Nine artists came on our first visit to Leadenhall Market, in the City of London.   Most of us had never been to it before.   We were charmed by its late Victorian splendour, and more practically, by the wide availability of tables and chairs, and the general lack of crowds due the timing of our visit early in the week, and having hit half-term by accident.

Several of us  focused on the decorative features of the Market, the very splendid City of London dragons, and the flower bas-reliefs (one person embarking on collage, helped by the convenience of a secluded cafe table).  Others were interested in the monumental architecture immediately outside the Market, including the contrast with the Market itself.   Everyone else got to grips with the ultra-complicated main structure. 

We enjoyed ourselves very much, and had a fairly private lunch upstairs in The Grapes pub, a real unreconstructed City watering hole, which Sherlock Holmes himself might  have visited.   Leadenhall Market is another place to return to in wet but not cold weather as it is "delightfully airy" as Edward Lear would have put it.  There are other subjects to paint in this Market, including the flower stall, and people in and around the many restaurants, so we will be putting Leadenhall onto our revisit list.