Leonard Bentley
Queen Mary's Steps
The photograph shows the excavations for the new Ministry of Defence building in 1939. During the excavations parts of the Tudor Whitehall Palace were uncovered including Queen Mary's Steps which were part of the riverside Terrace of the Palace. This part of the Terrace was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1691, the steps are now preserved as a feature adjacent to the north east corner of the MOD building.
During the 1970s whilst on my beat one early turn I discovered that a tent had been erected by the steps, I roused the sleeping inhabitants who turned out to be two East German tourists. Having satisfied myself that they were not eavesdropping on the MOD communications, I sent them on their way.
This is how the steps look today: see link.
Queen Mary's Steps
The photograph shows the excavations for the new Ministry of Defence building in 1939. During the excavations parts of the Tudor Whitehall Palace were uncovered including Queen Mary's Steps which were part of the riverside Terrace of the Palace. This part of the Terrace was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1691, the steps are now preserved as a feature adjacent to the north east corner of the MOD building.
During the 1970s whilst on my beat one early turn I discovered that a tent had been erected by the steps, I roused the sleeping inhabitants who turned out to be two East German tourists. Having satisfied myself that they were not eavesdropping on the MOD communications, I sent them on their way.
This is how the steps look today: see link.