4 FOCUS The Magazine July/August 2017 www.focus-info.org

Hit the road…three villages within a stone’s throw of Central London

London is an amalgamation of villages, which have swelled

and joined to become one great bigmetropolis. It’s great, it’s busy, and it getscrowded. Londoners go, go, go all weeklong, and at the weekend, they like torelax and take stock. Escaping the

concrete jungle of city life can rechargethe batteries so with this in mind, we haveexplored three villages for you to visit: a local village, one outside London,

and one just further afield. Enjoy!

DULWICH VILLAGE

ST ALBANS

BEXLEY

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London’s Local Village: Dulwich You’re thinking that you need some ‘village life’, but you don’treally want to travel outside London. You want quaintness andcharm, without the long journey. You’ve been to Hampsteadtoo many times now, and are looking for a change. DulwichVillage has reigned as London’s little village hang out for sometime. You probably heard a colleague mention it, but had noidea what was in store for you there. It’s time to explore!Zone 3 seems too close for a village, and when you realise

that you are still in the Borough of Southwark, you’ll wonder ifthis is too good to be true. Don’t question it; London is full ofsurprises and Dulwich Village is one of the best. White picketsigns, tree-lined roads, a large park, a famous gallery, andenough restaurants, pubs and cafés to keep you fed and wa-tered. A 13-minute train from Victoria or a short bus ride fromBrixton, and suddenly you find the ‘stop’ that you are craving.Alight at North Dulwich, and make your way to the high street,also called Dulwich Village. Since the station doesn’t pouronto the village, you’ll need to walk or hop on a bus to get tothe actual village. Dulwich Village Farmers’ Market takes place on Saturdays

from 10.00-14.00, just near the corner of Dulwich Village andTurney Road. It’s too tempting not to buy a courgette, lime andpistachio cake from Honeypie Bakery or a jar of pickled kimchifrom Vadasz Deli. The village jewel is the Crown & GreyhoundPub, which locals refer to as The Dog.Shopping in a village always feels guilt-free. It’s as if you are

on a mini-holiday and suddenly you are surrounded by oppor-tunities to purchase items you might never see again. Asneak-peak into Tomlinson for homeware or Jane Newbery forsleekly designed gifts. Shopping might have to wait if you are in the mood for cul-

ture. Dulwich Picture Gallery beckons you to its hallowed halls.It’s the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery and holdsan astonishing collection of Baroque masterpieces and otherworks. The building itself is something to behold. Designed bySir John Soane, it uses skylights for its natural light. Art loverswho have been to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles or theKimball Art Gallery in Fort Worth will recognise the inspiration

for those buildings.Lunch for the day can be had at the gallery or in one of the

cafés in the village. Romeo Jones has a deli with a selectionthat is easily portable. Stock up and the head to the park.Dulwich Park is 76 acres of lush green goodness - perfect

for indulging the senses and keeping that mobile phonetucked away on silent. If you left the bicycle at home, you canrent one here. There is also cricket, tennis, a bowling green,and outside gym equipment. Feed the squirrels, enjoy a picnic,or take a nap on the grass. If nostalgia hits you, or if your kids ask you “What is a drive-

in cinema?” you could give them the next best thing by attend-ing a film at Luna Cinema. It’s an outdoor cinema where theyshow modern classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s andPretty Woman. Harry Potter fans will be able to see FantasticBeasts and Where to Find Them under the stars in June. A short distance away from Dulwich Village is Herne Hill. It’s

home to Herne Hill Velodrome. If you have always fancied try-ing to ride on a velodrome track, you can attend one of thecoaching sessions. Cool down with a cool brew at Canopy

Beer on Norwood Road. The beer isboth refreshing and full of char-acter. Slowly making its wayinto select locations aroundLondon, you can buy fromtheir tap room to drink thereor take home as a nicememory of your trust in alocal village.

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Hugh Grundy, and lyricist Tim Rice. If you are thirsty and want to stick to the history theme,

you’ll need to head to Ye Olde Fighting Cocks. The GuinnessBook of World Records has named this Britain’s oldest pub. Itdates back to the eighth century, and the building dates to the11th century. The monks used the cellars, and yes, there wascock fighting here for almost 600 years. This pub is alsoproudly part of the Campaign for Real Ale, so the beers soldare authentic, individual and delicious. A Roman City would have had a Roman Wall, and you’ll be

able to see this in St Albans too. Not much remains, but you’llbe able to make out the distinct layering technique employedby the Roman builders. It’s managed by English Heritage,which also owns Old Gorgambury House, a little further away,the 16th century home of Sir Nicholas Bacon.The itch to shop can be scratched in St Albans. A monthly

farmers’ market on Sundays will help you to plan your visit.There is also a weekly market every Wednesday andSaturday; there has been a regular market in this location dat-ing back to the 11th century. The Maltings is a rabbit warrenof shops, food outlets and more, but has a 1980s feel to itand lacks atmosphere. George Street has a better feel for vil-lage shopping. You could indulge in a long lunch at one of themany restaurants, but if the weather is nice, a picnic inVerulamium Park with a view of the lake bridge would be theperfect place to enjoy a bit of sunshine and a taste of villagelife. Not far from the Verulamium Museum on St Michael’sStreet is the Waffle House, with a delicious menu and set in a16th century watermill.

Just Outside London: St AlbansTwenty minutes and you are transported back to a Romantown. Known as Verulamium, this was the first major town onthe Roman Road heading north from London. St Albans is inHertfordshire, and is a delightful place to discover. The historyis deep here, there is a cathedral to visit, markets and shop-ping to keep you amused, and much, much more. Alban was a local Verulamium man who lived in the 3rd/4th

century. He took in a Christian priest who was fleeing perse-cution and was impressed with his faith, so he converted toChristianity. Authorities searched his house for the priest, andAlban wore the cloak and presented himself instead. He re-fused to renounce his faith and was executed. When his headwas chopped off, the legend states that his head rolled down-hill and when it stopped, a well of water sprang up on the veryspot.In 61 AD, Boudica of the Iceni tribe ordered St Albans to be

burned, and a layer of ash has been discovered to corroboratethe story. In medieval times, an abbey was founded here andthis became a principal abbey in England. The first draft ofMagna Carta was written at St Albans Abbey. You can learnmore about the history of St Albans at Verulamium Museum,or return in 2018 when the Museum of St Albans finishes itsnew building. St Albans’ clock tower dates back to the early1400s and can be climbed for £1. The bell inside is calledGabriel and it was rung at the start of the first battle of theWars of the Roses.St Albans Cathedral is not to be missed. The exterior

beauty can only be matched by the interior. Free guided toursare on offer. Architecture dates back to Norman times, but itstopped being an abbey in the 16th century and was made acathedral in 1877. It is said to have the longest nave inEngland, and sports both medieval wall paintings, and theshrine to St Alban. Next to the cathedral is St Albans School. You can’t visit,

but it’s nice to know that it boasts past pupils (known as OAs,short for Old Albanians) such as theoretical physicist StephenHawking, The Zombies’ founder members Paul Atkinson and

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Go Further Afield: Bexley (South East)The first thought that might enter your mind is ‘where?’ It’snot in the top 20, but it’s something of a hidden gem that cantransform a normal Saturday into an exceptional day out.Weekend warriors will flock to Hampstead, Cambridge orBrighton. Now, you have a secret location where you can trulyget away from the madness of London, if only for a day!Bexley is southeast of London, just before Dartford. Leave

behind the hustle and bustle of the city and experience life ata slower pace. If you have bicycles, then you are in for a treat.Take the train from London Bridge, and just beyond the sta-tion is the high street. Cute charity shops may entice you, butthe King’s Head pub is a treat for a country pub lunch at out-of-town prices. Venture beyond the little village on foot or bybicycle to discover some true treasures.A 20-minute walk from the station will take you to Hall

Place Gardens. Hall Place is a stately home built in 1537 bySir John Champneys, a former Lord Mayor of London (1534)and merchant who made his wealth in the skinning trade. Inhis will, he set forth money to provide coal for poor Londonersfor seven years after his death. He had a home in the City ofLondon, near where Plantation Place now stands, where hecreated a tower of brick so high that it overlooked his neigh-bours and caused some controversy. Hall Place would havebeen his country manor. With checkerboard flint and rubbleexterior, grand high ceilings and wooden beam interiors, HallPlace satisfies the need to visit a grand estate, but avoids thecrowds of Kenwood House in North London. It later passedto Sir Francis Dashwood, founder of the immoral HellfireClub. If the walls could talk, they might also spill some secretsfrom the Second World War, where a US Army interceptionstation was set up to work on the Enigma code breaking op-eration. Outside the house, the gardens are delightful withgiant topiary figures, gardens and an owl sanctuary. On thefirst Sunday of the month there is a local farmers’ market inthe courtyard.Not far away is Butterfly Jungle, which is on the grounds of

Hall Place. The entrance fee is minimal, and butterflies areabundant. This would make for a great photography day out,especially if you have a love of plants and winged things, or ifyour children can stand still for the butterflies to land on them.Garden enthusiasts can purchase plants in the shop and thereis often local honey on sale. With myriad butterflies and theirintricate wings, this would make even a grey day full of brightand cheerful colours. Bexley has beer! Where there is beer, there is usually a

brewery tour. The local pubs have their hero brew on tap, butif you want to see how it’s made, be sure to check out BexleyBrewery. Check the website for events and talks, and notethat they are not located in the heart of the village, but a shortdistance away in Erith.If you are bringing bicycles then you’ll love the scenic ride

around Bexley. St Mary the Virgin is the local church withroots dating back to a mention in the Domesday book and a

theory that St Paulinus preached here. It also has Victorianrenovations, 17th-19th century graves in the graveyard, and amemorial to Prince Albert to boot! Further on is Old BexleyEquestrian Centre, where riders can enjoy lessons and thoseinterested in horses can try a pony ride. In fact, Bexley is hometo three other equestrian stables and riding schools.A 20-minute bike ride from Bexley station, along Old Bexley

Lane and down Birchwood Road, is Stanhill Farm. Check thewebsite and take some buckets because this is where you canpick your own fruit! Start the summer with strawberries, thenreturn later for blackberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, peasand runner beans. The farm shop also has crops sourced fromlocal farms, and you’ll be able to take home everything fromeggs to squash. Furthermore, Birchwood Park Golf & CountryClub is across the road, if you are looking for a new set ofeighteen to try.Bexley is in the southern part of the borough of Bexleyheath,

which boasts two more estates worth visiting. Closer toBexleyheath Station, you can find Danson House and RedHouse. Danson House is a Grade-I listed Georgian propertyowned by English Heritage, and a popular place for weddings.The tea room is charming, serving up fine brewed tea in pastelcups. There is also the National Trust-run Red House, whichwas home to William Morris, the founder of the arts and craftsmovement. It offers more gardens to explore, and the obligatory shop and café to visit!The one-hour train ride might

sound like a journey, but the wel-comed slow pace and discov-eries that you will makemight make you thinktwice about Bexley.So there you have it!

Three villages to explore,each one crammed withenough options to keepyou busy. Oh, wait! Youare supposed to be relaxing!Well, you know the saying: “Achange is as good as a rest.”

Amber Raney-Kincade is the American Tour Guide in London, offer-ing walking tours and private hire to those looking to explore on foot.Find out more at www.AmericanTourGuideInLondon.com or follow her onTwitter @AmericanLDN

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