ORPINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Our treasurer, Geoff Geradine launched our programme of autumn outings with a most interesting walk around the Inns of Court.

Commencing in Lincolns Inn Fields, and noting on our way, various buildings of interest including The Sir John Soane Museum, which among its many treasurers houses Hogarths 12 paintings of "The Rakes Progress", we continued on through a myriad of narrow passageways to a Tudor square, where Charles Dickens when 14 years old, worked as an office boy.

We also visited the Old hall where there is some very fine wood panelling, it is here that the annual gatherings of hopeful new graduates are received, through the arch into the gardens to yet another archway and so into the street of surgeons which is dominated by the Royal College of Surgeons.

A pause to find that the Old Curiosity Shop is still standing and have our group photographed, followed by a brief walk through to High Holborn for an excellent lunch at a remarkable pub "The Cittie of Yorke".

A pub has stood on this site since 1430, it was rebuilt in 1695 and called "Grays inn Coffee House". Now once more a pub with good food, which can be eaten in the seclusion of individual booths, situated around a long bar.

Close by is Holborn Bars, the historic entrance to London marked by dragons holding the coat of arms of the city between their paws.

We also visited the church of St Cements Danes in the strand, now dedicated to the RAF, according to tradition the original church was built in the ninth century by the Danes, who having married English wives were allowed to live between Westminster and Ludgate.

The present church was built by Christopher Wren in 1682 bombed in 1942 and restored by the Royal Airforce in 1958, now dedicated to the RAF with squadron standards displayed around the church and eleven books of remembrance to personnel killed during World War II anyone interested in joining the society should contact our secretary, Betty Dubery, on 01689 831533.