London, the Henge, & a Bath
“I drink a great deal, I sleep a little, and smoke cigar after cigar. That is why l am in Two-Hundred Percent form.”
Westminster Abbey
We began Tuesday at Westminster Abbey. Here are Debbie and Nathan inside with the Great West Door behind. This is the Abbey’s ceremonial entrance.
The Quire—The original medieval quire stalls were replaced in the 18th century and again by the present ones in 1848. The black and white marble floor dates from 1677.
The tomb of Lady Elizabeth & Joseph Nightingale in St Michael's Chapel, off the north transept. Elizabeth died in 1731 and the tomb depicts a skeleton of Death emerging from his prison to aim his deadly dart at the dying figure of Elizabeth above. She is held up by her husband who, in horror, tries to ward off the stroke of death.
The Lady Chapel was begun in 1503 and constructed at the expense of Henry VII. It is the last great masterpiece of English medieval architecture. The outstanding feature of the chapel is the spectacular fan-vaulted roof with its carved pendants.
Mary Queen of Scots became a threat to her cousin Elizabeth I and was ultimately executed at Fotheringhay Castle in 1587. She was first buried in Peterborough Cathedral with great solemnity by Elizabeth's orders, but when her son James I became king, he ordered her remains be brought to Westminster Abbey in 1612. His Royal Warrant ordering the re-burial hangs near the tomb.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) Chapel—At the eastern end of the magnificent Lady Chapel built by King Henry VII is dedicated to the men of the RAF who died in the Battle of Britain between July and October 1940. A Service of Thanksgiving for the victory gained in the Battle of Britain has been held annually in September in the Abbey since 1944 (except in 2022 due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II). The victory in the air over the German Luftwaffe was the major factor in forcing Hitler to postpone and eventually abandon his invasion of Britain.
The stained glass window contains the badges of the fighter squadrons that took part in the Battle. In four panels are shown visions which symbolize the Redemption. In one a squadron leader kneels before the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. Below this she is represented in her sorrow with the dead Christ across her knees (a symbol of the sacrifice of the mothers and widows of those who died in the conflict). On the opposite side a panel shows a sergeant pilot kneeling before the Crucifixion (a symbol of the sacrifice of the pilot himself). Lastly, above this, is the Resurrection seen by a pilot officer (representing the pilots' triumph).
Tower of London
After lunch at Pizza Express, we took the Tube over to visit the Tower of London. As you exit the Tube station, you encounter this magnificent section of the ancient wall that once surrounded London.
From around 200 AD, the shape of London was defined by one single structure: the massive city wall that stretched for two miles around the ancient City of London. Located in the garden to the east of Tower Hill stands one of the highest remaining fragments of the old city wall.
What is interesting about this section of the wall is that the Roman sections are clearly visible from the base of the wall, up to about 13 feet high. The rest of the stonework is of medieval origins, and rises today to a height of around 32 feet.
During our Beef Eater tour with the White Tower to the left and Tower Bridge in the background. It is said that the Kingdom and the Tower of London will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave this fortress. The names of the current Tower ravens are Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, Georgie, Edgar, and Branwen. They are currently being kept in isolation for their own safety due to the recent avian flu outbreak. One of their enclosures is visible on the lawn.
The Shard (aka The Salt Cellar) rises above the Tower’s old royal residences. One of the rooms immediately left of the Shard was where King George III and his advisors strategized about how to manage the American colonies and how to defeat forces under George Washington's command.
The doorway leading to where the bodies of the “Princes in the Tower” were discovered in the White Tower in 1674. After King Edward IV died in 1674, his 12- and 9-year-old sons were brought to the Tower by their paternal uncle and all-powerful regent, the Duke of Gloucester. Before the eldest son could be crowned, he and his brother were declared illegitimate and Gloucester ascended the throne as Richard III.
It is unclear what happened to the boys after the last recorded sighting of them in the Tower. It is generally assumed that they were murdered—the common hypothesis that they were killed by Richard in order to secure the throne. Their deaths may have occurred sometime in 1483, but apart from their disappearance, the evidence is purely circumstantial.
London City Hall (aka The Armadillo) from the Tower. (Nathan loved all the nicknames for the London buildings!)
Fireplace in the king’s old residence.
The White Tower
Tower Bridge from the south wall of the Tower of London.
On Tower Bridge with the Tower of London in the background at the right—and more of Nathan’s favorite modern buildings with their affectionate nicknames: The Gherkin (right), The Cheese Grater (center front), Helter-Skelter (center back), and The Walkie Talkie (left). Not shown: The Can of Ham. You can just Google it or click here to see some of the buildings with nicknames.
Piccadilly Circus and the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, popularly known as Eros, with the winged statue of Anteros.
After Piccadilly Circus, it was off the James J Fox Cigar Merchant—where Winston Churchill purchased his cigars—to buy some Cubans. This shop began trading fine tobacco in St James's Street in 1787.
So many choices inside the large walk-in humidor.
In the basement is a museum to Winston Churchill, which includes the famous Winston Churchill Chair (they let you sit in it!).
Don’t know what this is, but it looked pretty cool. 😜
Cuban cigars in hand, we enjoyed dinner Tuesday night at the amazing Lamb and Flag in Covent Garden, which brought back fond memories of our time with Will! 🥰
The Saga Continues
Those who watch Christmas Vacation every year will remember Clark looking out his living room and describing to Ellen what he was seeing:
“Oh, the silent majesty of a winter’s morn; the clean, cool chill of the holiday air; and an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer.”
During our 2021 trip to Iceland I slept in the upper bunk and kept poking my head out of the vent each night to see if aurora borealis was visible. I always did this late at night in the dark, so one night Amanda decided to take a picture to see what I looked like. We both found the picture super funny and assigned the description:
“Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn; the clean, cool chill of the Icelandic air; and an asshole in his bunkbed, searching for aurora borealis.”
And now, Amanda and I slept in this bunk bed in Notting Hill, and so the quote changes once again,
“Oh, the silent majesty of a spring's morn; the clean, cool chill of the English air; and an asshole in his bunkbed, grinning like a moron.”
After spending Monday and Tuesday nights in this flat in Notting Hill, on Wednesday morning we left our apartment, took the Tube to Heathrow, and rented a car.
Stonehenge
About an hour later, we found ourselves at the one and only Stonehenge—singing the song and pondering who the hell builds a Stonehenge!
After leaving Stonehenge we drove to our next apartment in Bath. Here is a video of our new digs on Kingsmead Square (the building was completed in 1721): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFemGuu6LLQ&t=1s
After settling in, Amanda and I headed off to Sainbury’s to do some quick shopping. Guess what Amanda found on our way out of the store?
After turning in our shopping cart, we walked a few feet back toward the apartment when Amanda found another coin. This looked just like the British coin, but it ended up being Polish.
I was ordered to include this photo showing me defrosting the freezer in our Bath apartment. It was literally solid frost, which had gotten so bad it was forcing the door open. Apparently I am to be ashamed of myself for doing this while on holiday. 😃
You can’t visit Bath without at least stopping by Sally Lunn’s.
In the museum under Sally Lunn’s, with ol’ Sally baking her buns.
The Pultney weir and bridge.
The Holburne Museum in Bath, famous for its use in shows like The Duchess and Bridgerton.
A scene from Bridgerton
Jane Austen’s apartment at 4 Sydney Place.
On Friday morning we had breakfast at the famous Great Pump Room.
Completed in 1799, the Georgian Pump Room has been the social heart of Bath for more than two centuries, and boasts amongst its previous patrons Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.
Nathan enjoyed his English breakfast tea and poached eggs with Scottish smoked salmon—all whilst listening to the resident pianist.
Indeed!
Taking the Waters from the famous fountain!
Debbie and Nathan touring the Roman Baths.
The incomparable Jane!
The Royal Crescent, and afterward we headed off to Thermae Spa.
