Horsleydown Old Stairs

Looking up Horsleydown Old Stairs, from the foreshore.

Back when the River Thames was a working river, there were countless stairs that workers could use to access the foreshore. Over time, many of these stairs were removed or access restricted. Some, like Horsleydown Old Stairs, still give access to the River Thames.

City Beyond the Bridge.

One of the reasons that I love using these stairs, to access the foreshore, is the unique views you can get of the historic Tower Bridge. Plus, there is a wide swathe of the foreshore to explore, where pieces of clay pipes are in abundance, along with other artefacts favoured by mudlarks.

'Modern Marriage' by Simon Fujiwara

'Modern Marriage' by Simon Fujiwara (2015).

Wandering around the Nine Elms Regeneration Zone, Embassy Gardens, surrounding the Embassy of the United States of America, you will notice some pieces of public art on display.

These works of art are on display along a Linear Park, which, when completed, will be a green walking route linking Battersea Power Station to Vauxhall.

One of the pieces that I find most interesting is 'Modern Marriage' by Simon Fujiwara.

This sculpture of a dismembered left foot, lying on its side, looks, at first glance, to be just a sculpture of a foot. However, on the sole of the foot there is a gold wedding ring embedded in the skin.

 

A wedding ring embedded in the sole of the foot.

It is an intriguing piece, that I find endlessly fascinating.

Southwark Park

The Caryatids of the Old Rotherhithe Town Hall.

Opening to the public on June 19, 1869, Southwark Park covers 26 hectares and is Grade II listed. It stretches from Jamaica Road, to the north, to Hawkstone Road in the southeast.

Southwark Park, has two entrances on Jamaica Road, Christchurch Gate, named after a nearby church, and Paradise Gate. Christchurch Gate was designated an entrance in 1903, but following damage in World War II it was replaced with a new gate, modelled on the original, thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund restoration in 2001-2002.

Southwark Park Bandstand.

Entering through Christchurch Gate the path divides, with one that leads you on a tree-lined avenue around the park, while the other leads you to the Bandstand. This Bandstand was acquired, in 1884, from the Great Exhibition in South Kensington and placed in the park. During the summer months free concerts are held here.

Caryatids. One representing Oak and the other Laurel.

Continuing south from the Bandstand you suddenly come across some stone pillars, hidden among the trees. These are Caryatids that originally flanked the the main entrance of the old Rotherhithe Town Hall. They were placed here in 2011. Continuing on there are tennis courts to the west, while a bowls club, hidden behind manicured hedges, takes up a small area at the centre of the park. 

Memorial to a working-class man.

Then there is the polished grey granite Jabez West Drinking Fountain, which is a memorial to a working-class man. 

A simple gate.

Jamaica Gate stands at the west end of Carriage Drive, which now divides the park into separate spaces.

'Real Time' (Man in a Clock) by Maarten Baas

The man trapped in a clock, Paddington.

At the corner of Eastbourne Terrace and Craven Road, in Paddington, on the front of the EFL building, you will find a clock.

Now, clocks are everywhere, so why is this one so special? Well, this one has a man trapped inside it.

Yep. As you peer up at this clock, a man appears and cleans the clock face, from inside, rubs out the hands and then repaints them... every minute.

It is part of an art installation entitled 'Real Time', by Dutch artist Maarten Baas.

The first 'Real Time' piece, entitled 'Sweeper's Clock', was produced in April 2009 and consisted of a video of road sweepers moving rubbish around to create analogue clock hands.

Maarten Baas followed this up with a person painting a digital clock from behind a translucent screen and then a man painting analogue hands on a grandfather clock, from behind a screen.

Gnome Land

Gnomes relaxing in the afternoon sun.

Just off Kensington High Street, in the Holland Park area, someone has turned their small front garden into Gnome Land.

Now, these aren't your usual full-sized Gnomes, that many people have in their own gardens, but miniature Gnomes.

Gnomes in their natural habitat.

These Gnomes are all busy doing things like having a BBQ, gardening, having a drink at the bar, sunbathing, fishing, shopping, tending to animals and playing on slides.

There are buildings that the owners have created from wood, that include homes, a bar, shop, farm and much more. These are to scale and the planting of shrubs, trees and flowers appear to be in proportion, too.

Some of the Gnomes were still going about their business, when I walked by.

It is a small plot of land, but with the miniature Gnomes it looks a lot larger and reminds me of the film Gnomeo and Juliet.

I don't know when it was created, nor why, but I am glad that is there for everyone to see. I am actually looking forward to taking another trip to see it, next summer, to see if it changes each year, or if it stays the same.

One of the signs states...

"We like photos.

Share Gnome Land

With the World"

Once I had seen enough I continued on my way gnomeward.