Glance upwards on 54 Gracechurch Street in the City and you'll spot gouls staring down at you!...
COVID-19 has hugely affected the tourism and travel industry. However, all is not lost. I am committed to continue to share my love of London’s history with everyone, whether you’re a curious local or have never even stepped foot in England. So join me for short virtual London walks, broadcast live on instagram!
As well as joining the tours live on my instagram every Monday at 2pm (BST) you can also catch up with tours you’ve missed below.
SUPPORT LOOK UP LONDON
TOWER HILL
In this video we explore Tower Hill, discovering beautiful hidden gardens and a 17th century Londoner who had his own way of coping with a City-wide panic.
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COVENT GARDEN
In this video we explore the hidden alleys, powerful landowners, quirky details and the surprising history of the West End!
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BOROUGH
This video explores London’s naughtier side, like the Medieval sex industry, cheeky pub behaviour and – to restore the balance – inspiring female philanthropists!
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Guildhall & St Mary Aldermanbury
Discover two extraordinary public spaces in the City, including Roman ruins, a Saint that met a grisly end and a hidden park with a Shakespeare connection!
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Trafalgar Square
Think it’s just for tourists and you know everything about it? Think again! We’re on the hunt for some surprising hidden history in one of London’s tourist hotspots!
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Smithfield (Part I)
Discover hushed cloisters with some surprisingly gruesome history, oh and London’s oldest house!
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Smithfield (Part II)
Hear about the cruel behaviour of Kings and Queens, a Sherlock connection and a surprising hidden masterpiece!
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Bethnal Green
From tragedies to toys, in this episode we’re in East London uncovering the unusual history behind institutions!
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Mayfair (Part I)
We’re in swanky Mayfair for this virtual walking tour, but as well as the well-heeled aristocrats and royals there’s also scandalous courtesans!
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Aldgate
Uncover the story of a girl buried 2,000 years ago, a wonderfully moving sculpture and a big surprise behind some contemporary architecture!
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Mayfair (Part II)
A hidden oasis 2 minutes from Oxford Street, an Egyptian oddity and and elephant?! These are some of Mayfair’s more unusual historic sites…
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Waterloo
A wonderful street, a beautiful former hospital and a railway for the dead…
(FYI when I said Brentford in the video, I very much meant Brookwood Cemetery!)
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Spitalfields (Part I)
An emotional statue, forgotten Tudor mansion and quite possibly my favourite bit of typography in London!
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South Kensington (Part I)
Discover ‘Albertopolis’ in the first part of out South Kensington virtual walking tour. Uncover secret tunnels, a weird leftover and step inside one of London’s more impressive spaces!
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Spitalfields (Part II)
In Part II we’re on the hunt for hidden details on Fournier Street, a secret synagogue and a 17th century female entrepreneur!
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South Kensington (Part II)
In the second part of our South Kensington virtual tour we explore some of the best bits of the V&A, plus two jaw-dropping and unique London buildings…
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Marylebone (Part I)
From badly behaved soldiers and royal surprises to some exquisite artwork, enjoy some hidden history…
(Apologies for the screen recording, had a bit of a technical issue saving the original recording and so it’s a little out of sync sound-wise. Hopefully you can still enjoy the historic facts!)
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Marylebone (Part I)
We’re back in Marylebone for a virtual history tour. In this episode we uncover a jaw-dropping home, secret burial grounds and intrepid female spies!
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Shad Thames
We’re crossing Tower Bridge into Shad Thames for this virtual tour. Discover the inner workings of London’s iconic bridge, beautiful industrial survivors and memorials to surprising heroes!
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Notting Hill (Part I)
Discover the unusual history behind its street plan, admire the colourful streets and hear the story behind the famous Portobello Road!
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Temple
Delve into the hidden streets of Temple, admiring an Elizabethan hall, 12th century church and quite possibly London’s strangest cherubs…
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Notting Hill (Part II)
We’re back in Notting Hill to discover the origins of the Carnival, questionable architecture and why you wouldn’t want to visit in the 19th Century!
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Bloomsbury (Part I)
In Part I of our virtual Bloomsbury tour we encounter creepy crawlies, a jaw-dropping rooftop view and a mummified head…
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Bloomsbury (Part II)
In Part II of our virtual Bloomsbury tour we uncover two brilliant museums in Bloomsbury; The Foundling Museum and Charles Dickens Museum, as well as a hotel with a chilling link to the Titanic…
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Wapping
Join me for a tour of Wapping to uncover lots of hidden history, tales of pirates and fantastic riverside pubs!
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St James’s
We’re in swanky St James’s in search of some of London’s oldest shops, secret courtyards and a peek behind exclusive doors…
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Hampstead
We’re in picturesque Hampstead in search of its watery origins and visiting some of the most jaw-dropping viewpoints, ceilings and gardens in London!
(Just to add, in the video when I mentioned Hampstead Station opened in 1860, that was Hampstead Heath railway station, the tube station where we start only opened in 1907!)
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London History Blog Posts
Though not ancient, these mysterious ruins are over 100 years old and have travelled across South London......
You can spot the gas holders easily, but there's also a secret garden hiding nearby too... ...
You can spot the gas holders easily, but there's also a secret garden hiding nearby too... ...