Syon House, near Brentford, is home of the Percys, Dukes of Northumberland. It sits in a 200 acre estate on the River Thames in Middlesex. The house we see today was built by Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset in 1547, refurbished and enhanced by the Scottish architect Robert Adam in the 1760's and refaced in [...]
Tag: Arts
Charles Dickens’ London home – birthplace of his early novels
At the age of 25, Charles Dickens rented (as was normal practice of the day) a large home in Doughty Street, London. He did this, just as his writing career (under the pseudonym of ‘Boz’) was taking off. Dickens lived here happily with his wife, Catherine, and their three children. Charles and Catherine would go [...]
Handel and Hendrix in London
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 in London’s King’s Road
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 [...]
The Wallace Collection – an opulent townhouse and museum of art
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 [...]
Highlights from the V&A Museum, British Galleries
The Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London is a triumph of Royal patronage, government foresight and public sponsorship spanning back to it’s inception after the Great Exhibition of 1851. We recommend the V&A for its scale, privacy (in many galleries), great restaurants and the exhibits! The Great Exhibition (in London’s Hyde Park) was such [...]
Hampton Court Palace – home of England’s most famous king
Hampton Court Palace was the home of England's most famous king from 1529 until his death in 1547. With sixty acres of gardens and 750 acres of parkland, it was King Henry VIII's weekend and summer retreat from London. Successive monarchs also saw the appeal and the palace was occupied by monarch's of the Stuart [...]
The must-see exhibits at the British Museum (part 2)
Welcome to part two of the ‘Must-see exhibits at the British Museum'! Part one was published in Americans in Town on 1 November 2018 and explored the ground floor galleries. Part two starts in Room 61 and will work clockwise around the entire first floor. Room 61 Here we find artefacts from [...]
The must-see exhibits at the British Museum (Part 1)
In Bloomsbury, London is the world’s finest collection of historical artefacts under one roof - and even the roof is a world-class masterpiece! This article will highlight the must-see exhibits at the British Museum. If you only have time to visit one museum or gallery, you need look no further! The British Museum [...]
The Royal Hospital Chelsea – historical buildings and the finest gardens
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 [...]