John Keats in Hampstead Heath

Coming out in just a few weeks is the movie "Bright Star," which is about the romance between the Romantic poet John Keats (1795-1821) and Fanny Brawne. Being considered as one of the best poets during the early part of the nineteenth century. Leaving his studies of becoming an apothecary surgeon when he was twenty-two years old in 1817 he turned his attention to poetry. As contemporary of Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, John wrote poems like the famous “Ode to Nightingale” (first published in1819). He wrote many of his poems, including “Ode to a Nightingale,” at his home in Hampstead Heath as well as where he fell in love with Fanny. He, unfortunately, passed away at the age of twenty-five from tuberculosis.

To explore the world of John Keats, I highly recommend taking a trip up to Hampstead Heath to visit his house where you can see the house and gardens itself as well as books, paintings and other everyday items that belonged to him. This also includes the engagement ring he had given to Fanny.

To get to the area of Hampstead, which is northeast of the London central area, just pop onto the Northern Line of the London Tube and get off at the Hampstead station or the Belsize Park station and walk . Or, if you could the above ground train to the station Hampstead Heath, which is closer walking distance to the John Keats' house.

If you take the Northern line to the Hampstead Tube station, walk the Hampstead High Street and take a left down Downshire Hill then a right onto Keats Grove which will lead you to the house. Or you can get off at Belsize Park and up Haverstock Hill, which will turn into Rosslyn Hil and eventually Hampstead High Street. Take a right onto Downshire Hill then a right onto Keats Grove. According to the website, the walk from the Hampstead station is mostly downhill and the walk from Belsize Park is up and downhill.

If you’re coming from the Hampstead Heath train station, walk down towards Heath Hurst Road and South End Road. If you continue one Heath Hurst Rd. it will take you around the back of the Keats House to its spot on Keats Grove.

The Keats House is opened to seasonal schedule:

Summer Season ( 24 July – 31 October)
Tuesday to Sunday 1:00pm – 5:00 pm Open to all visitors

Winter Season (1 November – Easter)
Friday to Sunday 1:00pm – 5:00pm Open to all visitors

*It is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but will reopen on News Years Day from 1:00pm – 5:00pm.*

Admissions to the house is relatively inexpensive, especially since they are valid for one year!:

Adults £5.00
Concessions (Pensioners, students and the unwaged) £3.oo
Children (16 and under) Free
Groups 10 or more adults (per person) £4.00
Groups 10 or more concessions (per person) £2.40

Note: if you are a group, you can book a visit during the hours prior to the times when the house is open to the public. Please visit the website to learn more!

To learn more about the house, which opened to the public in memoriam to the poet in 1925, please visit the website! I hope to visit the house in my future trip!

Keats House website: http://www.keatshouse.cityoflondon.gov.uk

New Statue At The Mall, Near Buckingham Palace

Back in February of this year Prince Charles unveiled the new addition to the statues that are currently standing in the Mall, near Buckingham Palace. The statues is of her late grandmother, the Queen Mother, who had passed away back in 2002 at the age of 101.

Sculpted by Philip Jackson, the Queen Mother's likeness is presented during her younger years and who is wearing the formal Garter robes. This was to match the existing statue of her late husband King George VI, which depicts him around the same age. Jackson said that he did this so that no one would mistaken her as King George's mother.

In addition to the bronze statue, there are also bronze relief panels, designed by Paul Day, that depict scenes from the Queen Mother's life. According to the BBC, these panels will include:

"... one of her with families in the East End of London after the Blitz, another with her congratulating a winning jockey at a race meeting and another of her sitting with her beloved corgis at the Castle of Mey in Scotland."

So, when you visit the Mall and Buckingham Palace, make sure that you visit the Queen Victoria Memorial that stands right outside of the palace gates. But also take a minute to visit the new memorial statue of the Queen Mother as well as the statue of King George the VI who stands above and behind her.



References:
Relph, Daniela. 2009. "A New View of the Queen Mother." BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7907871.stm

(NA). 2009. "Prince Hails Queen Mother Tribute." BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7906986.stm

Welcome!

Hello! Thank you for visiting The Wielded Pen – London!

This blog came to life back in 2006 when I studied abroad in London, England for six amazing weeks. I used WP – L as a way to let everyone back home know of my comings, goings, and adventures in the city. These were not the best moments of blog typing, as it could be considered rather lame, but that was how I was during the experience.

Since then, the blog has morphed to become a place where people (especially those like students going for the first time) can learn of things to do and places to go when in London. I also provide travel advice based on my own experiences as well as announcements as I see them in the news.

I hope you enjoy the blog and please visit again!

Winter Hits London!

A blast of winter weather has hit London today. Snow has blanketed the city and has forced London Transport to suspend their bus services due to the road conditions. The Tube is also facing disruptions and suspensions. This includes a complete suspension of the Circle Line, which is, in my opinion, one of the most important lines within Zone 1 as it gets you around to all of the other lines. The airports are also facing delays and closures.

Due to the delays and closures of the transportation system what can one due? Well, there are two options to those traveling in London.

1. Stay inside. You can simply stay inside your hotel and stay warm. Watch some telly, read your guidebooks. Through, this is the warmest idea it can also be the dullest way to spend the day.

2. If you have you appropriate clothing – head out! London is a beautiful city and to see blanketed in snow is just an added plus! Take some pictures. Go to a public park, play in the snow. Build a snowman! Though transportation is dismal there are always the taxi cabs (remember, the black ones are the best and most reliable!) and you can always walk. If you get too cold, pop into a tea shop for some warm goodness. Go shopping for those souvenirs! Go roam the great museums and galleries. For other ideas go ahead and ask the front desk at your hotel or wherever you’re staying to learning about other great and unique things for you to do.

For those who are dreaming of London check out these great pictures that were submitted to the BBC by Londoners living in the snow (there are links to the right that have pictures from Saturday to Sunday and there are also links to Snow Sculptures and Animals in the Snow.)!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7876336.stm

Enjoy the weather as much as possible. Stay warm and have fun!

U.S. Embassy to Move!

Hello everyone! It has been a very long time since I last posted on the Pen-London. School has taken over all aspects of my life. However, the blog is still going to be alive (especially once I graduate out of school in May), and I several items I would like to post about when the time comes.

In the meantime, however, I thought I would post this for those who are currently in London or planning a trip to London in the future.

The U.S. Embassy is planning on moving its location. It is currently situated in Mayfair near Hyde Park and Oxford Street; however, it going to move to the south London’s Nine Elms area in Wandsworth. Nine Elms is located south of the Thames and west of the Vauxhall Bridge Rd and the Vauxhall tube station.

Here is the October press release from the embassy:

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION
Press Release
02 October 2008
U.S. Takes First Steps Toward Embassy Relocation

Meeting the challenge of providing a modern, open and secure American diplomatic facility in London, the U.S. State Department today signed a conditional agreement with the real estate developer Ballymore to acquire a site in the Nine Elms Opportunity Area in Wandsworth for the construction of a new Embassy.

“This has been a long and careful process,” said Ambassador Robert Tuttle, who has led the search for a new site. “We looked at all our options, including renovation of our current building on Grosvenor Square. In the end, we realized that the goal of a modern, secure and environmentally sustainable Embassy could best be met by constructing a new facility. I'm excited about America playing a role in the regeneration of the South Bank of London.”

A design competition will ensure the new facility reflects the best of modern design, incorporates the latest in energy-efficient building techniques, and celebrates the values of freedom and democracy.

This is an initial agreement conditioned on the approval of the United States Congress and local planning authorities. The existing Embassy building will be offered for sale almost immediately. However, it is still possible that the Embassy will remain at the current location if for whatever reason the site acquisition and acceptable planning consent do not materialize. The global real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield is advising the Overseas Buildings Operations Bureau (OBO), which directs the State Department's worldwide facilities program, on this project.

Sean Mulryan, Chairman of the Ballymore Group, said of the decision, “We are delighted the United States Embassy has chosen to invest in our Nine Elms project. The new Embassy will serve as a catalyst for the regeneration of the area.”

###

Members of the media may direct enquiries to presslon@state.gov

This is also available via the web at the following URL: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/ukpapress84.html

There is also a BBC News article about the planned move and provides a nice insight of why they are moving: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7649184.stm

As this is in the beginning stages, the embassy is still located at Grosvenor Square at the following address:

24 Grosvenor Square
London, W1A 2LQ
United Kingdom

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact or visit the embassy. Here is a schematic map of its location. You can also GPS or Google the location by using the address. Please make sure that the postcode W1A 2LQ or else you will be taken to a post office station!

For life or death emergency involving a United States citizen call [44] (20) 7499-9000. A Consular Duty Officer is available 24 hours a day.

Hope this bit of information is helpful in anyway. If anyone has concerns about traveling abroad, please read my post about Being Safe Abroad. Happy travels!

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays everyone! If you are fortunate enough to be staying or traveling through London during the Christmas or New Year season, there are numerous things to do and see to get into the holiday spirit.

There are a lot of things to do and see in London during the holiday seasons. The ones that I mention here may be considered the simplest yet perhaps the most fun things to do, especially for families.

Possibly considered the equivalent to New York’s Rockefeller Center, London’s Trafalgar Square is the home of the city’s Christmas tree. The tree, which is a Norwegian Spruce and is 65 feet in height, marks the 60th anniversary the people of Norway giving the people of London the tree. The tradition began in 1947 when Norway presented the tree as a sign of gratitude for Britain’s support for Norway during the Second World War.

The tree was lit back on December 6 and will remain there until January 4, 2008, the Twelfth Night of Christmas. When it is taken down, the tree will be recycled into the mulch, very eco friendly decision.

Along with the Christmas tree, there is also Carol-singing at Trafalgar. From December 10-23 there is will be dozen of groups will sing on the stage, many of which raise charitable donations.

The second fun thing to do during the winter season is to ice skate. There are many ice skating rinks around the city and its famous landmarks to enjoy. There are rinks at the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Somerset House, Alexandra Palace, the Natural History Museum, and Canary Wharf to name a few. You will have to purchase tickets in order to skate; however, the fee is fairly reasonable and range from £7.50 (children) to £12.50 (adults) depending on the location. For a “complete” listing of the ice rinks in London you can visit the View London.co.uk website for overviews of the rinks, which also have links to Ticketmaster to purchase tickets. However, I also highly recommend visiting the official website of the landmark locations, such as Somerset House or the Tower of London for information and how to purchase to tickets.

Also throughout London there are fantastic Christmas lights. Along with dozens of shows to see, the famous West End is covered in lights. Other well-known locations, which include Oxford Street and the store Harrod’s are lit for the holiday season.

Now, onto New Year celebration. There is one fantastical event to ring in the year 2008: the firework show on the South Bank at the London Eye. The city is expecting to have over 350,000 people to celebrate the New Year here. Big Ben will chime at midnight and the fireworks will fill the night sky for ten minutes. You can view the show anywhere you can see the London Eye, but prime choice spots would be between Blackfiars and Westminster Bridges on the banks of the Thames. For more information, such as safety, transportation, and FAQs please check out the city’s website.

Of course, if you would prefer to celebrate in a smaller crowd there are many pubs, bars, and clubs, to go to.

I hope that I have inspired some to take advantage of some of the events and things to do while in London. If you do, please exercise caution while in large crowds, especially if you are traveling with children.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Explore Haunted London

London is considered one of the most haunted cities in the world. If one of your goals is to visit as many haunted sites as possible while in London, I recommend reading and bring Richard Jones' book Walking Haunted London: 25 Original Walks Exploring London's Ghostly Past with you.

Walking Haunted London offers twenty-five walking tours that will take you around London's haunted areas. There is the classic Jack the Ripper tour, the Tower of London, a tour through the famous areas like Westminster to Piccadilly, Covent Garden, Kensington to Notting Hill, Greenwich, as well as places a little farther off: Windsor and Eton and Pluckley: England's most haunted village. There are detailed maps that will show where to go. There is also well written instructions for each and every tour that will tell you were to go (especially which Tube station to take) but also give a background story of why the place is haunted and what are the ghostly occurrences to people report hearing and seeing.

Richard Jones also has a website that provides more information about these specific tours as well as other London walking tours such as tours of Charles Dicken's London, which takes you around to the various places where Dicken's lived and the places that he included in his works. There is also a tour of the beautiful, yet haunted, Hampstead, a tour of Haunted Hotels of London, and much more.

I unfortunately left my copy of Walking Haunted London at home in the States when I went to London last year. However, I discovered Jones' website, which proved to be handy when I retraced the steps of the Jack the Ripper walking tour I took within the first month of my stay. The information really great and if I had more time I would have done more of his walking tours, especially one dedicated to Charles Dicken's.

If you would prefer to not to take a walking tour on your (or at lease till you learn your way around the city) there area literally hundreds of guided walking tours at reasonably prices. The one that is most popular and well-known is London Walks. I highly recommend them. My walking tours, the Jack the Ripper and the Harry Potter tour, were guided by great tour guides. I did not to my self-created walking tour of the houses of famous poets and authors or my retraced steps of Jack the Ripper until near the end of my six weeks stay when I new the city almost as well as the back of my hand.