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 […]
A Trip To London’s Oldest Umbrella Shop Read More »
So much of London’s history is tied up, not only in its buildings, but in its green spaces. Its tiny pocket parks in particular often have fascinating stories to tell. I have written about a few of them before: Cleary Gardens with its Roman roots, Postman’s Park with its one-of-a-kind memorial and St Pancras Church
Red Cross Garden: Southwark’s Secret Sanctuary Read More »
On the corner of Curzon Street and Curzon Square in Mayfair you will find an attractive black-brick Georgian house. After being gutted during the Second World War it was converted into apartments. It was in this building, in the same flat, in the very same bed, that both Cass Elliot (Mama Cass) and The Who
Death In Mayfair: The “Cursed” Flat Of Curzon Square Read More »
Walk along Piccadilly by Green Park, and, by a bus stop, you will find an unusual piece of street furniture. It is known as a ‘porter’s rest’ and is the only one left in London. What Is A Porter? Porters were those hired to carry goods from A to B and from the 17th-19th centuries,
A Unique Historical Street Oddity On Piccadilly Read More »
All Hallows-by-the-Tower, named due its proximity to the Tower of London, is said to be the City of London’s oldest church; founded in 675AD. At this incredibly historic church, you can observe the many layers of London’s history in all its glorious chaos, including Roman pavement, a Saxon arch, medieval stonework and twisted, deformed reminders
The Hidden Treasures Of All Hallows-By-The-Tower Read More »