On the wall of St Paul’s Knightsbridge, there’s a surprising war memorial where all the names are women. It remembers the members of the Women’s Transport Service (later known as FANY). History of FANY The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry was founded back in 1907. It was the...
As a tour guide, you tend to try and focus on what you can actually see around London. So this week’s blog is a little odd in that it’s all about something that no longer exists. Happily though, there are clues which aid our imagination. You...
Along the busy Wandsworth High Street it’s easy to miss this small brick building. Even if you do take a moment to appreciate the ‘Society of Friends’ sign, you might not realise quite how historic a building it is. Built in 1778, this is the oldest surviving...
Tucked off the busy Borough High Street is Trinity Church Square. It's a little residential enclave which seems more Bloomsbury than Borough. It was laid out in the early 19th century and seems simple enough, a lovely church and garden with surrounding terraced houses. But, as ever,...
To enter Lincoln’s Inn is to walk into another world. It’s hard to believe this quiet little enclave is right in the middle of London and best of all, during the week anyone is welcome to walk through. The Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inn is one of...
Close to St Paul’s tube station you can find the wonderful garden of Christchurch Greyfriars, set within the former church that was gutted during The Blitz. The church has its own fascinating history, but on the left hand side there's a curious blue sculpture which reminds...
Orange Street doesn’t look very historic at first glance. The narrow Westminster street lies between the National Gallery and Leicester Square but there’s a lot more to see than you might guess. Firstly, it was only known as Orange Street from 1905, a reference to the Prince...
Nestled behind the Bank of England you can find St Margaret Lothbury. It’s easy to miss, hemmed in by other buildings, but if open it’s well worth popping in to admire its treasures and history. (I've previously written about the beautiful Italianate building next door, read...
For the everyday passerby, there’s not much reason to venture into Strand Lane. It’s not a convenient cut through to the Strand however it has two quite amazing bits of history to discover! View of Strand Lane from Temple Lane I’ve previously covered one of them on...
As part of my new walking tour Hidden Wonders of Waterloo I've been researching the history of Surrey Chapel, an 18th century church that once stood by Southwark Station. Although it no longer stands today, it's a prime example of the historic twists and turns...