*the “Mosaics of Shepherdess Walk” – London N1

The Mosaics of Shepherdess Walk

A couple of weeks back my London Shoes had an enjoyable day out, exploring the northern perimeters of the City’s ‘Square Mile’ – searching specifically for a very unusual and unique London landmark – namely, the: –

“Shepherdess Walk – Mosaics”

Shepherdess Walk is a turning off the City Road – just a few hundred yards up the road from the busy Old Street tube station (on the Northern Line – the black one on a standard tube map).

It is an aptly named street because long ago, it was a well-known stop-off location for shepherds and shepherdesses coming into London, on their final destination of Smithfield Meat Market.

A few centuries ago, hard to believe now, but this area of (now) North London – was completely rural.

As it was located just outside the perimeter of the City – it was a popular spot for slum dwelling Londoners to escape to at weekends for a bit of fresh countryside air.

It was also the final stop for Shepherds & Shepherdesses entering London from the north – to stop-off and let their flocks of sheep (and other livestock) graze, before moving them on towards Smithfield Market, about a mile or so further south.

The nearby ‘Eagle Tavern’ was then named the ‘Shepherd & Shepherdess Tavern’ – where all the ‘transporters’ and Londoners used to use as a watering hole.

Sadly, but inevitably – the area didn’t stay rural for too long, because by the early 1800 the massively expanding London population, needed homes to live in – and most of the rural land surrounding central London, became one massive building site, as thousands and thousands of narrow streets and terraced housing was constructed and built.

Shepherdess Walk was no exception – its terraced housing was specifically built for middle to lower class Londoner’s – who mainly worked in the factories built at the back of the street – or on the wharf of the nearby ‘Wenlock Basin’, a 300 metre long stretch of the Regent Canal built in 1860,  that ran alongside the local factories (its still there to this day).

As the decades went by, Shepherdess Walk and its surrounding housing districts became very industrialised and overcrowded, and the area fell into decline.

During the WW2 blitz the entire area took a massive hit from German bombers during the Blitz – completely destroying a number of the local factories and reducing a lot of the housing to rubble.

The general consensus of opinion from local planning authorities was to use this situation as an opportunity to do a slum-clearance and completely pull everything down – but there was also a lot of opposition to those proposals.

Instead, a rebuilding programme was undertaken – doing-up the existing houses and streets – converting many of the Shepherdess Walk housing into apartments.’’

Some 40 to 50yrs later – those houses and apartments are privately owned and selling for anything from £1m up to £2m and probably upwards.

However – the main purpose ‘Shoes’ trekked off to Shepherdess Walk N1, was to try and locate its ‘Mosaics’.

Next to no.107 Shepherdess Walk there is a narrow gap between the next house in the terrace.

Heading down from this gap between the 2 houses, is a set of old concrete steps that lead to a dark narrow alley, like a tunnel – that runs the depth of the houses, and then leads out to a very small area of public parkland that spreads out from the back of the Shepherdess Walk houses and back gardens – and it is there that the said Mosaics become immediately visible.

On 3 walls and 2 paved areas at the back of the Shepherdess Walk houses there, are displayed these magnificent Mosaics.

Now – with the Romans once occupying London, centuries ago – it would be quite logical to think that these Mosaics were some uncovered long lost relic from ancient Britain – but that is far from reality.

These Mosaics are, in the bigger scheme of things – relatively brand new!!!

These amazing works of art were designed and put on display in 2012 to celebrate the arrival of the London–Olympic Games..

With a design based on old Roman Mosaics, these Shepherdess Walk Mosaics depict everyday life in Hackney.

Like Roman mosaics these ones have things like trees and animals in them – but also stuff like iPhones – outdoor swimming lido’s, frisbees and leaf blowers  in them.

The Mosaics were designed by mosaicist designer & creator Tessa Hunkin and were made by a team of volunteers.

The Mosaics have a wall dedicated to shepherdesses, who would at one time would have used the adjoining parkland to graze their sheep.

There is also a wall of Mosaics dedicated to everyday life in Hackney – a place I know very well, having spent up to 13yrs of my career there, working for Barclays Bank.

So – that’s the Mosaics of Shepherdess Walk for you – not in the least bit historic – but very unusual, artistic with a cultural reference to the area as it once was, and as it is now.

Really impressed by this unique example of modern ‘street art’ and I really do hope that these Mosaics remain in situ during the years to come to keep this visual history alive for future generations.

So – having explored Shepherdess Walk and seeking out the unique Mosaics – I was in need of a little liquid refreshment before heading off back home.

Just around the corner from Shepherdess Walk, I stumbled upon a fabulous proper old skool London boozer…..the “Wenlock Arms”.

Located just behind Shepherdess Walk on the junction of Sturt Street and Wenlock Road – just spitting distance from the Wenlock Basin section of the Regent Canal.

There has been an Inn/Tavern on the current site of the pub since 1787 – when the establishment was a ‘brewery tap’ for the nearby Wenlock Brewery.

The current pub building dates back to 1835.

Miraculously, the building survived a heavy bombardment of German bombs during the WW2 blitz – when most of the terraced houses and factories surrounding the pub were destroyed.

Over the years the ‘Wenlock’ has been renowned for its ‘cask ales’ – and it has had a close association with the CAMRA the Real Ale organisation.

Its interior and exterior have often been used as scenery for film and tv progs.

Former England football captain David Beckham often used to go for a drink in the Wenlock with his grandad. Today – a lot of its old Victorian fixtures & fittings still survive – giving the pub a proper old cosy pub vibe.

So – it was the Wenlock Arms that I ventured into, for the mandatory cheeky one, before heading back off home – and I’m so pleased that I did, because it was well impressive inside.

An old fireplace, with wooden logs stacked up next to it, ready to be chucked on the fire – original old pub mirrors and advertising posters – little nooks & crannies and snugs to hide away in with your beer – and best of all (for me anyway) was the background music banging out throughout the place – it was all tracks from classic albums of 1970/71/72….a golden era for music, that generated albums that are some of the biggest sellers of all time and who’s tracks are still played regularly on radio/tv today (e.g. Zeppelin / Floyd / Stones Free/Mott the Hoople plus many more).

Throughout my time in the Wenlock, there was just me an the barman, probably only just a little bit younger than me, who was clearly enjoying the sounds as much as I was – great fun.

Definitely a pub that I will be returning to again in the not too distant future – and definitely worth a visit should you ever find yourself in the N1 area.

So – that’s the Mosaics and the Wenlock Arms for you.

Hope you enjoy the accompanying photos.

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See below the full gallery of photos taken to support this “Mosaics of Shepherdess Walk” blog