Serpentine

SERPENTINE

The Serpentine is an urban lake situated in central London's largest parkland. It marks the dividing point between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.  The surface area of the lake covers twenty-eight acres, or sixteen hectares. The name derives from its snake like shape. It is an artificial lake, landscaped in 1730 and it was one of the first manmade lakes deliberately intended to look natural. Before then, created bodies of water had been straight and angular and The Serpentine set a precedent, with its curving lines afterwards widely copied in estates across the country. 

The history of The Serpentine begins with Caroline, the queen of George II, who was responsible for enclosing three hundred acres of Hyde Park to form Kensington Gardens. Enthused with the results, she inquired of the prime minister of the day how much it would cost to enclose the remainder of Hyde Park together with the neighboring Green Park and St James's Park, solely for royal use. The Prime Minister replied, "Three crowns, those of England, Scotland and Wales." The hint was taken and her landscaping was limited to the area from Kensington Palace to The Serpentine.

The Serpentine was formed from the river Westbourne, now surviving as one of London's many subterranean rivers. A small stretch of the hidden river Westbourne can be seen from one of the platforms of Sloane Square underground station, contained within a large pipe that traverses above the tracks and trains, on its journey towards the much larger river Thames. The Westbourne tributary formed eleven natural ponds in Hyde Park which were then enlarged to create The Serpentine. 

The north-western half of lake is properly known as the Long Water and it is partly surrounded by the ornately laid out Italian Gardens, with the larger south-eastern area officially being The Serpentine. The divide between The Long Water and The Serpentine is at the point of the magnificent 1826 George Rennie bridge. The river still feeds four ornamental fountains in the Italian Gardens, thereby maintaining the water level of the lake, even during drought. The inflow of fresh water attracts wildfowl, arriving from the four compass points, many being winter visitors to the lake. Great Crested Grebes, Black Swans, Buzzards and Egyptian Geese have all been spotted in recent times. 

Since its creation, The Serpentine has been actively used for recreational purposes, it has never been a purely ornamental feature. In Queen Caroline's lifetime it was popular for ice skating. Up until the 1850's twelve thousand people regularly swam in the lake. The lido remains open in the summer, with swimming between 10.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. At its deepest the lake is twelve metres. In the summer time there are over a hundred pedalos and row boats available for hire. 

A longstanding tradition continues with a one hundred yards swimming competition held on Christmas Day of every year. The cold winter water is considered hazardous for those unaccustomed to it, so the competition is only open to members of The Serpentine Swimming Club. The event began in 1864 and after JM Barrie had awarded the prize to the winner in 1904, the contest was named, 'The Peter Pan Cup.' JM Barrie lived on the nearby Bayswater Road, the house is marked by a plaque and he wrote the story of Peter Pan whilst living there. On the shores of the lake stands a famous statue of Peter Pan, created by Sir George Frampton in 1912.

At only twenty-one, Harriet Westbrook, the pregnant wife of Percy Bysshe Shelley, walked the short distance from her lodgings to the park and was found drowned in The Serpentine in the winter of 1821. Curiously, her surname of Westbrook effectively means the same as Westbourne, the one being a regional variation of the other. Thirty years later in 1851, The Great Exhibition with its majestic centre piece of the Crystal Palace was held on parkland just to the south of The Serpentine. 

To the south west of the lake is The Serpentine Art Gallery and a little further beyond is The Albert Memorial. The Princess Diana Memorial Fountain is also to the south. The Holocaust Memorial Gardens are located at the eastern shore of the lake, the gardens are poignantly marked by two large boulders with emotive inscriptions.

The Serpentine Bar and Kitchen is a popular restaurant bordering the lake. The Serpentine lake is situated between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens with access by road from The Serpentine Road, London W2. Car parking is available. Underground Stations include Lancaster Gate and Bayswater to the north of the park and Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge to the south.

Where to view video clips of The Serpentine  and video clips of London

London in motion has some of the best London Stock Footage and London Library Footage with moving clips of many of the above mentioned places to see, are available to browse through by simply visiting the ‘Serpentine’ category of this website.  New additions of London video clips are being frequently uploaded and further categories will be appearing over the coming months.


Copyright: London In Motion 2009
Email: tom@londoninmotion.com

London Eye

LONDON EYE

The London Eye is an observation wheel positioned on the south bank of the river Thames in central London. At the time of construction it was the largest wheel in the world. Now surpassed by The Singapore Flyer which is thirty metres higher but of a different design. The London Eye remains the worlds tallest cantilevered wheel. Its construction was a marvel of engineering, manufactured with a huge international effort involving hundreds of people.

When it was built, l remember seeing the barges, arriving from Rotterdam, slowly carrying the parts up stream. The wheel was assembled over the river, before being slowly hoisted into position in October of 1999. Weighing three hundred and thirty tonnes, it is twenty times heavier than Big Ben, which stands on the opposite bank. The spindle is the size of a church tower. The wheel travels at twenty-six centimeters per second, taking a full thirty minutes to complete a revolution. It moves slowly enough for passengers to hop on and off whilst in motion, only halting for the disabled or elderly.

Not strictly a ferris wheel, it is London's fourth tallest structure, offering views to the four compass points and up to twenty-five miles distant. It is possible to see Windsor Castle on a clear day when reaching the top, a full one hundred and thirty five metres up. There are thirty-two capsules, one for every London borough, each with a capacity of twenty-five passengers. 

It is not the first wheel of size to be erected in London. In 1894 'The Great Wheel' was constructed at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre and only dismantled in 1907. The twenty minute journey turned out to be much longer for some passengers when on one occasion the wheel stuck and those aboard had to spend a whole night and half the following day in situ. The stranded people were given compensation of five pounds and five shillings, which was a sizable fee in those days.  Such an occurrence is yet to befall The London Eye, which has been largely problem free, apart from early technicalities which delayed its opening by a few months. Since then, the attraction has been a terrific success, despite practitioners of the ancient Chinese tradition of Feng Shui predicting trouble, citing the wheel’s rotation in the opposite direction of the river's flow as being ‘energy blocking.’ Fortunately, the Feng Shui doom mongers had failed to take into consideration that at the location of The London Eye, the Thames is still strongly tidal, with many thousands of cubic metres per second of estuary water surging back up past the wheel, on a twice daily basis and in the same direction as the rotation.

The wheel cost twenty million pounds sterling to build and prior to opening it was expected have two  million visitors a year. Extraordinarily, this was a conservative estimate, with three and half million visitors in the first year alone. From 2002 onwards the Euro currency was excepted as payment and by September of that year, the ten millionth flight had been recorded, rising to thirty million flights by 2008.

Originally, the attraction was given only a five year license by Lambeth Council. However, many pointed out that the Eiffel Tower in Paris was likewise intended as a temporary structure. Sure enough, by 2006, the popularity of The London Eye had secured a twenty-five lease. Attempts by the South Bank Centre, which owns the small patch of land beneath the wheel, to massively increase its rent from sixty four thousand pounds to two and a half million, were prevented by direct interference from City Hall and a more acceptable compromise was reached. This in part helped The London Eye to defy the 2008-2009 recession, by turning a record profit of almost five million pounds according to accounts filed in October 2009. Its finances were boosted by a surge of European visitors since the recession's drop in Sterling and The London Eye remains one of the world's top fifty tourist destinations. This is in terms of visitor numbers, coming in just behind The Statue Of Liberty and The Coliseum but ahead of the Taj Mahal and Versailles.  

In late 2009 The London Eye was operated by Merlin Entertainments, having taken over from British Airways in 2005. There are a number of novelty packages on offer and it is possible to hire a whole capsule for themed occasions, including the aptly entitled 'Eye Do.' This offers private hire for civil partnership ceremonies and the capsule comes filled with flowers and champagne. 

The London Eye opens at 10 am and closes at different times depending on the seasons of the year. In late 2009 the ride cost £17. Check precise opening times and prices with The London Eye. In previous years the attraction was closed during the month of January for maintenance. Contact The London Eye for the exact dates of closure. 

Where to view video clips of London Eye  and video clips of London

London in motion has some of the best London Stock Footage and London Library Footage with moving clips of many of the above mentioned places to see, are available to browse through by simply visiting the ‘London Eye’ category of this website.  New additions of London video clips are being frequently uploaded and further categories will be appearing over the coming months.


Copyright: London In Motion 2009
Email: tom@londoninmotion.com

Eros

EROS

The statue commonly known as Eros stands in Piccadilly Circus, which is considered the Times Square of London.  It is where six well known London streets meet and the name ‘Circus’ derives from the Latin word for circle or ring. When Eros was unveiled in 1893 it stood right in the centre of this circular junction. In the early 1980’s, Eros was moved slightly to the south and the traffic diverted to the north. This allowed pedestrian access right up to it, without first having to cross over busy lanes of traffic. It is said, should one pledge one’s love beneath Eros at midnight that their love will never fail.

Indeed, the Greeks worshipped Eros as a fertility deity and the god of sensual love, but in fact, the statue was intended by the sculptor to be Anteros, the twin brother of Eros, who was the god of selfless love. The reason being that the memorial was dedicated to the seventh Earl of Shaftsbury, a prominent nineteenth century philanthropist, who was a fine example of a human being who expressed selfless love and unconditional giving. The subtle difference between the twins was little understood at the time and the statue was widely assumed to be Eros. The authorities reckoned its, ‘brazen and impudent nakedness at the hub of empire to be too much’ and attempts were made to have the memorial known as ‘The Angel Of Christian Charity.’ Certainly, Anteros better suited the Earl of Shaftsbury, but the character of Eros was more fitting to the neighbourhood, with the seedier streets of Soho only a short walk away.

Eros is positioned up high in the centre of ‘The Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain.’ The fountain is of bronze, in contrast to Eros, which was the very first British statue to be made from aluminium. The aluminium is fragile and Eros is usually clad in protective boarding to prevent revellers climbing atop, at times of celebration in central London.

The sculptor Sir Alfred Gilbert was paid £3000 for his efforts but it cost him £7000 to make and he was well out of pocket. It is hardly surprising that he was soon afterwards bankrupted and he fled to Bruges. Gossip of the day told that he was exiled to Belgium because the statue was so despised by both the establishment and the critics alike. The statue was indeed largely disliked initially, but the rumours were untrue and only added to his misfortune. After twenty-five years he returned from Belgium to England and received an overdue knighthood only two years before he died.

Alfred Gilbert’s Eros is a universally familiar figure, much reproduced and photographs of it are in tourist albums across the four compass points of the world. A graphic illustration of Eros is used as the symbol for the London Evening Standard letterhead, the perfect icon for the capital’s newspaper. For many decades Eros has been a famous meeting point and it is said that it doesn’t matter who you are, or from where you have come, if you wait under Eros for long enough, you’ll eventually meet someone you know.

Eros

Piccadilly Circus

London W1

Where to view video clips of London

London In Motion has some of the best London Stock Footage and London Library Footage with moving clips of many of the above mentioned places to see, are available to browse through by simply visiting the ‘Eros’ category of this website.  New additions of London video clips are being frequently uploaded and further categories will be appearing over the coming months.

Copyright: London In Motion 2009

Email: tom@londoninmotion.com

Waterloo Bridge

WATERLOO BRIDGE

The view from Waterloo Bridge is widely acknowledged as being the finest river view in the whole of Europe. The crossing is on a sweeping bend of the Thames and from the middle of the bridge, panoramic vistas across the four compass points together with many of central London’s most familiar landmarks rise up above the glistening water. Waterloo Bridge is one of the best spots to see the division between the two cities that made up old London. To the west of the bridge is the City Of Westminster with the Houses Of Parliament and to the east is the City Of London with St Paul's Cathedral and the tall buildings of the square mile. 

Splendid sunrises from behind the docklands and glowing sunsets silhouetting the Palace Of Westminster draw tourists, photographers and romantics alike up onto the bridge and it is also a popular viewing platform for the occasional  fireworks displays held on the river. There is space to accommodate thousands, as the pavements are broad and it is the longest bridge over the river Thames.

The current bridge is not the first crossing at this point, the earliest opened in 1817 as a toll bridge and during the planning stages it was intended to be known as 'Strand Bridge'. However, it was fated to open not long after the glorious victory over the Napoleonic forces at The Battle Of Waterloo. The 1817 bridge is familiar to many through artworks, as it was painted by Constable, several French Impressionists and many other artists of the day.

When London Bridge was rebuilt, the speed of the water flow of Thames increased, because the many wide arches of the old London Bridge had inadvertently acted as a dam. The faster river flow left the 1817 Waterloo Bridge unstable on its foundations. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott was commissioned to build a new bridge, which opened in 1944. Its construction coincided with the Second World War and the bridge was largely built by women, who willingly made themselves available as workforce. It is thought that this is the only bridge of it size so built in the world. It duly became known to many as ‘The Ladies Bridge’ through the latter half of the twentieth century.

The bridge was the platform for a well documented occurrence in cold war days when Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident was murdered. The assassin jabbed a ricin tipped umbrella into his calf, whilst he waited at a bus stop on Waterloo Bridge. The bridge also provided the inspiration for the hugely successful Ray Davies song, 'Waterloo Sunset', about a romantic couple who walked up onto the bridge from the nearby Waterloo Underground Station.

To give an idea of the size of the Thames at this point, Waterloo Bridge covers an area of twenty acres, which is bigger than many rural English villages. The span of its arches fits proportionally against Somerset House, The Savoy Hotel, National Theatre and South Bank Centre which all surround the bridge.

A good way to enjoy the bridge is from the top deck of a bus and as you pass over, observing many of London’s greatest landmarks, think for a moment that you might well have been crossing Braine-l’Alleud Bridge. Braine-l'Alleud was the location where much of the fighting actually took place at the Battle of Waterloo. The name is such a mouthful to pronounce for a native English speaker, that the nearby Waterloo was chosen to mark the battle. It names the bridge, the station, many public houses and even a town, Waterlooville, in southern England.

Waterloo Bridge

London SE1

Northside: Temple, Embankment, Covent Garden Underground Stations

Southside: Waterloo Underground Station


Where to view video clips of London

London in motion has some of the best London Stock Footage and London Library Footage with moving clips of many of the above mentioned places to see, are available to browse through by simply visiting the ‘Waterloo Bridge’ category of this website.  New additions of London video clips are being frequently uploaded and further categories will be appearing over the coming months.


Copyright: London In Motion 2009
Email: tom@londoninmotion.com

HMS Belfast

HMS BELFAST

HMS Belfast has permanent mooring on the river Thames, in the Pool of London, which is where many of the wharves were situated in the days when the Pool of London was the largest port in the world. The Pool of London is situated between London Bridge and Tower Bridge and the ship is berthed on the south side of the river. HMS Belfast is a decommissioned Royal Navy vessel, which now serves as a floating museum, an extension to The Imperial War Museum in Lambeth in south London. She is a ‘Southampton Class’ cruiser that was commissioned in 1938, launched on St Patrick’s Day from Belfast and finally taken out of service after the Korean War.

HMS Belfast was damaged early during the Second World War and subsequently spent much of the early war years in dry-dock in Scotland, undergoing repair. By 1943 she was back on the seas, supporting Arctic convoys and she supported the D-Day landings. The ship was the largest cruiser in the Royal Navy, with a company of eight hundred. She is now the only surviving example from the great fleets of big gun armoured warships built for the Royal Navy in the first half of the twentieth century.

The ship was only saved from the scrapyard through the hard work of a private trust set up by dedicated supporters and the vessel opened to the public on Trafalgar Day, 21^st October 1971, with special dispensation allowing the White Ensign to be flown. Inevitably, funds diminished and by 1978 The Imperial War Museum had taken control. The ship is notable for both her unusual arrangement of funnels and also the camouflage paint, which was added after she became a museum. Officially the pattern is called, ‘Admiralty Disruptive Camouflage Type 25’ which she wore between 1942 and 1944. In June 1999 HMS Belfast was taken to Portsmouth for a re-fit and a repair, towed by tugs on a rare excursion from The Pool of London.

 The tour of the ship is separated into eight sectors and once on board, one can explore the seven decks, mobility is essential as there is very limited disabled access. The six-inch guns are prominent, pointed up high and directed at the London Gateway Services, eleven and a half miles away on the M1 motorway, the fullest extent of their range. Further up there are four inch guns which one can manoeuvre, often kids get inside and wind them up and down and point them to the four compass points and pretend to mount an offensive against the buildings of the banks of the Thames.

Almost the entire vessel is open to the public with many reconstructions showing the sailors at work. The officers mess, the sick bay, the engine rooms, admiral’s bridge and flag deck can all be seen. Many reconstructions show models of the officers going about their daily routines. The ship’s dentist is shown extracting a sailor’s tooth with plenty of unsettling drilling noises and elsewhere the ship’s surgeon operates on the stomach of an injured sailor. Looking carefully, one may even observe a stuffed ship’s cat eating a stuffed ship’s rat.

Parts of the ship can be hired for private functions. Opening times and prices shown below were correct in late 2009 but confirm with The Imperial War Museum before visiting.

HMS Belfast

Morgan’s Lane

Tooley Street

London SE1 2JH

Open Daily Mar-Oct 10am – 6pm

Open Daily Nov-Feb 10am – 5pm

Adults £10.70

Last entry an hour before closure, leave a full morning or an afternoon for your visit.

Where to view video clips of London

London in motion has some of the best London Stock Footage and London Library Footage with moving clips of many of the above mentioned places to see, are available to browse through by simply visiting the ‘HMS Belfast’ category of this website.  New additions of London video clips are being frequently uploaded and further categories will be appearing over the coming months.


Copyright: London In Motion 2009
Email: tom@londoninmotion.com