Comments on: Staircases Of Old London

By: Lesley Russell

Lesley Russell — Thu, 12 May 2016 08:01:38 +0000

Cromwell House Hospital is now the Ghana High Commission. At the time the photo was taken it was probably standing empty, the hospital having moved out in the 20s. It had been the convalescent home for Great Ormond St Children’s Hospital from 1868.
The house was built in 1641 by Sir Richard Sprignell and his family. No one knows where the Cromwell name came from, though Sprignell was known to have been a friend of Cromwell’s son-in-law, John Ireton, who lived nearby, and his heir, Robert Sprignell, married Ann Livesey, daughter of fellow-regicide, Michael Livesey. Robert had no heir so he sold the house before he died. Richard and Anne Sprignell raised a large family in the house before he was declared a lunatic in 1651, after several bouts of madness, and died there in 1654. His wife’s father, Gideon DeLaune, Royal Apothecary and founding benefactor of the Society of Apothecaries, died there in 1659. Looking at these wonderful photos, I can see the ghosts of so many of my ancestors on those stairs.

By: David

David — Mon, 09 May 2016 19:41:56 +0000

As usual ,beautiful words and pictures.

By: John B

John B — Mon, 09 May 2016 17:05:30 +0000

Superb craftsmanship is shown here. Not sure how many stairs have survived. Some younger craftsmen today are very good. This sort of project work is expensive it all depends who is putting up the funding. The modern craftsmen are up to it. It’s all about time this costs money. Strangely enough I liked the simple stairs shown at Wapping with Tower Bridge in the background. John

By: Linda Granfield

Linda Granfield — Mon, 09 May 2016 12:20:53 +0000

I know and have seen the Tower stairs but wonder about how many of the others shown still exist? (thanks to the reader than lets me know the “Hogarth Stairs” can still be seen)

thank you!

By: pauline taylor

pauline taylor — Mon, 09 May 2016 12:00:21 +0000

I will willingly lead the way up the staircases GA. My father taught me never to be afraid to explore anywhere, and I love staircases. I have always had a dream of living in a house with two staircases, my grandparents had two lots of stairs but only the very modest ones that you get in cottages, nothing like most of these which are designed for grand entrances I guess, I can just imagine ladies in ball dresses coming down!!

I believe that the staircase in the Queen’s House at Greenwich is something special too.

By: Hilda Kean

Hilda Kean — Mon, 09 May 2016 09:04:51 +0000

Interesting – but what about some of the wonderful staircases on the tube? I’m thinking of the northern exit for the Greenwich foot tunnel and also Shadwell, and, of course, the extensive steps at the Bank.

By: pellethepoet

pellethepoet — Mon, 09 May 2016 08:39:18 +0000

You continue to delight.

By: Chris Dyson

Chris Dyson — Mon, 09 May 2016 07:54:00 +0000

A delightful series of architectural photographs of varying themes grand and purposeful alike newel posts that say something about the owners occupation/preoccupations …from the ancient Cromwell house to the relative modernity of 2 Arlington.

Stairs as processional routes often leading into the light some highlights here for me Hogarth stair painting at London’s Bart’s Hospital can still be seen today and is well worth a visit and for those who can get past the front doorman the bifurcating stair at home house is another delight. Thank you GA.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 09 May 2016 07:40:39 +0000

Beautiful old interiors. What’s a Girdler? Well, makers of griddle irons until the sixteenth century when ‘girdles began to go out of fashion’.

By: Moyra Peralta

Moyra Peralta — Mon, 09 May 2016 07:40:08 +0000

How unexpected… a delight to the eye, and SUCH a charming narrative.