Do you remember last week I was off exploring in another graveyard and had a Dracula flashback? Well I was actually in the churchyard of St John-at-Hampstead to look for two tombs in particular. I only picked them as they of particular interest to me for there are many such notable persons buried in this… Continue reading On a journey of discovery to find the tombs of John Harrison and John Constable.
Category: Cool Britannia
Coronavirus Diary 57 – Following in the footsteps of Count Dracula
When one thinks of Count Dracula it is natural to think of Transylvania in Romania with the dark foreboding forests and eerie castle or perhaps the ancient pathways and lonely hills of Whitby. However some of Dracula is actually set in London and Brahm Stoker was clearly influenced by one or two cemeteries here in… Continue reading Coronavirus Diary 57 – Following in the footsteps of Count Dracula
Coronavirus Diary 54 – Going on the London Underground!
Last week I decided and sort of had to go into London for the first time since the 6th of February to meet with a colleague. It probably wasn’t the best day to go given that it had been hot for a week and I knew the underground would be a whole magnitude hotter. Also… Continue reading Coronavirus Diary 54 – Going on the London Underground!
My big Coronavirus Opening! – St Johns Church in Stanmore.
Last Monday was the first real big step forward in the restoration of normal life in the U.K. with many of the non-essential opening for the first time in months. Of course I couldn’t imagine anything worse than going in a shop to buy junk but in my own way I had my own big… Continue reading My big Coronavirus Opening! – St Johns Church in Stanmore.
My new book cover – Secret Gardens of the City of London
I thought today as I’m having a relatively easy day (I hope) to unveil the cover for my forthcoming Secret Gardens of the City of London. This is the Kindle formatted cover which ends up being very similar if not identical to the one on iBooks and many other electronic retailers. A paperback cover is… Continue reading My new book cover – Secret Gardens of the City of London
The Abercorn Arms
If you remember on Monday I wrote on my walk to the home of the esteemed Edward Adrian Wilsonwho died at Antartica with Captain Scott. One of the reasons his house was located where it was at all was because it stood and still stands almost opposite was when I was growing up The Abercorn… Continue reading The Abercorn Arms
Fen Court Garden and the Abolition of Slavery
With all that is in the news recently I thought it would be an opportune moment to write about Fen Court which is one of my favourite spaces in London. It’s in the old Roman city and is the site of the former churchyard of St Gabriel Fenchurch which was around by at least 1108AD… Continue reading Fen Court Garden and the Abolition of Slavery
The ruined church of St John the Evangelist in Stanmore
With the never ending lock-down being met with never ending warm weather, I decided to go and join up the dots of my new Stanmore tour which I actually worked out dreamt up whilst writing my blog posts on the area in the last few weeks. For a spot of quirky history and some good… Continue reading The ruined church of St John the Evangelist in Stanmore
That time the Queen hid in a bush to avoid her guests…. yes really!
All of us have to deal with people that we don’t like, particularly those of us who work in public facing jobs. Some of us even avoid people at home; I know I have hid in the bath one dark evening and in a wardrobe to have a bit of peace and quiet to myself.… Continue reading That time the Queen hid in a bush to avoid her guests…. yes really!
The 900 year old Swan Upping ceremony is cancelled
It is an historic Royal ceremony that has taken place annually for the last 900 years but the Coronavirus means that for only the second time, this ancient practice of counting the swans on the River Thames has been cancelled for the year. The Swan Upping census lasts for five days and was due to… Continue reading The 900 year old Swan Upping ceremony is cancelled
Stephen Liddell 