travel – Page 2 – Janet's Adventures in Waterstones

Bromley – Saturday 30th March 2024

We stayed in Ealing for the Easter weekend, so on the Saturday morning we hopped on a train from Victoria and went to Bromley. The town was originally in the county of Kent and was a market town, having received its charter in 1158. It became part of the London Borough of Bromley in 1965. The Waterstones (originally an Ottakar’s) is located in the Glades Shopping Centre in the heart of the town, and is set over two floors. Although in a very modern building, the store has a quirky layout.

Bromley map

St Peter and St Paul, Bromley

Bromley parish church, or to give it its official name, St Peter and St Paul, Bromley was mostly destroyed during a bombing raid in 1941 – the only remaining part was the tower. The church was rebuilt and the nave of the new church was consecrated in 1952, with the chancel and sanctuary consecrated five years later. The original tower was retained in the rebuilding. The church was being prepared for the Easter services when we arrived, and we didn’t realise that it wasn’t officially open, but we were welcomed inside, and even taken to see the Children’s chapel, the main feature of which is the mural, which was designed and painted by Alison Hodson in 2007/08.

Bromley and H G Wells

The author H G Wells, probably best-known for his story The War of the Worlds, was born in Bromley in 1866 and lived in the town for the first thirteen years of his life. There was a large mural of Wells in the town, but after severe deterioration it was painted over with a mural of Charles Darwin (who lived near Bromley for many years) although a small image of Wells was included on it. You can see the original mural here.

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Guildford – Friday 29th March 2024

Guildford is the county town of Surrey and sits on the river Wey. It’s known for its historic cobbled High Street and its famous 17^th century Guildhall clock. The town also boasts a Norman castle with panoramic views of the area. The grounds at Guildford Castle opened as public gardens in 1888 to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 and are free to visit – there is a modest charge to go inside the castle. On the outskirts of Guildford is a modern cathedral which dominates the town’s skyline. The Waterstones is located in the main High Street, and was formerly a Dillon’s bookshop before the entire Dillon’s brand was renamed Waterstones after being taken over by the then owner of Waterstones, HMV in 1998.

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Guildford map

Lewis Carroll’s and Guildford

Charles Dodgson, who as Lewis Carroll created the ‘Alice’ books, was a frequent visitor to the town where his sisters lived, and the park located near the former family home, The Chestnuts, is the site of a statue of Alice Through the Looking Glass which is by the sculptor Jeanne Argent and was unveiled in 1990. At the bottom of the town is a second Alice statue. This one is from 1984 is called Alice and the White Rabbit, and is by local sculptor Edwin Russell. It is based on the opening scene from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland when Alice spies the White Rabbit. Lewis Carroll died in January 1898 whilst visiting his sisters and is buried at Mount Cemetery in the town.