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
The pubs have reopened - and those in central London need more custom at present. This pub crawl is in the heart of central London; the spectacular City of Westminster. On this central London pub crawl you'll stroll through 1000 years of British history. The royal centre that gave birth to the ‘model parliament’ in [...]
Soho is a well-known district of the City of Westminster in London. This article describes how Soho evolved into the epicentre of London’s entertainment scene. Soho is thought to take its name from the hunting cries used when it was a royal hunting park belonging to King Henry VIII, who hunted here with members of [...]
Spitalfields is an historic area to the east of the City of London. Since the 1660's, it has been the traditional first stop for immigrants arriving in London - and has suffered its share of poverty and destitution. Today, however, the area is a melting pot of the creative industries, street art and bohemian residents. [...]
Little Venice is the name given (by Browning or Byron, no one knows) to the intersection of two canals in west London. These are the Grand Union Canal and Regent's Canal. The former was completed in 1814 and the later 1820 - both key to London's industrial infrastructure, before (and after) railways arrived in London [...]
Borough Market is one of London’s oldest markets, first mentioned in 1276. This is owing to its position on the south side of London Bridge - the only bridge across the river until 1750, when Westminster Bridge opened. Borough Market served travellers arriving or departing London from places to the south east of London, in [...]