At the end of Buckingham Gate I turn right onto Victoria Street, past Westminster City Hall which was built in 1966 and was the first skyscraper in the area. The street itself is very similar to high streets across the country in that it has all the usual high street stores and places to eat. There is a branch of John Lewis which also houses its head office. For the more upmarket you have Hugo Boss and The Ivy. One of the more impressive buildings is Artillery Mansions, formerly a hotel where a young Norman Wisdom worked as an errand boy. Further along I come to Westminster Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral that was completed 1903 and was built on land that previously housed a prison. Although not so picturesque from the outside its very impressive inside. The tower has a viewing gallery that is 64 metres (210 feet) above street level that gives an impressive 360 degree view of London, which is actually the reason I came but unfortunately the day is overcast and the staff advised me not to bother as the view would disappoint, so I will save this for a sunny day in the future. http://www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/ A few minutes walk along the road I come to the junction with Vauxhall Bridge Road and Wilton Road, and its here I find Little Ben. It is a cast iron miniature clock tower that mimics Big Ben. It was erected in 1892, then removed in 1964, restored and re-erected in 1981. During the refurbishment of Victoria Station in 2012 it was removed before being reinstated in 2016. To be honest it was a bit of a disappointment but that's life. Another one off the bucket list.
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AuthorLouis Mogg. Archives
March 2020
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