Harry Potter's London

Harry Potter is myth, legend and inspiration to many people, both children and adults alike. The movies have been a phenomena in modern pop culture. I am still amazed how a young single mom would write these stories on a napkin, while writing she was receiving govement assisstance, wrote these magnficent stories for children that turned out to be such an amazing success. Her story inspires me just as much as Harry's story. I only started and finished reading the first book, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone.  I have yet to read the others in the series. So, yes, I am still a bit behind in the Harry Potter saga. Still, I was impressed with the storyline, and while watching the movie the settings always seem to transport me to some make believe magical place that only England with all it's grand history, architecture, castles and mystery can evoke.

1. London - Harry communicates with the snake at the Reptile House in London Zoo, Australia House on the Strand was the setting for The Wizard Bank, and King's Cross Station provided platform 9 and 3/4. Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are seen on Harry's arrival in London.

Platform 9 3/4 Kings Cross Station. London.

Australia House.Strand, London. Home of Wizards Bank in Harry Potter's Movies.

Reptile House. Regents Park Zoo. London.

2. Black Park, Langley, Berkshire - The 600 acre park was used for the movie's Forbidden Forest on the edge of Hogwarts, and out-of-bounds to the students. Hagrid's woodland home is set here too (now demolished).

3. Picket Post Close, Bracknell - the suburban, mock-tudor home of the Dursley.

Picket Post Close. Home of the Dursley's

4 Privet Drive

4. Lacock, Wiltshire - Harry's classroom friends were filmed around Lacock Abbey, a former monastery.

Lacock Abbey

5. Oxford University, Oxfordshire - the ancient university city provided much of Hogwarts' architecture including the school's library and hospital.

Christ Church. Oxford University. Dining Hall in Harry Potter's Movies.

I did manage to get here. It was a very beautiful experience and I felt very at home at Oxford.

6. Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucestershire - magnificent fan vaulted cloisters - setting for ghost scenes

Inside of Gloucestire Cathedral

7. Alnwick Castle, Northumberland - the exterior of the castle is used for exterior Hogwarts shots, the Quidditch match and broomstick lesson is set within the ramparts.

8. Durham Cathedral, this 12th century cathedral provided one of the Hogwart's classrooms. Harry walks through the cloisters of the Cathedral with his owl, Hedwig.

The cloisters is where Harry and his friends walk through

The cloisters, where the monks of Durham carried out their daily life. The cloisters were added in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were rebuilt in 1828. The roof is all that remains of the medieval original.

9. Goathland Station, North Yorkshire - doubled as Hogwart's local station.

Note Bene: I managed to see all the Harry Potter in London and in Oxford film locations, everything else I got from the internet. Perhaps, next time, in the UK, I 'll get to spend more time outside of London. I still would like to see Northern England, especially the Lake District,and the home of Beatrix Potter. As they say there's always tomorrow to make dreams come true.

Cheers,
love, Sabrina




















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The Last Tuesday Society Shop

Taxidermy was quite popular in the Victorian period.  The Victorians were fascinating with collecting stylish clutter. At The Last Tuesdays Society's Shop and Museum, you can unleash your inner gothic Victorian, and can collect all sorts of curiosities.

Photo of Victor Wynd in front of his shop

 Victor Wynd, Director of  The Last Tuesday Society, oversees the events at the Masked Balls, owns and runs The Little Shop of Horrors in Bethnal Green.


The shop of curiosities sells:
 "A wide variety of curiosities and oddities [...] from human fetuses to shrunken heads, chocolate anuses, carniverous plants, orchids and mutated teddy bears, not to mention a fine selection of speciality teas, broken children’s toys and dead plants."

In the Shops discover all kinds of medicinae, zoology , naturalia, osteology (study of bones), entomology ( study of butterflies). In the zoology department you can see all sorts of dead stuffed animals, including a monkey. LondonAntique Taxidermy, Victorian Taxidermy , Contemporary Taxidermy, including Stuffed Birds and Stuffed Animals, Game Heads, Trophy Horns,Skulls and Skeletons, Pickled Specimens,Curiosities,Glass Domes, Cases, Collector's Cabinets.

An Array of Beautiful Butterfly Species at the Shop. Endomology- the study of Butterflies.

Everything is for sell if your interested.

The shop is dedicated to all sorts of weird science and there is a charge to the Museum.

The Little Shop of Horrors Holds a Lecture Series . There you will find classes such as  HENDRICK'S QUARTERLY SEANCE with Richard Wiseman. " Why let Death get in the way of a good conversation."


Enjoy !

Viktor Wynd's Little Shop of Horrors & Museum.
11 Mare Street
Hackney, London E8 4RP
 and is currently open 12-6pm, Friday to Sunday.











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