Walking Tour (3/3)

Map   Walking Tour Image

6. Doughty Street, Mecklenburgh Square,
  St George's Gardens 

 As we walk up Lambs Conduit Street keep your eye out for Rugby Street on the left hand side, we take this turning and you'll notice more boutiques (bric-a-brac, hand made handbags and jewellery). We walk to the Rugby Tavern pub take an immediate right and an immediate left onto Northington Street, if you look directly behind you now you'll see Dorothy L Sayers house.

Continue walking to John Street and turn left. We're now rapidly approaching one the Bloomsbury highlights and a well known London Attraction. As you continue walking on John Street it changes its name to Doughty Street and keep your eyes open for a house on the right hand side The Charles Dickens Museum. There is a little shop in the reception area inside and a small cover charge allowing you to wander around the house and see it, more or less, as it would have been when Dickens lived here. It's generally accepted that Dickens wrote Oliver Twist when he lived here. Indeed Dickens loved Bloomsbury so much he's said to have lived at one stage or another here, on Tavistock Square and on Great Russell Street.

Moving along up the street we cross over into Mecklenburgh Square. On the left hand side you'll notice an old London College - Goodenough College - the Mecklenburgh gardens unfortunately are not open to the public and on the right hand side admire the magnificent architecture of the buildings including the Mecklenburgh Club and yet more palatial student housing.

Now we're coming to a tricky bit so you'll need to pay close attention as you're about to discover a hidden gem which only locals really tend to frequent and it's a closely guarded secret in the district. Continue walking to the end of the square, you're now facing these houses in the photo ---> on Heathcote Street, now take a left walking up Heathcote Street. I know it looks like a dead end, but trust me. Walk right to the very end of the street you'll see a pair a great gates on the right hand side walk through into the historic St George's Gardens.

  St. George's Gardens are not bounded by any roads so most people miss them completely. In fact they don't even appear on the route map so closely guarded is their existence. These are the quietest gardens in Bloomsbury. Take some time to soak up the atmosphere of this ancient cemetery opened in 1715. The granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell is buried here amongst other notables and it's a favourite place for local dog owners to walk their pets. The Gardens have attained green flag status thanks to the tireless loving efforts of the friendly keepers, who'll gladly pass the time of day chatting away with you.

  Video of St George's Gardens, Bloomsbury:

 7. Brunswick Square, Brunswick Centre

  Now we're approaching the final stage in our London Tour of Bloomsbury, as we head straight up the centre of St George's Gardens and exit onto Handel Street. We continue until we come to the intersection with Hunter Street and turn left. As we walk down Hunter Street we notice the Brunswick Centre on the right hand side, did you make a mental note of the restaurants and coffee houses within where we can have a well earned rest after the tour? But we're not quite finished yet we have one more unique stop to make in Bloomsbury.

We take a left turn into Brunswick Square down to the Foundling Museum. The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply indicating the institution's "hospitality" to those less fortunate. This would have been exactly the sort of place Oliver Twist himself would have been deposited in and perhaps even formed the inspiration to Dickens, who only lived around the corner, when he wrote his novel. Pop in and view the artifacts and history.

 To see Brunswick Square Street View please click here

On emerging from the Museum pass over into the Brunswick square swing left and walk up into Brunswick centre. Take a well earned rest in one of the many cofe shops, restaurants, even the Renoir Cinema. Go over your notes from the Tour, perhaps places you want to revisit when you have more time - or that trinket you saw in that shop but couldn't quite convince yourself to buy it at the time, or that book in that old bookstore. Eitherway you've seen most than many people who've lived in London a long time have seen and now have a real flavour for
                                               Bloomsbury: A Cultural haven in Central London.

 PS: Don't forget to printout your Route Map to take along before you get started.