Dragged out of Retirement

Yesterday I met up with my friend Sheila for a jaunt in central London, and she suggested we went to the Courthald Gallery at Somerset House, as it's free entrance on a Monday between 10am and 2pm, and maybe as we would be on The Strand we might also visit Benjamin Franklin's House near Charing Cross raiway station. As it was very windy (and quite chilly) we decided to catch the Tube and get out at Temple so that it would be a short walk along Embankment to the riverside entrance of Somerset House.

Work was going on the the large courtyard, and there were rolls and rolls of turf waiting to be laid, following the removal of the large Winter (temporary) Ice Rink, and the various London Fashion Week show spaces of last month.

Somerset House (history here ) is a substantial building dating from the 18th century when it replaced a large Tudor mansion on the site. For a long time it was the central register for Births, Deaths and Marriages in England, and the Inland Revenue also had offices here too.  In recent years it has been redeveloped and restored for housing a number of Galleries and open spaces for public use.

The Courthald Gallery is situated in one wing of the building, and is relatively small but contains some wonderful (and well known) works of art.... some of the rooms are stunning in their own right with fabulous painted ceilings and plasterwork. It was comfortably busy, with many (what would appear) "non-tourists". People-watching added to the enjoyment too.

People-Watching..............