Floor Sanding Westminster

Westminster provides examples of buildings of every age back to Saxon times.  For a taste of the civilised 18th century, Queen Anne’s Gate provides a delightful link on the edge of St James’s Park.  This little street of darkened brick is the best example of that century’s domestic architecture in the capital.  

It retains a Statue of Queen Anne from 1708 (incongruously surrounded by a set of grotesque faces) and a stretch of half hidden steps.  It’s easy to imagine how Milton was inspired to write part of Paradise Lost in the garden of a house that is now also sadly lost.

From Parliament Square, avoid Victoria Street and walk via Central Hall to enjoy the HQ of London Underground - 55 Broadway - at St James’s Park Station.  Built in 1929, this has one of the most impressive entrance halls in the entire network, enhanced by sculptures by Epstein (‘Night and Day’), Eric Gill and the young Henry Moore which were quite shocking in their time.  Indeed, a director of the railway offered to pay for their removal!  

The former Blewcoat School in Caxton St is no longer a National Trust gift shop and is now a private retailer’s.