From History Today

Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, is threatening to add the Tower of London to its list of endangered World Heritage Sites because of building works planned its vicinity. A State of Conservation document, on the Organisation’s website, records that plans to build skyscrapers in the area surrounding the Tower fail to respect the significance of the World Heritage property, its setting and its related vistas. The plans in question relate to the construction of the 306-metre-high "Shard of Glass" tower planned for London Bridge and the 200-metre Minerva building, as well as a324-metre high tower at Bishopsgate and a 209-metre building on Fenchurch Street. Other sites at risk, should the skyscrapers be built, include Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s Church, all World Heritage properties. Unesco claims that the construction of such modern and domineering buildings would seriously undermine the historic setting of these London landmarks and that policies put in place to protect the environment around the sites have not been properly adhered to. It is calling for an urgent review of the proposed building plans and a skyline survey to be carried out in order to assess the possible impact of new developments on what it refers to as the “views and setting that contribute to the outstanding universal value of the Tower.” The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has until February 1st to defend its approved development plans and argue against the Tower of London being included in Unesco’s List of World Heritage in Danger. If they fail, the Tower of London will be the only building in the developed world to feature on the endangered list. (January 9th)

Charlie Cottrell

word? word

OUP's odd word today was pseudogeusia [soo-duh-gyoo-shuh], a false or perverted sense of taste..which could be used in so many ways with such fun.

trickling

Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.

Stevie Smith..Not Waving But Drowning

I had forgotten totally about Stevie until reading a book which mentioned a book which discussed Stevie. The advantage of free reading