Question Author
Devadolly, PUT THAT knife down immediately, it was Hara Kiri before, I'll not have anyone from the Establishment entering the now rather austere corner, all settees, fridges, and luxury refreshments have been removed, and the corner is now even more Spartan than chez Novalis, merely water and the odd bowl of gruel with wooden seats, no beds or tables now! We are trying to rescue you from an uncomfortable week in the refurbished dunces corner.
BTW am also happy to help with hints, if you want them for last week's Speccie.
Your SoM was correct, who were being rescued, and the grid entries are examples of Ss o M. Novalis hinted at the Eastern vertical column being significant, but with bad spelling as indicated in the rubric. Look also at my hint to dr b about the link between title and theme! A simple anagram followed by a reference to SoM!
Perhaps Himself would sing the important perimeter items to you!