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
Buildings
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
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
Ten Interesting Facts about St. James’s Palace
The most senior Royal Palace, St. James’s Palace, has been the seat of the British monarchy for centuries even though the Sovereign does not live there. As such, the gorgeous Tudor-style building has been a key part of history since its construction and has many interesting stories to tell. We’ve collected at least ten of these into the facts below, and they range from the … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts about St. James’s Palace
Laura’s London: Exploring Copped Hall – A Stunning Abandoned Stately Home in Epping Forest
During lockdown, I've been enjoying getting to know Epping Forest. It's truly vast and stretches across northeast London and out into the Essex countryside. A friend gave me a tip to find a disused stately home that had been left empty but was now being renovated. Copped Hall is near to Epping in Essex. It is an 18th-century mansion situated on high ground at the end of a … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring Copped Hall – A Stunning Abandoned Stately Home in Epping Forest
Through the Lens: Behind the Scenes of London’s (Closed) Theatres From New London Theatres Book
London photographer Peter Dazeley's beautiful photos of London's Theatres were released in a book a few years ago and as a fan of London, architecture and pretty pictures, I loved the book. Well, this year, the publisher has issued a new edition, with ten additional theatres included. Peter has contacted us and offered to let us share a selection of the pictures from this … [Read more...] about Through the Lens: Behind the Scenes of London’s (Closed) Theatres From New London Theatres Book
Buck House: A History of Buckingham Palace – Long Read
Editor's Note: You're going to want to brew a cuppa and read this one! While it has a much longer history, Buckingham Palace only became the London residence of Britain's sovereigns in 1837. The Palace is the administrative headquarters of the monarchy and the royal family. (The Queen refers to Buckingham Palace as "the office" as it's where she works rather than … [Read more...] about Buck House: A History of Buckingham Palace – Long Read
STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE: London’s Gothic Revival Masterpiece
Created by Horace Walpole as his summer retreat riverside villa, Strawberry Hill House is Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic Revival architecture. After a £10 million repair and restoration programme, twenty rooms now appear as Walpole left them when he died at the end of the eighteenth century. Throughout his 50 years at Strawberry Hill, between 1747 and 1797, Horace … [Read more...] about STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE: London’s Gothic Revival Masterpiece
THE ALBERT MEMORIAL: A Close-up Look at Victoria’s Tribute to Her Prince
When Queen Victoria's husband died unexpectedly, it was not just the monarch that mourned as the nation too was consumed with grief along with a certain amount of guilt at not having appreciated Prince Albert and everything he had done. A grand and complex memorial was built to place Albert in the centre of arts and sciences of the 1860s. PRINCE ALBERT Prince Albert of … [Read more...] about THE ALBERT MEMORIAL: A Close-up Look at Victoria’s Tribute to Her Prince
Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey
Known formally as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, Westminster Abbey has been at the center of Christian life in London since the 7th Century when the first church was founded on the site. The Abbey got its start when Saint Dustan and King Edgar founded a Benedictine community there around the 960s or 970s. Edward the Confessor then began construction of … [Read more...] about Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey
Laura’s London: Exploring Lambeth Palace Library
Lambeth Palace Library has been kept within Lambeth Palace for 400 years, but things are changing as a new Library is currently under construction. ABOUT LAMBETH PALACE Across the river Thames from the Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster), Lambeth Palace is a working palace and for over 800 years has been the Archbishop of Canterbury's residence. In 1197 land was … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring Lambeth Palace Library
Exploring London Mercantile History at the Lloyd’s Register Building
While you may have seen the Lloyd's of London building in the City of London designed by Richard Rogers, do you know about the Collcutt building? As part of Heritage Open Days, I went to visit the Lloyd's Register building on Fenchurch Street. Designed by Thomas Collcutt, this late-Victorian office opened in 1901 as a statement building and a sign of prosperity. Lloyd's … [Read more...] about Exploring London Mercantile History at the Lloyd’s Register Building
London Alert: St Paul’s Cathedral Has Lifted Its Ban on Photography (with come caveats)!
Great news for photographers and visitors to St Paul's Cathedral in London. They have ended their ban on photography within the cathedral. This is wonderful news. Many people flouted the ban anyway (and if you did, you would get a telling off, as I did 15 years ago). Now, the Cathedral has decided to let everyone take pictures of this truly wonderful architectural jewel. They … [Read more...] about London Alert: St Paul’s Cathedral Has Lifted Its Ban on Photography (with come caveats)!
THE TRIFORIUM: Behind Closed Doors at St Paul’s Cathedral
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #10 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2018. Support great long-form writing about British History, Culture, and travel by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine. Every subscription helps keep Anglotopia running and provides us to the opportunity to produce articles like this. You can subscribe here. St Paul’s Cathedral … [Read more...] about THE TRIFORIUM: Behind Closed Doors at St Paul’s Cathedral
Top Ten London: Top 10 London Buildings of Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren is quite possibly the most famous name in British architecture. The structures across the United Kingdom that he designed are amongst the country’s most lauded and beautiful places. Wren lived in interesting times, seeing the English Civil War, the Restoration, and the Great Fire of London. The last of these events really elevated his career to legendary … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 London Buildings of Sir Christopher Wren
Built London: Top Ten Most Beautiful Victorian Buildings in London
What we think of as “Victorian” architecture more refers to the period rather than a particular architectural style. In fact, there were really several styles prevalent during the period that were revivals of previous designs: Gothic, Italianate, Romanesque, Renaissance, Queen Anne, and Neoclassical. Other methods and styles also developed as new materials came into … [Read more...] about Built London: Top Ten Most Beautiful Victorian Buildings in London
Laura’s London: Take a First Look at the Beautiful Restored Painted Hall in Greenwich – Re-opening in March!
Editor's Note: We have a real treat this week - Laura was given an exclusive tour of the newly restored Painted Hall in Greenwich before its re-opening so we're chuffed to bits that she's written up a huge report about it. Please consider subscribing to the Londontopia Magazine as it allows us to commission great articles like this. As reported here recently, The Painted … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Take a First Look at the Beautiful Restored Painted Hall in Greenwich – Re-opening in March!
Future London: Take a Look at London’s Future Symphonic Concert Hall
London is a world-class city and one thing it lacks right now is a world-class symphonic concert hall. Yes, it has the Royal Albert Hall, but that's over 150 years old and not exactly to the standard of modern concert halls. This is set to change in the coming years and we now have our first good look at what the place could look like. The London Centre for Music is due to … [Read more...] about Future London: Take a Look at London’s Future Symphonic Concert Hall
Top 10 London: Top Ten Georgian Buildings in London
With the coming of the Hanoverian kings came a new style of architecture that bore their name—Georgian. This style of design was defined by symmetrical features, front entries with crowns, pilasters, and transom windows, corner quoins, cornice dentils, and typically made of stone or brick. These features had their roots in ancient Greek and Roman design and the name stuck … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Georgian Buildings in London
London Alert: The Painted Hall in Greenwich to Re-Open in March After Multi-year Restoration
Great news! After being closed for almost two years and undergoing at £3 million restoration, The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich will be re-opening to visitors! This place is sometimes referred to as the UK's 'Sistine Chapel' and it's an incredible sight to see in person. If you've been the Greenwich the last few years, you may have been … [Read more...] about London Alert: The Painted Hall in Greenwich to Re-Open in March After Multi-year Restoration
Top 10 London: The Ten Best London’s Stately Homes To Visit
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Londontopia Print Magazine last summer. Support great long-form writing about London by subscribing to the Londontopia Print Magazine - the only print magazine dedicated completely to London. You can subscribe here. London is an incredibly posh city and some of the greatest places to live. Beyond the palaces of royalty, … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: The Ten Best London’s Stately Homes To Visit
Alexandra Palace’s East Wing Opens To the Public After £27 Million Restoration – See Images of the New Interiors!
It's so lovely to see London's iconic buildings get a new lease of life after restoration. The latest building in London to get the treatment is Alexandra Palace. While not really a 'palace' in the palace sense, Alexandra Palace has been a destination for entertainment since it was built in the Victorian Era. It's most famous as the place where the BBC started broadcasting … [Read more...] about Alexandra Palace’s East Wing Opens To the Public After £27 Million Restoration – See Images of the New Interiors!
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!