked into refrigerated vans.
The Guildhall
The Guildhall is headquarters of the Corporation of London - the center of civic government for the City. Wander about Guildhall Yard and drink in the beautifully eclectic mixture of architecture, both ancient and modern (mostly thanks to the Blitz). The hall itself is 15th century, with an entrance added in 1788 expressing Gothic and Hindu styles. A pair of white dragons appear at the roofline sporting magnificently swept wings and curly-cue tails. Before the heavy, cantilevered modern building (1975) to the west you will see displayed an equally modern set of dragons displaying themselves within a City of London coat-of-arms.
The Guildhall is headquarters of the Corporation of London - the center of civic government for the City. Wander about Guildhall Yard and drink in the beautifully eclectic mixture of architecture, both ancient and modern (mostly thanks to the Blitz). The hall itself is 15th century, with an entrance added in 1788 expressing Gothic and Hindu styles. A pair of white dragons appear at the roofline sporting magnificently swept wings and curly-cue tails. Before the heavy, cantilevered modern building (1975) to the west you will see displayed an equally modern set of dragons displaying themselves within a City of London coat-of-arms.
Bank Underground Station
Bank underground station has a myriad of entrances. Entering four of these caverns reveals some remarkable wide-eyed, spitting mad dragons standing on their hind legs holding City pennons. Their muscular appendages and glistening talons are meant for business. Beware. A red cross is worked into their wings and a mixture of interior and exterior lighting gives their bulging chests an eerie gleam. These stunning silvery-bronze and enamel panels are by sculptor Gerald Laing.
Bank underground station has a myriad of entrances. Entering four of these caverns reveals some remarkable wide-eyed, spitting mad dragons standing on their hind legs holding City pennons. Their muscular appendages and glistening talons are meant for business. Beware. A red cross is worked into their wings and a mixture of interior and exterior lighting gives their bulging chests an eerie gleam. These stunning silvery-bronze and enamel panels are by sculptor Gerald Laing.
Leadenhall Market
Leadenhall Market is another enchanting tribute to the Victorian joy in combining iron engineering with aesthetic whimsey. Unexpectedly tucked away off Gracechurch Street, the atmosphere within this tall, narrow space is dim and dusty. An occasional beam of sunlight manages to pass through the clutch of surrounding buildings and the arcade’s glass canopy to illuminate a floral wall motif or patch of cobblestones. Iron columns line the passages, rising to colorful brackets hiding in the upper shadows. Old meat and game hooks line some alleys, gloomily redundant now that the market stalls house designer shops, wine and cigar merchants and olive oil boutiques.
Leadenhall Market is another enchanting tribute to the Victorian joy in combining iron engineering with aesthetic whimsey. Unexpectedly tucked away off Gracechurch Street, the atmosphere within this tall, narrow space is dim and dusty. An occasional beam of sunlight manages to pass through the clutch of surrounding buildings and the arcade’s glass canopy to illuminate a floral wall motif or patch of cobblestones. Iron columns line the passages, rising to colorful brackets hiding in the upper shadows. Old meat and game hooks line some alleys, gloomily redundant now that the market stalls house designer shops, wine and cigar merchants and olive oil boutiques.
A square dome rises from an octagon above the crossing of the
two market passages. Iron columns rise here with, as Pevsner puts it,
"dragons cheekily squeezed between capital and entablature". If you
look over the open outside entrances of the passages, you will see that dragons
are cheeky enough to live there as well.
There is an atmospheric cloak drawn over Leadenhall Market that makes it irresistible to photographers and other visitors. But the subdued lighting and high detail makes photography here very difficult. Dragons cling to the high shadows. Some careful use of flash and/or a tripod with a medium-long telephoto lens might begin to tame these beasts and produce some interesting photographs.
There is an atmospheric cloak drawn over Leadenhall Market that makes it irresistible to photographers and other visitors. But the subdued lighting and high detail makes photography here very difficult. Dragons cling to the high shadows. Some careful use of flash and/or a tripod with a medium-long telephoto lens might begin to tame these beasts and produce some interesting photographs.
Monument
The Dragon Safari ends with some sightings at Monument - glimpses of the oldest dragons in the City. Monument is an imposing Roman Doric column topped by a golden flaming urn, built by Christopher Wren in 1671-6 to commemorate the Great Fire of London. The Great Fire burnt nearly 400 acres within the City walls and 63 acres outside (around 4/5ths of the City). Over 13,000 houses, 87 churches and 44 livery halls were destroyed. A Blue Plaque nearby marks where the fire began at a bakery in Pudding Lane.
Four old dragons - pretty weathered and startled from sleep - cling to the corners of the pedestal. Timing and light is critical in photographing these ancient beasts: early in the morning with nice sunlight rising over your shoulder; or much later in the day when some light can get down the architectural corridor to the west. On the west side of the pedestal is a large allegorical frieze (representing the city in ruins and being rebuilt with the help of Charles II). Look for the dragon lower left. This is the City Dragon attempting to preserve the fire-ruined city by supporting it on his back.
The Dragon Safari ends with some sightings at Monument - glimpses of the oldest dragons in the City. Monument is an imposing Roman Doric column topped by a golden flaming urn, built by Christopher Wren in 1671-6 to commemorate the Great Fire of London. The Great Fire burnt nearly 400 acres within the City walls and 63 acres outside (around 4/5ths of the City). Over 13,000 houses, 87 churches and 44 livery halls were destroyed. A Blue Plaque nearby marks where the fire began at a bakery in Pudding Lane.
Four old dragons - pretty weathered and startled from sleep - cling to the corners of the pedestal. Timing and light is critical in photographing these ancient beasts: early in the morning with nice sunlight rising over your shoulder; or much later in the day when some light can get down the architectural corridor to the west. On the west side of the pedestal is a large allegorical frieze (representing the city in ruins and being rebuilt with the help of Charles II). Look for the dragon lower left. This is the City Dragon attempting to preserve the fire-ruined city by supporting it on his back.
Conclusion
Monument is not far from London Bridge, which, until 1750, was the only place you could cross the River Thames in London. And it is on the south end of London Bridge that a fine specimen of the Boundary Dragon can be seen and photographed. Which appropriately takes us back to where we began.
Monument is not far from London Bridge, which, until 1750, was the only place you could cross the River Thames in London. And it is on the south end of London Bridge that a fine specimen of the Boundary Dragon can be seen and photographed. Which appropriately takes us back to where we began.
Of course, the Dragon Safari may be exhausting, but it is not
exhaustive. There are more dragons out there. If you are still not satiated,
wander onto the Millennium Bridge and gaze towards the City of London School
ramparts overlooking the Thames, or look up to the enormous golden weathervane
atop St Mary-le-Bow church on Cheapside (famous also for its "Bow
Bells"). Go to the heart of the City and inspect the lampposts of the
Royal Exchange. Or marvel at the modern sculpture of St George tilting at a
three-tongued, serpentine dragon (spewing water!) on Dorset Rise. Its creator,
Michael Sandle, has said that he originally intended to produce an
"ironical sculpture with the dragon winning ...". I like that. I
think all London dragons should be winners.
Good luck photographing the elusive beast and happy dragon
hunting!
REFERENCE SITES:
“Leave
home, leave the country, leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience—buying
bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello—become new all over again.”
―
―
No comments:
Post a Comment