From Bunhill Fields, I walked past St. Luke, Old Street, one of the Fifty New Churches, with a nave thought to be by John James, but with an obelisk and west tower by his colleague, Nicholas Hawksmoor:-
A block of flats protesting in Norman Street:-
I admired the Greek Revival detailing on St. Clement’s, King Square by Philip Hardwick (1822):-
Beyond on Garnault Place is the southern extension of Finsbury Town Hall with its baroque detailing by Charles Evans-Vaughan:-
So, into Amwell Street:-
I ended up in Lloyd Square with its fine houses of the early 1830s, designed by W.J. Booth for the Lloyd Baker Estate:-
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
And you didn’t continue on to Cumberland Gardens where there is a former pub by Hardwick?
No, I didn’t have Pevsner with me. Was just rambling. Happy New Year ! Charles
What a remarkable mix of architects ! THANK YOU.
I think the area around Bunhill Fields is quite fascinating. Just near St Luke’s is Ironmonger’s Row where there is a decorated old bath and wash house. Also like walking down Whitecross Street opposite which feels quite Dickensian.
Yes, I like Whitecross Street, too – full of odd restaurants and cafes, good for the Barbican. Charles
The protesting flats are in Burnhill House. They are protesting against a much needed but apparently misleadingly communicated re-design and -development of Finsbury Leisure Centre and the St Luke’s Housing Area which would considerably occlude existing residences (https://saveoursunlight.wordpress.com/). The proposed Centre design is by Pollard Thomas Edwards (http://pollardthomasedwards.co.uk/project/the-%E2%80%8Bfinsbury-centre/), and would replace a ramshackle collection of buildings which haven’t seen much love over the last 20 years.
The former bathhouse Victoria notes is Ironmonger Row Baths, which has a lovely 30m swimming pool and a 15m teaching pool, as well as Turkish baths.
Finally, why has the historic district of Finsbury been so thoroughly forgotten? I don’t think I’ve ever met a Londoner who doesn’t live there but who knows where it is. Most think one’s referring to Finsbury Park.
Finsbury Park is named after Finsbury. It was started in the 1850s and opened in 1869 as London’s second municipal park. Designed by Frederick Manable and Alexander MacKenzie as an ‘out-county’ park for the residents of Finsbury, who were very short of open spaces
Thanks for your note, Camilla. It’s obvious but unexpected connection, as the Borough and the Park are so poorly connected. There is the Northern City (or Moorgate or Great Northern Electrics) line [https://londonist.com/2016/03/london-s-forgotten-tube-line], but that didn’t open until the early 1900s. And the number 4 bus runs from Goswell Road to Finsbury Park, but wouldn’t have in the mid-Eighteenth Century. Perhaps Finsbury residents were expected to walk to the Park!
Splendid photos. May I ask what camera you’re using?
A Leica D-LUX, on loan. It’s got much better definition than my normal mobile phone pictures. Charles