So first of all I know that ‘devel’ is spelt wrong. Don’t blame me though I’m only the messenger. Although it does of course depend on whether the word in question was actually meant to say ‘devil’ at all, the jury is actually out for me on that one.
What am I talking about? Those who travel through Aldgate on a regular basis will be familiar with the words ‘Crone Devel’ scrawled by some brave soul on the top of an old abandoned office building in the heart of Londons financial district. It can been seen from the A11 written along the top of the building which guards the entrance to London’s favourite tat market, Petticoat Lane.
I’ve often wondered who wrote these words, it would have taken a lot of nerve to get up there. The office block now is a bit of an eyesore when you compare it to the buildings springing up in the rapidly developing area around it, just a stones throw from the impressive Gherkin at St Marys Axe.
Around the office block is a reasonably decent area for spotting street art. Petticoat Lane market on Middlesex Street is really close and works from Ben Eine in particular can be spotted all around the area. Of particular note near the junction between St. Botolph Street and Middlesex Street he has written the word ‘Happy’ in his trademark letters on five of the shutters there.
There’s also a paste up in a doorway of the office block featuring Laurel and Hardy with the Olympic rings. These started popping up just before the Olympics and are dotted around all over the place in this area courtesy I believe of Mr. Fahrenheit.
So there you go, hope you like the pictures, anyone who knows the origin of the whole Crone Devel thing please let me know.
1 Comment