London’s memorials and monuments- the history behind them and the people they honour
London was established by the Romans just after 43AD (is anyone else looking forward to the 2000 year anniversary toga party?) and occupied London until around 410AD. There are a few scattered remains in the city from this period, such as the Roman Wall and the Mithraeum. There is however a lesser-known relic in the […]
The Roman Relic Hidden In Clapham Read More »
Hyde Park hides a secret. Out of sight and, not ordinarily open to the public, is a cemetery. The headstones however are tiny and you will see names such as ‘Darling Fluff’, ‘Jack the Dandy’, ‘Chim-Chim’ and ‘Bijou’. This is not ordinary cemetery, it is a pet cemetery. I was shown this fascinating and rather
Hyde Park’s Hidden Victorian Pet Cemetery Read More »
On Paternoster Square by St Paul’s Cathedral you will find an ornate stone gateway. It is called Temple Bar and is, in fact, the only surviving gateway into the City of London. It has not, however, always sat serenely next to St Paul’s and has a rather gory element to its past. Temple Bar The
The Tumultuous and Gruesome History Of The Temple Bar Gate Read More »
Walk along Shepherdess Walk in Hackney and look out for the entranceway circled below. Descend down some steps and you will see this intriguing sign pointing to a mysterious passageway. Pluck up the courage, walk through and you will emerge from the darkness into Shepherdess Walk Park. Shepherdess Walk Park The passageway mimics the route
The Stunning Shepherdess Walk Mosaics Read More »
Standing at the road junction, in front of Bow Church in East London, you will find a rather stern-looking statue of Victorian Prime Minister William Gladstone. Look closely and you will notice it has a rather odd feature: red hands. Why? Well, brace yourselves, the story takes us back to Victorian London and is one
Caught Red-Handed! An Odd East London Statue Read More »