The day is cold, around 7°C (45°F) and grey but dry. This picture gives you some idea of it.

We took a number 59 bus but this unfortunately broke down so we changed to a number 476 which took us to Haringey where I photographed the old well.

A number 230 took us from here to Walthamstow.

One of the first interesting sights we found there was this building. I have mentioned before how we “collect” old Burton’s stores and we immediately recognised this as one such.

Burton’s stores usually have one or more foundation stones which are useful for dating the building. As the ground floor of this one has been modified (I’m inclined to say ruined by unsympathetic alteration work) I didn’t expect to find any but…

ta-dah! Careful search revealed this one, a typical example in black marble, inscribed “THIS STONE LAID BY STANLEY HOWARD BURTON 1931”. There were possibly others (they tended to come in threes) but, if so, they have been removed or covered up.

After a pit stop at a Costa Coffee shop, we started along the High Street.

I noticed that between each building was a sculpted figure of what appears to be a dragon.

Not only is this decoration unusual but it also shows that this part of the High Street was built as a whole and not a separately financed individual buildings as is more often the case.

Walthamstow Market takes place in the High Street and is reputedly the longest outdoor market in Europe. It started in 1885 and runs from Tuesday to Saturday.

An inn has stood on this site since at least the 18th century but this one dates from 1880.

Today, the ground floor accommodates a cake shop and cafe but the plaque high on the wall leaves us in no doubt that this was once the Cock Tavern. A coach house and stables were added in 1888 but I don’t know whether they are still extant.

I was pleased to see this branch of Manze’s apparently still going strong as the one near us in Chapel Market closed a while back.

Leading off the High Street is a road with the evocative name of Mission Grove. I thought at first sight that this building was indeed the mission, especially as I could make out the word “Mission” through the foliage. However, it turned to be Mission Grove Primary School, built in 1905. Still with its separate entrances marked “Boys”, “Girls” and “Infants”, it was a welcome find but it left the mystery: where was the mission and does it still exist or was it replaced by the school?

It was by now time for a late lunch and by happy chance came upon a Turkish restaurant called Göyüzü. We ordered lentil soup and a pide each, with Turkish tea. (Did I say I love Turkish tea?) The restaurant was crowded and noisy and the waiter misheard the order, bringing only one pide instead of two. However, this turned out to be fortunate because with the soup and the plates of salad and bread that are served with the meal, one pide shared between us turned out to be plenty. I expected a big bill but it was quite modest. What a pity this restaurant is so far from where we live!

After lunch, we visited the public library. It contains many interesting features but one needs to be discreet in photographing public places such as a library. This picture shows a view of the rather fine staircase and the stained glass windows on the first landing.

This photo shows some of the fine carving on the staircase.

Two famous philanthropists are associated with the library. The first is John Passmore Edwards who, in 1894 paid for an extension to the library which was then sited in a house called Rosebank. The second is Andrew Carnegie who financed the new library that replaced Rosebank in 1907. (Edwards’s extension still forms part of the library.) Both of these names are writ large in Britain’s public library system and other educational foundations.

Before taking the tube for home, I took this photo of the rather striking Central Parade. Previous buildings on the site were destroyed on WWII by a flying bomb and the parade was built in 1954 “in Festival of Britain style”, including the “modern” but not unpleasant clock tower.

Designed by F.G. Southgate, it comprises a shopping centre, offices and apartments on the upper floors. More recently, there was a plan to redevelop the site which would include demolishing the dwellings. However, Historic England evaluated the complex and gave it a Grade II listing, in view of which the Council has shelved its demolition plans, no doubt to the relief of the occupants.