A Jane Austen Walk From Leicester Square to Green Park

After Spencer House we thought we'd stay in character and do a Jane Austen walk in the neighborhood. Rebecca is an Austen fan, taught her novels in previous years, and had selected this particular walk from a book of such things she had brought to London. Vicki, of course, has read most of the books and seen all the movies. More than once. The walk, put together from the famous author's letters or diaries or novels, included a number of Georgian or Regency sights still in existence, but also plenty more things of interest. My pix and descriptions will be augmented by a map of the walk, but will be light on the Austen angle, since, as noted in an earlier post, I am not really all that well-versed in Austeniana. Actually, not versed at all. 

The map: from Walking Jane Austen's London, by Louise Allen

Site of Fribourg and Freyer, Tobacconists to His Majesty; the original
sign can still be seen, right windows, middle, 2nd row down; I'm
guessing Jane did not smoke, but this is what a storefront would have
looked like in her day; also a candidate for my Sic Transit, Gloria series

Said original sign

The Theater Royale, from the period

Rare dorsal view of Duke of York Column

Tall skinny building, perhaps not on the tour, but of interest;

clearly of the period

Ditto, if not skinny

Always alert for the blue discs

Muy importante

Famous purveyor of oranges, actress, and mistress
to Charles II (by appointment to the King) 

Court of St. James...St. James Palace; its age and size led George IV 
to focus on and enlarge Buckingham House; more fit for a king

Berry Bros and Rudd...purveyors of wine to everyone
important; their scales weighed many notables, including
the Prince Regent, Byron, Nelson, Pitt, and more; we're
still wondering why...Weight Watchers? 

Lock & Co., in business from 1765, where Miss Austen looked
at caps and hats perhaps; has hats made for both Wellington and
Nelson

Probably not Miss Austen's favorite London pub,
the Golden Lion, 1762

Noted cheesemongers, noted by Miss Austen

Ourtside Hatchard's, one of three London booksellers noted by Miss Austen

We spent some time in nearby Fortnum and Mason,
Vicki provisioning herself, like Wellington going on
campaign; she later pronounced F&N's clotted cream
inferior to Rodda's, available at Tesco and everywhere
else in the Realm

Also nearby, and not on the tour, the London branch of our favorite
pharmacy in Florence

Peering into Burlington Arcade, which

Rebecca was to tour another day, with the Head Beadle

Spencer House

Our next adventure in things new to us was the Spencer House, another of London's few remaining "town houses," that is, great houses in London maintained by the Great and the Good for the "season" in London. (See Downtown Arby's or Bridgerton for deeper insight). There are only a handful left, including Apsley and Spencer House. The Spencer clan goes way back and includes a number of notable members, some of whom are or were extremely well known. The House was begun in the 1750s, enjoyed its height throughout the 1800s, but began to decline in the 1900s, as the family's fortunes changed. It was let out beginning in 1927, with most of its grand furnishings removed to the ancestral home out in the countryside. With the Blitz, even more was removed for safekeeping. Much more recently, Spencer House caught the eye of one of the Rothschilds and associated investors, and so began a lengthy and very costly renovation and restoration back to its glory days. Fortunately, the furnishings of those years were well documented and have mostly been re-created or restored, owing to the cooperation of the Victoria and Albert Museum and similar entities. Evidently, no expense was spared in regard to the authenticity of the renovation. The main function of the House these days is as a venue for hire, with tours like ours available now and then. Its private rooms are mostly the headquarters of the corporation responsible for the renovation. The House is still owned by the Spencers, namely Lady Diana's brother. Photography is permitted in only two of the House's many rooms, so my coverage will be limited. There is, of course, an excellent website, which well conveys the House's history, collections, and renovation. With lots of pix.

At St. James, right on the park; kings and queens among the neighbors

Bits of the interior opulence I won't attempt to describe

Except they probably had to corner the world gold leaf market for
the renovation

Restoration of the fireplace was said to have taken 6,000 man-hours

Note puffy button-covers

The guide: appropriately aristocratic bearing and scholarly air...

Sir John Soane's Museum, 2024

We first visited Sir John Soane's Museum at the end of our 2022 London campaign, were blown away, and resolved to visit it again, next time in town, and to do it via the guided tour. Hardly anything in the "museum" is labeled (and much of what is labeled is mis-labeled). Soane was a late Georgian/Regency architect of note and professor of architecture in the Royal Academy, and what became the "museum" was really his house, twice expanded, which doubled as his firm's offices, his classroom and teaching lab. Drawings, prints, paintings, models, architectural designs, casts, actual artifacts--thousands of objects, all left exactly as they were at his death in 1837, donated to the Nation. Marie Kondo's worst nightmare. Anyhow, we did the Museum again, this time with Rebecca, who had wisely reserved us spots in both the guided tour and later in the "drawing room" too (same day reservation). As good as our first visit was, this one was far, far better. See my 2022 post for more pix and narrative. 

The museum occupies the three buildings in the center

There were convex mirrors in nearly every room--architects
need light, right?--and one room had some 122 mirrors, mostly
of the convex variety

Our guide opening out the full Rake's Progress series; Soane and
Hogarth were pals; the guide packed about 3 hours of wisdom and wit
into the 90 minute tour; one of our best ever

Turner and Soane were pals, too; Refectory of Kirkstall Abbey, 1798

Sir John evidently was a fan of Paestum, as we are

Also funny faces

Interesting adjustable stove in the kitchen; Victorian, actually, used
by the staff

Obligatory staircase shot

Not your typical British drawing room: this is where Soane's students
labored, drawing, copying, learning architecture

Battersea Power Station/Shopping Centre

We can see Battersea's four giant smoke stacks from our flat...it's not a quarter mile away, over and up the river a bit. The power station was built in the 1930s and is considered one of the world's largest brick structures. It must certainly be the world' largest art deco brick structure. Both RAF and German pilots used the plumes of its smoke stacks for navigation in the fog, and consequently it was never bombed. (The German air ministry in Berlin was never bombed because Goering was widely regarded by the Allies as an idiot and to be kept in power). At its height, Battersea powered a fifth of London, including much of the central city. As its power-generating days came to a close, in the 70s or 80s, it was given Grade II status, which connotes architectural or historical significance. It was designed by the same architect who did the red telephone booths. "No job too big nor too small." Something one has to see, especially considering it is now one of London's newest shopping/residential areas, and, more importantly, the location of the nearest Marks and Spencers. There's a Battersea Park, too, quite large, but we haven't been there yet. The similarly large Bankside power station, just down the river a mile or so, is now the Tate Modern Museum. Wasted space, in our opinion.

Battersea from our side of the river; surrounded by shopping areas,
high-rise condos, etc.

Approaching from the Chelsea Bridge

Note unmistakable art deco features

Inside one of the giant turbine halls...the Apple store is
on the lowest level, left; the Ray Ban store further down 
on the right; the boulangerie on the ground level, right;
etc.

Just like the galleria in your town, except for the unmistakable art
deco features....