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The Mackintosh Church Queen's Cross Glasgow
by catsholiday The Mackintosh Church This was yet another of the Charles Rennie Macintosh sites that we wanted to visit when we were in Glasgow. We planned our visits carefully because the Rennie Mackintosh sites are pretty scattered around the city. This was one we planned to visit on the day we arrived after our meal at One Devonshire ... gardens and the mackintosh House. We needed to drive here as it was a bit out of the city and was only open on limited days and times. The reason we wanted to visit on our first day which was Wednesday is that the Church is free to visit after 1pm on Wednesday. WHERE TO FIND THE CHURCH Queen's Cross 870 Garscube Road Glasgow G20 7EL Tel: 0141 946 6600 The church is right on the cross roads and there is nowhere to park except on the streets nearby. We drove around a couple of times trying to find the church and then somewhere to park which was on a nearby street and free. OPENING TIMES April - October Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am to 5pm last admission 4.30pm November to March Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am to 4pm last admission 3.30pm Closed Tuesday, Thursday, Saturdays, Sundays, Good Friday, May bank Holiday, Glasgow fair Monday, August Bank holiday, Christmas and New Year. PRICES Adults £4, Concessions £2 and children free Free entry for anyone on Wednesdays after 1pm A QUICK BIT OF HISTORY The church was commissioned in 1896 and the company of architects asked to design the church gave the job to their young trainee architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the rest is history as they say. This is the only church designed by CRM that was actually built so is a unique piece of architecture. THE SOCIETY The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society has its headquarters in this church and this society was established in 1973 to preserve, maintain and improve Charles Rennie Mackintosh buildings such as this church for future generations to see and enjoy. OUR VISIT We were welcomed into the church by friends of the Mackintosh church who told us a little about the church and pointed us in the direction of some of the things to see. The church is no longer used as a church and is cared for by the Mackintosh society and has been since 1977. The society was able to purchase the church in 1999 after receiving a generous donation from Dr Howarth. Today the church is open to visitors and also available for hire as a wedding venue for marriage ceremony rather than the reception and wedding breakfast. Outside in my humble opinion the church looks like any other and is in a rather unattractive location on the junction of fairly busy roads. Inside it looks pretty much like a church too with fixed pews and an altar but it does have a few specifically CRM features. The most spectacular are the wooden and stone carved reliefs and the stained glass windows. There are also a number of pieces of furniture designed by CRM. I loved the huge stained glass window above the altar with its minimalist design, a lot of wood and a little green but most of the design is in the window shapes and it looks simple but beautiful. I much prefer the simplicity of this to the busy older style stained glass stuff. Another beautiful window was the chancel window which is based on the gothic form but is definitely CRM in its design with its beautiful heart shaped motifs and simple blue and purple glass. The altar is again very simple but carved in CRM style. The front has carvings of leaves and stems only, simple and clean. They reminded me of the sumac design of frank Lloyd Wright and that is amazing as the two never met. I love the fact that the carpenter who made the altar and the two chairs was paid the princely sum of £16.16.6p for all three back in 1899. The pulpit was again very simple and wood with crosses carved on it. I also loved the carving of the bird with seedlings. In fact throughout the church we found lots of carvings of animals from birds to insects and of course many plants not only carved in the wood pews, pulpit and more but also in the stone and also on the beams. You found little treasures where ever you looked. The stunning the rood beam with its central light has a very modern and art nouveau in my view and I would be happy to have them in my house today. Apparently this is not original as that was taken out in the 1950s and this replica was installed in 1990. I think what impressed me about CRM Is that Like frank Lloyd Wright, he doesn't just design the building he also takes on the interior completely adding detail to every small nook and cranny. He also designed the chairs and the alms dishes as well. Everything needs to be looked at otherwise you might miss a little gem. You can go upstairs in two parts of the church to the galleries. The one at the front of the church has quite narrow steps but as you go up there are carvings to enjoy. The gallery at the back of the church is larger and allows you to have a great view of the church from above and also to examine more closely the fabulous beams across the main hall of the church. At the top of each of the arched beams are carved designs which add elegance to them despite their dark wood look. This church is not anyway near as great as the mackintosh House recreation but it was very interesting and as we had planned to explore the Rennie Mackintosh sights in Glasgow we had to include this. All the better for it being a free visit on the afternoon we visited. This is the only church designed by CRM that was actually built so is a unique site so I would recommend this as a place to visit for anyone interested in the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Thanks for reading. This review may be posted on other sites under my same user name. ©Catsholiday Read the complete review |
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Tower of London (London)
by teafan11 This is a fabulous place to visit especially if you have a passion for history as I do. The imposing building is foreboding as you approach and you can easily become immersed in its brutal past. You can understand why there was such fear and dread surrounding the palace when you see the torture implements. There are many Yeomen warders ... (beef eaters) who have been serving the palace and monarch since Tudor times. All of the warders have long service and good conduct medals so therefore they are not simply tourist's attractions but distinguished service men and women. They wear very elaborate and traditional uniforms which have remained the same for centuries. They still perform many of the traditional ceremonies including the ceremony of the keys, which is done every night and is not a public ceremony. Keeping history and tradition alive which I believe incredibly important, what else do we have to pass on to our children? The yeomen and their families live in the palace grounds (how incredible would that be?). All the warders are extremely friendly and very happy to pose for photographs and give information and advice. The crown jewels are now housed at the tower of London, in a huge vault and are viewed by stepping on moving pathway and you are able to view the jewels through specialist glass. The palace has had many uses over the centuries, having initially been constructed by the Normans shortly after the Norman Conquest. The palace has been a royal residence, an armoury and jail. It has homed exotic animals like tigers and has even been a mint. It has had so many uses and that makes its significance all that more important. There are many examples of historical armoury all very magnificent. You are able to venture into prison cells and there are chilling examples of graffiti etched into the soft stone. We were able to walk around the top of the palace through each miniature tower in turn. There are of course the famous ravens that are reputed to bring down the country should they leave the tower, and although this is simply legend, they clip the bird's wings to prevent them from leaving, just to be sure!!! They also have historical characters that re-enact important historical events and often include the crow making history fun. My son had a marvellous time as one of the king's soldiers, and was very impressive at marching. It made his day! The history surrounding the palace is immense but the most famous visitors to the `bloody tower` were the condemned wives of henry viii, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both were executed here. His daughter Elizabeth also spent time in the tower prior to her taking the thrown and becoming one of the most famous and powerful monarchs, when her sister Mary felt Elizabeth was a threat to her thrown. All of which would have entered through the infamous `traitors gate`. Opening times Tuesday - Saturday 09:00 - 16:30 Sunday - Monday 10:00 - 16:30 Last admission is at 16:00. Adults - £19.80 Child (under 16) - £10.45 Concessions (full time students or over 60) - £17.05 Family (Up to 2 adults and up to 6 children) - £55.00 Children under five are free. An essential carer is admitted free with each disabled visitor which I think is wonderful. I used my Tesco vouchers to purchase tickets on the day but there are online options for a small discount and group entry also incurs a small discount. Telephone bookings number is 0844 482 7799 (from the UK) or +44 (0)20 3166 6000 (from outside the UK) The nearest underground station is Tower hill that are on the district and circle lines and is directly across the road from the tower and as you exit the tube station the tower is an impressive sight. There are also regular bus routes, routes 15, 42, 78, 100, RV1 all stop near the tower and the city sight- seeing bus also serves the tower. The riverboats also stop at the tower as do the docklands light railway. You also get an impressive view of Tower Bridge and can see the HMS Belfast floating impressively in the Thames. There are several eateries in the tower, several kiosks and restaurants serving snacks and drinks, and the restaurants serve hot meals, however these are quite expensive and I find that taking a picnic is a cheaper option. There are many wooden benches and archways that are perfect for picnics. There are a few souvenir shops selling the normal tourist items, such as mugs and pens and also lovely tankards and china, all similarly priced to other London tourist attractions, which are usually quite expensive. I would say that this is not the most accessible of buildings, as has many steps and narrow doorways not very practical for buggies or wheelchairs. There are areas for leaving your buggy at a cost of £1.00 making it easier for you to move around, but for wheelchair users the palace is not very accessible, with no means of improvement. I have been many time and it never fails to impress. Read the complete review |
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The Birmingham Hippodrome (Birmingham)
by ladyofcampfires One thing I do like about where I live is that both Birmingham and Wolverhampton are within very easy reach via train meaning I have easy access to a good number of venues hosting a varied range of live events. One of these venues I have been to a fair few times is The Birmingham Hippodrome, my most recent visit being last night to see ... the hilarious Kevin Bridges. The Hippodrome is located in Birmingham's city centre and is just a ten minute walk from New Street Train Station (which is pretty much a walk down a straight road, turn left, a walk down another straight road). There are a good number of bus stops around the venue as well as a car park a few minutes' walk away meaning it's an easy place to get to regardless of your method of travel. The downside to the location of this venue is the fact that there are a number of nightclubs surrounding it meaning coming out of the venue late at night usually leads to bumping into one or two dodgy drunken characters! There have been a few occasions when I've been stood outside this place having a cigarette when a woman on her own has asked to stand with me which pretty much sums up how safe this area feels at night! Fortunately, The Hippodrome isn't the type of place where you end up stood in a queue outside waiting for doors to open. There are a number of bars and restaurants within the building which tend to open early afternoon meaning if you arrive at the venue an hour or so before the show starts then you can just go inside, sit down and wait. One thing I like about this venue is that I don't recall ever being searched on my way in so I've had no problems taking in bottles of Pepsi and my own nibbles which saves you a fair bit of money. Upon stepping inside this huge, glass fronted building you're greeted by a spacious room where a ticket collection desk is located as well as a number of members of staff who will assist you if required. There's a couple of steps which then take you to the first bar area of the venue as well as stair cases leading up to the higher levels of the building and a lift if one should be needed. This area is what I refer to as 'the holding pen'. Littered with tables and soft, red velvet seats, this is where everyone gathers before entering the performance area. There is normally a sign around this area too which informs everyone what the time the performance you're here to see will finish which is a handy bit of information. Toilets are easily located wherever you are in the building it seems which is a good job really considering each toilet block only has around ten cubicles within it. Whilst this does mean it's quite easily possible to spend the entire interval at a show waiting for the loo (on one occasion I didn't actually manage to get in until the show had started again) the toilets are at least in a clean and respectable condition constantly. They always smell fresh, are stocked up with toilet roll and hand wash and have modern hand dryers so you're not waiting forever and a day for your washed hands to dry. The sanitary product dispensing machine in the toilets is remarkably cheap as well. I have a strange habit of looking at these things to see where charges the most outrages prices for a tampon for some reason, they're only 40p here! When the show is about to start you're taken to your seats in the 1935 seater venue. Seats are in two sections, stalls (ground floor) and middle circle (first floor). The seating is on the middle circle is quite steep and from past experience I'd say if you can't get anything closer than row L in the stalls then you'll probably have a less restricted view up in the middle circle. In fact, unless seats are available in the first five or so rows in the stalls I normally opt for the middle circle as I just find the seats better. Disabled seating is offered on the front row of the middle circle and there are steps leading up to the rest of the rows. I find the seats are comfortable and offer plenty of leg room for me however if you're over 6ft you'll probably spent the evening with your knees touching the seat in front of you up in the middle circle. There are always members of staff on the doors entering the seating area who will help you locate your seats although as long as you're in the right bit (stalls or middle circle) you'll probably be able to work that out for yourself as each row is clearly lettered and each seat clearly numbered. Seats are, again, covered in red velvet whilst the white high ceilings offer some lovely engravings and big, extravagant looking golden chandeliers and the inside is just generally very pleasant a little bit posh looking. All seats are obviously facing the decent sized stage which offers a swift moving curtain for non-fuss setting changes during plays and the likes. Lightening here always goes hand in hand with the performance you're watching and I've never experienced a problem with sound in this venue either. In general, it's a good venue which offers an enjoy surrounding to what a, hopefully, enjoyable show. The Hippodrome hosts a number of shows from stand-up comedy to ballet, opera, musicals and dance shows. Full listings of upcoming shows can be found on their website www.birminghamhippodrome.com and packages can be often be bought for each show combining three course dinners and show tickets. The venue also has a few box seats which can be bought (at a high price) too. All in all, I recommend visiting the Hippodrome for an entertaining night out. Should a show I attend here ever disappoint me it's purely down the show rather than the venue so I never have a problem visiting here and always keep an eye out on their website for new listings which may interest me. Read the complete review |
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1 review Tel: +44(0)1728 724 189. Admission: Adults £3.20, Concessions £2.40 Children £1.60, Under 5's Free, 15% Discount for Groups of 11 or more. |
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