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Open House London St Anne's Limehouse Clock Tower

What To See At Open House London 2020 (That You Don’t Need To Book)

Posted on August 28, 2020
in architecture, Interiors, London, Look Up London, Things to do in London
17 Comments

Hundreds of London buildings are available to snoop around on 19-20 September 2020 (for free!) Here are my recommendations...

Asia House, Lime Street

Sculptures on Asia House, 31-33 Lime Street

Posted on August 25, 2020
in architecture, City of London, London, Look Up London
0 Comments

Walking along the narrow Lime Street in the City, look up to spot these beautiful sculptures on Asia House. What's their story?...

St George-in-the-East Mortuary Shadwell

St George-in-the-East Mortuary, Shadwell

Posted on August 18, 2020
in Churches and Graveyards, East London, London, Look Up London
1 Comment

The surprising and macabre story behind these ruins beside St George-in-the-East in Shadwell...

Cable Street Mural

Admiring The Battle of Cable Street Mural

Posted on July 25, 2020
in East London, Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London
3 Comments

Unveiled in 1983, The Cable Street Mural is a powerful reminder of an extraordinary event in 1936; The Battle of Cable Street....

Carreras Cigarette Factory

History of the Former Carreras Cigarette Factory

Posted on July 14, 2020
in architecture, London, Look Up London, North London
9 Comments

The black cats staring down at you are the clue! Discover the history of one of London's most unusual buildings...

Stapleton's Spitalfields

History of the Former Stapleton’s, Spitalfields

Posted on July 3, 2020
in East London, London, Look Up London, Spitalfields
2 Comments

Recently given Grade II listed status, Stapletons in Spitalfields is the only surviving horse repository in London...

Queenhithe Mosaic

Queenhithe Mosaic: Telling The History of The City

Posted on June 30, 2020
in City of London, Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London
9 Comments

On a quiet riverside spot, the story of the City of London unfolds in the most beautiful way. Have you see the Queenhithe Mosaic?...

51-54 Gracechurch Street

The Gargoyles on 51-54 Gracechurch Street

Posted on May 26, 2020
in architecture, City of London, London, Look Up London
4 Comments

Glance upwards on 54 Gracechurch Street in the City and you'll spot gouls staring down at you!...

Southwark Park Caryatids

Story Behind the Southwark Park Caryatids

Posted on May 19, 2020
in London, Look Up London, nature, South London
4 Comments

Though not ancient, these mysterious ruins are over 100 years old and have travelled across South London...

Devonshire Gates Green Park

History Behind the Devonshire Gates in Green Park

Posted on May 17, 2020
in Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, West London
6 Comments

You can spot the gas holders easily, but there's also a secret garden hiding nearby too...

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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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