Our August walk

Monumental stories, towering trees, ghost signs, Edgar Allan Poe, ducks, stained glass and a policewoman's hat – our August walk

We headed up to Stoke Newington this month for a walk full of stories... starting with Abney Park Cemetery, where there was magnificence but we were as interested by smaller stories, fashions in names and the language of memorial masonry. 

Stoke Newington Church Street showed us ghost signs (Fount pen repair, anyone?) and a bust of Edgar Allan Poe on the site of Manor House School, where he was a pupil. 

At Clissold Park, we paused at the wildflower planting to enjoy the cornflower blue, and admired a stylish wedding on our way to lunch at the café. 

Back on Church Street, we explored St Mary's Stoke Newington which, unusually, is two churches – the Gothic revival New Church and over the road, the Old Church.

Then, to the fire station, where there was an open day, much fun being had by small children with enormous fire engine hoses and a police stall, where we discovered that policewomen's hats have rigid crowns and were given key ring torches to take home.

Fancy joining us at one of our walks? They're on the second Saturday of each month – look out for our Coming Up blogposts to find out more.