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
Tucked away in south west London is the home of the Bishops of London since 704 AD. Set in magnificent grounds close to the River Thames it is a secluded environment that manages to combine places for children to explore, historical interest and a great café - all in a country-side setting. Fulham Palace remained the [...]
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home to around 300 veterans of the British Army. Located on a large site in Chelsea, it offers fabulous walks in the gardens, beautiful art and architecture and an intimate view into the retired lives of the service men and women who live there. These former [...]
The district of Chelsea in the south west of London is part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (royal owing to Kensington Palace). One particular street in Chelsea was almost an American enclave for artists and writers in the late Victorian period . These included John Singer Sargent (between 1885 and 1925), James [...]
Number 44 Berkeley Square is what Nikolaus Pevsner, the architectural critic, described as London’s finest terraced house. Since then, the building has housed a famous casino and nightclub. The house was the original location of John Aspinall’s ‘Clermont Club’ (est. 1962) and (at the same time) Mark Birley's ‘Annabels’ - the famous basement nightclub named [...]
In the north east corner of Grosvenor Square is a little-known and unique piece of American history. Here is the home of the 1st American Minister to Great Britain! You may not immediately know who that was? He was later to become the 2nd President of the United States. It is John Adams. He fulfilled [...]