Curiology, established in 2010, focuses on Gothic and spooky jewellery made from a variety of materials: plastic, wood, paper and metal. There is a monthly Coven Club with new designs, and regular limited editions alongside the standard range.
The Cemetery Necklace is a staple of mine.
The Cathedral statement necklace is dramatic and detailed.
The Dearly Departed necklace is made from layered acrylic.
These Edgar Allan Poe cameo earrings are perfect for fans of Gothic literature.
This beautiful ‘It’s Only Forever’ sterling silver owl necklace is inspired by Labyrinth.
As part of Open House London, I was able to sign up to visit Dulwich College. This public school has a long and fascinating history, and there is a particular reason I wanted to visit, which I will discuss below.
History It was founded in 1619 as the ‘College of God’s Gift’ by Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn, who had performed in Christopher Marlowe’s plays at the Rose Theatre on Bankside. Alleyn possessed great wealth, and had owned the manorial estate of Dulwich since 1605. He decided to found an establishment originally intended for the education of poor boys. Over time the exact location and the purpose of the school changed, and it wasn’t known formally as Dulwich College until 1882. Notable alumni include Ernest Shackleton, P. G. Wodehouse, Raymond Chandler and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Dulwich College Now The current site was established in the 1870s; the main building, New College, was designed by Charles Barry Junior (son of the architect of the Houses of Parliament). Loosely based on Palladian architecture, it makes use of features such as triangular gables, turrets and cupolas. Interestingly, Dulwich was the first public school with a dedicated hall for assemblies, with all teaching taking place in the classrooms.
The College holds some impressive archival material, much of which came from Edward Alleyn’s own library, and focuses on drama and the arts. Material includes diaries, two of the three volumes of Shakespeare’s First Folio, a Mercator Atlas, first editions of poetry by John Donne, Edmund Spenser and Dryden. Above the fire in the Masters’ Library are two panels depicting pietas (Duty) and liberalitas (Generosity), which came from Elizabeth I’s state barge. They may have originally come from Francis Drake’s Golden Hinde.
The James Caird And so to the reason why I wanted to come here in the first place: The James Caird. Donated to his alma mater by Shackleton, this famous lifeboat was the very boat in which Shackleton and five other men made their incredible voyage to South Georgia from Elephant Island in 1916. As someone with a deep interest in polar history, I’ve long wanted to see the boat for myself. It is housed in the purpose-built James Caird Hall, surrounded by other polar artefacts including items from Shackleton’s Nimrod expedition. Now white and gleaming, it’s hard to imagine six tired, hungry, filthy men ensconced in this 23-foot whaler, struggling through treacherous seas for over 800 miles during the Antarctic winter. What is apparent, though, is the superb workmanship of carpenter Harry ‘Chippy’ McNish who made the boat seaworthy enough to withstand the voyage: even Shackleton later admitted they could not have reached South Georgia without his efforts. McNish used wood from packing cases and sledge runners to build up the sides of the boat, caulking it using a mixture of seal blood and flour. The whole was then covered with canvas to protect the men from the elements as much as possible. I won’t lie: I felt quite emotional seeing this boat close up.
Postman’s Park is located just up from St Paul’s Cathedral, not far from the Museum of London. The Park got its name from the postal workers from the nearby General Post Office who used to frequent it at lunchtime. It is a peaceful place to sit, observe nature, perhaps read a book or drink coffee – but that’s not all.
The Watts Memorial, found within the park, contains 54 plaques, each dedicated to a person who gave their life trying to save someone else. It was designed by artist George Frederic Watts, and was first unveiled in 1900. The penultimate tile was added in 1931, with the final tile added 78 years later in 2009, commemorating Leigh Pitt. There is still space for further plaques – perhaps more will be added in the future?
I don’t mind admitting that looking at the plaques made me cry a little bit – particularly the ones involving children.
Something else I did during Open House London was visit a number of churches in the City of London. They were all built or rebuilt after the Great Fire of London, and all of them are of historical significance. Open House London was a chance to explore them in more detail.
St Mary-le-Bow Possibly the most famous church in London, as according to tradition, a true Cockney must be born within earshot of the sound of Bow Bells, St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London by Sir Christopher Wren, although a church has existed on the site since Saxon times. Destroyed in the London Tornado of 1091, it was rebuilt during the reign of Henry II and was famous for its arches, or “bows”, of stone. Much of the church was destroyed by a German bomb during the Blitz, and was restored under the direction of Laurence King. Today, St Mary-le-Bow is a Grade I listed building. A statue of Captain John Smith of Jamestown, founder of Virginia, stands outside: he was once a parishioner of the church. Inside, there is a memorial to members of the Norwegian resistance who died during World War II.
St Mary Aldermary This Guild church sits on Watling Street at the junction with Bow Lane. Originally a medieval church, it was rebuilt from 1510 and again after suffering damage during the Great Fire of London. Unusually for Wren’s churches, it is in the Gothic style. It has been the Regimental Church of the Royal Tank Regiment since 2007. I found this church particularly welcoming: it has a café, open to all, and hosts conferences, meditation sessions and discussion groups.
St Stephen Walbrook Of all the churches I visited, St Stephen Walbrook has perhaps the most interesting history. The original church stood on the east bank of the Walbrook, supposedly directly over the remains of a Roman Mithraic Temple, but was moved to its present site on the other side of Walbrook Street in the 15th century. Destroyed, like so many others, in the Great Fire, it was rebuilt to Sir Christopher Wren’s design. In 1987, an altar by the sculptor Henry Moore was installed. The dramatist and architect John Vanbrugh is buried here.
St Vedast St Vedast, also known as Saint Vedast Foster Lane or Saint Vedast-alias-Foster, so-called because of its location in Foster Lane, was founded before 1308 and repaired by 1662; unfortunately, it was badly damaged in the Great Fire four years later. Rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren, the new church incorporated aspects of the medieval framework. The spire, possibly designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, was added in 1709-12. Gutted during the Blitz, the church was restored by Stephen Dykes Bower.
I was thrilled to get the chance to tour the Old Bailey, officially known as the Central Criminal Court, as part of Open House London. This imposing building is recognisable internationally by name, and it and its site is full of history.
The building’s full name is the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, but it is usually referred to as the Old Bailey, after the street on which it stands. It has been housed on the same site since the sixteenth century, and was formerly attached to the infamous Newgate gaol, which was demolished in 1904; an extension South Block was later constructed over the site.
Entrance to the Old Bailey
Newgate The prison, the name of which will be familiar to many thanks to history, literature and film, was established in the twelfth century and remained in use right up until the beginning of the twentieth. It was reconstructed and rebuilt several times in its history, notably after the Great Fire of London, when it was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren; considerable repairs also needed to be carried out after the Gordon Riots of 1780 (described in Dickens’ Barnaby Rudge). Conditions at the prison were often poor, with inmates crowded together in unhygienic conditions with little food. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, executions took place here after the closure of the Tyburn gallows; at first they took place outside the prison in front of crowds, until 1868 when they were moved inside. Today, the Old Bailey has a display of artefacts from Newgate, including items such as manacles.
Assorted artefacts from Newgate
The Old Bailey The Court was originally the sessions house of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of the City of London and of Middlesex. It also held trials, similar to the Courts of Assize which travelled throughout England and Wales. The first mention of the medieval court was in 1585; it was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt in 1674.
Ground floor
It was renamed the Central Criminal Court in 1834 and its jurisdiction grew to encompass major cases throughout England. In 1856, the Central Criminal Court Act was passed to enable high-profile trials to take place here, in part to ensure the fairness of trials concerning well-known figures who might experience prejudice (either for or against) in their local area.
Main staircase
The Present Building The building which stands today dates from 1902, was designed by E. W. Mountford, and was officially opened in 1907. The phrase “Defend the Children of the Poor & Punish the Wrongdoer” can be seen above the main entrance. On the dome above the court, F. W. Pomeroy’s statue of Lady Justice can be seen, with a sword in her right hand and the scales of justice in her left.
The dome
The Old Bailey was bombed during the Blitz, but reconstructed in the 1950s. The Grand or Great Hall commemorates this period of history with paintings of the Blitz, as well as images of St Paul’s and written axioms, some taken from the Bible.
Images of the BlitzThe Great Hall
In 1973, the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA exploded a car bomb in the street outside the Old Bailey, injuring 200 people and killing one. You can still view a shard of glass, embedded in the wall at the top of the main stairs, which has been preserved as a reminder.
The shard of glass from the 1973 bombing
We got to stand in the courtrooms, which was a strange experience, knowing how many high-profile and notorious trials have been held here. Overall the Old Bailey is a fascinating place, and I feel lucky to have had the chance to visit.
Every year, for as long as I can remember, Open House London has offered tours of Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. Every year I’ve tried and failed to get a ticket – until now. I arrived on Saturday morning in great anticipation, looking forward to my tour. Sadly, but understandably, photography is not permitted inside, but please enjoy the image of the outside of the building that I managed to capture in the sunshine.
Mansion House was built in the Palladian style by Charles Dance between 1739 and 1752, but it has undergone some changes since then: traffic now runs past the front of the building, most of the original staircase having been removed to facilitate this. The entrance we used was originally designed as stables (but never used for that purpose), and later became servants quarters. One of the most interesting items in Mansion House can be seen here: the imposing 18th-century Hallkeeper’s Chair, which has a drawer in the bottom for coal or a hot pan to keep the Hallkeeper warm as he greeted guests outside the House.
The building is home to the Harold Samuel Collection of Dutch and Flemish Seventeenth Century Paintings, which is impressive, as are the magnificent rooms, which are still used for receptions, particularly the stunning Egyptian Hall – though this latter is somewhat misnamed as the decorations are largely Roman in style. On a smaller scale, the Drawing Rooms host the Nile Suite (furniture designed to commemorate Nelson’s naval victory), and the Long Parlour is decorated in a manner recalling its 18th-century heyday. The main hall used to be a courtyard, but it was soon realised that what worked well in sunny Italy was less practical in rainy England, and the courtyard was closed in. Today this area is known as the Salon and is home to magnificent chandeliers, which are regularly cleaned to maintain their sparkle: an arduous task, I would imagine!
During the tour we learned about how Lord Mayors are chosen. There are over one hundred livery companies, which contribute members to the electorate known as Common Hall. Each year, on Michelmas Day (29 September), a new Lord Mayor is elected; in order to stand for election, a would-be Mayor must have formerly served as a Sheriff (two Sheriffs are elected by Common Hall each year on Midsummer’s Day) and be a current Alderman.
I definitely recommend touring Mansion House if you get a chance. Regular tours do take place but they cost money; if you fancy a free tour, Open House London weekend is your best bet.
The dinosaur models in Crystal Palace Park, south London, are fairly well-known. Usually inaccessible, they can be admired from afar, located on an island fenced off from the rest of the park. However, on rare occasions it is possible to get the chance to visit them close-up. I got this chance during this year’s annual Heritage Open Days celebration.
Iguanodons
How to find them I personally found it quite hard to find the dinos – I spent ages walking around Crystal Palace Park, and it was an incredibly hot day which didn’t help – but then again I do have a particularly dreadful sense of direction. They are located by the lakes in the south section of the park near the Penge entrance and the Information Centre.
Mosasaurus
History The dinosaurs were the first ever dino models to be created, and for that reason alone are of huge significance. Now Grade 1 listed, they were created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, set in a landscape designed by Joseph Paxton which included geological illustrations by Professor David Ansted. The whole display was created between 1853 and 1855, designed to sit alongside the Crystal Palace, which was relocated from Hyde Park to Sydenham Hill following the Great Exhibition of 1851. Waterhouse Hawkins used the latest scientific knowledge and consulted with experts, including paleontologist Richard Owen, to create the sculptures, although several choices he made were naturally educated guesses: our ideas about how dinosaurs looked and acted are still in flux today, and the Victorians had even less to go on than we do.
Pterosaurs
With this in mind, it is still possible to appreciate how impressive the sculptures are despite what we know about their many inaccuracies. For instance, the nose horns on the Iguanodon models are now known to be thumb spikes, and the Megalosaurus is now believed to have walked on two legs, rather than four.
Iguanodon
Famously, Waterhouse Hawkins hosted a ‘Dinner in the Iguanodon’, demonstrating just how large the model of this creature actually is. The dinner took place on New Years’ Eve 1853, and guests dined on Victorian delicacies such as mock turtle soup, whiting and pigeon pie.
Megalosaurus
Experience When I finally arrived at the meeting spot, by the gate via which we would cross the bridge to the island, there were lots of people milling around and I felt very lucky to have a ticket: many newcomers had not been aware of the HOD tours and were waiting in hope that a space would be freed up. When it was time to go over, we were taken over the bridge and our guide spoke to us about the various models. The previously-mentioned Iguanodon and Megalosaurus are some of the most impressive, but I also liked the winged Pterosaurs and the spiky-backed Hylaeosaurus. Further towards the lake, ancient marine reptiles such as the Plesiosaur and Ichthyosaur can be found; because it had been a warm summer, the water level in the lake had gone down so it was possible to see more of the models.
Ichthyosaur
We heard about the models, their history and conservation: the models are deteriorating in a number of ways including cracks, paint shedding and vegetation taking up root. Money is being raised to ensure the preservation of these fascinating models.
I had been planning to make a visit to Northampton for two reasons: one to see a friend, and two to see a play. When I realised that my visit would coincide with the annual Heritage Open Days, I decided to make the most of my day and look for a venue to visit.
I decided on the Deco Theatre, which is located on Abington Square. Built in 1935-36, it was designed by William Riddell Glenn (1884-1950). It opened as The Savoy on 2 May 1936, as a cinema with an Art Deco auditorium, and originally seated nearly 2,000 people, with an in-house Compton organ which entertained audience during the interludes.
The auditorium today
The cinema closed in 1995, struggling to compete with multiplex cinemas, and was bought by the Jesus Army Charitable Trust (who still use part of the building as the Jesus Centre) in 2000. The Deco (not connected with the Jesus Centre) opened as a local theatre in 2004. Stage Right began running The Deco in 2009, and have gone from strength to strength. Plans are afoot to transform the entrance area and the front of the theatre, removing the cross and replacing it with new signage.
Art Deco-style sign in the foyer
Even though I’m not from the area I always enjoy visiting a theatre wherever I am. The Deco’s history is not uncommon, but still fascinating, and the efforts of those who work there to maintain it as a venue are admirable. I wish the theatre all the best for the future.