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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...

Behind the Scenes Tower Bridge

Behind the Scenes at Tower Bridge

Posted on January 28, 2020
in architecture, London, Look Up London, Things to do in London, West London
5 Comments

Join me for a look inside the bascule chambers...

Behind the Scenes St Paul's Cathedral

Behind the Scenes at St Paul’s Cathedral

Posted on January 14, 2020
in architecture, London, Look Up London, Things to do in London, West London
9 Comments

On a triforium tour of the cathedral you can see some amazing hidden gems!...

Sculptures above piccadilly

History Behind These Curious Sculptures Above Piccadilly

Posted on December 27, 2019
in Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, West London
1 Comment

Heard the myth you're never more than 6ft from a rat in London? Well on Oxford Street it's other rodents (and their intriguing history) you should be looking for!...

Inside the London Library

Inside The London Library (aka Book Heaven!)

Posted on December 24, 2019
in architecture, London, Look Up London, Things to do in London, West London
2 Comments

The largest independent lending library in the world, The London Library is a phenomenal space, packed with history!...

Marchmont Street Token Sculptures

The Sad History Behind The Marchmont Street Token Sculptures

Posted on November 26, 2019
in Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, West London
0 Comments

It's worth looking down in Bloomsbury, these sculptures reveal a sad bit of history...

Oxford Street Beavers

Oxford Street Beavers

Posted on September 10, 2019
in Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, West London
2 Comments

Heard the myth you're never more than 6ft from a rat in London? Well on Oxford Street it's other rodents (and their intriguing history) you should be looking for!...

One Pembridge Square Ceiling

A Jaw-Dropping Secret Ceiling in Notting Hill

Posted on July 17, 2019
in architecture, London, Look Up London, West London
0 Comments

Now part of a library and one minute from Portobello Road, the stunning ceiling One Pembridge Square is well worth looking up at!...

North Audley Street Roundels

North Audley Street Pavement Roundels

Posted on July 2, 2019
in Hidden Gems, London, Look Up London, West London
4 Comments

I know I'm usually looking up, but these North Audley Street roundels on the floor recently caught my eye....

Kings Observatory

London’s Other Royal Observatory

Posted on June 11, 2019
in London, Quirky Museums, Things to do in London, West London
4 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...

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• Virtual London walking tours every Monday, 2pm from 25th May
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As you emerge out of Piccadilly Station, Regent St As you emerge out of Piccadilly Station, Regent Street’s sweeping curve is a delight. But why is it so bendy? It was built in 1819 as London’s original shopping street and designed as a direct route for the Prince Regent (later King George IV) to travel between Carlton House at St James’s Park and a planned palace at Regent’s Park. Sadly for our Prince, his architect John Nash ran into good old English land dispute troubles, having to outrageously build around properties that already existed. Don’t you hate it when people just wont move out of you way?! 🤣 Another theory is that the curve leans West to be closer to well-to-do Mayfair, rather than swinging Soho. Today none of the building are actually by Nash, most being rebuilt between 1904 and 1925, however they are all listed. #lookuplondon . . . Hi I’m Katie 🙋🏻‍♀️ Blue Badge Tour Guide and London history blogger. Although I’m currently not running public walks, I’m continuing to share London’s history with virtual walks live every Monday. If you enjoy my posts and stories and want to contribute to my business you can donate in my bio link @look_uplondon 👈🏼 or get in touch for private virtual tours! . . . #regentstreet #london #lookup #nash #londonarchitecture #thisislondon #visitlondon #mysecretlondon #archilovers #londonhistory #insiderlondon #explorelondon #londonicons #piccadilly #prettycitylondon #prettylittlelondon #londondetails #londonwalks #chasingfacades @regentstreetw1 @visitlondon
Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in the 1920s, I wo Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in the 1920s, I wonder what Scott would make of this new use for his telephone box? As phone boxes have become redundant with the rise of mobiles, these eye-catching bits of street furniture have been changed into artworks, miniature coffeeshops and even life-saving defibrillator machines! The Lewisham Micro Library, as it’s now known, has been open since 2013 when Seb Handley bought the box from BT for £1 and converted it. But it’s not unique by a long way, hundreds of phone boxes have been converted into libraries across the UK! #lookuplondon . . . Hi I’m Katie 🙋🏻‍♀️ Blue Badge Tour Guide and London history blogger. Although I’m currently not running public walks, I’m continuing to share London’s history with virtual London walking tours which you can watch on my IGTV. If you enjoy my posts and stories and want to contribute to my business you can donate in my bio link @look_uplondon 👈🏼 or get in touch for private virtual tours! . . . #london #thisislondon #visitlondon #mysecretlondon #londonhistory #insiderlondon #explorelondon #lewisham #southlondon #booklover #library #librariesofinstagram #shelfie #londondetails #londonwalks
Are gasholders strangely beautiful or downright ug Are gasholders strangely beautiful or downright ugly? When I posed this question on my stories I was surprised that 90% voted for beautiful! I’ll admit I do find their hulking metal forms intriguing, so I was delighted to discover recently that there’s far more to the former 19th century Bow Gas Works than meets the eye. Over on the blog I’ve shared a post about a secret garden, hiding in the middle of an industrial estate! For an idea of quite how bizarre this was, swipe right to see part of this strange secret garden. 📍Tap @look_uplondon 👈🏼 for the link in bio! #lookuplondon . . . . #londonhistory #bromleybybow #gasholders #victorian #secrethistory #londonbloggger #londonblog #gasometers #historyblog #london #lookup #mysecretlondon #riverlea #dailywalks #londonwalks #EastLondon #Bow #Thisislondon #hiddenlondon #explorelondon #londontourguide #londonguide #bluebadgeguide #industrial
They may look serene, but these lovely ladies in S They may look serene, but these lovely ladies in Southwark Park were previously damsels in distress… They were carved by Henry Poole in the 1890s and used to be part of Rotherhithe’s Town Hall, erected in 1897 but badly damaged during WWII and later demolished. The caryatids (fancy term for ladies as columns) were then moved to Elephant and Castle’s newly constructed Heygate Estate in 1974 but then that was scheduled for demolition from 2011. They arrived in this lovely spot in the same year and hopefully they can now enjoy a bit of peace and quiet! #lookuplondon . . . Hi I’m Katie 🙋🏻‍♀️ Blue Badge Tour Guide and London history blogger. Although I’m currently not running public walks, I’m continuing to share London’s history with virtual London walking tours which you can watch on my IGTV. If you enjoy my posts and stories and want to contribute to my business you can donate in my bio link @look_uplondon 👈🏼 . . . #london #londonhistory #londonsculpture #southwarkpark #rotherhithe #SouthLondon #Classical #localhistory #londonwalks #mysecretlondon #londonparks #londondetails #victorian #visitlondon #thisislondon #sculpture #lookup #caryatids #greenspace #greenlondon #bluebadgetouristguide
The sun-drenched Old Ship in Limehouse, an indepen The sun-drenched Old Ship in Limehouse, an independent East End favourite. While walking past recently a little detail caught my eye. Swipe right and you’ll see the carving of a crowned woman peering down at you. This is a Mercer’s Maiden and a little historic clue. Built in 1825, York Square was a development funded by the Mercer’s Company, a City of London trade guild established back in the 12th century. The Mercer’s are ranked top out of the 110 companies and today have shifted focus to more charitable activities. This plot of land was bought by the Greater London Council in 1973 but their property mark can still be seen. Have you spotted any more around London? #lookuplondon . . . Hi I’m Katie 🙋🏻‍♀️ Blue Badge Tour Guide and London history blogger. Although I’m currently not running public walks, I’m continuing to share London’s history with virtual London walking tours which you can watch on my IGTV. If you enjoy my posts and stories and want to contribute to my business you can donate in my bio link @look_uplondon 👈🏼 . . . #pubsofinstagram #pubhistory #limehouse #london #londonhistory #fridayfeeling #londonpubs #localhistory #londonwalks #explorelondon #londonguide #londondetails #victorian #visitlondon #thisislondon #mysecretlondon #lookup #londonstreets #chasingfacades #londoncorners #mercersmaidens #bluebadgetouristguide
Have you given The Monument a proper look? A whil Have you given The Monument a proper look? A while back, with some time to spare, I decided to have a really good admire of the incredible sculptural frieze and there are some amazing details (swipe right for a taste!) Built after the 1666 Great Fire of London, it’s a fantastic bit of storytelling with a great dollop of propaganda! 📍 Over on the blog I’ve written about the symbols, details and history, to have a read, tap @look_uplondon 👈🏼 for the link in bio! Also, have you climbed its 311 steps? I think it’s one of the most underrated viewing platforms in London, so worth to leg pain! . . . . #lookuplondon #london #londonblog #monument #themonument #history #londonhistory #londonblogger #bluebadgetouristguide #cityoflondon #greatfireoflondon #lookup #londondetails #lookcloser #londonarchitecture #londonsculpture #thisislondon #londonicons @visitthemonument
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