This week I travelled on a Wednesday, due to the Queen’s funeral on Monday. This was a blessing in disguise because at least 2 places I wanted to visit were open today, which are closed on Mondays.

1. Start of the route at Fulwell

I found my way to Fulwell which is reached by SW Railways, for the start of the journey. Before getting on bus 33, I walked to Teddington Cemetery – about a 7 minute walk from the first stop. There are many war memorials from world wars and I wanted to visit a couple of graves from well-known people and luckily I was able to find them. First was RD Blackmore – author of Lorna Doone – who died in 1900. Also Neil Aspinall, who had been the head of the Beatles company, Apple Corps. In the middle of the cemetery are paired chapels, built in 1878, which have crocketed spires linked by a great entrance arch.

At the first bus stop near Fulwell station, I came across a memorial for the pupils and teachers of Stanley school who had died during world wars I and II.

2. York Street/Twickenham

From my research for route 33, I realised there were a lot of places to visit so I had to be selective. As it was a Wednesday, museums that are closed on Mondays were open so naturally I chose to go to see them. Before doing this, I alighted at York Street, Twickenham to visit Eel Pie Island. I’d heard about it some time ago and have been wanting to see it ever since, so I was delighted that the bus took me near. And I wasn’t disappointed at all. Admittedly it was a lovely day and the sun was shining which would anyway make the views great but the views on the bridge going over to the island were breath-taking. Some of the houses were very quirky and the riverside walk is worth taking.

I decided to walk along the river towards my next destination, which was Orleans House Gallery. On the way there, I found St Mary’s Church where Alexander Pope is buried. He lies inside the church which was closed today, however I found a plaque that he had erected for a former nurse and friend, Mary Beach. Walking on, I saw a beautiful old bridge over the road, and discovered it belongs to York House. I wasn’t able to visit the house today and will come back another day.

I then went to Orleans House and Gallery, one of the places that’s not open on a Monday so I was able to go inside today (being Wednesday). It’s free entry and is full of history. Built in 1710 as a Palladian villa, it was named after the Duc d’Orleans who lived here in exile for 2 years. In 1720 an Octagonal Room was added, for entertaining George II‘s Queen Consort, Caroline. Inside the gallery are many works of art and other artefacts – altogether, it’s well worth a visit and I was delighted it was open today.

3. Marble Hill Park/Crown Road

Today was indeed a good day for seeing wonderful places. Just down the road from Orleans House is Marble Hill House, owned and run by English Heritage. Again, it’s free entry and was full of interesting and fascinating rooms, stories and original furniture. It was built in the 1720s for Henrietta Howard, mistress of King George II when he was Prince of Wales, as a retreat from court life. Henrietta and her home became a magnet for London’s cultural and political élite – including her neighbours Alexander Pope, John Gay and Horace Walpole – on a scale said to rival the royal court.

4. Manor Road

I eventually got back on the number 33 and alighted at Manor Road, North Sheen to see Pesthouse Common, so called as it had had a pest house, a structure used for quarantining people with communicable diseases. Today there is little to see so I was slightly disappointed but as I’d had such a great day up till now, I just got back to the bus stop to visit my next designated place of interest.

5. Barnes station

This was the rock shrine for Marc Bolan, at the spot where he had sadly died in a car crash – it’s in Gipsy Lane, Barnes

6. Castelnau

Back on the bus to the end of the route at Castelnau. Very near the stop is Holy Trinity Church which had a very pleasant Memorial Garden, laid out in the shape of a Celtic cross. From here, I walked over Hammersmith Bridge which is currently closed to traffic and wend my way home.