Lambeth Palace is the official London residence and office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. As well as medieval buildings and historic state rooms, it contains the oldest continually cultivated gardens in Central London. However, to be perfectly frank, it's incredibly difficult to get a look inside. One...
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...
On Laurence Pountney Hill, a quiet corner of the City of London, a private house, former church and pretty garden can transport you back through the centuries. The grade II listed 7a Laurence Pountney Hill was built in the late 17th century, around 1670. But amazingly, the...
Sat alongside the busy Victoria Street, Christchurch Gardens doesn’t seem that historic at first glance. However, scratch the surface and there’s plenty of stories connected to this little green space. In September 2020 the gardens reopened after an extensive 3-year refurbishment by ReardonSmith. Regrettably a number of...
St John and St Elizabeth Hospital in St John’s Wood might seem just like any other private hospital. However, open one door along a corridor and you’re in for a treat. You appear to have stepped into Rome! The chapel was built between 1862-3 and...
There are some amazing hidden details on Southwark Cathedral that are worth a look up. On the exterior of the north east wall you can see a mixture of Victorian and contemporary corbels and the new ones each have a story to tell! I’ve previously written...
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,...