My top ten spot lists of London’s historical highlights. Organised by category such as era or place.
Around the back of Westminster Abbey, away from the hustle and bustle of Parliament Square, you will find a medieval survivor: the Jewel Tower. The Jewel Tower is a stubborn remnant of the old Palace of Westminster, when it was still the primary royal residence. I pass by it on my Westminster’s Backstreets: Saints and Scoundrels […]
A Visit To The Jewel Tower: A Medieval Relic Read More »
In the far North West corner of Kensington Gardens you’ll find a gnarled tree trunk, protected by a metal mesh cage. Get a little bit closer and you will see that, sequestered in all the twists, hollows, nooks and crannies of the wood, are an array of tiny carved, mythical figures. This unusual display is
An Ancient Tree Trunk In Kensington Gardens With A Magical Surprise Read More »
On Piccadilly you will find a shop that has been plying its trade for over 200 years. Hatchards is London’s and, according to their website, the UK’s oldest bookshop. It was described by former MP Sir Alan Herbert as “like an Enchanted Island in the sea of noise”. Read on to have a look inside
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The world-famous Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are one of London’s quirkiest and most fascinating historical sights. The striking Victorian models were the first ever full scale statues of extinct animals and are invaluable both historically and scientifically, but also for the entertainment value they have provided over the last 150 years. Let’s get into the story
Seven Secrets Of The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs Read More »
Occasionally in London you find somewhere that really transports you back in time. James Smith and Sons, London’s oldest umbrella shop, does just that. The beautiful mahogany, painted glass and brass frontage on New Oxford Street immediately stands out from its more modern neighbours. You can peer in through the window and you admire the
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