A stroll around Kentish Town

Friday, April 6th 2012

The weekend has come early this week because of Easter. Finding ourselves free today, Friday, we thought we would betake ourselves to Kentish Town for breakfast as we hadn't been there for a while.

Kentish Town Road
The turret belongs to the Assembly House pub

In Kentish Town, we usually go for breakfast to Cafe Renoir, a French-style cafe in Kentish Town Road, near the station.

Cafe Renoir
A French-style cafe in Kentish Town

The main part of the cafe was quite busy so we found a comfortable table in the back room.

View from the back room
We found a comfortable table

Though the cafe looks superficially French, the management is not French, but there is a varied menu and the service is amiable.

The cafe also participates in Camden's Public and Community Toilets scheme whereby cafes, pubs and other establishments allow their toilets to be used by members of the public without their being customers of the establishment concerned. This strikes me as a welcome initiative to combat the scandalous shortage of public toilets in London. So far, though, very few businesses have signed up for the scheme, which I think is understandable. More credit therefore goes to those that do decide to participate.

No 1 Prince of Wales Road
A building with a hidden history

On the corner of Prince of Wales Road with Kentish Town Road stands this building, today referred to as "No 1 Prince of Wales Road". It is an apartment block now, with a PizzaExpress restaurant occupying one corner. However, its history is more interesting than this but I know only a small part of it. My involvement with the building is that I used to work here when it was known as the North-Western Polytechnic, one of a group of about 30 institutes of further and higher education in the UK.

Later, the government reorganized the polytechnics and the North-Western combined with the Northern Polytechnic to form the Polytechnic of North London. This building was one of the latter's precincts, housing humanities departments and the School of Teaching Studies. In due course, the government changed things again and the Polytechnic became the University of North London. By then I had left the world of education and was enjoying myself working in bookshops and libraries. At some point, the Kentish Building was deemed surplus to requirements by what became (in yet another change) the London Metropolitan University, and was sold off.

No 1 Prince of Wales Road
View from the side

That, as you might guess from the age of the building, was not its entire history by any means. Unfortunately, I know little of that history and would like to know more. I believe it was an educational institution in the early 20th century and was used as a military hospital during one of Britain's wars, though I do not know which one. My evidence for it being a school or college is the lettering over the side door, which you can just about see on the left in the above photo. Someone has chiselled out the top line, leaving just the word "ENTRANCE", but it used to read "WOMENS’ ENTRANCE", arguing that this was once a mixed-gender institution of some sort, perhaps in Edwardian or even Victorian times.

A listed building
But perhaps not the one you think

In this photo there is a listed building - but which one? Right next to the old poly building stands the Hope Chapel, dated 1871. It is quite familiar to me from working nearby but I rarely saw any activity within or around it. So, which is the listed building building? If you said "The chapel", that was a reasonable choice, but wrong. The listed building is the K2 telephone kiosk standing beside it. As far as I know, neither No 1 nor Hope Chapel are listed.

Kentish Town Baths
Rescued from demolition

Almost opposite the Hope Chapel is this rather fine piece of late Victorian architecture. the Kentish Town public baths. Many inhabitants of Kentish Town remember when this establishment still functioned according to its original purpose but times change and the once much used building came under threat of demolition so that the site could be "developed" - an all too familiar scenario.

Patron saints
Saint Pancras and Saint Christopher

The foundation stone was laid on May 17th 1900, just within the late Victorian period. On the façade appear two patron saints, Saints Christopher and Pancras. I am not sure of the role of Christopher here (though he does seem to be given quite a lot of patronage jobs) but the significance of St Pancras is more obvious: when the baths were built, the area was in the control of the Vestry of St Pancras.

Men's entrances to the baths
Victorian class consciousness required first and second class facilities

Fortunately, this beautiful building was able to be saved, refurbished and "repurposed" as a sports centre. On a bright sunny day like today, it positively smiles at you with its clean red brickwork and glistening gilt lettering. Men had two entrances, first and second class, respectively, and received a different standard of service accordingly. Note the beautiful carving around the doorways.

Ladies' Entrance and Public Washhouse
A discreet if less salubrious entrance for the ladies

Where the ladies were concerned, there was less panache. Their entrance - they had only one class for all - was small, discreet, and tucked away around the corner in Grafton Road. Their door was next to the Public Washhouse, where they would no doubt encounter women of the lower classes.

The exterior remains as it was
The interior has changed beyond recognition

After a lot of restoration work and an expenditure of more than £25m, the exterior of the building looks much as it would have done when it was first built but the interior has changed beyond recognition with gymnasia and swimming pools. Its mode of use has been democratized and the sports centre is open to all who are ready to pay the entrance fee or take out a membership.

Kelly Street
Colourful façades

Around the corner from what I still think of as the old poly building, is Kelly Street, a curving street where you will find a fine set of mid-19th century houses, the odd-numbered members of which are Grade II listed. In a rare show of communal unanimity, all of the façades have been pointed in light pastel shades, which Tigger calls "ice cream colours". What could have been a disaster actually works very well and the colours light up the street and prettify it, lending to it a feeling of the seaside or a Mediterranean village. This street is unique in this corner of Kentish Town.

Abbey Tavern from Kelly Street
A glimpse of a pub of renown

Looking along Kelly Street, we can glimpse the fetching red and white façade of the Abbey Tavern on Kentish Town Road. It is a pub that wears its history lightly and seems to be confronting the future with confidence.

Abbey Tavern
Changing with the times

The Abbey Tavern dates from mid-Victorian times and I am guessing that what is today the beer garden was once a yard where horses came in. Possibly it was a hotel as well, as its height suggests. I have to admit an interest here, namely that in my days as a polytechnic teacher I spent many hours here. The Abbey was our unofficial staff room, so to speak, and perhaps also an unofficial students' union. Down the road was a Dunn's hat works (now gone) from where gentleman in smart suits and sharp hats would come for lingering lunches. It was run by an Irish couple and the bar staff were also Irish. Great times.

Today, we went in, as much to snoop around as anything. The outside remains the same, give or take a coat of paint, but the interior has been remodelled. To judge by the atmosphere, the pub has hit the right note and is facing the present and future with a confidence that not all pubs can muster these days. If there are ghosts, they are discrete enough to stay out of sight during opening hours.

St Andrew's
Greek Orthodox Cathedral

On the adjacent corner to the Abbey, stands St Andrew's. Built in 1884-5 and originally known as the Anglican church of St Barnabas, the building was passed to the Greek Orthodox Church and renamed St Andrew's. In 1970, its status was raised to that of a Cathedral and in 1999 it became Grade II listed. It quietly reminds us that this part of London has seen many waves of immigration through the centuries and has offered itself as a refuge and home to folk from foreign lands fleeing oppression and disasters. They have all left their mark, some more noticeably than others, and added to the texture of the area.

Decorative panel, Kentish Town Baths

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On the brink of Christmas

Though it may be a subjective view, it seems to me that Christmas is proceeding at a very low-key pace this year. Many shops already have SALE splashed all over them, perhaps hoping to pick up trade in the expected last-minute rush.

Costa
Unusually quiet

Last night, on the way home from work we stopped off for coffee at Costa in Eldon Street, behind Liverpool Street station. There are usually quite a few people in the cafe around this time but today it was unusually quiet.

Upper Street
An ancient highway to the north and Islington's main shopping street

We made a leisurely start today and then set out to look for breakfast. Should we go to one of our usual places or seek out somewhere new? We decided to walk along Upper Street to see what might turn up.

Cuba Libre and Gracie Fields
The popular singer stayed here when in London

In Upper Street is a Cuban restaurant and bar called Cuba Libre. It was closed so there was no chance of finding breakfast here but we did stop to take a photo of the plaque recently affixed to the wall above it. This is in memory of the popular Lancashire singer Gracie Fields who used to stay here when in London.

Cafe Gallipoli (Again)
Breakfast at the Turkish cafe

We found Cafe Gallipoli open for breakfast. As the name suggests, it’s a Turkish cafe. It’s called Cafe Gallipoli Again because it is one of  a pair in Upper Street. Did we have the Turkish breakfast with olives? No, we had cheese omelette with mushrooms and chips.

Cafe interior
Richly decorated

The interior of the cafe is richly decorated with Turkish ornaments and furnishings. There are lamps everywhere.

Turkish lamps
An exotic centrepiece

After breakfast we went for a little walk. St Mary’s is the parish church and its characteristic spire is a local landmark.

St Mary's
Islington's parish church

Behind the church is the Little Angel Theatre and we went thither to photograph the plaque on the wall memorializing John Wright who founded the puppet theatre in 1961.

Little Angel Theatre
Puppet theatre

Behind the church is the graveyard but as is usually the case in London, this was converted into a public garden in the Victorian era.

St Mary's Church Garden
Looking a little bare in its winter garb

Some of the larger tombs have been left in place and all the gravestones have been moved and stacked against the wall. Most are now hard to read.

Drinking fountain
It actually still works

There is a drinking fountain here which was donated in 2001 by the Brewers’ Company but which is obviously much older than that. I have no idea of its history and am still investigating. It is of a curious design because it sends the jet of water downwards – most inconvenient for human drinkers – to where a plastic bowl has been placed for dogs to drink from. Turning the knob on the right produces water but unless you hold it, the water stops after a few seconds. To get the photo, Tigger twisted the knob then ran away while I clicked the shutter!

Pigeon perch
As good as a cliff face

At the end of the church building, these false windows and the guttering above provide perches for pigeons. (Did I mention that I am fond of pigeons?) The other name for pigeon is rock dove because the ancestors of our feral pigeons lived among rocks and cliffs. This is why they feel at home on narrow ledges on city buildings.

Andersons Square
A gated community

In Andersons Square, we found the gate to this gated community open, so we went in for a look. It seems to be a clean and pleasant enough environment but well outside our price bracket.

Underground facility
But what is it?

I was intrigued by this glass roof indicating an underground facility of some sort. But what is it – a swimming pool, a gymnasium or a winter garden? I have no idea.

An angel...
...surveys the garden and pond

The garden in the centre of the square is decorated with a small pond. Watching over the whole is a bronze angel. We are not short of angels in this quarter of Islington. In fact, angels have become something of a cliché.

Looking towards St Mary's spire
Curly angelic tresses

The gate leading to Essex Road was open and we left by that route. For once, we didn’t feel like going on a longer expedition and returning home seemed a good option. My last photo was of this face on the wall of The Old Parr’s Head, once a pub and today a clothing store.

The Old Parr's Head

Copyright © 2011 SilverTiger, http://tigergrowl.wordpress.com, All rights reserved.

British Library

Today we had arranged to meet friends and to go on a visit somewhere, perhaps Fenton House in Hampstead. However, as it was rather cold and came on to rain, we changed our plans and decided instead to go on a local visit.

King's Cross
The rain has been replaced by fitful sunshine

We met near King’s Cross and walked through the station on our way to our next destination. The above photo shows a deceptively quiet side of King’s Cross station. Rebuilding has been going on for years and will continue for some time yet. The site is quite a mess with new paths appearing, old ones becoming blocked and barriers springing up where least expected.

Not a flying saucer...
... but the new dome at King's Cross station

King’s Cross station is being extended and the extended portion has been roofed with this glass dome and projecting canopy that makes it resemble the popular image of a flying saucer or perhaps a giant jellyfish.

The Meeting Place
By Paul Day, St Pancras station

King’s Cross station and St Pancras station are separated by no more than a modest roadway. This is because when the railways were first being developed, rival companies wanted to build termini at this strategic spot. A feature of St Pancras – the London terminus of the Eurostar international railway service – is this huge sculpture on the upper level. Called The Meeting Place, it is by Paul Day and shows a man and a woman meeting in a tight embrace.

St Pancras station...
...designed to impress

The Midland Railway intended their station to impress. A competition was held and early in 1866, the most expensive of the submissions was selected. The architect was the already famous George Gilbert Scott, working in the Gothic revival style.

Hotel porch
The St Pancras Renaissance

After narrowly being saved from demolition by a campaign led by poet John Betjeman, the station building underwent many years of refurbishment. Today, the building accommodates prestige apartments and an upmarket hotel.

Mythical creatures
The high quality finish has been preserved

Everywhere you look there is a wealth of imaginative and creative detail to admire. I accept that nothing so intricate could be built today but how different it is from the dull and talentless design of most modern architecture. The fact that we nearly lost it to the greed and vandalism of the “developers” makes it all the more valuable.

Caution: Steps
Entrance to the British Library

We made our way to the British Library where we were amused by these warning signs drawing attention to the steps. In second thoughts, though, it would probably be possible to stumble as the steps are shallow and not very obvious.

William Shakespeare
By Louis Roubiliac, bequeathed to the British Museum 1779, transferred
to the British Library 2005

What was to become the British Library was founded in the 18th century around collections contributed by a number of benefactors including King George III. What is known as the King’s Collection still forms the core of the Library, both  symbolically and physically.

The King's Collection
A glass tower housing the collection

In the centre of the public area stands this remarkable 4-storey glass tower, discreetly illuminated, which contains the books and documents collected by George III and donated to the library. At its foot is a cafe where today people sit sipping coffee and typing on the laptop computers.

Manuel printing press
Model based on Benjamin Franklin's press

In  the basement, in a dark corner, is a printing press – an appropriate piece of furniture for a library. This one is a model of an 18th century press, based on that of Benjamin Franklin. It would have been very similar, a notice tells us, to that used in 1454-5 by Johannes Gutenberg. The darkness of the alcove makes it hard to see, never mind to photograph, the press.

Paradoxymoron
Patrick Hughes 1996

In the basement also is this picture by Patrick Hughes. Is it more than a rather dull picture of a library containing bookcases full of books? The strange title might give you pause. Then there is what happens when you look at the picture from different angles. Consider in particular the two “archways”, one near the centre of the picture and the other on the right.

Looking from the left
The left arch is narrow

When we look at the picture from the left, the left arch is narrow and the right arch is wider. What happens if we move to the right?

Looking from the right
The left arch is wider

If we move to the right and look again, the left arch has opened and the right arch has narrowed. If we were looking at a flat picture there would be no change at all and if we were looking at a 3D model, the opposite would happen. What is going on?

Sideways view
Showing the projections

This view taken from the extreme right, gives some idea of the picture’s secret. It is not flat but made with projections that create a “pseudo-3D” effect. As you move to right or left, the projections cause the picture to change but with a perspective effect that is the opposite of what you would see in a genuine room or 3D model. It is so well done that even the camera is fooled at any but the most extreme angles.

Bench or artwork?
Sitting on History, Bill Woodrow

In the entrance hall or atrium is this intriguing artifact, another one that is well at home in a library. There is obviously a delicious ambiguity to it: is it a work of art or is it a bench? Or is it perhaps art for sitting on? It does get sat on and fulfils that purpose perfectly well but at the same time it is a representation of a book. But what about the chain to which the book is shackled? What is the meaning of that?

Multilevel views
And you can take photos!

The British Library has numerous galleries and side rooms where the exhibitions take place. Photography may not be permitted in the exhibitions because of copyright issues but you are allowed to take photos without restriction in the other public areas. The building is itself quite interesting, allowing multi-level views.

Staircase
This way to the reading rooms

The British Library is one of the UK’s six “legal deposit” libraries, which means that  it receives a free copy of every book published in the UK. It is also a study library but in order to study here you need to obtain a Reader Pass for which you need to make out a good case.

There are always interesting exhibitions and displays at the British Library and an unusually large shop selling books and other more or less relevant items. It is a place that you can visit again and again, always finding something new.

Back at St Pancras
The beautiful curved roof

After our visit to the British Library, we returned to St Pancras and the upper level where we enjoyed a late lunch in the pub there that bears the appropriate name of the Betjeman Arms.

Busts of the founders
British Library

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