I have been neglecting my seeking out and finding of new churches to visit. Yesterday, I found myself at a loose end and decided to take a walk down to Covent Garden to get a start on my daily steps and figure out what I would do with the day. As I walked around the piazza at Covent Garden, I noticed a sign for St. Paul’s “the actor’s church” and thought that I had never paid a visit there, at least since I had got serious about church visiting. It turned out to be a great choice. Covent Garden, of course is remembered as the original flower market in London and was made famous by the movie version of “My Fair Lady.”

This was the best noncopyrighted image I could find from the movie, but you get the idea.

The church is a small one, and it serves the local community as well as the theatre community. There are several West End theatres in Covent Garden and I believe the shortest distance between two London Underground stations is between Covent Garden and Leicester Square where several more theatres are located. During the day, the church sells a variety of food for workers lunches and offers outdoor seating in their beautiful gardens. The simple interior has plaques with many familiar names.

This is a view of the church from the main entrance on the opposite side from Covent Garden. As you can see, it was a beautiful day and people were enjoying the sunshine while eating their lunches.

Below are pictures of the lovely baptismal font, inside the entrance and two views of the organ above the entrance.

There were many interesting plaques decorating the walls. I was drawn to several, in particular.

Noel Coward above Charlie Chaplin in the white marble with dark borders caught my eye immediately. I remember when Charlie was honored with an award at the Oscars in 1972, for “the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of [the 20th] century”. It was his first trip to the US in 20 years. He received a 12-minute standing ovation when he received his award. Diana Rigg is, perhaps one of my favorite actresses of all time. She was honored on the opposite side of the church with a much less noticeable memorial. I am from a generation of young men who first saw her as Emma Peel on “The Avengers” TV series when British TV shows were something new and exciting and when Ms. Rigg was particularly exciting to see. I am lucky enough to have seen her on stage in London’s West End several times, including in a memorable performance of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.” I hope Patrick MacNee’s John Steed, won’t mind if I borrow from his standard opening on the series and change it, just a bit to say, “Mrs. Peel, you are still needed, and very much missed.”

One more traditional memorial on the church’s wall.

Let’s move out to the Church Garden now. I hope you will enjoy these pictures of the beautiful blooms I saw there.

One last photo from that day’s visit. When I walk from Bloomsbury to Covent Garden, I make it a habit to walk down Coptic Street, a small street that runs between the British Museum on Little Russell Street and New Oxford Street. It is on Coptic Street that I rented my first long-stay (5 weeks) flat back in 2016. It was a 5th floor walkup. As my friend Sally likes to remind me, “what were you thinking?” So, I walk along Coptic Street and look up to the windows at the very top of that building and think to myself that, I still can’t answer Sally’s question.

A lovely building, a lovely flat. So many stairs to walk up.

I am off for 5 days to lovely Normandy, France, from tomorrow. I’m never sure of what the internet situation will be. My hosts live in a lovely century old farmhouse with very thick stone walls that do not conduct well. So, I may be quiet for a few days. Wish me calm crossings of “La Manche.”

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