For my first post on going out and about I decided on talking about Covent Garden. I had gone shopping to China Town for some spices and as it was such a nice day, I decided to go over to Covent Garden for lunch. As well as being full of shops, stalls and cafes, this area of London claims to be the birthplace of Punch and Judy and still features a number of theatres and plenty of pubs that claim to be haunted. I can’t help but be drawn to an area that is full of history, ghosts and food.
The Nell Gwyne pub is one such place that combines history and ghosts. It is situated down a narrow alley between the Adelphi and Vaudeville theatres and is still looked after by a very dedicated previous landlord, long since deceased. He likes to keep a keen eye on any changes happening to his pub, making his displeasure known and getting rid of any landlords overstepping their mark. Next door’s Adelphi theatre has its own live in ghost too, in the shape of Victorian actor William Terris, was stabbed to death just outside by a rival actor just outside the stage door entrance. Not only has he never left his workplace,liking to visit the former changing room of his leading lady and scaring the current occupant, but he also continues to haunt the local area. The current site of Covent Garden station used to be a bakery in the Victorian period that was a favourite of Terris. He has continued to visit, hoping to buy his favourite baked goods and rattling doors and appearing in front of station staff. That bakery must have baked some seriously tasty goods!!!
On the topic of baked goods, I ended up stopping for an early lunch at a place called Floral Street Coffee House along one of the picturesque side streets near Covent Garden station. It was a lovely little cafe covered in flowers and serving a selection of sandwiches and cakes. I ordered a goats cheese, figs, pistachio, honey and rosemary sourdough sandwich with a late and a pastel de nata. I rather liked the combination of salty cheese and sweet figs and honey but the addition of rosemary was a little overpowering. The coffee was very good, being creamy and lightly roasted. As for the pastel de nata, the flavours were well balanced, although the custard was a little on the overcooked side. The hot sandwiches looked rather good so that is something I will be looking forward to try next time I go back to the area.
Jones, R (2001) Walking Haunted London, New Holland Publishers, London
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