One of the marvellous aspects of learning English in central London is the closeness of historical tourist sites such as Bankside on the South Bank of the Thames. These are located mainly between the two bridges of Blackfriars and Alexandria [railway bridge] and Southwark Bridge. Here a visitor can find the Tate Modern (once a power station) and the replica Globe, Shakespeare’s theatre. The foundations of the original are in nearby Park Street. Between these two magnificent buildings is 49 Bankside. An eccentric owner put up a plaque on the house declaring that Sir Christopher Wren lived there while he was building St Paul’s Cathedral and it certainly has a wonderful view of his masterpiece. The plaque also claimed that Catherine of Aragon, first of six wives of Henry VIII, took shelter there after landing from a ship in 1502, Unfortunately, it is not possible as the house is a Queen Anne house [1702-1714] and although Sir Christopher did live nearby during the 35 years it took to build St Pauls, 49 Bankside was built just as the cathedral was completed in 1710.
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