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 rather 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 [...]
Spitalfields is in the east end of London and very close to the City of London (financial district). Its been the traditional first stop in Britain for immigrants, going back to the 1600’s and has had its share of poverty and destitution. However, today the area is a melting pot of the creative industries, street [...]
Ham House was built on land owned by King James I in 1610. The lease of the house transferred between several royal courtiers until it was granted to William Murray in 1626 - during the reign of King Charles I. Murray was granted the freehold ten years later. Murray, a Scotsman, was a close friend [...]
William Morris was an influential designer and one of the leaders of the Arts and Crafts movement - that started in Britain before becoming a world-wide phenomenon. This is the house where the movement started! 'Arts and Crafts' rejected plain mass produced household furniture and fittings in favour of ambitious, creative and bespoke designs [...]
A short history of Belgravia Belgravia is an area in the south west of London known for its concentration of large mansions, wealthy residents and foreign embassies. However, less than 200 years ago the area was a marshy wasteland frequented by vagrants and criminals. How did it make this transformation? In 1677, the 200 acre [...]
At the age of 25, Charles Dickens rented (as was normal practice of the day) a large home in Doughty Street, North 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 [...]
We're not going to let the major Royal event of 2018 go without a mention! Referring of course to the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on the 19 May at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle. Once married, the couple will live together in the second largest apartment of Kensington Palace - moving out [...]
