The Watts & Co. Blog

The Early Years of Watts & Co - Watts & Co.
The Early Years of Watts & Co
Initially focused on interior design for stately homes, Watts & Co. became known for its intricate wallpaper patterns and textiles influenced by late medieval and early Renaissance designs. Founders Bodley,... Read more...
Architectural Foundations: The Founding of Watts and Co. - Watts & Co.
Architectural Foundations: The Founding of Watts and Co.
In 1874, amidst the aesthetic shift brought by the Public Worship Regulation Act and the rise of the Aesthetic movement, architects George Frederick Bodley, George Gilbert Scott Jr., and Thomas... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 27th and Last) Westminster - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 27th and Last) Westminster
Westminster station, opened in 1868 and rebuilt in 1999, is a striking example of London's Underground architecture. The deepest on the system at 34 meters, it contrasts heavily with its... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl Part the 26th: Embankment - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl Part the 26th: Embankment
After a summer pause, the focus shifts to the final two stations, Embankment and Westminster. Embankment Station, intertwined with its neighbor Charing Cross, has evolved from four nearby stations. Its... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 25th) Temple - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 25th) Temple
Temple station in London is named after the historical presence of the Knights Templar, with their conventual church, Temple Church, still standing as a place of worship and the religious... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 24th) Blackfriars - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 24th) Blackfriars
Blackfriars station, re-opened in 2012 after renovations, leads to the tour's next stop, St Bride's Church in Fleet Street. This church, with its distinctive Wren spire, is dedicated to the... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 23rd) Mansion House - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 23rd) Mansion House
Mansion House station, opened in 1871 as part of the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR), is unremarkable historically but notable for its entrance designed by Charles Holden, a prominent civic architect.... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 22nd) Cannon Street - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 22nd) Cannon Street
Cannon Street station, notable for its history and distinctive architecture, stands on the site of the Steelyard, home to the Hanseatic League. It features two towers designed to mimic St.... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 21st) Monument - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 21st) Monument
Monument station, named after the nearby Monument to the Great Fire of London, is a complex underground hub linked to Bank station, known for its challenging layout. The Monument, a... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 20th) Tower Hill - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the 20th) Tower Hill
Since it’s opening in 1884, the name Tower Hill has been applied to no less than three stations in this vicinity: The first Tower Hill (I), (on which the present Tower Hill... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the Nineteenth) Aldgate - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the Nineteenth) Aldgate
Continuing round we come to Aldgate: the only station which is passed through solely by the Circle line (it is also the terminus of the Metropolitan line). Of itself, it is a... Read more...
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the Eighteenth) Liverpool Street - Watts & Co.
The Watts Church Crawl (Part the Eighteenth) Liverpool Street
Another very bustling, very busy station; the gateway to East Anglia. It has had something of a checkered history since its opening. It replaced an earlier station (Bishopsgate) in 1874, which... Read more...