On Friday 30th July the Society kicked off its summer of real life events with a walking tour of King’s Cross; railways, writers and regeneration, led by Blue Badge Tourist Guide Caroline Piper. After a shaky start with rain showers, the sun burst through to glint on the Regent’s Canal and shine on the colourful wildflowers of the canal tow path. We started with dramatic Victorian railway architecture, including the gothic revival masterpiece of the St Pancras Midland Grand hotel. The writer John Betjeman was crucial in the campaign to save the beautiful hotel and St Pancras station from demolition, and is pictured here with Caroline admiring the restored station roof.
From the stations we followed the railway lines to the peaceful St Pancras Old Church where the group posed for a photo next to the mausoleum of the famous architect Sir John Soane, the shape of which later inspired another architect to design the iconic red telephone box! The group then explored the buzzy new King’s Cross regeneration with its stunning architecture of Gasholders Park, Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square. Nearing the end of a 25 year regeneration programme, this brand new neighbourhood is full of lush planting, public squares and parks, interesting shops and restaurants and offices for big national and international businesses, including the massive “groundscraper” currently being constructed for Google. It is a neighbourhood that seems to have a rosy future!
Organised by Caroline Piper
