London is full of surprises; around every corner is an intriguing street name, historical remnant or unusual architectural detail. Occasionally you will come across something you really don’t expect. Either that thing has not moved for centuries and now looks totally out of place in its surroundings, or it has possibly been transplanted from its […]
Nine Historical Things In Surprising Places Read More »
St Bartholomew’s Hospital, or ‘Bart’s’ as it is most commonly known, is Britain’s oldest hospital. At its historic heart, before now not particularly accessible to the public, is the North Wing. In the summer of 2023, a project began to restore the North Wing, including the Great Hall and the astounding, painted staircase by London
Revealing and Restoring Bart’s Hospital Read More »
The City of London’s churches are always packed with history and fascinating stories. Visiting them is often like delving into an attic and discovering little treasures and memories. St Sepulchre-without-Newgate is a great example of this. It is likely there has been a church on this site, in the North-West corner of the City, just
Explorers, Musicians And Executions: A Look Inside St Sepulchre-without-Newgate Read More »
Walk down St John’s Lane in Clerkenwell and at the end of the street you will see a impressive gatehouse. Incongruous to its surroundings, it looks almost as if it has been transported out of a medieval world. This was once the Southern entranceway to the Clerkenwell Priory, the English Headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller.
The History Of The Order Of St John In Clerkenwell Read More »
One of my favourite small museums in London is the Garden Museum. It was set up in Lambeth in 1977, I have written a blog post on the full history behind it before here. The Garden Museum is inside the old church of St Mary-at-Lambeth. There has been a church here since at least the
Five Lost Gardens Of London Read More »