Middlesex 3 The Tower, the Bridge and St Pauls

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Day 3 - and the plan was to breakfast, catch the train into London again and to wander around the Tower Bridge area of the city. On the list of must do places were the Tower of London and St Pauls both of which were free with our London Pass. The weather was again chilly and the sky grey and the leaves fell from the trees on our site like snow falling from the heavens. It was a thankless task for the wardens who had to brush the leaves into ever growing piles in readiness for collection by the council. There are three shower blocks on site and one closed today for the winter season. Money has to be saved somewhere and heating three shower blocks seemed an extravagance. The site was surprisingly empty. Most of the Caravan Club and Caravan and Camping Club sites had already closed for the winter. By the last week of October or the first of November all had shut up shop leaving just a handful around the country open all year round. Abbey Wood and nearby Crystal Palace sites being two open all year round in this area.

Before we set out we heard a lot of noise coming from the trees and expected to see the resident population of squirrels at play however what we could see was not a squrirel but a glimpse of bright emerald green amongst the falling leaves.It seems that the colonies of the green parakeets are widespread in the city of London and in the South East of Britain. Stories tell that they may have been released in the 1960s by Jimi Hendrix to add colour to the city or that they were accidently released from captivity and subsequently successfully bred producing the numbers we see today. Another story tells they were escapees from Shepperton film studios during the filming of the African Queen or another film set. Whatever the story they are pretty but noisy and were being fed by the wardens on site. Whether they are good for the local bird population it is hard to say as they compete for food and shelter and have become a pest.

We walked to the station and joined the other commuters on their morning ritual train ride to work. Some read the paper and others had one sided conversations with their mobile phones. School parties of older children spoke a language we could never fathom nor understand . We did however pick out tales of buying fast cars and the police habit of confiscating said fast cars when the owner failed to produce a driving licence or insurance. It seemed in parts as if anarchy ruled and the rule of law was being largely ignored by these 17 year olds. Younger children were herded crocodile style to see the sites of the capital.

We got off the train at Waterloo where much building work was going on - what looked like a new railway line was being constructed and new ticket offices and larger platforms. We admired the Shard - a glass structure which caught the early morning sun. Its construction began in March 2009 and it took 3 years to complete. It towers over the rest of the buildings at an impressive 1016 ft. It is the tallest building in the European Union and the second tallest in Europe. It is the second tallest free standing structure in the United Kingdom only topped by Emley Moor Transmitter. There is a viewing gallery at a height of 804 feet. Whilst not fond of modern skyscrapers the Shard does have a presence on the city skyline. The views across London must be stunning from the gallery.

From here we walked towards the Monument viewing Tower Bridge in the dusky morning light. Tower Bridge is iconic and a symbol known the world over. The structure is a listed building and has viewing platforms and high level walkways. The London Pass enables the visitor to access the walkways and see the mechanism of the bridge working. Fascinating for steam engine buffs. A bascule suspension bridgeit traverses the River Thames at a length of over 800 feet. It was constructed between 1886 and 1894. In the distance we could see our destination the Tower of London and in the opposite direction St Pauls Cathedral.

This part of London was devastated by the Great Fire and is commemorated by the Monument a great towering Doric column topped with a gilded urn of fire. The monument designed by Sir Christopher Wren stands at the spot where the fire started in 1666. It is possible to climb to the top of the column via a narrow winding staircase but this was not on our list of important things not to miss. The Tower itself was calling and a much needed coffee break.

Again entry is free to the Tower using the London Pass and there was a designated London Pass entrance although we failed to spot this and queued up behind the long and slow winding line of people waiting to go in. The Tower was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. Another example of Norman castle building designed to put fear into the heart of the conquerered people. The White Tower which is a most iconic building gves the entire castle its name and was built by William I in 1078. The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100 and it is clear to see why this would be so. It is fortress like and impregnable. It also served as a grand palace early in its history and a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. According to history it was extended by Richard the Lionheart, Henry III and Edward I Inside the walls there is contained what looks like a complete village with village green which is quite unexpected. One building serves as the home to the Crown Jewels . We had not planned to visit and the queues were long but it is fair to say the jewels were spectacular and it was possible to see them as they were arranged in the middle of a travelator if that is the right word. The moving walkway trundled passed each case. The orb and sceptre in one, the crowns in the next. At least it was possible to see them without having to peer through other people. Another part of the tower told the story of the Princes in the tower and speculated whether they were actually killed and buried in the building. Another historical who done it???

The chapel which was pure Norman was quiet and peaceful. Visitors walked by. It was simple Romanesque and very beautiful. In the quiet it was possible to imagine William communicating with his maker. The stone walls a story to tell. Other parts of the Tower were used as a prison during the reign of Elizabeth I We drank coffee and ate oat and apricot cakes before setting off for the long walk across the city to St Pauls Cathedral another Wren building erected after the Great Fire.

On the way is the Millenium Bridge - yes the one that wobbled. And we saw the reconstructed Globe Theatre across the river .

St Pauls is an impressive building similar in scale to St Peters in Rome. The original church on the site dates back to AD 604 but St Pauls is a Baroque building dating from the late 17th Century. The dome is impressive at 365 feet and is still not dwarfed by the London skyline. Inside it is light and airy and has none of the feel of the much older Westminster Abbey. Which is better is hard to say. Both have their merits although those who follow our blogs will know we really are not enamoured by Baroque architecture. The ceilings which were mosaic were quite a shock to the system after all the whte on the walls. We loved the mosaics but felt that the space inside seemed empty. There were none of the monuments of the Abbey. The Whispering Gallery was full with visitors testing out the accoustics. We instead headed for the crypt to see the tombs of Lord Nelson and Wellington. Two impressive tombs which gave the impression that each were trying to outdo the other.

Another busy day. Thank heaven for the underground - a masterful piece of Victorian ingenuity and imagination. What vision to dig, dig and continue digging until the whole city was linked by train. Tomorrow train, underground and more train - Windsor and its Castle .

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Photos

London
The Shard

London
Tower Bridge in the mist

London
Tower of London juxtaposition of Tudor brick and much earlier stonework

London
Tower of London

London
St Pauls