Essential History | The people, places and events that have shaped our history and culture
The people, places and events that have shaped our history and culture
Historical locations, people and buildings in London
Tower Hill is an open area of raised land just north of the Tower of London. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was the execution site for those incarcerated in the Tower in London. It's believed around 125 people were executed, mostly by beheading. At this time, only a few people (with Royal or [...]
This record shop in Soho has a special legendary status, not because of the range of vinyl (impressive though it is), but because this is where the Rolling Stones first rehearsed between March and April 1962. The shop on the corner of Broadwick Street (off Wardour Street) and Duck Lane used to be a pub [...]
In Brook Street, Mayfair there is an extraordinary couple of houses - turned into a museum. Numbers 23 and 25 were homes to two musicians 200 years apart; Jimi Hendrix in London and the house of George Frideric Handel! Handel House G F Handel was born in Germany in 1685. He moved to London age [...]
The Saatchi gallery is one of London’s premier contemporary art galleries. It is based in an impressive Grade 2* listed building opened in 1801 as a school for children of soldiers’ widows. From 1892 it served as the Duke of York’s Military School and in 1911 was re-named the Duke of York’s Barracks and became [...]
Hertford House The Wallace Collection is a national museum of fine art. It is based in Hertford House, an original London townhouse from the 18th century and one of the best art museums in London, off the beaten track. The museum is situated in Manchester Square, just north of Oxford Street and has a stunning [...]