If you were planning to appreciate some beautiful stained glass in London, Bank Underground Station probably wouldn’t be top of the list. So imagine my surprise when travelling through the (relatively) new Walbrook exit of Bank in finding a series of stained glass from John Hutton. The...
If you’ve used Waterloo Station, you might’ve admired this lonely house. Number 5 is the sole survivor of Whichcote Street, once a bustling terrace that was demolished in 1950. History of Whichcote Street In the early 19th century three streets of stock brick, terraced houses were laid out...
Along Foster Lane in the City you can easily walk past this stone, 19th century building without giving it much thought. But it’s worth looking a bit closer at Goldsmiths' Hall, an institution that’s been here since 1339. I was recently invited to have a look...
Open House Festival 2023 is 6-17 September and there are hundreds of London's unusual and inspiring buildings to visit (some of which are only open to the public for Open House). As ever, there's so much to choose from and sift through so I've done the...
Along Vauxhall Bridge Road, look up and you can admire the lovely former frontage of Frederick E. Gillett Ltd, but what’s the history behind it? Built c.1827 the group of houses was originally called Belvoir Terrace. You can see the new block on the nicely timed 1828...
Once one of the most magnificent Gothic revival churches in London, the Grade I listed St Michael and All Angels in Shoreditch is now set to become office space. It seems quite the juxtaposition, but there’s a lot more to the story… History of St Michael and...
Within Kensington Garden’s Italian Gardens you can find the monumental Queen Anne’s Alcove. Not only was it designed by Christopher Wren but it has a surprising history! The Italian Gardens were laid out around 1860, spearheaded by Prince Albert. They followed a similar plan for gardens he’d...
Look up above the Tescos outside Liverpool Street Statuion and - as ever - there’s history above your eye line! The wide doorways might be the first giveaway, but the elaborately decorated facade tells us this was once Bishopsgate Fire Station. It was built in 1884 for...
Along Consort Road in Peckham you can admire the quaint-looking Beeston’s almshouses. As well as their charming appearance and characteristic almshouse layout, the aspect that really piqued my interest was the shield of the Girdlers' Company. Beeston's Almshouses Turnmill Street, Farringdon You can spot more of these in...
In early May 2023 a new basement on the eastern edge of the City opened to the public. Having previously written about the developments, I was keen to visit the Vine Street Roman Wall for a closer look. The free museum is inside Emperor House and...