Essential London | The top sights in London and beyond
The best cultural and historical sights in London and beyond.
Historical locations, people and buildings in London
In 1897 the King of Benin City (in present day Nigeria), Oba Ovonramwen, was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with an agreement he had signed with the British; permitting them to undertake direct trade with locals, limiting his weapons stockpile and banning human sacrifice and slavery – all in exchange for cash subsidies. Having had enough of [...]
Covent Garden is home to the world-renowned Royal Opera House, the Royal Ballet and the London Transport museum – as well as some of the best shopping, food & drink and street entertainment in London. This post is about the foundation of Covent Garden. Covent Garden was originally a medieval orchard and garden, belonging to [...]
Every shop on the main thoroughfare of Hatton Garden is involved in the jewellery business. That’s around 200 outlets selling gold, silver and diamond adornments. Private security guards linger on street corners, awake to the threat of heists or hold-ups. But passing among them are couples who come here to shop, liking the choice and [...]
Renowned for being the home of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane has a colourful past stretching back to the fourteenth century. Named after Sir Thomas Drury, who built a house here during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, it peaked as a select and fashionable neighbourhood in C16-17. However, one hundred years later, it had [...]
York Watergate bears evidence to the estate of York House, the London residence of the Bishop of York that stretched 400 metres from the river front north to Strand. In 1870 Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s Victoria embankment reclaimed around 100 metres of land along a two-mile stretch of the Thames, leaving the watergate marooned in what [...]
Originally premiered on Regent Street in 1954, London’s Christmas lights are a much loved fixture of shoppers, photographers - and bloggers! Oxford Street caught up in 1959, before a hiatus during the 1970’s owing to austerity and power cuts. Today, the lights are LED units, consuming two-thirds the energy of electric bulbs. Here are a [...]
Built for £2.2 million in 1933, it’s the price of a modest apartment today in this swish residential-retail-leisure complex. Originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert-Scott, the station powered a quarter of London by 1948. Closed in 1983, the grade II* listed building was the problem child of the river front until rescued by Malaysian investors [...]
These clubs are on St James’s Street - you’ll pass them as you proceed down this historic parade. They’re generally not open to the public, so access is via a member. Each provides an exclusive networking environment for mostly, gentlemen members - and dancing is usually not a feature. White’s Club - the oldest and [...]
Established in 1989 and moved to Kensington in 2016, the Design Museum holds Britain’s best permanent collection of world-leading consumer product design. The inspiration of the late Sir Terence Conran, the museum was awarded European Museum of the Year in 2018. The astounding new interior complements the Grade 2* architecture of the 1960s building - [...]
Here are London’s 5 most historic five-star hotels, in date-of-opening order. If your budget doesn’t stretch to an overnight stay, settle for a coffee in the public lounge! London’s first hotel built in 1837 with numerous historical associations - not least being the location for the first successful telephone call in London by Alexander Graham [...]