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St Andrew Undershaft

Why Is This City Church Called St Andrew Undershaft?

Posted on October 12, 2020
in architecture, Churches and Graveyards, etymology, London
0 Comments

Ever paid attention to the names of London’s City Churches? Some of them seem a little odd to us now, but these names give us clues to their history...

Dirty Dicks

What Makes ‘Dicks’ so Dirty?

Posted on September 15, 2020
in etymology, London, Pubs
1 Comment

Steady on. We're talking about Dirty Dicks pub near Liverpool Street Station, which has quite the filthy historical story attached to it....

London Underground Animals

London Underground Safari | Spotted These Animals on the Tube?!

Posted on August 10, 2020
in etymology, London, London Underground
3 Comments

We're going on safari! (On the underground...

Walking Tours of London

Weird London Street Names With A Story Behind Them (Part 2)

Posted on June 25, 2019
in etymology, London, Look Up London
3 Comments

Curious about 'Pardon Street'? or want to know the story behind 'Of Alley' Here's a second helping of weird London street names...

Weird London Pub Names

10 Weird London Pub Names With A Story Behind Them

Posted on November 14, 2017
in etymology, London, Pubs
8 Comments

Along with Street Names, I always find that pubs have a canny way of hinting at London's past. Here's a selection of my favourite weird London pub names, each with an intriguing story behind them....

Whitechapel Road Bullock Running

What Whitechapel Road and Pamplona Have in Common

Posted on October 6, 2017
in East London, etymology, Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, Pubs
0 Comments

Pamplona isn't the only city with a history of bull running. Ok, you might not get much Whitechapel Road Bullock Running nowadays. But the history is there to be found!...

Weird London Street Names

Weird London Street Names With A Story Behind Them (Part 1)

Posted on July 2, 2017
in etymology, installations, London, Look Up London
13 Comments

Concerned by Hanging Sword Alley in EC4? Intrigued by Knightrider Street? Or tempted by Wardrobe Place? There are the best street names in the city and they each have a story to tell....

The Eleanor Cross of Charing Cross

The Eleanor Cross of Charing Cross

Posted on May 18, 2017
in architecture, etymology, Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London
4 Comments

You’ve probably noticed the massive decorative monument outside Charing Cross Station, but do you know why it’s there? Digging into its history gives you a story of romance and the reason this area has its name....

Tyburn Tree Marble Arch

Tyburn Tree: Hidden History at Marble Arch

Posted on April 24, 2017
in Churches and Graveyards, etymology, London, Look Up London, West London
3 Comments

In the middle of a traffic island in Marble Arch lies a grisly bit of London's history. Have you heard about Tyburn Tree?...

St James Park Grammar

St James’s Park Tube: Nightmare For A Grammar Lover

Posted on January 24, 2017
in etymology, London, London Underground
0 Comments

Let's get technical. Is it St James’s Park or St James’ Park? Or both? This may make your head spin...

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London’s mews offer endless delights and this on London’s mews offer endless delights and this one in Bloomsbury doesn’t disappoint. This is Doughty Mews, just off Doughty Street which is probably most famous as the home of Charles Dickens - his only surviving London residence - which is now a museum. In the 19th Century these were cramped, crowded homes for the servants of nearby larger houses, often with stables for horses on the ground floor. Today they’re desirable boutique homes and office space. At no.6 is @ashsakulaarchitects and I like the idea there’s still design and craft going on here 100+ years on. They’ve also worked on some of the renovated properties in the mews. So, given the choice, what would you prefer? Cosy mews or lavish townhouse?! 🤔 #lookuplondon #londonwalks #londonguide #bloomsbury #hiddenlondon #londonoffthebeatentrack #visitlondon #explorelondon #londonmews #mewshouse #doughtymews
London’s street names never fail to amaze me… London’s street names never fail to amaze me… Throughout the 19th century, London’s population boomed. There was huge demand for housing and in the 1890s Mysore Road was one of many streets of terraced houses laid out for the middle-classes. The homes were designed by Alfred Coomber, including this fanciful corner house with the turret, built c.1896. But back to the street name…

Mysore was a Kingdom in south-west India, today part of Karnataka. Throughout the late 18th century the British East India Company fought a series of wars to attempt to take control of the Kingdom and they finally succeeded in 1799 with the Siege of Srirangapatna. There’s a sketch by Turner in the Tate Britain which commemorates this victory and the death of the ruler; Tipu Sultan, whose nickname was the ‘Tiger of Mysore’. Quite why this street in Clapham has this name remains a mystery to me but just shows what a rabbit hole of history London’s street names can lead to! #lookuplondon #londonhistory #clapham #battersea #mysore #colonialhistory #londonguide #londonstreetnames #claphamhistory #southwestlondon #victorian #londonhomes #londonstreets #londoncorners #londonwalks
Can you spot the blue shield on the gate? My favo Can you spot the blue shield on the gate? My favourite thing about guiding is the opportunity to look a little closer and uncover the tiny historic details. This blue shield is a symbol of the Drapers Company, one of the City’s many trade guilds formed in Medieval times and still going strong today. Standing in Austin Friars, a street in EC2, you can see their symbol on the gate, buildings and even lampposts! The Drapers dealt in cloth and wool and when the trade boomed in the 15th century they were one of the wealthiest of all the City’s Companies. Still today they own property in the City and beyond, including their fabulous hall which is open from time to time for events. These gates actually back onto their garden, behind their hall on Throgmorton Avenue and their shield is part of their ‘blazon’ or coat of arms which shows three fluffy clouds with sun beams bursting through - a reference to the Virgin Mary under whose protection the first community of Drapers was established in the 14th century. 
#lookuplondon #CityofLondon #CitySymbols #Londonsymbols #redphonebox #londonicons #LondonGuide #LondonDetails #LondonTourGuide #LondonWalks #Explorelondon #LondonHistory #CityofLondonHistory
The Tate Winter Commission has yet again surprised The Tate Winter Commission has yet again surprised and delighted Londoners - who remembers the amazing slugs from 2018?! Designed by Chila Kumari Singh Burman (@chilaburman), the work was unveiled to celebrate Diwali - the Festival of Lights - and will be here to admire until 31 January 2021 “Remembering a Brave New World” is packed with symbols of Hindu mythology but also personal memories, like the family ice-cream truck.🍦Born in Liverpool, the neon lights are also a reference to Chila’s childhood visits to Blackpool illuminations. Diwali is a celebration of new beginnings and so I’d challenge anyone to not feel uplifted and hopeful after soaking up this wonderful installation. Have you seen it yet? What did you think? #lookuplondon #tatebritain #wintercommission #londonchristmaslights #tatewintercomission #london #artinlondon #visitlondon #londonreflections @tate
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve wr I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve written a book! 🥳 Swipe 👉🏼 to see! If you love discovering the stories behind London’s unusual and overlooked buildings then I think you’ll love this! Last year I was approached by @amberbooksltd to provide the accompanying text to hundreds of beautiful images of abandoned London spots. They’ve even included a few of my photos which I’m thrilled about (like this one inside Millennium Mills!) It features images of disused factories and tube stations, derelict pubs, shops and sports arenas from across Greater London and I’ve shared their surprising and interesting back stories! I was hoping it would be available for Christmas, but - alas! - Covid of course caused delays, however it should be available in Spring. 📍Sign up to be the first to hear about it in my bio link! @look_uplondon 👈🏼 #AbandonedLondon #LookUpLondon #LondonBooks #LondonHistory #londonphotography #ExploreLondon #LondonGuide #HistoricLondon
Have you heard of Minnie Lansbury? This clock alon Have you heard of Minnie Lansbury? This clock along Bow Road celebrates an extraordinary woman. Born 1889, Minnie was a teacher, campaigner and an Alderman, serving on Poplar Council from 1919. She was part of the East London Federation of Suffragettes, fighting for votes for women, but was also chairman of the War Pension Committee which helped widows, orphans and wounded veterans from WWI. In 1921 she was one of 30 local councillors sent to prison for refusing to raise the rates - passing on arbitrary higher taxes to their poor, local constituents. After spending six weeks in prison, she contracted pneumonia and died in 1922, only 32 years old. This clock was first erected in the 1930s but restored by Heritage of London Trust in 2008. #lookuplondon #EastLondonHistory #LondonClocks #minnielansbury #historicwomen #herstory #minnielansbury #Suffragettes #BowRoadHistory @holtoflondon
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