[Photos/London] Goth Walk XII: London Churches, Crypts and Clerics

[dancefloorlandmine]

A couple of weeks ago, valkyriekaren and I went on one of the London Goth Meetup Group's "Goth Walks" - number twelve, a whistle-stop tour around some of London's churches, including mini-lectures on various sites on the route, a tour guide in cassock and biretta (he is actually an Anglican priest, so technically they were his work clothes, although the hat was less usual) and a borrowed key to St Mary Woolnoth, so we could see inside one of Hawksmoor's collection of barmy church designs. It was really rather interesting, and, being me, I took my camera along, resulting in a number of photos. I've split the galleries into two ... the places and the people.

The Places


Black Friar Pub


St Paul's Cathedral


St Dunstan's in the East


St Dunstan's in the East


Minster Court (graphic novel version)




St Mary Woolnoth


St Mary Woolnoth

The People













EDIT: In discussion with my parents this weekend, my mother said that I'd probably been to most of those churchyards when a sproglet, as churchyards are often good places to take a child to eat a packed lunch, in between museum visits. My dad then blamed her for my interest in architecture and goths. My brother didn't care for museums and churches ...

Comments

I love most of those

[snesgirl.livejournal.com]

- that walk sounds very much fun

Re: I love most of those

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

It was. They do them once a month or so, with different themes. Two and a half to three hours walk, usually starting and finishing with a pub. Interesting and informative, and a useful recce for sites to revisit.

[pir.livejournal.com]

I should do some of those, London has such wonderful random corners to wander through.

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

London has such wonderful random corners to wander through
Aye. I need to make more time for doing so - I've got some of those "lesser-known sites of London" guides.

[strangelover.livejournal.com]

Some lovely photos there. One of the things I miss about London is the architecture, obviously there is some amazing stuff here in Greece, but it is so very different in style and feel (and not generally of the dark and gothy look).

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

(Great photo in your icon, btw - it may not be "dark and gothy", but it's very atmospheric.)

[strangelover.livejournal.com]

Cheers, it happens to be one of my favourite buildings in Athens (full size re-edited shot here (http://gallery.bedroomlan.org/d/383821-1/3044725532_02a2f863ef_o.jpg)). It's the National Library,which has thankfully remained fairly intact after the riots, despite their best efforts.

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

Bah, now I'm trying to decide whether I like it more in sepia or in colour.

National Library? Excellent building for it.

(I also like the shadowing around the border of your icon, too!)

[strangelover.livejournal.com]

It's on the same street as the parliament as well as a few other notable buildings, so it's a really rich area as far as architecture goes. In fact, they've now pedestrianised much of the old city, so you can walk from site to site, which is awesome. I've yet to manage the entire route myself, though the only one left on my list is Athens First Cemetery, which I'm quite looking forward to visiting soon.

GIMP FTW!

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

GIMP FTW!
Indeed!

it's a really rich area as far as architecture goes
Ooh, nice!

[easterbunny.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds like a fabulous day out!

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

It was - although, given the pace set, it was more of an afternoon - meet at 2pm at the pub, leave at 3pm, finish (leaving St Mary Woolnoth) at 5:30pm or so. Many of the others headed off to the pub - K and I had a party go to, so opted out of that.

We missed one this weekend, but are going to keep eyes out for future ones.

Apparently they're usually around two to three hours of walking ...

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Lovely shots.
I love the one of the priest. He looks like either he bit on a lemon or read something unagreeable in the book (a bit too thin for a bible) he's reading. ;o)

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

He looks like either he bit on a lemon or read something unagreeable in the book (a bit too thin for a bible) he's reading. ;o)
Fortuitous timing. [grin]

I think the expression might have been a response to the number of tourists who decided that we must be some form of street theatre. Admittedly, they might have had a point.

(The book was his notebook, with references, information and cuttings for the walk.)

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Ah, I didn't realise he was part of the walk. Cool.

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

[grin] He's one of the goths on the London Goth Meetup Group - he just happens to also be a priest, and had volunteered to be the guide for this particular walk.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Fantastic!

[failing-angel.livejournal.com]

Nice shot of Minster Court - how did you create it?

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

[grin] That was actually pretty simple - I used the Threshold tool in GIMP (there's probably something similar in PotatoShop) and just played about with the sliders until it looked looming enough. [grin]

There's a couple more with similar treatment in the gallery.

[failing-angel.livejournal.com]

I see that I didn't escape either.

Touche:



BTW - How many roads must a man walk down...?

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

I see that I didn't escape either.
It happens! [grin] I thought it was an OK one, actually.

Heh - good photo. Now, storm those barricades!

How many roads must a man walk down...?
Don't start that again!

[failing-angel.livejournal.com]

Well it's a bit more shorn now - who knows, I may escape recognition.


Don't start that again!
Just blowin' in the wind....

[marchosias444.livejournal.com]

Great shots! St Dunstans was undergoing some pretty severe rebuilding work when I was there a few weeks back which limited it somewhat - I guess you didn't have any of that?

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

Cheers!

The tower end had a lot of scaffolding - hence most of the photos being of the side windows, and the tight framing and cropping of the spire detail shot. They were also doing a fair amount of gardening at that end too, with mounds of earth impersonating giant molehills. I'm definitely planning to go back another time when they've finished, probably with a cookwitch.