LONDON DRAGONS 5 - Bank of England and more.

We are nearing our journeys end, in the hunt for London's dragons. This penultimate post finds us at The Bank of England, The Guildhall and St Mary Le Bow. All can be found a short walking distance from each other, and follow on from the dragons of Leadenhall Market.

THE BANK OF ENGLAND

The Bank of England
The dragons found sitting on the street lamps outside the Bank of England are small and black, with gold markings on there wings. They could well be the off-spring of the great Temple Bar dragon in Fleet Street, that divides the City from the West End. (see City of London - Boundary of Dragons post). These small little dragons may seem harmless enough, but any attempt to steal from the great bank will result in an all out attack, so be warned.

The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom. Sometimes known as the 'Old Lady' of Threadneedle Street, the Bank was founded in 1694, nationalised on 1 March 1946, and gained independence in 1997. Standing at the centre of the UK's financial system, the Bank is committed to promoting and maintaining monetary and financial stability as its contribution to a healthy economy.

Since its foundation, it has been the Government's banker and, since the late 18th century, it has been banker to the banking system more generally - the bankers' bank. As well as providing banking services to its customers, the Bank of England manages the UK's foreign exchange and gold reserves.

The Bank has two core purposes - monetary stability and financial stability. The Bank is perhaps most visible to the general public through its banknotes and, more recently, its interest rate decisions. The Bank has had a monopoly on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales since the early 20th century. But it is only since 1997 that the Bank has had statutory responsibility for setting the UK's official interest rate.

THE GUILDHALL

The Guidlhall
The great hall is believed to be on a site of an earlier Guildhall (one possible derivation for the word 'guildhall' is the Anglo-Saxon 'gild', meaning payment, with a "gild-hall" being where citizens would pay their taxes). During the Roman period, it was the site of an amphitheatre, the largest in Britannia, partial remains of which are on public display in the basement of the Guildhall Art Gallery and the outline of whose arena is marked with a black circle on the paving of the courtyard in front of the hall.

The first documentary reference to a London Guildhall is dated 1128 and the current hall's west crypt may be part of a late-13th century building.

The current building was begun in c. 1411, and it is the only stone building not belonging to the Church to have survived the Great Fire of London in 1666. The complex contains several other historic interiors besides the hall, including the large medieval crypts, the old library, and the print room, all of which are now used as function rooms.

The Great Hall did not completely escape damage in 1666; it was partially restored - with a flat roof - in 1670. The present grand entrance (the east wing of the south front), in what is known as Hindoostani Gothic, was added in 1788 by George Dance (and restored in 1910). A more extensive restoration than that in 1670 was completed in 1866 by City of London architect Sir Horace Joness, who added a new timber roof in close keeping with the original. This replacement was destroyed on the night of 29/30 December 1940, the result of a Luftwaffe fire-raid. It was replaced in 1954 during works designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. 

St Mary-le-Bow Church, Cheapside

The highest dragon by far, is the golden weathervane dragon, found on top of St Mary-le-Bow church. My camera wasn't up to the job at getting a decent picture of this fearsome creature but you can get some idea.

SAINT MARY-LE-BOW

The first references to a church on the site of St Mary-le-Bow seem to date from 1087 by which time a Norman church had been erected there

In 1091 the roof of the church was blown off in a huge storm which battered the south of England during the winter of that year. The roof became embedded by its rafters in the street of Chepe, now Cheapside, Old London’s main thoroughfare which runs east-to-west just to the north of St Mary-le-Bow. A famous siege took place at St Mary’s in 1196 and in 1271 the tower collapsed into the street outside.

By 1512 the tower had been reconstructed and the church was able to enjoy over 150 years of structural peace. But in the Great Fire which raged through London in 1666, the whole of the medieval church apart from the crypt beneath was utterly destroyed. Between 1670 and 1683 St Mary’s was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. In the 1750s a new peal of ten 'Bow Bells' was installed, with all ten bells being rung together for the first time on 4th June 1762 to mark the 25th birthday of King George III.

In 1820 the church was extensively restored by George Gwilt the Younger. From 1905 to 1907 the famous bells were restored, the peal having increased from 10 to 12 in 1881. (Wren had made room for 12 bells but only 8 were installed in 1680). But disaster struck again during the War when the church was destroyed by enemy bombing. A programme of reconstruction was implemented in the 1950s and 60s.

According to London tradition, Cockneys are born within earshot of the bells of St Mary-le-Bow Church, Cheapside. In 1851, the bells could be heard across north and east London, even audible south of the Thames.

TONGUE IN TEAK - I MADE A TABLE

Let’s start by saying, I did indeed make a table, but I had a lot of help along the way, as you will see. I was very privileged, this week, in being able to attend a summer furniture-making course, at Chichester College, in West Sussex. A week-long, intensive course, with a couple of lectures in the evening added in for good measure. Though the week was long and very tiring, it was also very enjoyable and if I was in a position to do the year long version of the course, I would jump at the chance. Chichester is a lovely city, with a very beautiful cathedral and gardens - just a little way from the harbour and beach.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IN THREE DAYS TIME, THESE 10 LENGTHS OF ASH WOULD BECOME A TABLE.

BEFORE WE WERE LET LOSE ON THE ASH, WE PRACTISED THE MORTISE AND TENDON JOINT ON SOME PINE.   

The first two days of the course was all about getting to grips with joinery, lap joint, dovetail, mortise and tendon and the like. We also spent some time learning the best way to sharpen tools and in particular chisels. This is something, that I have struggled with, since doing my letter carving. I’ve come to realise that, the sharper my chisels are, the easier it is to cut the letters. I won’t go into the details of how to keep your chisels sharp, but suffice to say that it involves glass, and several grades of wet and dry paper and a lot of patience and effort. One of the teachers - who will remain nameless - but whom we will call Keith! in this blog - has turned chisel sharpening into a sort of art form. He tells me that it involves many hours on your own, in a shed, away from family and friends, polishing metal so fastidiously, that you can see your reflection of your face in it eventually. One of my fellow learners on the course, Guy, was soon hypnotise by Keith's hand movements and became a devoted member of the new religion Children of the Latter Day Sharpeners. 

THE TABLE STARTS TO TAKE SHAPE.

I CARVED MY WIFE'S INITIALS INTO THE FRONT OF THE TABLE. JUDITH ROSEMARY

THE TABLE IS GLUED TOGETHER AND HELD IN PLACE BY CLAMPS

The other three days were set aside in order to build a small, tapered-legged table. I was advised, at the outset, that the table would have a hinged lid and be made from Ash and Walnut Burr Veneer. The joints for the legs would be mortise and tendon. I will not go into every single aspect of the build, as that would only bore you, but have a look at the pictures, with the comments, and you will get a taste of what was involved. 

GUY CLEANS THE EXCESS GLUE FROM HIS JOINTS WITH IAN LOOKING OVER.

Our main teacher for the week seemed to be an expert in everything. He reminded me of a character in a song by the Jam, called David Watts (original by the Kinks). You will have to look up the lyrics to see what I mean. Ian had a, you can-do attitude ie every one of my many mistakes could be remedied. Ian knew every tool, hand or electric and how it worked, how much it cost, and where you could buy it. Without Ian, I would have brought home some veneered firewood, rather than a fine little table. Where, if you stood back a bit, closed one eye and photographed it at an angle, you’d have a half decent table! Your wife will also like it, especially if you put her initials on it. But don’t expect much of a reaction from your kids, except for “it’s a bit small ain’t it?” or “the legs stick out funny.” “That’s skill that is; and it’s called tapering and they took Ian, I mean me, hours to get right you know!!!” Grrrrr.

THE VENEER IS BUTTED TOGETHER, BEFORE BEING STUCK TO THE TOP OF THE TABLE

It was gone midnight on Friday night before we left the workshop. We were all tired and hungry and fit to drop. I still had the long drive to London to go. It was 2.30am before I finally arrived home. The table was almost complete but not quite. It would have to be finished later in the day. After a few hours sleep, I was able to attach the top of the table and give it a wax finish. 

GUY, ROB AND IAN WITH THE ALMOST FINISHED TABLES. GUY LOOKS ASLEEP ALREADY.

THE FINISHED TABLE

WITH OPEN LID, MY HINGES ARE A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.

THIS IS A  ENLARGEMENT OF THE VENEER TOP. IT REVEALS A SPOOKY IMAGE, THAT  SOMEONE SAID LOOKS LIKE A DEVIL. I MUST ADMIT IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS I FELT LIKE THE DEVIL HAS BEEN ON MY BACK AT TIMES. I WAS RIGHT, HERE HE IS ON MY TABLE TOP

AND FINALLY

Below is what can be achieved on a full time wood working course. This amazing chair and ipod docking station, was made by a student in the same workshop. Who only picked up a chisel for the first time two years to go. Fantastic design and workmanship. I want one of those docking stations!

USEFUL LINKS

http://www.chichester.ac.uk/Mature-Students/What-can-I-do/Furniture-Summer-School/