Monday 21^st March 2022

It took me quite a long time to get to the start of the route today but it was worth it. Before I got on the bus, I went to Barham Park. There are remnants of earlier features such as garden balustrades of Barham Mansion, walls and ornamental gates, and part of Crabb’s House is now the library. The mansion had been built by George Barham, founder of Express Dairies. The gardens are pretty and it was  a really good place to start my journey.

On the 18 and sat upstairs for a long time as my first stop was Kensal Green Cemetery, some 30 stops from the start. One thing I hadn’t appreciated is that there are actually two cemeteries here – the Catholic St Mary’s and the non-Catholic Kensal Green. I started at the catholic one and went to the office to see if they had a guide to notable burials. They had a list but not a map of where specific individuals were buried so it took me some time to find my way around. The most notable grave I found was that of Krystyna Skarbek, one time Polish-British spy during WW2.

I found my way to Kensal Green cemetery but couldn’t find anyone to tell me how to navigate my way around – and it’s huge. I did see the mausoleum of Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, a grandson of George III and also the grave of Ras Messai, a former Ethiopian ruler. If I go again – and I want to – I would find out in advance how to discover the different graves of people like Anthony Trollope, Wilkie Collins, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, all of whom are buried there.

Back on the number 18 and next stop was at Sutherland Avenue where I looked for Amberley Road and some Litter Art. In the end, I discovered it at Westbourne Green on the side of the Regent’s Canal. I then went back on the bus and went to Westbourne Terrace Road where Margery Allingham the crime writer had once lived at number 1. At the other end of the road is Westbourne Bridge, on which is the pub the Bridge House and Canal Café theatre. Going down to the canal, there is reference to Robert Browning, the poet who had lived nearby. There is a tiny island within the canal and it’s now called Browning Island.

I walked along the towpath of the canal, and came to Paddington Basin and Sheldon Square where there are 2 bronze figures of men, one standing still and one walking. Sean Henry, the sculptor, says they are about to meet and possibly walk along the towpath together.

Walking to the bus stop, I came across three more metal statues, near St Mary’s Terrace. These represent Michael Bond (creator of Paddington Bear), Alan Turing (who broke to Enigma Code at Bletchley Park) and Mary Seacole (nurse in the Crimea). I found out that all three had been local residents at one time.

I took the bus and alighted at Harley Street to find the Subterranean Ice Well in Park Crescent Mews West. I had found out that the well had been discovered by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). Sadly I wasn’t able to locate the well and have since written to Historic England who informed me that it’s not open to the public as it’s within a private property.

Final stop of the day was at Euston Square, from where I went to Tolmers Square. The houses were built in mid-eighteenth century and had been intended to house the middle classes but because of its close proximity to the dirt and noise of Euston station, it quickly turned into multiple occupancy. Property developers wanted to convert the square into large office blocks and there was a struggle to save the square. Students from nearby University of London, along with some journalists and other activists, took up the cause and eventually the square was sold to Camden who then built council houses, which exist to this day.

I realised that I didn’t go inside a church today and in fact the only places I went indoors were at Barham Library at the beginning of my journey and briefly into the Canal Café to pick up information about upcoming events. Luckily the weather was glorious, the first time since I started Routemistress back in November. I was disappointed that I couldn’t find the Ice Well but overall, it was a good route.