Friday 12 December 2008

A poet protects and transforms a railway station




Wandering around the new St Pancras is fun and this evening I've particularly enjoyed looking at the wonderful engraved calligraphy of some of John Betjeman's verse that is set in slate circles on the upper concourse. The wonderful statue of Betjeman by Martin Jennings is also surrounded by calligraphic engraving. It makes for a lovely poetic pilgrimage around the station.
Betjeman had been the driving force behind efforts to save the station when it was threatened by development plans during the 1960's and the sculpture stands as a tribute to the man who made their redevelopment of the station possible. Yet more about poetry and transformation ...

2 Comments:

FLO said...

Why in London? I love the new St P. It's nice and bustly (if that's even a word...)

Jane said...

I spent part of yesterday talking about my understading of mission ... interesting
am back off to Ferney later today
Have had an idea about your Dr thing but need to talk to someone
more soon