http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33834 David, our London Walks guide, manoeuvred us away from the traffic and chain shops of Kensington High Street into a Russian doll’s London within a London of the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
First stop, the early 20th century and the art deco Barker’s Department Store, then onto Kensington Square, with its Regency houses lived in by the likes of William Thackeray and John Stuart Mills.
David took us into St Mary’s Church, pointing out the “Healing” window, funded by the Royal College of Surgeons. Out of the church and through a scattering of graves and daffodils and onto another narrow row of houses where T S Eliot and Ezra Pound had both lived and written.
Now down a narrow, cobbled lane, straight out of a Jane Austen novel, lined with tiny shops converted from stables.
We strolled along ‘Millionaire’s Row’ arriving at Kensington Palace, the sunken gardens and David’s last tip, to “Forget the Ritz, take tea at the Orangery.”
Full of enthusiastic information delivered in an entertaining, professional and friendly manner, this was one of the best value for money, interesting experiences I’ve had in London.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33834 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33534 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33534 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33523 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33523 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33519 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33519 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33418 The bar has the appearance and feel of a dark basement untouched since Pepys left. Nicotine stained walls of tongue-n-groove boards, history-stained stone floors, and rickety tables and chairs under the low, brick-domed ceiling of the original wine cellars are not retro but original features. Candles light the reticent faces of illicit encounters. The staff are efficient and friendly and pull schooners and beakers of sherry, Madeiras, or port from the barrels stacked behind the bar. Excellent wines are also available by bottle or glass. Recently homemade food has been introduced, and the tables spill out into Watergate Walk to the side. But stay indoors to enjoy the uniqueness and excellence of Gordon’s Wine Bar, and drink deep the history of London.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33418 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33228 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33228 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32456 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32456 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31769 In the middle sits St.Pancras Old Church, one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in Europe. The surrounding park is what remains of the old churchyard cut through from 1863 by construction of the Midland Railway into St.Pancras Station. The exhumation of the graves was overseen by Thomas Hardy, then a young architect, who placed many of the headstones in a circular pattern around an ash tree, whose roots now entangle the stones around what is known as Hardy's Tree.
When the churchyard was re-opened as a public park in 1877 the Burdett-Coutts Sundial had been added as a memorial to all those whose graves had been exhumed and moved elsewhere.
Among the graves that were left in situ are those of William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft and the monument designed by Sir John Soane for his wife. The latter will look very familiar to most people because it was the inspiration for Gilbert Scott's design of the K2 red telephone box.
All this for free in a lovely park with a beautiful fence and gates all recently restored with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31769 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31765 As it is a house of god, visitors are asked to be respectful and you will be provided with a sarong if you have shorts or skirts above knee length. You are also respectfully asked to remove your shoes before entering the Mandir.
There are beautiful carvings to be seen and interesting exhibitions.
No food or drink is allowed inside but the shop/cafe serves some delicious Indian snacks!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31765 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31747 The pub is still popular with London's literatti, including Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, Ian McEwan and Clive James, who titled his second book of literary criticism 'At the Pillars of Hercules', allegedly because most of the pieces were commissioned, delivered or written within its very wooden walls. The beer is excellent, the craic always witty and the Hungarian barmaid particularly charming, especially if you say 'egészsegedre' ... !]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31747 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31599 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31599 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31557 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31557 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31355 Now painted bright white inside, Camberwell’s pool has balconies lining the high walls, recalling those ancient, darker, brick-walled Victorian pools where I did my bronze medal life-saving awards many moons ago. The re-tiled 25m pool has very warm (for my chilly Atlantic and Irish Sea childhood training!) water and the clean, but damp changing rooms are also a little overheated. One drawback is the incredibly complicated opening time system, to cope with all the different sessions on offer, from aqua aerobics to ‘splash and floats’ to swim school. There are also many opportunities for lane swims, women-only swimming and general watery mayhem. When the lane system is in operation, some go clockwise, some anti-clockwise; I'm not sure why this is ... an anti-wave idea perhaps?!
The Victorian public baths first opened in 1892, and the grade II listed façade is in the Flemish Renaissance style, which explains why I always had a vaguely Antwerpian feeling when walking past!
There is also a friendly café, a gym and a sports hall within the historic, buffed up walls.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31355 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31326 Chaplin’s dad used to tinkle the ivories at the 120-year-old inn and scenes from the film ‘Snatch’ were shot on location here
Situated in the historic Black Prince Road, London’s first German gastro-pub has 16 great German beers gushing from gorgeous ceramic draught taps and 32 bottled brews. There are lots of 'weiss' (white) wheat beers and I sampled a version called 'Hell'....which was heavenly.
The kitchen serves up lots of sausages, schnitzels and Bavarian specialities. Two big screens show the German Bundesliga and we watched a medley of Wimbledon matches and live performances direct from Glastonbury. I won’t even mention what a great atmosphere there was during the football World Cup…!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31326 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31325 Hill (1838-1912) was an amazing woman and way ahead of her time. She was a pioneer of affordable housing and many consider her the founder of modern social work. She campaigned tirelessly for the environment and open spaces and co-founded the National Trust, which today protects over 300 historic properties and keeps 250,000 hectares of land open to everybody.
Hill believed in humane housing conditions and arranged for the construction of two rows of pretty cottages and a community hall, designed by Elijah Hoole. The garden predated the buildings and was laid out in 1887. It was created to provide ‘an open air sitting room for the tired inhabitants of Southwark’ and had an elaborate layout of curved lawns, flower beds and serpentine paths, an ornamental pond with fountain, bandstand and covered children's play area. There were once two mosaics in the garden. One showing ‘The Sower' was restored in 2005 and can still be seen.
Bankside Open Spaces Trust used Heritage Lottery funding to restore the garden to its former glory, complete with pond, bridge, fountain, flower beds and paths winding through this lovely Victorian garden.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31325 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31242 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31242 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31165 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31165 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30949 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30949 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30689 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30689 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30288 The entertainment works for the whole family with loads of activities, interesting areas to explore and lots of great play areas. Kids can enjoy face painting too!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30288