Tag Archives: London

Exploration

Syon House a hidden gem

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Often I’ve been to Kew Gardens, which seems to be turning into a yearly ritual, I will walk all the way around. There is a spot I like to sit at and the view has interested me for a while. Right across from this view point is a little-known place called Syon House.

I finally got there and little it is not. It feels hidden away but as you walk down and through the entrance you are greeted with a long driveway up to a house that looks like a castle, that is palatial inside. Owned by the Duke of Northumberland this estate sits in the leafy green Brentford part of London.

The house sits on a former church site and the catacombs still exist under the house. The main entrance of the house The Great Hall is kind of a love story to ancient Rome. You follow through into an Ante Room of a completely different colour scheme, made up of composite marble, like the film studios use today when making film sets. There is a sense of grandeur through-out the house with that ancient Roman Greek design by the famous James Adam who after his grand tour of Italy brought a number of styles back with him.

The Great Hall
The Ante Room

The Anti Room follows through into the Dining Room. This room is far more subtle in colour with white walls and gold leaf designs and the traditional solid oak stained floor. The next room is the Red Drawing Room, far more opulent with an intricately decorated celling. There is a lot softer feel to the room as the walls are lined with material instead of paint. And a large Axminster rug to disguise the hard wood floor.

By now you would have made it through to the Long Gallery serving as a library with many books. The fades of time are very much felt here, the colours are very faded. Was it once a pearl sky blue?

Don’t forget to inspect all the painting on your way around, painted by the famous artists of the day. Plenty of Van Dyke’s around! 

The Red Drawing Room
The Long Gallery

I had viewed many more rooms and then I exited to wonder round to have a look at the Great Conservatory which is on par in design as Kew Gardens, but not as jam packed with plants. Entering this area I was greeted with perfectly maintained grounds, a sea of ferns on one side and a perfect bed of meadow flowers on the other. There are areas of the grounds that need work on, but what a relaxing day out. Although I was worn out by the end.

The reason I call this a hidden gem, well there can’t have been more than 20 people around wondering around. I don’t believe Syon House is advertised and for such a beautiful estate. I guess everyone is at Kew.

https://www.syonpark.co.uk
Brentford, London, TW8 8JF

Exploration

Battersea Power Station

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I’ve wanted to get down to Battersea Power station for a while to see all the modernisation work and what has been done there. It was after 11:00am when I arrived in the week and there really wasn’t much footfall in there at all. I asked one of the guards and he said the place was much busier at the weekends. I hope he was right! Upon walking around there are bits here and there that show the old workings of the station and Control Room B was turned into a bar that still has a fair chunk of the old technology in it.

Downstairs from the riverside entrance was one unit showing the process to how the station became what it is today. And then there are a lot o high end brands about the place from Ralf Lauren to Rolex.

Bars and restaurants here and there, a place called Bounce where there are a load of tables to play table tennis and even a cinema.

Further upstairs to the third floor, is an optional lift going all the way up to see a view and a few display bits, but I chose not to do that as I thought the price of over £20 was far too high!

Control Room B Bar area.

Personal

The Cenotaph

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British and South Korean flags together.

I’d thought I go and check out the Cenotaph in London before they took away the wreaths and pay my respects. At the same time I had planned to visit the Household Cavalry Museum, however that was closed due to the state visit from the South Korean president and his wife. This isn’t the first time a state visit has interrupted my plans either and probably not the last!!

review

Burma to Myanmar exhibit

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Only just started in the British Museum is the Burma to Myanmar exhibit that explores the few treasures that have come from the country. And there are some amazing pieces on display, from a gold letter to the King of England that went un-replied. To an intricate ivory chair.

You get a bit of a glimpse into the art that has come from the country but due to constant conflict there, there is a sense of limitations in the exhibit. Like so many subjects there is a vast story to tell and the scope isn’t there. A pebble in the sea of what information they could have given? What is on offer may give some insight, however to me it’s just showing off what they have in the British Museum collection.

3.5 out of 5.

Art, Current Events

Sotheby’s Freddie Mercury exhibit

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On now for a month you can go to Sotheby’s on New Bond Street and see a vast collection of items once owned by Freddie Mercury before they go on sale. I’d say if you can, go see it now, because after the six auctions all his treasures will be scattered and most likely scattered to the four corners of the world.

I feel it will be a shame, as I felt a lot of these items should have stayed in his house and that created into a museum. Nevertheless, this is a part of life and its story in this famous character.

I knew he had a love for Japanese art, but I didn’t realise how vast his collection was. From a very nice collection of prints, to ceramics and sets of kitchen ware. There is a degree of opulence about the character and a slight insight into the eccentric nature of the person we see from his things. There is also a degree of love for the items on display, from the clothing to the records and his famous piano. A new Yamaha piano will set you back £5,000 but if you want Freddie’s make sure you have more than £2 million + capitol. And if I am honest, there are some even nicer things to get your hands on than the piano.

Exploration

London Mithraeum

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This is a little hidden gem in the Bank area of central London. When they built the new Bloomberg building they moved the Roman Mithraeum temple out and then put the ruins back to where they originally found them. You can now go online and book a free visit if you have a spare half an hour to visit it in your day.

Entering you are treated with an ever changing art space, then next to it is a wall of finds which you can browse before descending down the stairs to the temple. There is a brief bit of information in a waiting area and when let through you are treated to a very mystical setting, low lights, barely visible and it is a treat to watch and listen to the story.

After that’s finished you can have a walk around when it lit up better, take some photo’s, ask those questions before leaving. Well worth a visit in my opinion.

https://www.londonmithraeum.com

Exploration

St. Dunstan in the West

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Last Friday I was in Temple walking through Fleet Street and come upon St. Dunstan in the West. So I thought I would head inside for a look. It’s an impressive church in the heart of the city but sadly it also felt very neglected.

There was an eerie feel to the place, the pollution from all the passing traffic outside had soaked its way deep into the church. This effect darkened the place which would of been a lot brighter if had been looked after.

The bench cushions looked well used and could do with replacing, so I sat at the back on a bench that didn’t have one looking across hoping for someone to rescue this place. They are trying to raise millions to repair the church tower, I can’t spare that much, but I did donate a few quid in the collection box on the way out.

Exploration

Bedlem Exhibit at the Wellcome Collection

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I’ve just been down to Euston to visit the Wellcome Collection and see their new exhibit titled Bedlam: the asylum and beyond. (till 15th January 2017)

I was expecting something more macabre but instead I found a strange collection of art and what I would say footnotes of the subject. There didn’t seem any depth to the exhibit, instead as you walk around the first installation you see some poor girl’s arm sticking out from underneath. This was followed by some explanation of what they were trying to say however I zoned out and my thoughts didn’t really focus too well on what was there.

A few paintings, prints, art and books. It seemed to be a very small part of the subject matter and a very small collection. All I can remember is that Bedlem derives from Bethlem Royal Hospital, and the name Bethlem from Bethlehem, Israel.

It’s not a subject I’ve ever really been interested in and unless you have interests in the subject matter I wouldn’t recommend a visit.

Exploration

Sir John Soanes Museum

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13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3BP

How many people have heard of Sir John Soane or know who he is? An architect born in the 16th century the son of a brick layer established himself as one of the greats of British architecture. He went on to collect many paintings, various pieces of architecture, different types of curious objects and even managed to acquire the sarcophagus of Seti I when the British Museum couldn’t afford it.

The museum is his old London home next to a nice little park in Holburn. It’s free to visit and I would recommend it is well worth it.