Spitalfields

The Brick Lane / Spitalfields area of London is an interesting one with a rich and varied history. It developed in the 1680s when French Protestant (Huguenot) refugees settled there, bringing little but their skills as silk weavers. In time, fine terraced merchant dwellings were built to accommodate the master weavers who controlled the silk industry. In Victorian times, with the decline of the silk industry, it degenerated into a notorious slum of overcrowded houses, disease and crime. Lately, it is going through a gradual restoration and gentrification. Many artists and creative types have settled there, including Gilbert and George, and Tracey Emin. You can now join guided tours of the area to find out about its history.

Christ Church, designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, was built in the early 1700s, partly as a show of Anglican authority to the Protestant 'dissenters', who preferred their own plainer chapels. By 1960 it was all but derelict, and has been meticulously restored by the efforts of the Hawksmoor Committee and the Friends of Christ Church. It is now once again used as a place of worship and for many other events and activities.                                                                                                                                             Spitalfields is a fascinating area that I didn't really know about. In fact, I'd like to go back to explore and learn more about it.