Sometimes you're just meant to go to a place aren't you? Well it seems for me that's Kingston. Despite not making it there to cheer MOH on during Ride London recently, I did find myself visiting last week. Arriving earlier than planned for my appointment I had a wander around the town.
It's not a place I know well, but I soon found myself in the Market Place. And that's the only part of Kingston I could claim to recognise. Funny how these things happen isn't it? As I looked around I noticed this sign outside the Market Place House.
Well I didn't need much encouraging to step inside. Just inside the door there was a display of fabulous vintage items. An old Singer sewing machine, books, records, ceramics and the classic rotary dial telephones.
Yes WOW. Definitely wow.
Wandering around was simply a feast for my eyes; there were things that reminded me of my 1970s childhood, things I was tempted to buy and more things that I thought would come in useful, for I know not what!
There was lots of choice and that was a good thing - as I couldn't decide what one thing to buy! Thankfully I'd come on the train so being able to carry my purchase home easily across London was also a factor.
And still I wandered around, looking in drawers and dressers full of crockery and niknaks.
Kingston's Market Place has been used since 1170 when Henry II was on the throne. In the past 800 years it's been used for much more than selling produce. It's been a place for both celebrations and punishment, with the busy Market Place being the ideal place for Kingston's criminals to get their comeuppance in the stocks. Not so much today though, although it could come in handy...
Towards the back of the shop I was drawn to the book covers; there were many titles that I remembered reading as a child on the shelf, including my beloved Twinkle. But when I looked closer although they were covers, they weren't books... Someone has cleverly adapted them to be tablet and e-reader covers.
Moving hastily away from the Twinkle tablet cover I saw a suitcase of wooden scrabble letters - remember the WOW from earlier - well you could have so much fun with these.
It was the sort of shop that whichever way you turned you discovered something equally intriguing or fascinating, these ceramic buttons were just so pretty and prove my point.
It's a shop that I could have spent a lot of time - and no doubt a lot of cash - in. Thankfully it's not local to me or it could become very dangerous, but it was lovely to spend some time wandering around discovering just some of the items on sale. If you're in Kingston then do stop by as I'm sure you'll also find it a real treasure trove!
