The River Fleet rises in Hampstead Heath meandering downhill through north London for four miles, until it exits into the River Thames at Blackfriars. From Heath to Thames the Fleet is now culverted and runs underground, incorporated into Joseph Bazalgette’s grand mid-nineteenth century London sewer system. Its exit into the…
January 26, 2022
Some Christian saints are real historic figures and some are mythical. Some saints are real but have mythical events attributed to them. Dunstan (c.909 – 988) has both. He really did exist and yet the most famous legend linked to him is nothing more than a devilishly imagined story (see ‘St Dunstan in London and…
December 15, 2021
Some Christian saints are real historic figures and some are mythical. Some saints are linked to historic events and some have mythical events attributed to them. The English saint, Dunstan has both. He really did exist (c.909 – 988) and yet the most famous legend linked to him is nothing more than a devilishly imagined…
November 15, 2021
Queen Victoria Memorial The Mall, London SW1. This is the second part of my definitive guide to the Queen Victoria Memorial and to the Albert Memorial. Married in life, separated by death and each the recipient of a grand, excessive and elaborately detailed London memorial. Victoria and Albert were a pair in life and are…
October 28, 2021
The Albert Memorial (real name: Prince Consort National Memorial) Kensington Gardens, London SW7. This is the first part of my definitive guide to the Queen Victoria Memorial and to the Albert Memorial. Married in life, separated by death and each the recipient of a grand, excessive and elaborately detailed London memorial. Victoria and Albert were…
September 8, 2021
On July 8th 2021 Buckingham Palace opened up the Garden for it’s preview day, before opening up to the public. I was given a ticket. Here are my pictures. Buckingham Palace: West Facade. Designed by John Nash (1820s) and part of the original Palace. Buckingham Palace: West Facade. The three friezes were designed…
July 24, 2021
On July 8th 2021 Buckingham Palace opened up the Garden for it’s preview day, before opening up to the public. I was given a ticket. Here are my pictures. Buckingham Palace ticket Buckingham Palace Garden map. Buckingham…
July 20, 2021
We’ve just taken our walking holiday in the Yorkshire Dales exactly 12 months later than planned (if you’re reading this in 2051:…coronavirus). The weather was superb for walking, up hill and literally down dale. As well as beautiful scenery there’s history in the Dales too. In this second blog on my North Yorkshire travels we…
June 23, 2021
We’ve just taken our walking holiday in the Yorkshire Dales exactly 12 months later than planned (if you’re reading this in 2051:…coronavirus). The weather was superb for walking, up hill and literally down dale. As well as beautiful scenery there’s history in the Dales too. In this first blog on my North Yorkshire travels we…
June 18, 2021
I’ve been driving a taxi around London for over twenty years. I completed the world-renowned ‘Knowledge of London’ in 2000, entitling me to become an ‘All London Green Badge’ licensed taxi driver. The first ten years were a mix of taxi work combined with building up a parallel career as a tour guide. Since then…
May 27, 2021
I’ve been driving a taxi around London for over twenty years. I completed the world-renowned ‘Knowledge of London’ in 2000, entitling me to become an ‘All London Green Badge’ licensed taxi driver. The first ten years were a mix of taxi work combined with building up a parallel career as a tour guide. Since then…
May 26, 2021
Steeped in history, full of pomp, ancient ceremony. But have you ever wondered who all those soldiers were? Those soldiers on sentry duty at Buckingham Palace and those soldiers who march and ride during Changing of the Guard ceremony? This blog explains who’s who, where is where and how they got here. What’s in a…
April 23, 2021