How did you get on with my suggestions in the last newsletter on things to do? September is always a really good time to be in London. And October is too so here are some ideas to encourage you to get out and about.
St Paul’s Reflection Garden
Outside 25 Cannon Street, a relatively new pocket garden includes a reflection pool so you can get photos with St. Paul’s Cathedral upside down. You’ll only need a few minutes here but it’s a fun stop on a walk around The City of London.
Host Cafe
Around the corner at St Mary Aldermary church on Watling Street, is Host Cafe. Yes, a cafe in a church. It’s a lovely place for a cuppa and a slice of cake.
London Metropolitan Archives
Get a bus or continue walking for half an hour to visit the London Metropolitan Archives in Farringdon. The LMA is a public research centre which specialises in the history of London. There’s a free exhibition at the mo about rediscovering Londoners of African, Caribbean and Asian heritage from 1560 to 1860. Unforgotten Lives is well worth seeing and is on the same floor as the main library so you can head in and peruse the London reference books. You don’t need to be a member and anyone can visit for free. You only need a History Card if you want to request original documents from the archives.
If it’s a nice day, you could enjoy a rest at Spa Fields (opposite LMA), plus there are lots of places to buy lunch on Exmouth Market.
Barbican Banksy
Walk or catch a bus back to the Barbican. As you go down Silk Street, do look on the left as you’ll find the Banksy Basquiat street art on the corner of Golden Lane. This appeared in 2017 when the Barbican Centre had an exhibition about the New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Barbican Music Library
Inside the Barbican Centre, you can find the Barbican Music Library on the first floor. It’s a public lending library but you don’t need to be a member to go inside. There are often really good free exhibitions here (I saw one on rock music photography last month) but what I wanted to tell you about is the free record-listening station. There is a selection of 7-inch and 12-inch records available plus a record player and headphones. There is also a piano you can play with headphones. I didn’t take a photo of that as an older gentleman was playing happily and looked lost in the music.
Knole
If you’re looking for a day trip from London, Knole is a brilliant National Trust day out. It’s in Kent and you can easily spend a full day here and still need to return. There are the buildings to explore, the enormous grounds and the amazing bonus is the Conservation Studio.
What’s Planned This Month?
I’m hoping to get to the Hellenic Centre in Marylebone as I’ve never been and there’s a free exhibition opening this month. And I’m looking forward to Fashion City opening at the Museum of London Docklands.
Gagosian Gallery has an exhibition of early works by Christo (he who liked to wrap buildings in fabric). Probably even more exciting than the exhibits is the venue as it’s no.4 Princelet Street in Spitalfields.
Leighton House has two new exhibitions opening this month. Victorian Treasures from the Cecil French Bequest unveils work by Victorian masters, on loan from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. And Maha Ahmed: Where Worlds Meet presents the first artist’s retrospective, featuring miniature paintings which fuse multicultural art traditions.
I am fuelled by tea all day long so know the Tea exhibition at the Horniman Museum will be right up my street.
Skateboard at the Design Museum should be good. And you can celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop culture at Somerset House with London Battle.
Over at Excel in the Docklands, the much anticipated Disney 100 opens this month too. Monday 16 October is the anniversary so there’s some special stuff for that day only.
As if you need an excuse to visit Christopher Wren-designed churches in The City, the Fire In The City exhibition is shown across five churches until 20 October. The Spies, Lies and Deception free exhibition at the Imperial War Museum has just opened. And Georgian Illuminations at the Sir John Soane’s Museum explores the light shows of the Georgian era through surviving designs, drawings and prints.
Absolutely adore October's Newsletter Laura being a fellow tea-nerd and with roots in the Square Mile and someone who delights in churches which have turned or include cafes. Lots to do on my next trip to the City in early November. Many thanks.