Staple Inn

I did some errands this afternoon that took me near this distinctive building:

We've passed Staple Inn many times on the double-decker bus--in fact, the 341 tends to get caught in traffic facing this impressive building--and although I've often thought about taking a photo from the bus, it took me until today to get a photo of it while on foot. With a long history that includes taxes on foreign wool, associations of lawyers, deathwatch beetles, restoration, extensive damage by a 1944 flying bomb, and more restoration, Staple Inn has seen a mishmash of uses and rebuilds, but it's definitely a distinctive sight on High Holborn (or anywhere in London, for that matter). The courtyard also makes for a nice spot away from the busy traffic that seems to clog the area on weekdays!