The area of Bloomsbury is very much known for its literary connections. The pre Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded in Bedford Square and close by in Gower Street is RADA (Royal Academy for Dramatic Art). Here there are 3 theatres and lots of rehearsal rooms where the likes of John Gielgud, Glenda Jackson and many, many more now famous actors learned their trade.
Round the corner is Gordon Square with more Georgian terracing. At No. 64 lived the Stephen sisters who on marriage became Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolfe. Along with Virginia's husband Lionel they formed the Bloomsbury group in the 1920s. They were a group of artists and painters who enjoyed a different life style that was shocking to many at that time.
A couple of streets away is Tavistock Square where Charles Dickens lived between 1851-60. It was here that he wrote several novels including Bleak House and A Tale of Two Cities.
Off Woburn Place is Woburn Walk. A delighfully quaint lane with cafes on either side, their seating overflowing onto the pavements. In warmer weather a haven for sitting and chatting.
At one end of the Walk is the house where the Irish poet WB Yeats lived from 1895 to 1919
I wonder if these same places inspire the literary world of today.
Round the corner is Gordon Square with more Georgian terracing. At No. 64 lived the Stephen sisters who on marriage became Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolfe. Along with Virginia's husband Lionel they formed the Bloomsbury group in the 1920s. They were a group of artists and painters who enjoyed a different life style that was shocking to many at that time.
A couple of streets away is Tavistock Square where Charles Dickens lived between 1851-60. It was here that he wrote several novels including Bleak House and A Tale of Two Cities.
Off Woburn Place is Woburn Walk. A delighfully quaint lane with cafes on either side, their seating overflowing onto the pavements. In warmer weather a haven for sitting and chatting.
At one end of the Walk is the house where the Irish poet WB Yeats lived from 1895 to 1919
I love to see old architecture! Your pictures are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWonderful architecture! I bet these places do inspire writers - even today.
ReplyDeleteI love the Georgian architecture ! Interesting to know that there were so many famous writers living there ! I think today they are mostly living in the countryside.
ReplyDeleteLove the peaceful envirnonment in there. Would be nice to live there away from the mad crowd in the city. :)
ReplyDeletePlaces like this make history seem so much more real. My eldest daughter would love to wander here!
ReplyDeleteNice post, sometimes certain professions are attracted to the same aerea and they must have inspired each other.
ReplyDeleteDearest Fun60,
ReplyDeleteWonderful meaningful places and architecture, I've been to your country once. It is one of my dream to stroll around, haha never will come true.
Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*
I am wondering if you live in this neighbourhood. If not, just being able to visit must be wonderful fun. Nora's comment really struck home. To be able to "look in the windows" of a poet (or any other artist) would be almost as good as having tea with him/her. Thanks for the great pictures. I felt I was there myself, breathing in the inspiration and feeling something of the voices and conversations.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful literary tour! One can only hope that future authors are being equally inspired either here or in some other places where the muse may visit them. I am coming toward the end of a personal challenge to read (or re-read) all of Charles Dickens . I now have some different thoughts about who to think about next in my self-education quest (I've read no Virginia Woolff for example).
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