London

  Mermaid statue by Sir Charles Wheeler

The Fourth Plinth - So cold even the cockerel turned blue

It was another dull, wet and cold day in London, and there was ice in Trafalgar Square fountains. Nelson's column guarded by four monumental bronze lion sculptures was designed by Sir Edwin Landseer. The bronze was obtained from melting down cannons from the French and Spanish ships active in the battle of Trafalgar. The fountains designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1937 - 1939)  replaced two earlier fountains which are now in Canada and the water sculptures were created by William McMillan and Sir Charles Wheeler.  There were few pigeons in the square and plenty of notices instructing one not to feed them. They are policed by four Harrier Hawk's,  one nicknamed Harry,  not that I saw any falcons only a blue cockerel!  A friend from the camera club did share a picture of one, but I am not sure it was Harry!

Nymphs in the fountain

Trafalgar Square Bronze Lions

A view of Conduit Street from the Penthouse suite at the Westbury, it was Wardrobe's last day of business after 42 years

St. Martin's in the Fields

St Martin-in-the-Fields is an English Anglican church dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours and situation at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square. There has been a church on the site since the medieval period. The present building was constructed between 1722 and 1724 in a Neoclassical style, design by James Gibbs who was influenced by the work of Christopher Wren.
In 1985 Sainsbury of Preston Candover, and his bothers agreed to finance the construction of a new wing for the National gallery. The site was a derelict area that had been bombed and a furniture shop destroyed in WW11.  I remember this beautiful gallery being opened and hunting for my favourite paintings;  I had known exacty where to find them when they were previously hung in the National Gallery.

Burlington House 

St Martin in the Field

Piccadilly in the rain

St Pancras and Large Spindle Piece Sculpture by Henry Moore

St Pancra is an example of Gothic architecture, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott  (1811 -1827). He was known for his early design of workhouses and then built his reputation for the design and building of churches and cathedrals.  After years of restoration, St Pancras Renaissance London was opened in 2011, it had formally been the Midland Grand Hotel that was opened in 1873 by Queen Victoria.  During 1935 and 2011 the building ceased to be a hotel and was known as St Pancras Chambers and used as railway offices. Part of this building was open to the public on set days as a museum. One could view the grand staircase which was occasionally used for film sets. There were odd artefacts from the old hotel,  I clearly remember the coal scuttles that staff had to use to light fires in the hotel bedrooms.