In the message ...
"Tadej Brezina" wrote :
Guys!

Thank you so much for the vast amount of information you provided. I'll
try to fit as much as possible into my timetable.

One last question regarding transport in general, although it might not
fit 100% into the newsgroups agenda:
Where are - presuming that there are - pedestrian precincts, crowded
public squares with a lot of pedestrian space and old ("ancient")
precincts with winding narrow streets? (classic districts of pre
motorisation age)

The lack of responses to this question is already revealing ;-)
There isn't really anywhere that fits both parts of this description; the
Philips Street Atlas shows that the streets around Leicester Square have
become a 'pedestrian precinct', but as they are in the 'West End', they
aren't particularly winding or narrow. There's no shortage of narrow winding
streets in the older parts of the capital, but IMHO the only ones that are
worth visiting are in the City, within 1 km around Bank station. They aren't
exclusively for pedestrians, strictly speaking, but motor vehicles are
certainly deterred, and the area includes many historic buildings.

Regards,

- Alan (in Brussels)

Alan (in Brussels) wrote:
In the message ...
"Tadej Brezina" wrote :
Guys!

Thank you so much for the vast amount of information you provided.
I'll
try to fit as much as possible into my timetable.

One last question regarding transport in general, although it might
not
fit 100% into the newsgroups agenda:
Where are - presuming that there are - pedestrian precincts,
crowded
public squares with a lot of pedestrian space and old ("ancient")
precincts with winding narrow streets? (classic districts of pre
motorisation age)

The lack of responses to this question is already revealing ;-)
There isn't really anywhere that fits both parts of this description;
the
Philips Street Atlas shows that the streets around Leicester Square
have
become a 'pedestrian precinct', but as they are in the 'West End',
they
aren't particularly winding or narrow. There's no shortage of narrow
winding
streets in the older parts of the capital, but IMHO the only ones
that are
worth visiting are in the City, within 1 km around Bank station. They
aren't
exclusively for pedestrians, strictly speaking, but motor vehicles
are
certainly deterred, and the area includes many historic buildings.

Regards,

- Alan (in Brussels)


I would say that the Spitalfields area (quite near Liverpool Street
Station) is particularly atmospheric unless it has been redeveloped
since I was last there.

This might be interesting: http://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/. I've
never been but from what I've read, it's quite an experience.

Andy Kirkham
Glasgow

In message . com, at
02:04:06 on Tue, 8 Mar 2005, Andy Kirkham
remarked:
I would say that the Spitalfields area (quite near Liverpool Street
Station) is particularly atmospheric unless it has been redeveloped
since I was last there.

When were you last there? The market itself was undergoing considerable
rebuilding when I was last there (about 3 years ago). Perhaps they've
finished now. Brick Lane nearby is an interesting place, in any event;
exit the Aldgate East tube at the lesser-used eastern end and take the
first left.
--
Roland Perry

In message 1110279368.d6415150dee30a592b1449988db9f2f6@teran ews,
Roland Perry writes
In message . com, at
02:04:06 on Tue, 8 Mar 2005, Andy Kirkham
remarked:
I would say that the Spitalfields area (quite near Liverpool Street
Station) is particularly atmospheric unless it has been redeveloped
since I was last there.

When were you last there? The market itself was undergoing considerable
rebuilding when I was last there (about 3 years ago). Perhaps they've
finished now. Brick Lane nearby is an interesting place, in any event;
exit the Aldgate East tube at the lesser-used eastern end and take the
first left.

Spitalfields is a delightfully atmospheric part of London. The old
Huguenot houses around (say) Fournier Street is truly beautiful, while
Artillery Row is one of those bits of Victorian London which somehow
managed to get forgotten by the Luftwaffe and the post-war planners.

--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

["Followup-To:" header set to uk.transport.london.]
On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 10:45:45 +0000, Roland Perry wrote:
In message . com, at
02:04:06 on Tue, 8 Mar 2005, Andy Kirkham
remarked:
I would say that the Spitalfields area (quite near Liverpool Street
Station) is particularly atmospheric unless it has been redeveloped
since I was last there.

When were you last there? The market itself was undergoing considerable
rebuilding when I was last there (about 3 years ago). Perhaps they've
finished now. Brick Lane nearby is an interesting place, in any event;
exit the Aldgate East tube at the lesser-used eastern end and take the
first left.

Spitalfields market is barely a shadow of what it was 7 years ago,
a large amount of it was grabbed by the greedies so they could build
more offices which they so urgently need, thus squeezing everyone into
an ever diminishing (and expensive) space, they now plan to gentrify
it even more by building trendy shop units in it, thus further squeezing
the small traders. And despite the money that must have been got for
the part of the market that vanished the roof on what is left still leaks
like a sieve to everyones discomfort. Still there are lots of nice new
offices and the aforementioned greedies are doing quite well, so that
is ok then.


--
Martin

Roland Perry wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 8 Mar 2005:

In message . c
om, at 02:04:06 on Tue, 8 Mar 2005, Andy Kirkham a.kirkham@LTSc
otland.org.uk remarked:
I would say that the Spitalfields area (quite near Liverpool Street
Station) is particularly atmospheric unless it has been redeveloped
since I was last there.

When were you last there? The market itself was undergoing
considerable rebuilding when I was last there (about 3 years ago).
Perhaps they've finished now. Brick Lane nearby is an interesting place,
in any event; exit the Aldgate East tube at the lesser-used eastern end
and take the first left.

There is a museum at 19 Princelet Street, which is very seldom open, but
if it is, it's worth a visit. http://www.19princeletstreet.org.uk/
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 4 March 2005 with a new photo

Alan (in Brussels) wrote:
In the message ...
"Tadej Brezina" wrote :

Guys!

Thank you so much for the vast amount of information you provided. I'll
try to fit as much as possible into my timetable.

One last question regarding transport in general, although it might not
fit 100% into the newsgroups agenda:
Where are - presuming that there are - pedestrian precincts, crowded
public squares with a lot of pedestrian space and old ("ancient")
precincts with winding narrow streets? (classic districts of pre
motorisation age)


The lack of responses to this question is already revealing ;-)
There isn't really anywhere that fits both parts of this description; the
Philips Street Atlas shows that the streets around Leicester Square have
become a 'pedestrian precinct', but as they are in the 'West End', they
aren't particularly winding or narrow. There's no shortage of narrow winding
streets in the older parts of the capital, but IMHO the only ones that are
worth visiting are in the City, within 1 km around Bank station. They aren't
exclusively for pedestrians, strictly speaking, but motor vehicles are
certainly deterred, and the area includes many historic buildings.

If you want to see victorian style streets, with narrow lanes and gas
lamps, I highly suggest a wander round the Temple, particularly Middle
Temple Lane. As these are part of the Inns of Court, I believe they are
locked at certain times (night), though I don't know for sure.

Robin

Mrs Redboots ) gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

There is a museum at 19 Princelet Street, which is very seldom open, but
if it is, it's worth a visit. http://www.19princeletstreet.org.uk/

Yep, I'll second that. Fascinating.

I must get round to visiting Dennis Severs' House some time, too.

http://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/

On 8 Mar 2005, Andy Kirkham wrote:

Alan (in Brussels) wrote:

In the message ...
"Tadej Brezina" wrote :

Where are - presuming that there are - pedestrian precincts, crowded
public squares with a lot of pedestrian space and old ("ancient")
precincts with winding narrow streets? (classic districts of pre
motorisation age)

I would say that the Spitalfields area (quite near Liverpool Street
Station) is particularly atmospheric unless it has been redeveloped
since I was last there.

Ah, now i'd say Smithfield. First of all, visit the Barbican, to see what
the idea of a public square looks like through the filter of the 1980s
(dead!), then wander down to Smithfield and see the rather splendid meat
market (i think this is the last genuine wholesale market in the City - at
least where the goods are actually there in front of you!), then on
through the little streets around St Bart's hospital to St Paul's
cathedral.

If you want to see the market in action, though, you'll need to get there
before 0800.

ObChooChoos: The Snow Hill tunnel, through which the Thameslink
cross-London line runs, runs directly underneath the market; under the
west avenue, if Bartholomew's cartographers are to be believed.

tom

--
Tomorrow has made a phone call to today.