Seymour Place

A week or so ago to Seymour Place, an early 19th century offshoot of Seymour Street, named for an heir to the Portman Estate, founded by Sir William Portman, Lord Chief Justice to King Henry VIII, but not build until the mid 18th century. I think no relation to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, aka Lord Protector, aka Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, aka Earl of Hertford. Executed as the loser in some religious flavoured political punch-up in 1552. The place was once home to a well known public baths, possibly now rebranded as the Seymour Leisure Centre. See reference 1.

Two amusements on the platform at Epsom. First, trying to do something about the chin strap of my cycle helmet. Given the way the strap has been assembled, not very successful. Not possible to get the thing to lying flat and snug to the jaw. Second, prompted by some overheard youthful conversation, trying to think of all the filler words we use in conversation. This one not very successful either, not getting further than umm, hmm, basically, literally and like. Perhaps some more will come to me this evening.

Very few Bullingdons on the ramp at Waterloo, but, as it happened there was one in working order at the pole position. For some reason, two of the four lanes of Waterloo Bridge were devoted to bicycles. Both Drury Lane and High Holborn full of more or less stationary cars. Emerging into New Oxford Street, struck by the spire of St. George's of Bloomsbury. Otherwise, according to Bing, the Beasts of Bloomsbury. See reference 2.

Closely followed, for no apparent reason by a rather different kind of beast.

Oxford Street busy too, with plenty of cycles and plenty of infractions. Took the last slot on the stand outside the Portuguese Consulate in Portman Place and proceeded to the Cock & Lion, it being the hour for an apéritif.  Irritated by the street litter somewhere near the Wigmore Hall. Why do we have to put up with it?

Amused the our Economic Secretary to the Treasury, the in-house moniker for whom is EST, thought himself sufficiently grand to have a personalised number plate on his official car. Which, as it happens, I had thought had been replaced  years ago by hire cars, the official car pool having been enormously expensive to run.

While at the Cock & Lion I noticed that the time zone clocks above the bar, last noticed three years previously at reference 3, were missing, although you could still see where they had been. I suppose I could have asked the barman, but being young, foreign and probably new, he would probably not have had a clue, even if he was able to work out what I was talking about.

Moving on past the lush and empty Portman Square. Given that the buildings around the square are no longer houses, not clear who gets a key. Guests at one of the swanky hotels? At least it is spared the tawdry sheds presently occupying Cavendish Square.

And so to Vinotec of Seymour Place, a rather more modest affair than the branch at King's Cross which we visited a couple of years ago in the course of a visit to Kings Place, noticed at reference 4. Will we ever visit either again? All seems a long way away now. But I do remember a splendid moon one evening, high over Coals Drop Yard, presumably a relic of the steam age.

The waiter was rather concerned that the wine I chose was too sweet and too warm. But a brand and a grape that I both know and like, and it served well enough. Makers of fine wine for more than 400 years. For which see reference 4. Finding the four notices in these pages is left as an exercise for the reader.

White bread much better than average. The black pudding was well enough, but it would have been better had they bothered to skin it before cooking it. And the bed of red lentils on which it was served would have been better hot than cold. The chicken which followed was good enough, but a few too many herbs for my palate. Moaning apart, a satisfactory meal and I would give the place another try.

Church of the Assumption in Bryanston Street firmly shut. Perhaps I should have tried the nearby West London Synagogue for a change, said by gmaps to include an Arts Café, which might be supposed to admit Gentiles, but that was not to be seen at reference 7.

No.16 bus to Victoria from the top of Park Lane. Unsightly decapitated horse at the bottom of Park Lane, which I had thought was at the top, but it would have been a bit of a performance to move it. Best melted down as far as I am concerned.

Almost scored two aeroplanes from inside the train at Clapham Junction, one to the west and one to the east. Might have done had I cared to get out and wait for the next train to Epsom. Also a fine view of the once grand grand.

Lots of football action on Court Recreation Ground when I passed through. Must have been hundreds of boys there, of various ages. All to do with the Epsom and Ewell football club. Good for them.

TB quiet but not empty at 18:30 or so. The day of the beer mats, already noticed at reference 8.

References

Reference 1: https://www.bathsandwashhouses.co.uk/archive/your-local-buildings/london/seymour-place-public-baths-st-marylebone/.

Reference 2: https://wmf.org.uk/Projects/st-georges-bloomsbury/. 'Nicholas Hawksmoor, protégé of Sir Christopher Wren, built six churches resulting from the 1711 Act of Parliament, which demanded 50 new churches in London. St. George’s Bloomsbury is his most idiosyncratic work, marrying baroque splendour with classical references, and topped by the most eccentric spire in London – an architectural gem and celebrated London landmark since its consecration in 1731, certainly one of the country’s most important churches'.

Reference 3: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/06/trouts.html.

Reference 4: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/04/kings-cross.html.

Reference 5: https://www.rollygassmann.fr/en/. Be patient: takes a while to load.

Reference 6: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2021/11/via-sutton.html.

Reference 7: https://www.wls.org.uk/.

Reference 8: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/06/preparations.html.