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Yesterday I went to London to meet up with the National U3A group for a guided historic walk around the Kensington and Chelsea area.  We began our walk at the Victoria and Albert Museum's imposing entrance.



The V&A was created after the 1851 Great Exhibition, when it was decided that a permanent site for collections should be created, and in 1852, Marlborough House was opened as the first public museum site called the South Kensington Museum. It was the first museum to have a café so that researchers could dine.

The current site was originally the home of the Brompton Park Nursery, growing produce for the city. In 1899, Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone for the current building (although she did not live long enough to see it completed nine years later), and the building was renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum.

More under the cut with photos of the area - including statues, churches, stables and architectural features.
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The two-hour walk took us around in a loop of the V&A and was very interesting. Many of the areas I'd not walked around before, and I shall definitely be exploring again another day.

Yesterday, a friend and I went to visit The Charterhouse in London. I've been several times, but she'd never been, so it was fun to go back again.



The Charterhouse's history goes back to 1348 when the site was used as an emergency cemetery for plague victims in London. The 'Black Death' killed 60% of the London population, and a Chapel was built on the site for mourners to pray for the victims' souls. Following this, a Carthusian monastery (known as a Charterhouse) was built nearby in 1371 and thrived for many years.

In 1545, following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII (which led to the death of the monks and the seizing of the land by the Crown), a Tudor manor house was built using some parts of the old monastery. You can just see some of the original stones above the bench in the frieze at the base of the building if you click the photo.

In 1611, Thomas Sutton, a wealthy landowner, bought the site and turned it into a charitable institution which included a school for 'poor' boys and almshouse accommodation for 80 impoverished 'poor Brothers'.  Today, the school has relocated, but it is still home to 43 people who are given free accommodation if they meet certain criteria. This is still fully funded by the charity Sutton set up and is maintained by Governors (including King Charles II).

More under the cut with photos.
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The criteria for becoming a Brother at The Charterhouse in 1611 - you would have to be “either decrepit or old captaynes either at sea or at land, maimed or disabled soldiers, merchants fallen on hard times, those ruined by shipwreck or other calamity”. It was originally a Faith-based charity.

Today the criteria are: you must be single, and over 60 years old; in financial, housing or social need and have no significant debts. You must be able to live independently, be keen to contribute to a community and have the right to live in the UK.

I'd love to live there, but there are a couple of criteria I don't meet! LOL!

It was a fascinating tour, and even though I've been before, I learned some new things, which is always good!