The Cosmic House is the first Post-Modern house in the UK to be given Grade I listed status (meaning it must be preserved). Once the private residence of the late Maggie and Charles Jencks, the eccentric home opened to the public in September 2021 as a "cultural laboratory" and museum. From the outside, it doesn't necessarily stand out from all of the other large brick and … [Read more...] about Exploring The Cosmic House in London
Architecture
Exploring Sutton House National Trust in Hackney – A Tudor Wonder
Sutton House is a National Trust property in Hackney. That would be unusual enough but it's a Grade II* listed Tudor manor house. Yes, there's a Tudor house in east London. Despite its misleading Georgian frontage, this 16th-century home has nearly 500 years of history. A rare example of a Tudor red-brick house, it was built by a courtier of Henry VIII. It has been home to a … [Read more...] about Exploring Sutton House National Trust in Hackney – A Tudor Wonder
National Portrait Gallery will get new wing as part of refurbishment
The National Portrait Gallery in London will get a new wing as part of its refurbishment when it reopens in 2023. The Blavatnik Wing will host more than one hundred years of British portraits in nine galleries as part of the gallery’s Inspiring People project. Paintings of naturalist Charles Darwin, and writers Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, the Bronte sisters, and … [Read more...] about National Portrait Gallery will get new wing as part of refurbishment
Exploring Leighton House Museum – London’s Palace of Art
Leighton House Museum is the former home and studio of the leading Victorian artist, Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830–1896). When you arrive the formal red brick exterior leaves you unprepared for the 'Palace of Art' inside. About Leighton House Designed by his friend, the architect George Aitchison RA (1825–1910), this is the only purpose-built studio-house open to the … [Read more...] about Exploring Leighton House Museum – London’s Palace of Art
Big Ben to be put back to GMT for first time after huge restoration
All four faces of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament’s clock tower, will be put back to GMT this weekend for the first time in five years, as the country starts to head towards winter. The clock’s original Victorian mechanism was renovated as part of a huge restoration project, and the scaffolding surrounding the tower has gradually been brought down since December … [Read more...] about Big Ben to be put back to GMT for first time after huge restoration
Exploring The Red House – William Morris’s Iconic Arts and Crafts Home in London
Red House is a significant Arts and Craft house in southeast London that was designed for William Morris. A lavishly decorated and thoughtfully designed villa, it is now a National Trust visitor attraction. Red House lay along the ancient pilgrims' route to Canterbury and Morris cast himself in the role of genial Chaucerian host. He encouraged a stream of artistic … [Read more...] about Exploring The Red House – William Morris’s Iconic Arts and Crafts Home in London
Open House London – Exploring The Fog House in Clerkenwell – A Very Private Home
Each September, Open House London offers opportunities to visit buildings that are often not available to the general public. The Fog House was an excellent example of what makes Open House so wonderful. It is someone's home, so we would never get inside without the generosity of the owner and the Open House team's negotiations. This converted and extended small industrial … [Read more...] about Open House London – Exploring The Fog House in Clerkenwell – A Very Private Home
Open House London: Exploring 75 Grosvenor Street and its amazing roof gardens
Open House London is an annual architecture festival that allows us to go inside buildings that are often unavailable to the public. I like to visit a variety of places which is how I discovered this Mayfair office. You could walk past and think it's just another row of Georgian townhouses but going inside, I saw the incredible work of the developers transforming three … [Read more...] about Open House London: Exploring 75 Grosvenor Street and its amazing roof gardens
Exploring Euston Fire Station during Open House London
Open House London gives an annual opportunity to visit buildings that are not usually open to the public. I've often walked past Euston Fire Station and wondered what it was like inside, so I booked a tour. Euston Fire Station is a Grade II listed late Victorian red brick building. It's in the Arts and Crafts architectural style, dressed with Portland stone. It is close to … [Read more...] about Exploring Euston Fire Station during Open House London
City of London urged to reconsider plans to demolish historic Barbican buildings and Museum of London
A campaign has been launched urging the City of London Corporation to reconsider its decision to demolish historic buildings, including the Museum of London, in the capital’s Barbican. The Museum of London is in the process of moving to a new location in the old Smithfield Market and the old museum will be going vacant. The City of London Corporation has submitted plans to … [Read more...] about City of London urged to reconsider plans to demolish historic Barbican buildings and Museum of London
Re-imagining Buckingham Palace architects share visions for royal HQ
Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous buildings in the world, but it has been reimagined by a leading architect as Buckingham Waterworld, surrounded by lakes due to rising sea levels. To mark the Platinum Jubilee, renowned designers have laid out six artistic visions for the Queen’s London residence for Country Life magazine. Converted by John Nash in the 1820s, the … [Read more...] about Re-imagining Buckingham Palace architects share visions for royal HQ
Plan Unveiled to Save Hammersmith Bridge
One-third of the cost of stabilizing west London’s Hammersmith Bridge will be met by the Government. Ministers announced funding of £2.93 million to ensure the crossing remains open for pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic. Cracks in the pedestals of the 135-year-old cast-iron structure mean motor vehicles have been banned from using it since April 2019. This has … [Read more...] about Plan Unveiled to Save Hammersmith Bridge
Exhibition Report: The World of Stonehenge Exhibition at British Museum
When a major London exhibition gets repeated five-star reviews and is described as 'magnificent,' 'astonishing' and 'unmissable,' you know it's one you have to see. The World of Stonehenge opened at the British Museum on 17 February 2022. I've seen some reviewers describe it as one of those exhibitions you will remember for the rest of your life. With such high praise, I had to … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The World of Stonehenge Exhibition at British Museum
London’s O2 (aka Millennium Dome) closed as Storm Eunice rips off part of venue’s roof
London’s O2 Arena (the building formerly known as the Millenium Dome) has been shut after parts of its roof were ripped off in high winds as Storm Eunice struck. Some of the white covering on the venue could be seen flapping in the strong gusts, in footage shared on social media. London Fire Brigade (LFB) said around 1,000 people were evacuated from the building but there … [Read more...] about London’s O2 (aka Millennium Dome) closed as Storm Eunice rips off part of venue’s roof
The Museum of London prepares to close for 3 years for big move (and changes its name)
One of the big things happening in London heritage is that the Museum of London will be moving to a new location in the Old Smithfield Market in 2025, in anticipation of that the museum will now be known as the 'London Museum' and will close for 3 years at the end of this year to facilitate the move. They've announced a series of events as they begin the countdown to the … [Read more...] about The Museum of London prepares to close for 3 years for big move (and changes its name)
Ten London Buildings Designed by Sir Charles Barry
Several famous architects have put their indelible stamp on London, designing several of its most famous buildings. Certainly, one of its most famous designers is none other than Sir Charles Barry. As a young man, Barry enjoyed sketching and used his inheritance to embark on a grand tour of Europe, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, where he was inspired by the … [Read more...] about Ten London Buildings Designed by Sir Charles Barry
Scaffolding Begins to Come Down on Big Ben and plans to chime on New Year’s Eve as restoration nears its end
Big Ben will bong on New Year’s Eve, with all faces of the Houses of Parliament’s famous clock tower on display for the first time in four years. The bell will be struck 12 times to mark the start of 2022, as a project to restore the Palace of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower nears its end. In the days running up to December 31, the bell will be heard chiming, as engineers … [Read more...] about Scaffolding Begins to Come Down on Big Ben and plans to chime on New Year’s Eve as restoration nears its end
African-American abolitionists who escaped slavery honored with blue plaque in London
A married African-American couple who escaped enslavement in the US and fled to England in the mid-19th century has been honored with a blue plaque at their former London home. Ellen and William Craft lived at 26 Cambridge Grove, a mid-Victorian house in Hammersmith, after arriving in the country in December 1850. They had made a dangerous 1,000-mile journey from Georgia … [Read more...] about African-American abolitionists who escaped slavery honored with blue plaque in London
Exploring the fascinating history of St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street – The Journalists’ Church
St Bride's Church on Fleet Street is a Christopher Wren church built after the Great Fire of London. It's the journalists' church, and the spire is the original inspiration for tiered wedding cakes. It is a City of London working parish church and welcomes visitors as a heritage attraction too. While open most days, it took Open House London to remind me that this would be a … [Read more...] about Exploring the fascinating history of St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street – The Journalists’ Church
Princess Diana honored with blue plaque at her former London flat
Diana, Princess of Wales, has been honored with a blue plaque at her former London flat. The princess lived at 60 Coleherne Court, a property in a mansion block close to the fashionable King’s Road in Chelsea when she settled in the capital as a young woman before marrying the Prince of Wales in 1981. She shared the flat with a number of girlfriends from 1979 to 1981, … [Read more...] about Princess Diana honored with blue plaque at her former London flat
Open House London: Exploring The Old Deanery – City of London
The Old Deanery is a Grade I seventeenth-century mansion house close to the West Front of St Paul’s Cathedral. Set back with its own courtyard, it is among a small handful of surviving secular buildings erected in the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1666. It is the office of the Bishop of London and recently underwent restoration. It's not somewhere we could usually see inside, … [Read more...] about Open House London: Exploring The Old Deanery – City of London
Open House London: Exploring Temple Church in the City of London – Built by the Knights Templar
I have meant to visit the Temple Church for years, so I was grateful for the encouragement when it was included in the annual Open House London. Regularly cited as a 'hidden gem,' this City of London church actually does fit the bill. It's certainly challenging to find and is a delight once discovered. The church sits between Fleet Street and the River Thames, within the … [Read more...] about Open House London: Exploring Temple Church in the City of London – Built by the Knights Templar
Ten Interesting Facts about Admiralty House
Admiralty House is part of the larger Whitehall government complex and has long had an association with the power of the United Kingdom government. Once the home to the First Lord of the Admiralty, today it serves as an event location and residential flats, but its history is more than being a place to live or hold a party. This remarkable 18th Century building has plenty of … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about Admiralty House
An Overview of Open House London
Open House London is an annual festival meant to celebrate the city’s architecture. It’s part of the larger Open City charity, an organization made up of fifty charities in various cities that focuses on architecture and design and how these affect our lives. Throughout the year, Open City puts on educational programs in schools, hosts a podcast, publishes books, and engages … [Read more...] about An Overview of Open House London
Hammersmith Bridge to reopen for pedestrians and cyclists only
West London’s Hammersmith Bridge is to partially reopen on Saturday after passing safety checks. Hammersmith and Fulham Council said pedestrians and cyclists will be permitted to use the 134-year-old cast-iron structure. Vessels on the River Thames will also be allowed to pass beneath it. Cracks in the pedestals have led to motor vehicles being prohibited … [Read more...] about Hammersmith Bridge to reopen for pedestrians and cyclists only
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!