Gunpowder Square Cannon, City of London

A King George III cannon.

On one of many walks, through the City of London, I was travelling along Fleet Street and looking at the countless alleys and side streets that lead to various courtyards, buildings and, sometimes, nowhere, just being shortcuts to another road or street.

It was as I walked up Wine Office Court, passing Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, that I discovered this little cannon stood on a plinth. The plaque, transcribed below, didn't give much away, but it was still something new to discover.

Opened on

29th November 1989

by

Sir Hugh Bidwell GBE

Lord Mayor of London

After reaching home I tried to do some research, but all to no avail. I can find nothing to say why the square (although it's not a square, rather an open space with a path) was named 'Gunpowder Square', nor who had the idea of placing a cannon that is over two-hundred years old, here.

A newspaper cutting.

I did find this excerpt, from a newspaper, in a book that was gifted to me, though.

If any of my readers know any more information about this little cannon, or how the area came to be called Gunpowder Square, please get in touch.

'Here' by Thomson & Craighead

'Here' by Jon Thomson & Alison Craighead.

One of the pieces of public art, along the Olympian Way, that I nearly didn't notice was this custom signpost. 

Signposts are commonplace, no matter where you go, so at first I paid this one no mind. It wasn't until I saw a blue information post closeby, that I realised what the signpost was.

Regent's Canal

The Broad Walk Bridge.

Regent's Canal is one of my favourite walks to take, in London. 

Stretching for 8.6 miles (13.8 km) from Little Venice to Limehouse Basin and the River Thames, Regent's Canal is a beautiful walking route that meanders through green spaces, industrial, residential and newly regenerated areas.

Having walked the towpath on numerous occasions, over the years, I have seen some changes to the surrounding vistas, especially around the Camden and King's Cross area.

London Zoo stop.

But, there is still a lot of history that has been kept; From bridges to tunnels to floating restaurants, there is always something new to discover.

Feng Shang Princess, Chinese Restaurant.

The towpaths, themselves, are fairly well maintained, for the most part, and wide enough to allow for the countless joggers, dog walkers and cyclists that use this route on a daily basis.

'HMS Alice Liddell' by Shezad Dawood

'HMS Alice Liddell' by Shezad Dawood.

I was taken by complete surprise when, walking through St Pancras International railway station, I noticed a giant spaceship hanging from the ceiling, above the eastern entrance on Pancras Road.

The steampunk-gothic spaceship HMS Alice Liddell.

It is very 'steampunk' in its design and, after having a better look, I noticed that it had buildings on it. It also appeared to change colour, depending on the angle it was viewed from and the light hitting it. So, I took the lift to the next floor, to get a better view and understanding of the piece.

Depending on the light the spaceship takes on a different colour.

Sure enough the spaceship did have buildings on its top; a scale model of St Pancras International. I realised that this model is a kind of hybrid steampunk-gothic mix and that I was going to have to do some research on this intriguing piece of art.

"Cannon to right of them..."

A City of London bollard.

Walking around the streets of London you will always see metal posts, or bollards, separating the pavement from the road. Many of these, especially the newer ones, are metal or toughened plastic. 

In the city of London these bollards become more ornate, but some of them have a history, are quite old and are not even English.

More street bollards in the City of London.

During the Battle of Trafalgar, on October 21, 1805, the British plundered all of the French ships, using what they could, before sinking the enemy ships. The French cannon could not be converted for use by the British fleet, so, instead of leaving them to be reused, they were brought back to England and used as bollards, throughout the East End and south London.

French cannon, used as street bollards, removed during pavement works.

Before they were set in stone each cannon had a ball welded into the barrel, so as to stop it being removed and used against the country.

Cannon outside the old Royal Navy Victualling Yard, Rotherhithe.