The Queenhithe Mosaic

 Hello! What a rubbish blogger I've been again....I had every intention of popping back in again last week, but it all went a bit bonkers....birthday, wedding anniversary, meetings....the list goes on. On today's agenda is the recent trip to the Queenhithe Mosaic on the North Bank in London.

Once the Romans had abandoned Londinium it all went a bit to pot and this part of the city lay abandoned until Alfred the Great saw to its resettlement in 886CE. By 899 a harbour and market had been set up which allowed the restoration of trade after the disruption of the Viking raids. The word 'hithe' is Anglo-Saxon for small port and today it's the only surviving one from this time in the country. It became Queenhithe ie. the Queen's Harbour at some point during the 12th century and it is now an ancient scheduled monument. In 2014 a 30m mosaic created by a collaboration between Tessa Hunkin and Southbank Mosaics was opened. Along its length it records 2000 years of the city's history with the Thames as the constant as it weaves its way through the years. I liked the detail that parts of the mosaic have been made from finds on the Thames foreshore. In the Tudor section they've included mudlarked bricks from the period. 

Just a selection from this piece of art. After the rather rushed feel of the South Bank of the river, the relative quietness of this side came as a rather refreshing change as we sought the mosaic out and then retired to a local hostelry for a well earned pint of Neck Oil which a London beer both Lovely Grey and I greatly enjoy. This is the final part of my recent day spent up in town.

Arilx