Warblers' Glee Club

As part of the this week's East festival, we headed (yes) east to a building whose interior we have been curious to see ever since we walked past more than seven months ago. If you like, you can see my post from that day for more information about Wilton's Music Hall:

Although the pamphlet we received upon entering mentioned that John Wilton laid the foundation stone for the hall on 9 December 1858, the stone itself bestows that honour upon Ellen Wilton:

Over the course of the festival, the Vortex Jazz Club was putting on free performances in various east London venues, including Wilton's, and we arrived to the sound of guitar in the gorgeous, decrepit main hall:

It was nice to be in the space while performances were taking place--the sound was pretty great.

Although around 60% of Wilton's remains unused due to structural issues, a cosy upper-level space is both intimate and relaxing:

It's not just the main hall that's crumbling and peeling away; the entire building seems to be in the process of astonishing collapse.

Bob spotted this fantastic sign before I did,

and we sat for a bit in the atmospheric front room, looking at the details around us.

Everyone at Wilton's seemed to be heading to the same place as us afterwards: Spitalfields Market's Taste East, a two-day festival centred on food and entertainment. Near the market's entrance, people of all ages were adding their food-related drawings to a large banner,

and on the other side of the numerous (and very crowded) food stalls sat a strange trailer, filled with a rather eerie tea party . . . seemingly prepared and enjoyed by birds!

Some residents of Spitalfields City Farm came to visit the market, including Tilly the pony

(here's Bob going in for a pat),

and Bayleaf the donkey:

Bayleaf and Tilly were both more than willing to cuddle with members of the crowd,

and Tilly even did some very loud hee-hawing that would make donkeys everywhere proud.