latedaytraveler

WTB, thank you for continuing to describe those smaller museums and points of interest from your London sojourn.

Interesting and fun...

welltraveledbrit

Thanks Latedaytraveler, I wasn't sure if anyone was still following along! The question of housing in London is fascinating do you know there are more than two hundred new tower blacks that have already been approved and what's interesting is that they aren't just in the City/Canary wharf area but are all over, Vauxhall, South Bank, East End etc.

I've got quite a few more London sites to cover, at this rate I'll never get around to Helsinki and Berlin! Kenwood House and the Duck and Waffle coming up....

latedaytraveler

Hi again WTB,

I look forward to your description of KENWOOD HOUSE - in HAMPSTEAD, right? I plan to spend a day there on my next trip and "do" a few sites including Keats's house. Gorgeous area of London.

I enjoyed your description of Werhner Collection @ The Ranger's House, Greenwich. You mentioned in your blog:

"This is a collection built on the colonial trade in diamonds and gold. Werhner was closely associated with both Beit and Rhodes, and in this regard is an interesting historical figure."

Under the category of "small world and all that," the name BEIT came to my attention when I visited Dublin in June. I read in the IRISH TIMES that the art treasures of Sir Alfred Beit, nephew of the above mentioned, had established his considerable collection in his beautiful RUSSBOROUGH ESTATE in County Wicklow. However, after his death, the trustees of his estate planned to sell many of these treasures to ensure upkeep of the property. The situation was quite controversial.

Also at the NATIONAL GALLERY in Dublin, the docent mentioned that their precious Vermeer was a gift of the late Sir Alfred Beit.

Again, small world...

thursdaysd

Just catching up, am traveling.

I saw the Percival David collection before it was moved, and loved it! Tx for reminding me to look for it in its new digs.

welltraveledbrit

Latedaytraveler I love all these connections too.

Every time I hear about Beit I think of the Beit Bridge crossing between South Africa and Zim. Coincidentally, I was also in Dublin when the controversy about the Russborough deaccession was in the news.

I'm a big fan of Palladian architecture and have to say I like Russborough and the nearby Castletown house which make a fabulous day out from Dublin. I can't mention Castletown without recommending the fantastic book by Stella Tillyard, The Aristocrats, it's just a captivating portrait of the three Lennox sisters between 1740-1832. There is just so much drama, heart and insight in the domestic and dynastic stories of these women.

Kenwood is a lovely place to visit and has another Vermeer of course as well as a magnificently restored Adams interior from the same period mentioned above.

Thursdaysd,
I hope the trip is going well. I wish I'd seen the Percival David in its old digs, I've heard from several people that it was charming.

Thanks for following along!

LCBoniti

Oooh, just caught up and saw the mention of Kenwood House. We went there in June and I was again impressed with the quality of the paintings in this house. Loved the Vermeer, especially.

It has undergone some refurbishment and is a very lovely house and grounds - and a walk through a bit of the Heath will give you a beautiful view of the London skyline. (On a clear day, that is.)

carolyn

I loved the stunningly beautiful library at Kenwood House.

northie

Love Kenwood house and sitting in the sunshine at the nearby cafe . A few lovely old homes around that area eg Went to a wedding in Burgh House -

welltraveledbrit

LCBoniti - glad you made it to Kenwood on your last trip too, we were also impressed by the collection

Carolyn - I was fascinated by the library, I loved the Adams detail but wasn't crazy about the pale pink. However, it was lovely to see the restoration work.


Northie, I was interested to see you mention Burgh House as I went there to see the modest Hampstead Museum(which I enjoyed) and for a casual lunch in the cafe in the small front garden. It's a pleasant place (it must be a nice wedding venue) with a spectacular wisteria and it makes a good combo with Fenton House.

carolyn

The library was pale blue when I saw it! Sounds much than pink to me, too.

welltraveledbrit

Now you get pale blue and pale pink, along with the heavy gilt mirrors and some painted medallions on the ceiling, there's a lot going on, photos and a blog post to follow!

welltraveledbrit

Ok, all the discussion of Kenwood finally spurred me to finish the blog post, if only I could summon the same enthusiasm for the other ones I need to do, the Horniman Museum, Greenwich, various walks, 575 Wandsworth Rd, some hotel reviews etc.

Lots of detail and pictures, including the newly restored library, the fascinating history of the house, the families and the painting bequests, including why it's free to visit...

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...use-visit.html

latedaytraveler

Hi again WTB,

Just loved your blog about KENWOOD HOUSE - really sounds special with the added bonus of lovely grounds.

OMG, that Sargent portrait of Miss Daisy Leiter is fabulous - that champagne colored fabric is to die for!

latedaytraveler

WBT, another question - how did you folks get to KENWOOD HOUSE from central London? I noticed that the Tube stop was Golders Green on the Northern line, then taking a bus.

Thanks...

welltraveledbrit

Hi latedaytraveler,

My brother had come down from Cambridge for the weekend and he drove us to Kenwood. After the picnic we walked on the heath, had a drink and took the Overland back from the Hampstead Heath stop one the south end of the park.

The Sargent portrait is lovely isn't it?

northie

We stay locally or tube to Archway and then our friend picks us up so no help to you sorry.

latedaytraveler

WTB and NORTHIE, thanks for your replies. Just checked the map and WALKIT.COM which provides distances from point to point in London.

I will take the tube to HAMPSTEAD, then cab it to KENWOOD HOUSE. I may walk back along Spaniard Road if the weather is fine and I have the energy - only about 1 1/2 miles.

I just ordered BELLE at the local library. Thanks for suggestion.

Another interesting NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTY nearby is FENTON HOUSE, very close to the Hampstead Tube.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fenton-house/

welltraveledbrit

Glad you're checking out Belle, I love the library!

Here's my post on Fenton House.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...hampstead.html

For anyone with an interest in Modernist architecture there's also the NT property Two Willow Road down the hill. It works well with Fenton House if you take the Tube there, walk down the hill to see Two Willow rd and the nearby Keats house and then the overground back.

carolyn

Latedaytraveler, my daughter and I took the tube to Hampstead, walked around a few sights, up to the heath and across to Kenwood House, toured it, then walked to the side entrance of the park and around the road to the Spaniard's Inn for lunch, and then back to the tube stop. Of course, this was nine years ago; but I was 70.

northie

Love the idea of lunch after at Spaniards inn - a lovely place to eat