4.10.19
We were amazed at what we saw yesterday, but our first stop today was gobsmacking. The London Silver Vaults are housed in a subterranean hideaway in the back streets of Chancery Lane in Holborn. I’m sure most people would be amazed such a place exists!
After a cursory glance in our backpacks, the Concierge/ Security Guard directed us downstairs to the vaults.
We felt like we were in an episode of ‘Get Smart’.
Room after room of silver, from cutlery to serviette rings to jewellery to…..anything! Even sailing ships and lobsters!
Photography was strictly forbidden but when we asked to take pics everyone was more than happy for us to snap away! This piece was the most expensive in this particular shop.
£85k for this piece of silver that was a working mini fountain. When I commented to the seller that I didn’t have a spare £85k, he replied “Madam, not many people do!”
London Silver Vaults- tick!
We threaded our way through alleyways and stairwells of Farringdon to find our next destination, St Bartholemew the Great church, ‘possibly’ the oldest church in London as it had survived the Plague, the Great Fire, WWll bombings and seemingly, so far, Boris Johnson! It was hard to find, but we eventually found the tiny entrance way through this gateway (view from both sides).
Pick an English movie, any movie, and part of it was probably filmed in this church or churchyard! The sign at the front door told us so. Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, The Other Bolyen Girl, etc etc, even a Muppets movie! It was not hard to see why.
The interior was beautiful, it even smelled beautiful. That mix of old wood, incence, candles burning. Magic.
There were lots of people getting the church ready for a ‘society wedding’ the following day and we got talking to the florist who was working very hard. At £150 per arrangement, we estimated the society ‘dahhlings’ were probably forking out over £2000 for the gorgeous flowers.
Some might say Mr Florist was a bit of a right wing pratt, but he was chatty and friendly. He reckoned he did the flowers on Princess Di’s coffin (but we googled it and the name wasn’t the same), but as he recommended a great pub for lunch, The Rising Sun, right opposite the church, who cares?
Rather than walk home, we did the only decent thing to do….took a red London bus, sitting upstairs at the front of course, back to Angel.
After freshening up, it was back into Leicester Square to Mr Foggs pub. This must have been John Soames and Henry Wellcome’s local as it certainly could be a contender for the whackiest pub in London, with rabbits, pheasants and other assorted creatures hanging from the windows and ceilings.
The highlight of the day was going to the theatre to see Sir Ian Mckellen’s one man show, which was a Father’s Day gift for John from Katie and Chris.
A National Treasure indeed!
What a great day!
Kanga And Wombats Adventures 