World Heritage Week

This week is World Heritage week and standing in the centre of Trafalgar Square is a replica of the Arch of Triumph which stood in the city of Palmyra, Syria. The 2000 yr old ancient monument  was destroyed by the Islamic State (Daesh) in August 2015.

This recreation was made possible by the Institute of Digital Archaeology using 3D technology and pictures of the original. The Oxford based Institution is a partnership between Oxford University, Harvard University and the government of the United Arab Emirates. The arch is one third the size of the original.

Sharing with James at Weekend Reflection

Stratford Underground

I have had a break from blogging whilst visiting Naples in Italy so I will try and catch up with you all soon. In the meantime I have posted my latest 'Above the Underground' tour here

Battersea Power Station

Travelling into London Victoria by train I took this photo of Battersea Power Station through the window. The power station was decommissioned in 1983















I took this photo of the power station in 2013 whilst walking the Thames path. Work had just begun on the restoration of the building and its conversion into plush apartments, restaurants etc.

Three years on you can only see one of the four chimneys, the others will be back. As this is a listed building, they have to be reconstructed and returned to their original position on the power station. They anticipate work to be completed by 2020,

Sharing with   Our World Tuesday

Subways

This is one of the many exits/entrances to King's Cross/ St Pancras tube station. Walking from Granary Square towards King's Cross this is the first entrance you encounter. It is the first time I have used the entrance and I'm not sure how many people know it exists. Just look how empty it is. I can only assume it has  recently opened..

I really like the design as it it so different from all the other subways I have walked through. Looking back towards Granary Square and the escalators at the end of the subway.

Above the Underground - Leyton

Click here to read the next post in this series.

Planes on Parade

The reason I went to Horse Guards Parade on Friday was to see these 3 aircraft. The Sopwith  Snipe, a Spitfire and a Typhoon Jet. Friday was the 98th anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Air Force. The same aircraft are on the RAF centenary Project logo.

The Sopwith Snipe and the Spitfire overlooking the Parade ground as the Changing of the Guard is taking place. Doubt I will ever see that happening again.

   The Sopwith Snipe was a successor to the Sopwith Camel and was first used by the RAF in September 1918  until 1928. This one on display was built by the Vintage Aviator company in New Zealand in 2011/12. Many of the parts, including the engine, are original from the RAF Museum

This is the Supermarine Spitfire and was used mainly for ground attack during the latter part of WW2

The Typhoon Jet was a full sized replica and was assembled on the Parade ground. A real Typhoon Jet flew over Horse Guards Parade later that day. It can fly at a speed of 1,320 mph. but I imagine it didn't reach that speed as it flew over London.

William Morris Gallery

William Morris,the designer, was born in Walthamstow in 1834 and lived in this house as a teenager.
Coming from a wealthy family, they were not pleased by his choice of artist as a career rather than clergyman. The house is now the William Morris Gallery and tells the story of his life as well as displaying examples of his work.

Many of his designs have survived and are still printed today on fabrics and wallpaper. This is the design for a printed textile. you can see where Morris has made alterations and lines have been rubbed out. Morris drew, revised and finally coloured a pattern on one sheet of paper believing that a harmonious piece of work should be done in one attempt.

A rose trellis inspired this design, his first ever wallpaper.

 In 1880 this design was used to decorate The Grand Staircase at St James's Palace.

It was another of Morris's designs on silk damask that upholstered George V's coronation throne. The photograph of the throne was used in the Morris and Co catalogue.  The Royal connection made a good publicity coup.

Many of his printing blocks were displayed in this room.

                                          His daffodil pattern printing block.

At the back of the house there is a public park.

The house was built in 1740 for a wealthy merchant. It was known as Water House as it had a moat. After the Morris family left this house it was bought by Edward Lloyd, a successful publisher, in 1857.. The family eventually gifted the house and estate to the council for a public park to be created. It opened to the public on 28th July 1900 and is known as Lloyd Park in his honour.