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Kings Observatory

London’s Other Royal Observatory

Posted on June 11, 2019
in London, Quirky Museums, Things to do in London, West London
2 Comments

You've probably heard of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, but there's also the King's Observatory in Richmond. Join me for a look around...

London Clown Museum

London’s Clown Museum | Trinity Church, Dalston

Posted on January 24, 2019
in Hidden Gems, London, Quirky Museums
0 Comments

Dalston is host to one of the strangest – and smallest – collections; The Clown Museum in Trinity Church. If you're a coulrophobe, look away now...

Strand Lane Roman Bath

The Real History of the Strand Lane ‘Roman’ Bath

Posted on May 26, 2018
in City of London, Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums
0 Comments

There's a National Trust Sign, but don't be fooled. The Strand Roman Bath isn't quite what it appears to be....

Roman Temple

London Mithraeum: Visit a Roman Temple Under London

Posted on May 4, 2018
in City of London, Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums
4 Comments

First discovered in 1954, as part of the new Bloomberg HQ, London's Mithraeum been restored so Londoners can step back 1,800 years, inside a Roman Temple!...

Dorich House: The Home, Studio & Gallery of Dora Gordine

Posted on April 17, 2018
in London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums, West London
2 Comments

Tucked away in leafy Kingston is the home, studio and gallery of Dora Gardine, Estonian sculptor, 1895-1991 . Have a look around Dorich House, a true London gem....

Turner's House

A Tour of Turner’s House in Twickenham

Posted on April 15, 2018
in Interiors, London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums, West London
0 Comments

Newly restored and open to the public, I discovered a fresh view of JMW Turner at his House in Twickenham....

Spirit Collection

Inside the Natural History Museum Spirit Collection

Posted on April 10, 2018
in London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums, Things to do in London, West London
0 Comments

South Kensington's Natural History Museum has far more on offer than dinosaurs, join me for a look inside The Spirit Collection; full of monstrous and surprising specimens not usually on display! ...

Parliamentary Archives

Parliamentary Archives: Inside The Victoria Tower

Posted on March 6, 2018
in London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums, Things to do in London, West London
2 Comments

See what's going on inside Westminster's Victoria Tower; it houses the Parliamentary Archives – millions of records with historical, constitutional and political significance. Join me on a tour inside…...

London's Weirdest Museum

London’s Weirdest Museum: The Last Tuesday Society

Posted on December 12, 2017
in East London, London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums
2 Comments

A bizarre collection in Hackney with everything from shrunken heads to terrifying taxidermy. Proceed with caution...

Best Open House London 2017 Highlights

The Best of Open House London – 2017 Highlights

Posted on September 26, 2017
in architecture, Churches and Graveyards, East London, Interiors, London, Look Up London, Quirky Museums, Things to do in London
0 Comments

Over 800 buildings are open for the public – for free – to snoop around and last weekend I did the usual rushing across the city to try and see as much as possible! These were my favourite Open House discoveries this year....

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• Katie Wignall | Blue Badge Guide🔵
• #lookuplondon | London’s hidden history
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Instagram post 2199661944369846901_1442668623 Ever wish you could shut yourself away and crack on with that novel/business/side hustle? In 1746 Dr Samuel Johnson received a big commission; to write an English Dictionary. He moved in here, to 17 Gough Square, and finally published his most famous work in 1755 and from then on was known as Dictionary Johnson during his lifetime. Of course, you need company when working by yourself and for Johnson that came in the form of Hodge. Swipe right to see the statue of his pet cat; “a very fine cat indeed” which sits atop Johnson’s dictionary and gazes over at his home. Today the home is a museum; @drjohnsonshouse which tells the story of Samuel Johnson’s life and works in this fabulous restored Georgian home. It’s a quirky London gem! Ever been? #lookuplondon . . . I run quirky public walks as well as bespoke, private tours. Tap the link 👉🏼 @look_uplondon to find out more and browse the blog for some historical London inspiration! . . . #londonhistory #chasingfacades #georgian #London #visitlondon #londonbylocals #mylondon #wreathwatch #doorsofldn #doorsofinstagram #hiddendetails #ihavethisthingwithdoors #thisislondon #prettycitylondon #londonbylondoners #londonprivatetours #discoverlondon #explorelondon #wreathhunting #christmasinlondon #history #inspiremyinstagram #londonstreets #cityoflondon #fleetstreet #drjohnsonshouse #goughsquare
Instagram post 2198138614194327768_1442668623 This lovely little pub can be found along Prescot Street, Shadwell. The gorgeous typography and green tiles are typical of Trumen Brewery pubs, founded in 1666, whose brewery remnants can still be seen on Brick Lane. Today the pub is actually run by Shepherd Neame, a brewery founded in Kent in 1698 but the pub owners opted to strip away the plastic signage and reveal the wonderful tiles in 2004. Good choice, don’t you think?! #lookuplondon . . . I run quirky public walks as well as bespoke, private tours. Tap the link 👉🏼 @look_uplondon to find out more and browse the blog for some historical London inspiration! . . . #londonpubs #London #visitlondon #londonhistory #londonbylocals #mylondon #londonicons #pubsofinstagram #londonguide #EastLondon #victorian #thisislondon #prettycitylondon #londonbylondoners #londonprivatetours #discoverlondon #explorelondon #mysecretlondon #architecture #chasingfacades #pubhistory #inspiremyinstagram #londonstreets #oldvnew #fridayfeeling #weekendvibes
Instagram post 2196810247507458342_1442668623 Look a bit closer at the writing about this office and you’ll see; John J. Royle of Manchester. John invented something extraordinary. At first he sold radiators and water heaters from his shop here, but he saw a problem in the 19th century that needed solving. So he invented the self-pouring tea pot. It catered for Victorian families who wanted large family-sized pots that they could actually lift. By lifting the lid you created a vacuum which then when depressed pour tea out the long downward-curved spout. Genius! As it gets colder in London I think we could all do with one of these! #lookuplondon . . . I run quirky public walks as well as bespoke, private tours. Tap the link 👉🏼 @look_uplondon to find out more and browse the blog for some historical London inspiration! . . . #mysecretlondon #chasingfacades #victorian #London #visitlondon #londonbylocals #mylondon #londonicons #shopsofinstagram #londonguide #hiddendetails #londonhistory #thisislondon #prettycitylondon #londonbylondoners #londonprivatetours #discoverlondon #explorelondon #architecture #historicshops #history #inspiremyinstagram #londonstreets #cityoflondon
Instagram post 2194529978108696133_1442668623 Hampton Court is looking ready for Christmas! The striking 16th Century Tudor Palace is one of the places I take people on private tours and right now it’s looking even lovelier than usual! The jazzy clock behind the tree was made in 1540 and is jam-packed with information. As well as two sets of Roman numerals, dates and months it shows the zodiac symbols, lunar calendar and even the tide height at London Bridge… This was especially useful for Kings like Henry VIII who travelled here via river! Swipe for a closer look #lookuplondon . . . I run quirky public tours around London as well as bespoke and private tours. To find out more tap @look_uplondon 👈🏼 for my website link! . . . #londonhistory #HamptonCourt #historiclondon #mysecretlondon #london #visitlondon #londonbylocals #mylondon #londonicons #christmasinlondon #londonguide #thisislondon #prettycitylondon #londonbylondoners #londonprivatetours #discoverlondon #explorelondon #lookup #christmastree #inspiremyinstagram #londonclocks #postcardplaces #tudorlondon #offthebeatentrack @hamptoncourtpalace @historicroyalpalaces
Instagram post 2193030557328087755_1442668623 Look up along Throgmorton Avenue and you’ll spot the colourful flag of the Drapers’ Company. Given a royal charter in 1364, the Drapers’ were a collective of merchants that sold fabrics or traded in wool and cloth. Their coat or arms was granted in 1439 and the three symbols here represent three triple crowns on top of clouds with sunbeams. They are a reference to the Virgin Mary and the full name of the Drapers’ Company is (deep breath…) "The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London”. Swipe right for a view inside their fabulous 19th Century hall. Have you been? If not it’s definitely one to bookmark for Open House London 2020! #lookuplondon . . . I run quirky public walks as well as bespoke, private tours. Tap the link 👉🏼 @look_uplondon to find out more and browse the blog for some historical London inspiration! . . . #londonhistory #london #thisislondon #lookup #offthebeatentrack #visitthecity #liverycompanies #insiderlondon #londonbylondoners #londonwalks #heraldry #coatofarms #visitlondon #discoverlondon #explorelondon #hiddenlondon #archilovers #history #thecity #mysecretlondon #cityoflondon #historiclondon #openhouselondon @openhouselondon @visitthecity #fridayvibes
Instagram post 2191684361116430251_1442668623 Elder Street in Spitalfields could’ve easily been swept away in the 1970s. Built in the early 1700s, the street was part of a book-ending demolition plan; destroying houses one by one to make the neighbouring buildings deemed structurally unsafe by the building inspectors and therefore more easy to destroy. Thankfully Spitalfields Trust illegally squatted the no.s 5-7 Elder Street, then staged a ‘sit-in’ at British Land until the threat of demolition was over. As Norman Foster’s new residential tower block looms over, I for one hope that Elder Street manages to stay here forever! #lookuplondon . . . I run quirky public walks as well as bespoke, private tours. Tap the link 👉🏼 @look_uplondon to find out more and browse the blog for some historical London inspiration! . . . #londonhistory #spitalfields #historiclondon #mysecretlondon #london #visitlondon #londonbylocals #mylondon #chasingfacades #spitalfieldstrust #londonguide #thisislondon #prettycitylondon #londonbylondoners #londonprivatetours #discoverlondon #explorelondon #lookup #ElderStreet #archilovers #postcardplaces #oldvsnew #offthebeatentrack @spitalfields_trust
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