Mosaic's walking groups regularly gets together to explore some of London's better, and lesser, known areas.
One of our recent walks was a Mosaic Walk in Literary London
Samuel Johnson wrote: “If you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this great city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but must survey its innumerable little lanes and courts.”
It was a chilly afternoon in March when six Mosaic walkers set off on the first walk of 2016. It was inevitable that our route from Holborn to Chancery Lane would once again follow in the footsteps of Charles Dickens and some of his literary creations.
Our first stop was 58 Lincoln Inns Fields, referred to in Bleak House. Passing Lincoln’s Inn and the chapel where John Donne was inaugurated, we walked through Carey Street and onto Fleet Street before turning into Johnson Square and 17 Gough Square, the only surviving residence of Dr Samuel Johnson.
A short diversion from Gunpowder Square, and we arrived at Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, believed to be the model for the tavern where Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay ‘enjoy a good plain dinner and good wine’, as described in A Tale of Two Cities. Retracing our steps to Gunpowder Square, we eventually turned into High Holborn and the redbrick building on the site of Furnival’s Inn, where John Westlock had chambers in Martin Chuzzlewit.
Turning into Furnival Street, we reached Took’s Court, the Cook’s Court, where ‘Mr Snagsby, Law Stationer, pursues his lawful calling’ in Bleak House. We crossed Chancery Lane and soon arrived at Staple Inn, a delightful garden referenced in Bleak House and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Crossing High Holborn and entering Brook Street, we turned into Brooks Court, then Gray’s Inn Road, before crossing Chancery Lane and finding a welcome cup of coffee at a nearby hostelry.
“While the young Charles Dickens was crossing Chancery Lane one morning, "a big blackguard fellow … knocked off my cap and said “Halloa sojer", which I couldn't stand, so I at once struck him and he then hit me in the eye".
John Ashmele
See below for our latest planned walks:
Planned Walks
Walking Group
Tuesday March 29
The next Weekday Walking Group walk will be on Tuesday 29th March, meeting at 10.00 am outside Rickmansworth Station. We will walk to the Grand Union Canal see the locks, and then walk around Bury Lake. There is a free car park at the Aquadrome, and if anyone wants to meet us there they can, but please let us know. For further details contact Henry Altman
Continue reading →Mosaic Walk in Literary London
Sunday April 17
11 am - Marylebone to Regents Park
This walk tells the great story of the love affair between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, and we will see where H. G. Wells played his radio much too loudly. “I love your verses with all my heart, Dear Miss Barrett…” Robert Browning (1812-1889). The walk will include literary quotes, and conclude with lunch (optional). Numbers are limited for this walk, so please contact the office for further information as soon as possible. There is no fee for this walk, but a suggested donation of £5 to a Synagogue charity would be appreciated.
Find out more about Mosaic walks here
Continue reading →Walking Group
Tuesday April 26
Our next Weekday Walking Group walk will take place on Tuesday 26th April, meeting at 10.00 am, in the car park at Warren Lane, just off 'The Common'/ Stanmore Hill. The short walk will encompass the delights of Bentley Priory.
If the weather is bad and you think the walk may not go ahead - please contact the office on 0208 864 0133 before 9.30am on the Tuesday morning to confirm this. For further details contact Henry Altman
Continue reading →Walking Group
Tuesday May 03
Attached is a photo of our group during the recent walk at Bentley Priory
The next Weekday Walking Group walk is on Tuesday 3rd May at 10.00am, and we will meet in the car park at The Aquadrome in Rickmansworth. The free car park is at the top of Frogmore Lane.
If the weather is bad and you think the walk may not go ahead - please contact the office on 0208 864 0133 before 9.30am on the Tuesday morning to confirm this. For further details contact Henry Altman
Continue reading →
Mosaic Walk in Literary London: Islington
Sunday May 15
Our walk (starting at 11am) in fashionable Islington will lead us past the house where Salman Rushdie was living when Ayatollah Khoneimi issued his fatwah, and the house where Joe Orton was killed by his lover, Kenneth Halliwell. We will also walk along one of London’s least known waterways, and finish with lunch in Highbury.
Numbers are limited for this walk, so please contact John Ashmele or e-mail us for further information as soon as possible.
There is no fee for this walk, but a suggested donation of £5 to a Synagogue charity would be appreciated.
Continue reading →
Numbers are limited for these walks, so please contact us as soon as possible. There is no fee for the walks, but a suggested donation of £5 pp to a Synagogue charity would be appreciated for our Central London walks.
Disclaimer: We hope you will enjoy taking part in these walks, but please remember that everyone takes part at their own risk and that Mosaic and its representatives are not responsible for any injuries, loss or damage that may occur during the walk.
