St Magnus-the-Martyr, City of London

Dedicated to St Magnus-the-Martyr, Earl of Orkney.

St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge, is one of my favourite churches, within the City of London. It is an ornate church which has an almost Palladian style to it, with its white walls, Romanesque columns and gold relief. 

But, the highlight of the church for me, besides all of its long history, is the model of Old London Bridge, which shows how the bridge would have looked in the 1400s.

Model of London Bridge.

Duke of York Column

The Unfinished City's lost viewing platform.

I have walked by this memorial, to the Duke of York, countless times and assumed that it was a simple memorial atop a column. However, I was always intrigued by the doorway at the foot of the column, wondering why it was there and where it led. Was it to access an underground tunnel or was it simply a later addition, to act as a kind of cupboard? I needed to find out.

'The Dickens Inn'

Dickensian.

It was while strolling around St Katharine Dock and Marina that I spotted this beautiful old converted warehouse. Intrigued by its name, and style, I decided to find out more about this fascinating building.

'The Grapes'

Grape Expectations.

The first time I discovered The Grapes, it was too early in the day to pay it a visit, so I made a plan to return to it. Sure enough, two months later, I did return and I was not disappointed.

The Grapes; A narrow pub on Narrow Street

It is a narrow space, but quite long, stretching back to a terrace, that overlooks the river. There is a spacious dining room, upstairs, where a mouth-watering selection of food can be savoured. I opted to eat downstairs, choosing from the pub grub menu; Cumberland sausage, creamy mash with a caramelised onion gravy, washed down with a pint of St. Edmunds. Beautiful.

Borough Market

The finest food market in London.

I have come to love my visits to Borough Market, where I invariably stop off for a late breakfast or an early lunch. With a truly great selection of fresh produce, exotic meats and street food from around the globe, there is something here for everyone. It is a vibrant, busy market, where I always discover something new to try. 

Although the market is always busy, it is worth visiting on a Sunday, when the stalls are closed, as you get an even greater understanding of its size. Plus, if you are very lucky, you may just spot a Harris Hawk, and his handler, who patrols the market to keep the pigeons away. 

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