Hidden History of Blackfriars Bridge

[@ewannowak1600]

This is my new favourite channel

[@Flythebird1600]

Fascinating video and very well presented as always

[@ChubbyChecker182]

I love Blackfriars Station on the Bridge, awesome view over the Thames from the platforms. Not High Up, but you are over the middle of the river, I love getting my train from there.

[@ianskeffington9003]

Excellent video Keep up the good work Katie 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@Paseosguiados]

Thank you!!

[@PeasantPrep]

The statue of Queen Victoria is sister statue to the one in the Queens Gardens in my home town of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire. They were both commissioned at the same time, one for Newcastle-under-Lyme and the other was donated to adorn Blackfriars Bridge, where she still sits proudly. I am fortunate to regularly come to London for work and have been able to pass the Queen on the Bridge on numerous occasions.

[@theofarmmanager267]

Excellent video. I like to look at various old maps (London is a fruitful exercise) and see the old streets, and old names, as they were. I believe you then get a much deeper understanding of the evolution of the city and how it relates to current. A possible idea?

[@LookUpLondon]

Ooh good idea, if you'd like to browse a great website for that - layersoflondon.org has that option to overlay streets with maps going back to the 16th century.

[@lio868]

What a lovely and cheerful video! I really enjoyed it thank you very much!

[@cocteau65]

Another wonderful fascinating video. And a voice I could listen to all day.

[@LookUpLondon]

Thanks Chris!

[@AdamFitton]

Blackfriars Rail bridge is my favourite bridge in London. When I was working in Southwark I used to love catching the sunrise looking east towards Tower Bridge, it looked especially nice if there was a light layer of fog.

[@LookUpLondon]

Totally! Going through on the train is such a treat, sunrise sounds magical!

[@TheAltonEllis]

I found your excellent videos based on my watching of Jago & Geoff’s content - a wonderful addition! Thank you and keep up the excellent work!

[@dalriadaskillen]

The vista from platform 1 at Blackfriars are stunning. It was my morning commute once and I always stopped to admire the view.

[@tonylancaster8704]

I agree the view from the bridge looking down towards tower bridge is the best view in London .

[@johnorchin8567]

Hi Kate, Could you tell me what you had to learn to get your Blue Badge? Is their a syllabus, do you have to sit an exam, do you have to be re-tested periodically, is the emphasis more on history or topography, how long did you have to study for? Perhaps you could do a video answering these questions. Thank you.

[@susangolding8611]

Brilliant as always, thank you.

[@richardcohen1783]

Great presentation. Thank you Katie!

[@LookUpLondon]

Thanks you Richard, so glad you enjoyed it!

[@alikigeorgiou8499]

I always learn something new about London from your lovely videos- talking statues - who knew?? So much information about Blackfriars Bridge - thank you again Katie!

[@LookUpLondon]

Thanks Aliki! :)

[@minicrow1]

Another great video, as always

[@ChrisWilliams1962]

My favourite railway station :) I use Thameslink to catch a train from North Herts and get off at Blackfriars. Love the view! Such a complicated history of the bridges though. think I may have to watch your video a few more times to get my head round it!

[@LookUpLondon]

ha! Don't blame you Chris, took me a long time to plan out (what I hope) was a good explanation!

[@thewiex]

fascinating history thank you Katie!

[@renataostertag6051]

I love Blackfriars Bridge.

[@saralang9677]

Where are the links supposedly in the "description". I can't find this. Can anyone help? Thanks

[@gabrielepolsinelli3701]

Sorry, maybe you said but I lost: where can the beautiful artwork on tiles you've showed several times during the video be found?

[@Sweetfancy3000]

Thank you for the video, so interesting

[@daviddalby9699]

Wicked loved it will you do one on shepherd's Market ?

[@LookUpLondon]

Maybe! I’ve led lots of private tours around there!

[@annwessels2247]

Very interesting and something I didn’t realise.

[@interested-q4d]

There is a lot of history here.Downstrean you have the Samuel Pepys pub which is the only remaining building left of Brook's wharf and swathe of development on lower Thames street Under Blackfriars Bridge there used to be a car park for employees of the Sun Newspaper. I'm talking of a London that's virtually disappeared. oh and there is another statue of Queen Victoria in St Leonards

[@Nick-13]

Interesting concept to re-site the fourth plinth sculptures - but a major logistics exercise. Airlift them in may be the only option !!

[@LookUpLondon]

Ha, glad you like it Nick, yes I think its more of a fanciful idea, like the 'Garden Bridge' ;)

[@judithbarnett2966]

How cool that they used one of the 3 pillars in the new station bridge! That's recycling if ever there was!

[@LookUpLondon]

Totally! I hadn't actually even noticed there used to be three until researching this, now it looks so obvious!

[@johnorchin8567]

Hi Kate, I did find out most of the answers to my previous queries by googling it, and looking at past papers. I would nevertheless be interested in hearing you talk about the challenges of learning this information, and how long it took you to do the course. Looking at the past papers, I would have found it much easier to answer all the questions if they had been multiple choice, because a name would have jogged my memory, also I would have know what it was not, and of course the spelling wouldn't be a problem!

[@LookUpLondon]

Hi John, sorry for not replying sooner! Yes the Blue Badge Course is a huge amount of work but so enjoyable now looking back. It takes 2 years - 2 evening lectures and all day Saturday each week and we sit 11 exams, mostly practical but 3 written ones. (No multiple choice allowed!) For me it was hard to get to grips with all the 'out of town' - Oxford, Bath, Stonehenge etc as I generally just knew I wanted to guide in London but it was also fun learning more about them. The scariest exam is the coach where you are called to the microphone at the front of a tour bus and have to speak on wherever you might be in central London at the time, pointing out interesting things. Could be Canary Wharf, Kensington, Clerkenwell or Bermondsey! I clearly am a sucker for punishment as I'm currently doing the City of London Guiding Course which is only a year (although has been extended with Covid) and last exam in in late June!

[@johnorchin8567]

Look Up London Hi Katie, I would feel so proud to possess a Blue Badge, but although my knowledge of London is quite extensive, as in I know where things are, and a certain amount of history. I could never remember all those historical details about Kings and Queens, and dates and architects and builders. I certainly wouldn't want to have to also learn about Bath, Salisbury, Windsor, etc!!

[@theresehopkins1581]

Using bridges for solar panels .... brilliant....!!!

[@mom4son]

супер

[@markwadeart454]

I've just rewatched this video having walked under the bridges the other day with my daughters and couldn't remember one fact about them 😆

[@LookUpLondon]

Haha I’m sure that’s not just you, even when I go on other peoples tours it’s hard to remember all the great content even if you were listening intently!

[@emylwaukee]

I always wondered why these pillars were in the river! I once took a picture of the view while waiting for a train on the platform and got told off on the microphone as it's apparently forbidden :/ such an awkward moment!

[@judithbarnett2966]

No way!! A photo of the view of London up the river?

[@emylwaukee]

@@judithbarnett2966 yes, just a picture of the view behind the glass. I blushed!

[@LookUpLondon]

That's so weird! No one batted an eyelid when I walked in bold as brass with my gimbal!! Oops!

[@grahamwood333]

So it was never called New Bridge ?

[@snotwurfit]

The Thames always looks so dirty and foul

[@LookUpLondon]

I mean, I'd never recommend drinking a pint of it but it's that colour because of the clay/silt that gets churned up rather than the actual water being brown.

[@fgeiger41]

Why is it called "black friars?"

[@LookUpLondon]

Because they wore black cloaks (the Whitefriars wore white and Greyfriars wore - surprise! - Grey :) )

[@fgeiger41]

@LookUpLondon but no lactations named "white: and "grey" friars. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@LookUpLondon]

@@fgeiger41 There's a "Whitefriars Street" by their old monastery by Fleet Street and Christchuch Greyfriars church remains survives by the their old monastic site close to St Paul's.

[@therealhellkitty5388]

Imagine how different the world would look if spray paint was banned. Environmentally it would be a great idea.