Sherlock Holmes statue, Baker Street

 

Sherlock Holmes Statue, Baker Street. Photo by Angela Lansbury

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Sherlock Holmes' Statue to Historic Harrow and Pretty Pinner

Along the Metropolitan line are three places of interest. Let's start in the centre of London at Baker Street station. Outside, the station, facing the exit on the way to Madame Tussaud's and the Planetarium on the next corner is the statue of Sherlock Holmes. You could continue to Madame Tussaud's and the Planetarium, or go back to the other exit of the station within sight of the Sherlock Holmes Museum and shop.

Take the train to Harrow. Walk up the hill to Harrow on the Hill, narrow streets, old pubs such as The Castle. At the top is the famous Harrow School. Byron sat writing poetry near the church where his daughter was buried.

In summer you might see the boys in their boaters (straw hats). At the top of the Hill is the school where you can take a tour (must book), or visit one of the upmarket restaurants such as Incanto.

Down at the bottom of the hill near the station are two shopping malls, St George's and St Ann's and the usual range of pubs and coffee shops and eating at all prices.

Pinner
Continue along the train line to Pinner.  The Old Victory pub named after Nelson's victory is an ancient building now a restaurant. Another pub is still a pub. At the bottom of the sloping High Street near the station exit is Pinner Park housing the Heath Robinson museums where you can see cartoons. For free amusement walk around the park.

Also walk uphill to the church of St John's and stare in wonder at the coffin in the sky. The story goes that a man wanting to cut relatives out of his will said that they should not inherit whilst he was in the ground. So the buried him in a coffin in midair. Walk all the way round. A plaque explaining the story is on the side.

The above ground coffin projecting, in front of St John's church, Pinner.

Photos copyright Angela Lansbury.

If you are travelling by car and pass through Hatch End, look for the plaque to Mrs Beeton, famed cookery writer.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. 

Secret subway station in London set to open in summer

Crystal Palace
Fabulous picture of orange and white triangles formed by coloured tiles or bricks radiating out from the top of columns, are in a picture of the secret subway below the burned down Crystal Palace. The subway station is set to open this spring. It's now January. Less than two or three months from now. Wonderful.

It should set a standard for other stations in London and elsewhere to emulate. I've seen pictures of fabulous stations in Russia and elsewhere. Really looking forward to this.

Sherlock, Brunel and more
If you want to see interesting London stations meanwhile, take a look at the statue of Brunel on Paddington, and upstairs the lovers. On Euston there's a statue of the mapmaker in Australia with his cat. Another station, Victoria, has an artist with his palette. Baker street station has tiles showing Sherlock Holmes, whose statue is outside the station.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35275639

Sherlock Landmarks on a walk from Baker Street Station (to Marylebone High Street & Back)

Can you find monuments and memorials and museums relating to Sherlock Holmes, hymn writer Charles Wesley and musicians? Elementary, dear traveller and tourist. Major London stations such as Euston have a map of the area on the station wall and a leaflet you can pick up showing the various station exits and nearby streets and landmarks. (For example, Euston station.)

If you are arriving on the Metropolitan, Bakerloo or Jubilee lines. The Bakerloo line is named after the fact that it starts in the north at Baker Street and runs south to Waterloo.

Start at Baker Street station.
1 Admire Sherlock Holmes tiles on the underground at Baker Street station arriving on the Jubilee line. This pattern is just one of the artworks you can see. Several more feature Sherlock Holmes.

2 Admire the statue of Sherlock Holmes. 

Also in this area are The Sherlock Holmes Hotel and The Sherlock Holmes Museum.

3 Royal Academy of Music on same side as Madame Tussauds, seen from the other side when returning at night. The complex contains another building housing a museum open to the public which contains many stringed instruments, some made by the Stradivarius family. Also many manuscripts by famous composers such as Felix Mendelssohn (who wrote the Wedding March, the one that descends, not the one parodied as 'Here comes the bride' which is by Wagner.)

This building is not the Royal College of Music which is in Kensington.

4 Monument to Charles Wesley, on the right as you turn into Marylebone Road.

MORE TO READ

http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk (Sherlock Holmes museum website)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Academy_of_Music_Museum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Wesley

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Angela Lansbury, Travel writer and Photographer, author, speaker. 

From Madame Tussauds to Marylebone Shops For Wine Tasting

Outside Baker Street station is the statue of Sherlock Holmes to welcome you. Cross the road and continue south down Baker Street for a trip past Bistrot de Luxe for a top grade lunch, and window shop at the chess and bridge shop - or take today's alternative route a block or two west to Marylebone for French wine, French cheese, English meat and chocolates.

   We went for a wine tasting at French wine shop Nicholas. Being French, Nicholas does not pronounce the s on his name but calls himself 'Nicola' which sounds like a girl's name to English speakers. Here he is in a French beret.

If you get on his mailing list you will be invited to free wine tasting from three or four bottles of wine. Unlike other places which charge and tell you weeks in advance, Nicholas often gives you only 24 or 48 hours notice, but if you are in the area, or have free time and are prepared to make a special trip to London, it's a bit of fun and an opportunity to try a new wine and meet somebody who can tell you about the wine.

 I am interested because a) I am taking a wine exam, just level one run by WSET.  The initial letters stand for Wine and Spirit Education Trust - a proper government recognised body which runs courses and exams leading to certification for exams recognised by the government - taken by people in the business, wine shop staff and sommeliers in restaurants and hotels.  

My next post is on the other shops in Marylebone High Street, Wairose and the White Shop, and in Moxon Street, The Ginger Pig and La Fromagerie for coffee and cake.