A few weeks ago I posted about a ‘fake’ Number 10 Downing Street and so I thought it would be timely to write about the actual Number 10 Downing Street especially as having written about historic and political situations for 6 years that not having yet done so is something of an aberration. After all,… Continue reading The history of 10 Downing Street and a peek behind its famous black door.
Tag: London
The Great Beer Flood of London
Like many ancient cities, London has suffered its fair share of disasters, perhaps unduly so but whilst history is full of fires, wars, pestilence and biblical downpours, few places in the world can have suffered what is known as The Great Beer Flood of London. It happened over 200 years ago on Monday 17th October… Continue reading The Great Beer Flood of London
The statue of Peace in Smithfield with its secret sign of fidelity.
As I mentioned in passing on my post on Smithfield Market the area hasn’t just got a millennia long relationship with animal markets and executions. It was also a place where men in Victorian times would bring their unwanted wives to swap them with other men, divorce being both monetarily expensive and a social faux-pas. Around… Continue reading The statue of Peace in Smithfield with its secret sign of fidelity.
York Watergate – The ceremonial gateway to the River Thames, out of sight of water.
Following on from Mondays post on the Lions of the River Thames, not to far away is one of the last remnants of an era of grandeur on the Thames that has largely been swept away. The York Water Gate. However, if you walk along the River Thames you won’t ever find it. That’s because… Continue reading York Watergate – The ceremonial gateway to the River Thames, out of sight of water.
The Thameside Lions that guard against flooding
There is always something to look out for in London, even in the most unlikely places. One might not know that you’re seeing but there are points of interest all over the place. Should you happen to to be near the Victoria Embankment and peer over the wall without falling into the river below then… Continue reading The Thameside Lions that guard against flooding
Smithfield Market on the moo-ve after 900 years
One of my favourite less-visited parts of London is the area known as Smithfield. Like many an ancient city in the Middle-East, India or elsewhere, London had and to an extent still has, districts that would specialise in certain produces such as gold, silver, fruit or meat. Smithfield has been a meat market for more… Continue reading Smithfield Market on the moo-ve after 900 years
Walking Londons Canals at Camden Lock
For our next stage of walking the canals of London we leave behind the picturesque Primrose Hill and Regents Park and continue east towards the a part of London that couldn’t be more different, Camden Lock Market. As we get underway though take a look at the photo below. Does it look a little strange… Continue reading Walking Londons Canals at Camden Lock
Meeting the Sun atop Primrose Hill
One of the highlights, literally, of walking along Regents Canal is the chance to journey up Primrose Hill. I’d never been here before and so thought it was as good an opportunity as any to walk up and see one of the most iconic vantage points over Central London and take in its legendary Protected… Continue reading Meeting the Sun atop Primrose Hill
The protected views of London
Before continuing with my series on London canalscanals, I thought it best to write a brief post on something not very well known but that nonetheless has played an important role in the modern development of London, namely protected views. London is far from the only city in Britain to have protected views, namely views… Continue reading The protected views of London
Dead Fish raining down on London at Blow-Up Bridge
So far on this series of posts on the canals of London, you’ve probably noticed that these days they are mostly tranquil places. It wasn’t always the case and none more so than around 5am on the 2nd October 1874. It was just before 5am on this autumn morning in Regent’s Park when a small… Continue reading Dead Fish raining down on London at Blow-Up Bridge
Stephen Liddell 