Hairy Goat Photography Tour

One of David’s Christmas gifts this year was a photography class through a company called Hairy Goat Tours. Even though I’m not as into photography as he is, I went along the walking tour to learn more about the City and its history. 

The day was cold and rainy but it was a good opportunity for David’s first lesson – how to adjust your settings for sunny v. cloudy skies. I kept cover under the Royal Exchange building while David took his first shots of the area around Bank.

Mansion House, the home and office of London’s beloved mayor, Boris.

The ceiling of the Royal Exchange, London's center of commerce opened by Elizabeth I. The Exchange was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666 and then again by a fire less than 200 years later. So the current building is the third exchange. 

Gilded doors of the Exchange

1 Poultry – a postmodern building featuring the rooftop garden we saw James Bond and the Queen fly over during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.

Bank of England – this building is unmarked so most people don’t realize what it is just walking past.  

Because of this, as well as the giant bronze doors, and high wall surrounding the compound, there have never been any robberies.  Our guide told us the basement is full of rows and rows of gold bars, like a library of gold.

After snapping a few photos, we walked to the Austin Friary.  The friars lived here from the late 1200’s until the dissolution by Henry VIII in 1538.  Thomas Cromwell, Henry’s doomed advisor, lived in a mansion on the grounds.  Once the friary was disbanded and Cromwell lost his head, the mansion became the Draper’s Hall.  Because of its exquisite interiors, it is often used as a substitute for Buckingham Palace in movies. The King’s Speech was filmed on-site.

Learning how to contrast shadow with the light coming through the pillars

Rain makes for really beautiful greenery photos

Next we came upon St. Helen’s Bishopgate, which dates from the 1100’s.  It was the parish church of William Shakespeare and survived not only the Great Fire, but also the Blitz, only to be damaged by two IRA bombs in the early 90’s.

The 12th century church in the shadow of the 21st century Gherkin.

Lloyd’s of London is just down the street.  It’s often called the Inside Out Building because the staircases, elevators, air ducts, and water pipes are on the outside of the building.  David learned his favorite trick of the day here, how to shoot steel.  This camera setting gives steel a really cool blue hue.

Leadenhall Market, just around the corner, dates back to the 14th century.  Originally a meat/poultry market, it stood over the old Roman forum. 

Original meat hooks no longer in use

This market was the set of Diagon Alley in the first Harry Potter film.

Near the Tower of London, there is a church called St. Dunstan in the East.  It was damaged in the Great Fire, like most other buildings in the area.  When it was repaired, Christopher Wren built a new steeple to embellish the church.  During the Blitz, the church was destroyed, yet the steeple still stands.

Today, St. Dunstan in the East is a public park.

You can still see the smoke damage on the building from the bomb.

The undamaged steeple

Our last stop was All Hallows by the Tower.  All Hallows is the oldest church in London and was established in 675.  A Saxon arch made with recycled Roman tiles can still be seen inside the sanctuary. 

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was born on Tower Hill and baptized in the church, and Admiral Penn (William Penn’s father) saved the church from the Great Fire by creating explosive fire breaks that demolished the surrounding buildings.  Another link the church has to America is that President John Quincy Adams was married there.

Entrance to the church was free, which was a nice surprise.  We walked right in and saw the arch and then made our way downstairs into the crypt.  The crypt supposedly holds the heart of Richard I and was a meeting place for the Knights Templar.  There’s an old Roman road roped off in the basement that’s maintained by archaeologists from the Museum of London.  In the corner, near the door, is the barrel crow’s nest from Sir Ernest Shackleton’s last voyage to Antarctica.

I was so embarrassed that we had walked past that church countless times and never been inside or known its history.  This is why after almost 3 years of living in London, I still love doing touristy things like these walks.  Just when I think I’ve seen it all, I learn something new.  And David was able to learn a lot more about his camera at the same time.  Thanks for the great gift, Mom and Dad!