| On the morning of the 5th of November 2019, Cathy T and Cathy A jumped on the Eurostar and enjoyed a sumptuous lunch whilst gazing out at the many beautiful vistas of the French and the English countryside. A quick unpack and snack at our very comfortable B&B was followed by a stroll through China Town and dinner at Lee Ho Fook’s (now Dumpling’s Legend) as featured in the hit song Werewolves of London, by Warren Zevon. (The meal was delicious).
The following day we headed out to explore the Blackfriars area, with lunch at the Blackfriars Pub. A gentle stroll along Kings Bench Walk led us the the 12th century Temple Church. |
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| Temple Lane is a delight. Private, walled gardens. Stunning medieval, Tudor and Victorian buildings and at the centre, the Temple Church. The round church, completed in c.1185, is modelled after the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Various effigies can be seen on the floor and around the inner walls, along with some rather entertaining gargoyles. After the Templars were disbanded in c.1312, the church and surrounding land was given to the Knights Hospitaller, another military religious order. That order leased the land to lawyers in 1346, and today the Temple area is well known to England’s barristers, all of whom must belong to one of London’s four Inns of Court – medieval legal associations – in order to practice.
We finished the day with a Ghost Tour of the city on a double-decker, visiting all the deadly spots of London’s past – Sweeney Todd of Fleet St, the Whitehall mystery, Tower of London, Newgate Prison, ending with the medieval Crossbones graveyard. Very spookkkkkyyyyyyyyyy. The following morning, we were up at dawn for an early entry to the Tower of London. |
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| Saturday, 9th November was a very special day as we toured the Palace of Westminster, which included the House of Commons and the House of Lords - the British Houses of Parliament. A particular highlight included the chance to wander freely about Westminster Hall, the oldest building on the Parliamentary estate. It has played a central role in 900 years of British history. The building features prominently in The Traitor's Noose as the location of the trial of Simon, Lord Wexford. |
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| The following are additional photographs taken inside the Palace of Westminster (in locations where photography was permitted). |
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The reminder of the day was spent exploring Westminster Abbey. Coincidentally, our visit coincided with Remembrance Day, so we were able to view the many touching displays in the Abbey courtyard and pay our respects to the Australian, English and Irish memorials. The interior of Westminster Abbey is truly spectacular but as photography is prohibited, we have no images to share with you. That evening we splashed out, catching the tube to Saint Katherine's Dock and attending a very entertaining night of music, dancing and laughter at a Medieval Banquet and Show. Cathy T happily provided me with a very authentic lesson on how to eat soup without a spoon! lol. And not one drop on her jumper. |
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