While planning my recommendations for the 2022 Open House Festival, one listing quite literally made me hop on the next train to Mortlake. It's a surviving Air Raid shelter in St Leonard's Court. St Leonard's Court was built 1934-38 by Mr FG Fox, a local builder...
Open House Festival 2022 runs until 21 September this year so there's even more time to visit London's unusual and inspiring buildings (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...
Recently I’ve been spending a bit of time researching private walks in Kensington and Chelsea. As such, one of the wonderful little historic gems I’ve stumbled across is the hidden Jewish Cemetery on Fulham Road. While taking a picture of Sokol Books (more on that later)...
In Sutton you can find an amazing historic gem, a surviving house - built c.1500 - that's now a brilliant local history museum. Here’s why you should visit Whitehall Historic House...
While planning a bespoke private tour in the back streets of Kensington I noticed an odd marking on google maps; “The Hole in the Wall”. When I saw it in person it’s rather more substantial than a hole and a little plaque gives a hint...
Have you ever noticed the Eastcheap camels on Peek House? Looking up along Eastcheap provides plenty of interesting things to spot. From the juxtaposition of old (St Margaret Patterns) and the new Walkie Talkie, to one of London’s most intriguing (and tiny!) sculptures But the camels deserve...
Eltham Palace is a bit of a mad place, full to bursting with strange juxtapositions and quirky details. Here are some of my favourite discoveries from a recent visit...
In celebration of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, I’m working with Art of London to put together a special ‘Royal Warrants’ tour of historic businesses with Royal connections in the West End. Art of London brings together the UK’s biggest cultural institutions and showcases art in...
In the shadow of Southwark Cathedral there is a curious-shaped memorial stone which remembers a Mohegan Chief who travelled to London in the 18th Century. The Mohegan Tribe The Mohegan Tribe is a sovereign, federally-recognised Indian Nation. It has its own constitution and government and gained federal...
As you walk along the traffic-packed Byward Street, with All Hallows Barking, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge in the distance, it’s thoroughly understandable that you’d miss a ghost station hiding in plain sight. Abandoned or ‘Ghost’ stations can be seen all over London (I’ve...