Essential London | The top sights in London
The best cultural and historical sights in London and beyond.
In the heart of the City of London (the historic ‘square mile’) is a labyrinth of hidden alleyways connecting coffee houses, wine lodges, restaurants and churches. If you’re visiting London, it’s a must-see. This short guide will direct you through the area. You might lose your bearings, but it’s compact and completely safe. [...]
The former London home of Sir Thomas More, stands on Chelsea Embankment adjacent to Chelsea Old Church (More’s home is the central grey stone building in the featured picture). Originally situated in Bishopsgate it was moved here in 1910 since Chelsea was the location of More’s Beaufort House and estate (only recalled now by local [...]
Established in 1510, Savoy Chapel is the private chapel of Her Majesty the Queen, as the Duke of Lancaster. Its name derives from Savoy Palace, previously on this site and the residence of Peter of Savoy - the uncle of Eleanor of Provence, wife to King Henry III. Originally dedicated to St John the Baptist, [...]
Pushing the boundaries of ‘beyond London’ here, but wanted to share some pictures taken of Ostia, the ancient port city of Rome. Brought to our attention by Mary Beard and her excellent TV show ‘Meet the Romans’. Ostia kept Rome’s population fed with imported grain from Africa - freely dispensed to citizens to keep them [...]
Temple Church, built by the Knights Templar (whose church in Jerusalem was located where the Temple of Solomon once stood), is one of London’s oldest churches. Of its two parts, the round church (modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem) was consecrated in 1185 whilst the chancel was added in 1240. Most [...]
There is less than a month remaining to see ‘The world of Stonehenge’ exhibition at the British Museum. It’s a stunning collection of artefacts from across Europe over the period 4000 and 1000 BC. Charting the rise of the Neolithic communities and their rituals, beliefs and worldview to their demise from the rise of warfare [...]
Part 2: Monuments, places of worship, Clapham at war - and essential pubs and cafes! Monuments, statues and markers Boundary markers, dotted throughout Clapham, are parish boundary markers delineating Clapham from Wandsworth and Battersea. The history of Clapham’s local government is beyond the scope of this short book, but here are the basics from the [...]
This is part one of a two-part article on one of London’s best places to live. The article covers the sights to see in Clapham, South West London. You’ll discover compelling facts about the area, its residents and renowned architecture. Plus, an awesome selection of pubs and cafes to visit! Introduction Clapham is perhaps best [...]
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is renowned world-wide as being the 'mother of all parliaments' This post is a self-guided walk through the heart of political Westminster. The walk starts in Smith Square, Westminster, home to party HQ's, lobbyists and political associations and ends in Trafalgar Square. It will take you around three hours, [...]
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 [...]