Dr. Johnson’s House

A couple of weeks ago, I took a planning and inspiration day.

For inspiration, I took a visit to Dr Johnson’s House, one-time home of Samuel Johnson, the 18th century creator of the famous dictionary, in Gough Square on the edge if the City.

Truth be told, there is little of Dr Johnson left in Gough Square. The sparsely furnished house though is atmospheric enough. Most powerful and poignant for me was the inside of the front door. For some reason, I failed to take a picture but I’ve borrowed one from this excellent blog on Regency history (here):

The spiked iron bar across the fanlight was to prevent burglars lowering small children threw a smashed window to open the door. The heavy chain, wound around a spiral spike so it couldn’t be opened one-handed (by a suspended child), was to prevent forced entry by robbers or bailiffs. The good doctor spend some years in impecunious circumstances.

And, lest you are in any doubt about the importance of Dr Johnson and his famous dictionary, here he is meeting the Prince Regent: