1 Yes, the day was the anniversary of my birth. The marking of the day began with a slow, companionable breakfast, complemented by The Times and The Guardian. It continued with a journey to London, to St Clement Danes church, close to the junction of the Strand and Fleet Street.
2 Though St Clement Danes was not damaged by the Great Fire, Sir Christopher Wren was invited to rebuild it. Accordingly, it is the first of the Wren churches as one approaches the City from the Strand. As we were intent on visiting Wren churches, we crossed the road and entered. We had begun our exploration.
3 From St Clement Danes to St Brides, close to the other end of Fleet Street. From there to St Andrew by the Wardrobe, to St Mary Aldermary, where we rested. Over the road we saw the red dome of St Stephen Walbrook, our next stop. And then we retraced our steps to Fleet Street and to the Temple Church. Six churches, six out of many more.
4 Each one a joy to visit, when there is time to sit, to muse, to look. St Clement Danes, which was destroyed by enemy action of 10 May 1941, is now the official church of the Royal Air Force. Outside, there is a statue to Sir Arthur ('Bomber') Harris and further beyond one to WE Gladstone. Inside, there are banners and coats of arms. St Brides was destroyed in the same air raid. All that remained were the tower, and the walls. The tower is surmounted by a steeple, one with fire octangonal stages - the model for wedding cakes. Nowadays, the church is surrounded by high buildings, yet it and the contiguous green space continues to be a quiet, peaceful place.
5 St Andrew by the Wardrobe? It is sited close to the factory (we'd say) where the King's costumes were made and stored. On the wall is a copy of the bill of Dissolution of the priory together with a translation. The King's lawyers, be assured, left nothing to chance. In sum,they left nothing.
6 From the outside, next to a main road, St Mary Aldermary, we agreed, looked down-at-heel. Yet, we turned back on ourselves, walked up the steps, and went through the nondescript doorway. Of course, we knew what to expect, a magnificent plaster ceiling. What we hadn't expected was the sofa against the back wall, a place where two visitors could sit and view the ceiling from end to end. We sat; we admired the ceiling and the slender columns. All one had to do was to step inside.
7 A little way along the pavement and, over the road, the green dome could be seen, the green dome and three-stage steeple of St Stephen Walbrook. Remember the name for here is what is written in a guide-book: A church which has been described as having the most perfectly-proportioned interior in the world, St Stephen Walbrook has the power to take one's breath away. Full of light, its design testifies to Wren's background as a mathematician, with rectangles, squares, circles, semi-circles, and triangles creating a wornderful egometrical harmony. The dome and the elegant classical columns are truely inspirational.
8 The sixth and last church was the Temple church. From there we went for our afternoon tea. An occasion for different rituals.
7 A little way along the pavement and, over the road, the green dome could be seen, the green dome and three-stage steeple of St Stephen Walbrook. Remember the name for here is what is written in a guide-book: A church which has been described as having the most perfectly-proportioned interior in the world, St Stephen Walbrook has the power to take one's breath away. Full of light, its design testifies to Wren's background as a mathematician, with rectangles, squares, circles, semi-circles, and triangles creating a wornderful egometrical harmony. The dome and the elegant classical columns are truely inspirational.
8 The sixth and last church was the Temple church. From there we went for our afternoon tea. An occasion for different rituals.
No comments:
Post a Comment