I am still trying to persuade myself to go for a daily walk during the week when Tigger is at work and not here to encourage me. After lunch today, then, I put on my shoes and coat and strode out manfully, albeit without the least notion of where I was going.

After a few moments’ hesitation at the Angel crossroads, I set off down St John Street and thence into Rosebery Avenue.

Old Finsbury Town Hall

As its name suggests, Rosebery Avenue is lined with trees, most of them old and some very large with a girth that bids fair to block the pavement in some places. In summer, the trees are lusciously clothed in green but at this time of year, they are bare, allowing sights not visible then. So it was that my attention was caught by this full view of the old Finsbury Town Hall. Completed in 1895 (though with later additions), it is deservedly a Grade II* listed building. Sadly, the fine old clock seems not to be working.

The entrance canopy

In front of the main entrance is a canopy of ironwork decorated with stained glass panels. Can’t you just imagine important visitors stepping from their horse-drawn conveyances into the shelter of the canopy in inclement weather?

Old Clerkenwell Fire Station

Another striking building a little further down the road is the magnificent former Ckerkenwell Fire Station built in 1912-17.

No longer in use

No longer do fire engines run out from the red doors with sirens blaring. This station, like many others (and no few police stations also), has fallen victim to a policy of closures. I only hope that its new purpose, whatever that is, will be something of use to the community and not just an excuse to line some developer’s pockets. Its Grade II* listing at least offers it some protection.

From Rosebery Avenue, I turned into Grays Inn Road. Here I encountered another landmark building.

The Yorkshire Grey

This fine old pub, as it appears today, dates from Victorian times (1861 according to Pubwiki) though there has been a pub here from at least the early 19th century.

Head of a Yorkshire Grey

“Yorkshire Grey” is a popular name for older pubs, dating from the days of the horse-drawn delivery drays which were often pulled by a team of Yorkshire Grey horses. In those days it was common to see the drayman rewarding his horses with a drink from a bucket of beer – something today’s motorised drays are incapable of enjoying!

Aboard the 38

As for me, I felt I had done my bit for today and could take the bus for the return journey. Reaching the bus stop, I had literally one minute to wait for a number 38 bus. The front seats were taken so I sat in one of the rear-facing seats. If I couldn’t see where I was going, I could at least see where I had been!

My beer-drinking days are behind me: on my return home, I brewed a nice pot of my favourite blend of tea!