Romance of London, The

On a day in June, Colonel Berkeley (Robert English) steps onto the balcony of a Piccadilly hotel with his nephew Clive (Lewis Shaw) who's "keen to know something more about this wonderful London of ours." Looking north-east along Piccadilly SW1 towards Marble Arch from the balcony of the Park Lane Hotel, currently the Sheraton Grand Hotel.

"How different it all is to the London of my young days, when buses were horse drawn and taxis were unknown." Piccadilly with the corner of Down Street on the extreme right.

The Colonel points to the arch at the top of Constitution Hill. "I suppose to you and the many others who pass it daily it's just an archway."

"As a matter of fact it was built to celebrate the Duke of Wellington's victory at the battle of Waterloo."

Those yellow signs are rather distracting. SJ

"Very few people know that the Beadle has his residence in one portion of the arch, whilst the other side accommodates sixteen stalwart policemen."

No sign of the Beadle. SJ

"And now as it happens to be 3rd June, the day on which the King's birthday is celebrated by the Trooping of the Colour . . . "

Rather a hefty looking gate has replaced the railings. SJ

" . . . we'll glance at Buckingham Palace."

Taken from the steps leading to the Queen Victoria Memorial. SJ

"Now we pass down The Mall to Trafalgar Square, known by every Britisher and passed by thousands daily." No film featuring London would be complete without a shot of Trafalgar Square in WC2.

Looking south-east. SJ

"As you know, that over by the wall in front of the National Gallery there's a tablet on which is engraved the Standard of English Measurements." Trafalgar Square, below the National Gallery. The tablet has since been repositioned.

Somewhere about here. SJ

"Let us visualise what this famous square looks like in the depth of winter. With London's busy traffic, the carpet of snow is never retained for very long." Charing Cross with the equestrian statue of Charles I on the left.

"It must be pretty cold up there . . ." Nelson's Column seen from Charing Cross with the National Gallery in the background.

". . . where Lord Nelson looks across London to the sea he loved." The top of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square WC2.

This is looking north from the statue of King Charles I. SJ

"Now we look, in June's sunshine, to the King's Road of romantic old Chelsea where Charles II often rode, hence its name." King's Road in Chelsea SW3 with the Town Hall on the left.

"He rode to keep his lover's tryst with a girl who's story is ever popular, sweet Nell of Old Drury. The house in which she lived still exists." Sandford Manor House, reputed to be the residence of Nell Gwynne, on Sandford Street off King's Road in Fulham SW6.

"Now we pass down Holborn, to a little bit of London that was once not London but part of Cambridgeshire." Ely Place seen from Charterhouse Street in EC1.

Looking north. SJ

"Ely Place. This was once the property of the Bishops of Ely." Facing St. Etheldreda's church on Ely Place.

A clearer view today. SJ

"And today the London Policemen never enter unless called upon." The entrance to St. Etheldreda's church.

As was but minus a tree. SJ

"The sole representative of law and order is the Beadle. Every evening the gates are locked and the old custom is still carried out where the Watchman cries the hours and the state of the weather." Facing north on Ely Place EC1.

The railings have been replaced. SJ

"Close by, through this archway, is diamond studded Hatton Garden . . ." Looking along Ely Court leading from Ely Place to Hatton Garden.

It's quite well hidden here. SJ

" . . . where thousands of gems change hands yearly." The 18th century Ye Olde Mitre public house on Ely Court EC1 which has also been visited in 'Snatch' and 'King of Thieves'.

Ye Olde Mitre now. SJ

"Now as diamonds are of more interest to ladies we go to Brompton Road . . . " Facing north-east on Brompton Road with Knightsbridge in the right distance.

One Hyde Park, built from 2008 onwards, on the left is the major change. SJ

". . . which is their paradise of shops. They have no eyes for the little patch of grass which was once the village green of old Knightsbridge." Knightsbridge Green on the border between SW1 and SW3.

Possibly the same tree. SJ

"This is all that's left of the green." Knightsbridge Green and this section of Brompton Road can also be seen in 'Say Hello to Yesterday', 'There Was a Young Lady', 'Game for Three Losers' and 'The Good Beginning'.

Not really much of a green. SJ

"Now we come to the heart of the City, where the Mansion House shelters the Lord Mayor. But how many realise that there are two earlier Mansion Houses than this?" Mansion House on Mansion House Street EC4.

"One at 73 Cheapside." The soon to be demolished building in EC2.

"And a still older one tucked away up Bow Lane. These beautiful gates were presented by William III and Mary and they seem today to have been inherited by William's son!" The address on Groveland Court EC4 survived bombing during World War II.

"Much of the dignity of the old place still remains." This façade of Williamson’s Tavern in Groveland Court has since been rebuilt.

"Now to London's last and only gateway, the Tower Bridge, through which stately ships pass bringing produce from foreign climes." Looking up stream through Tower Bridge with the Monument visible to the bottom left.

"Below the Tower Bridge, among the great wharves of docklands . . . " Facing west on Bermondsey Wall SE16 with Powell's Wharf on both sides of the road between Marigold Street on the left and Wilson Grove in the distance. This section of winding thoroughfare is now known as Bermondsey Wall East.

" . . . we find these charming little cottages, hidden away as if in the heart of the country." We may be wrong and corrections are welcome but this is possibly Essex Place off Rotherhithe Street where the cottages back onto Lavender Yard.

"Along old world alleys where Children grow with the breath of the sea in their lungs . . ." This appears to be looking east from the corner of Rotherhithe Street and Braddon Street in SE16, a lost view now occupied by King's Stairs Close.

". . . we actually find this beautiful spot in the very heart of the land of docks."

Martial music rises in the background as the Colonel and his Nephew remove their hats in respect as the Household Cavalry pass by. The Mall SW1, in front of Buckingham Palace, with properties on Buckingham Gate in the background.

In front of Buckingham Palace. SJ