Beauty on an Island
St Mary-le-Strand
The beauty that surrounds us can at times be forgotten by the rush, the pressure, the stress. Strandman went to Boots yesterday to pick up some medicine (nothing serious). The josstling masses, the distraction, the numbers of people staring at their feet. in their dreams, lost, working, home life jugling. And there it was - beauty on the Strand #2: St Mary - le- Strand Church.
It was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1717, an Act of Parliament was passed for building 50 New Churches in the fast expanding suburbs of London. These were the so-called "Queen Ann Churches"; among them are Hawksmoor's Christ Church Spitalfields, St Anne's Limehouse, and St George's-in-the-East, Archer's St Paul's Depftord and James' St George's, Hanover Square. St Mary le Strand was quick to apply for a church to replace their demolished one and, as the site on the Strand was so prominent, the Commissioners for building the New Churches decided to make the Strand church the most lavish of the churches. Initially, it was intended that there should not be a spire but that a column celebrating the building of the New Churches should stand directly in front of the church.It stands to the North of Somerset House and South of Bush House, on what is now a traffic island. It is very noisy and despite this can be a sanctuary.
It is the official church of the Women's Royal Naval Service, and has a book of remembrance for members who have died in service.
http://www.stmarylestrand.org/
SM
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Friday on my mind
Drinking at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
I like this pub.
It is something of an institution on Fleet Street. As the sign outside the entrance ostentatiously states, it was rebuilt in 1667 (after the great fire, in case you don't recognise the date: see previous blogs) and has tried, and mostly succeeded, to hang on to its distinguished heritage.
Nooks and crannies abound, there are fireplaces, plenty of dark wood, there's not a right angle in the place etc etc. Over the years, the clientele has had an equally distinguished and colourful past, but now that the journalistic tradition that was Fleet Street has passed, this pub is really one for the tourists. The usual Sam Smith's offering is competently served and for some pub-goers, this may be a drawback - not everybody likes Sam Smith's provender.
SM
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Backpassage and Back to Stay
Strandman is back after a voyage of discovery.
Where will I go next? Well Strand it is!
SM
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