You may remember in my previous post I shared a photo of a column erected in 1862 by John Mowlem in 1862, on Swanage seafront. The theatre is also known as the “Mowlem”. If you think you’ve heard the name before, it was a construction company that at one point employed over 2500 people. His nephew was George Burt, (Private Residence, now a Hotel pictured above) was also in the same line of business. Basically both shipped Purbeck Stone to London for the construction of many of it’s famous buildings. Paving Fleet Street, Blackfriars Bridge, Billingsgate Market, Smithfield Fruit Market – the list goes on and on. Once the Purbeck Stone had been delivered however, the barges needed ballast for stabilisation for the return journey. In an act of Victorian Re-cycling, Messer’s Burt and Mowlem used “architectural salvage” as ballast, and so, many “bit’s” of Old London found their way to Swanage!
Bollards! You may just make out the one above say’s “City of London”, there are four in a row just here – many more are dotted about the town. The little building in the background was the original “jail”!! This is behind the town hall (below). Turns out this was once the frontage of Mercers’ Hall on Cheapside, (Commercial area around St Pauls in London). It may or may not have been designed by Christopher Wren, if not then one of his team (Edward Jarman??).
Almost across the road is the Purbeck House Hotel, pictured at the start of this post. Here is a real collection of London bits! As one walks into the grounds there are bollards believed to be from Millbank Penitentiary, further on almost forming the gate to the garden is an arch from Hyde Park Corner (Burt’s’ Grosvenor Place Mansion). There is also an “extension” that sticks out with a copy of the Elgin marbles, supporting it’s weight is a column from Billingsgate Market.
Perhaps the most impressive thing in the London/Swanage catalogue is Wellington Tower. Originally erected as a monument to Wellington at the entrance to London Bridge, it was moved here in 1868. Sadly it is now surrounded by expensive private houses, that allow no access to it – lets hope they pay for it’s up-keep!
As I made my way back to my starting point by steam train, it’s interesting that the tradition continues… The signal box at Harman’s Cross is apparently originally from Gunnersbury (West London) and the footbridge at Corfe Castle Station is from Wimbledon!
As before, all of the images in this post were taken with my Nikkormat FT2 with the 28mm F lens. A combination that I’m really starting to enjoy! The Ilford FP4 (old movie film) was developed in D23.
S.H.O.U.T. 