Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London



You are here: Home / Archives for Site News / London Long Reads

London Long Reads

STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE: London’s Gothic Revival Masterpiece

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

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

HIDDEN LONDON: The Lost Tunnels of Euston Station

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

London Transport Museum’s ‘Hidden London’ tours are great to know about as you get access to tunnels and stations on the London transport network that are not usually open to the public. In Londontopia magazine issue #1 I reported back about the hidden tunnels at Charing Cross station. So it was a treat to join another tour, this time at Euston station. This one was a treat … [Read more...] about HIDDEN LONDON: The Lost Tunnels of Euston Station

A Changing Heathrow: My Personal Relationship With the Gateway to Britain

By 3 Comments

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

When I first arrived at Heathrow Airport on my first trip to Britain in 2001, I was not impressed. The airport was over capacity even then, and our plane arrived late, so we had no gate for the plane to park at. We parked out on the tarmac, far away from the terminal. We had to queue for a bus, which then took us on a circuitous route to the terminal. While parking on the … [Read more...] about A Changing Heathrow: My Personal Relationship With the Gateway to Britain

Florence Nightingale in 200 Objects, People and Places – New Special Exhibition at the Florence Nightingale Museum

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

Florence Nightingale (12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was born in Florence, Italy, to a wealthy British family. In her bicentenary year, London's Florence Nightingale Museum is celebrating the life and legacy of the lesser-known aspects of her life with a special exhibition. The museum tells the story of this deeply religious woman who broke social conventions. Nightingale in … [Read more...] about Florence Nightingale in 200 Objects, People and Places – New Special Exhibition at the Florence Nightingale Museum

London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission

By 1 Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

While London has many fantastic free museums and galleries there are some that have an admission charge. This list is by no means exhaustive but these are the ‘pay for’ London museums we would like to highlight. We’ve tried to focus on the best museums and have avoided listing common tourist traps. When you have to pay to get into a museum, especially in London where most … [Read more...] about London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission

Laura’s London: Exploring Lambeth Palace Library

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

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

London History: A Guide to Metroland – The Suburban Expansion of London Brought On By The Tube

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

Also known as Metro-land, this suburban area north-west of London was a major project by the railway to transform unused land into a series of residential communities.  Metroland wasn’t the first time a rail company was instrumental in growing London.  In truth, the continued influx of people from the countryside to London in the 19th Century had caused the city’s metropolitan … [Read more...] about London History: A Guide to Metroland – The Suburban Expansion of London Brought On By The Tube

Exploring London Mercantile History at the Lloyd’s Register Building

By 1 Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

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 Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

By 2 Comments

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

Marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, this exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, brings together more than 200 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal Collection. As the Royal Collection has more drawings by Leonardo da Vinci than any other Renaissance artist, it forms the largest exhibition of his work in over 65 … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

The latest free exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands is Secret Rivers. Open from 24 May to 27 October 2019, it combines art and archaeology with mudlarking, photography, film and much more to uncover the mysteries of London's rivers – both those that flow above ground and those that have been buried beneath our feet. A large wall map shows us the routes of the hidden … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands

London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace

By 3 Comments

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

24 May 2019 is the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth at Kensington Palace. To mark the bicentenary of this historic event there is a new visitor route, Victoria: A Royal Childhood, through the suite of rooms she would have known well. And over in the Palace's Pigott Gallery, there is a new temporary exhibition, Victoria: Woman and Crown, that considers the private … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace

Laura’s London: Four New Permanent Galleries at the National Maritime Museum – Here’s Our First Look!

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

Following a major £12.6M redevelopment project, The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich has new permanent galleries open from 20 September 2018. 1,000m2 of space in the Museum's East Wing, previously closed to visitors, has been converted to public use adding an additional 40% of gallery space. And just like the rest of the Museum, these galleries are free to visit. The … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Four New Permanent Galleries at the National Maritime Museum – Here’s Our First Look!

Laura’s London: A Look at the Courtauld Impressionists at The National Gallery – From Manet to Cézanne

By 1 Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

For the first time in London for 70 years, the National Gallery is displaying major Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterworks from the Courtauld Gallery, purchased in the 1920s by Samuel Courtauld (1876–1947). These are shown alongside paintings from the National Gallery's own collection which the businessman and philanthropist financed and helped acquire. Courtauld … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: A Look at the Courtauld Impressionists at The National Gallery – From Manet to Cézanne

London Bookshop Dreams: Adventures in Buying More Books Than My Luggage Can Carry

By 5 Comments

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Anglotopia Print Magazine is 2017. Support great long-form writing about Britain by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. Subscribe here.  Books are my favorite souvenir from my travels in England. I love picking up new books about England for my library back home. Each book is a tangible reminder of the trip and … [Read more...] about London Bookshop Dreams: Adventures in Buying More Books Than My Luggage Can Carry

More Secret London – Twenty Hidden Places in London for You to Explore

By 2 Comments

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

There are plenty of places in London you may not know exist unless someone points them out.  You might have to go behind a door or down an alley to find them.  You may walk past them all the time without seeing what’s right in front of you.  Even so, you may know about them, but not know exactly what they keep hidden from the public.  Fortunately, we here at Londontopia will … [Read more...] about More Secret London – Twenty Hidden Places in London for You to Explore

Laura’s London: Exploring Clapham South Subterranean Shelter – Hidden London – From the Blitz to the Windrush

By Leave a Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

We all know there are tube train tunnels under London's streets, and we could guess there are some service tunnels for pipes, but it's still always a surprise to head down underground and find enough space for a village to live safely below. And that's what there is at the Clapham South Subterranean Shelter. This deep-level shelter had room for 8,000 people, and it only took … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring Clapham South Subterranean Shelter – Hidden London – From the Blitz to the Windrush

Fit for a Queen: A Traveler’s Guide to Royal London

By 3 Comments

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

London has been a seat of power since the Romans made it their capital in 50 A.D.  After they abandoned the settlement in the 5th Century, it would not become a seat of leadership again until Alfred the Great retook control in 886, rebuilding the fortifications, adding new defenses, and transforming the old Roman city into a new population centre for his kingdom.  It was from … [Read more...] about Fit for a Queen: A Traveler’s Guide to Royal London

Laura’s London: A Look Behind the Scenes of the New Royal Academy of Arts Renovations Opening This Weekend

By 1 Comment

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

The Royal Academy of Arts is hardly new. In fact, it's celebrating it's 250th anniversary this year. But to mark the occasion the RA has undergone an enormous transformation and expansion. And the new Royal Academy is opening on Saturday 19 May 2018. About The Royal Academy The RA was founded in 1768 by a group of 40 artists and architects who became the first Royal … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: A Look Behind the Scenes of the New Royal Academy of Arts Renovations Opening This Weekend

London Fog: London and the Great Smog of 1952 – The True Story

By

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #6 of the Anglotopia Magazine in 2017. Support great long from writing about UK Travel, Culture, and History by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. As Christmas drew near in London in 1952, a strange phenomenon like something out of a Quatermass story became all too real for the city’s residents. Under a … [Read more...] about London Fog: London and the Great Smog of 1952 – The True Story

Laura’s London: New Exhibition Report – Charles II: Art and Power at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

By

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

After over a decade of austere Cromwellian rule, the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 led to a resurgence of the arts in England. The court of Charles II became the centre for the patronage of leading artists and the collecting of great works of art. This served not only as decoration for the royal apartments but also as a means of glorifying the restored monarchy and … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: New Exhibition Report – Charles II: Art and Power at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Laura’s London: Exploring London’s Newest Museum – The Secret Mail Rail and The Postal Museum

By

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

Mail Rail is London's newest subterranean heritage attraction. Open from 4 September 2017; the disused postal railway tunnels have been brought back to life as a visitor ride for the first time in their 100 year history. This miniature railway was the world's first driverless, electric railway and was never intended for passengers. While The Postal Museum opened on 28 … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring London’s Newest Museum – The Secret Mail Rail and The Postal Museum

Riding in Black Taxis: A Personal History of a London Icon – London Long Read

By

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

In most major cities, taxis don’t really get much love or affection - that’s why the phone app Uber is so popular now. But then most cities aren’t like London—a city that loves its iconic black taxis and appreciates the work it takes to learn The Knowledge (the name for the training all London Cabbies go through). I’ve been riding in London taxis for more than 15 years, and … [Read more...] about Riding in Black Taxis: A Personal History of a London Icon – London Long Read

Streets of London: London’s Most Unique Street Names and Their Fascinating Histories

By

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

When a city has been around since Roman times, it tends to develop some very unique names for the city streets.  Each era of London’s history has left its mark on the various streets, avenues, lanes, and ways. Here is a small selection of unique London street and place names and their fascinating histories. Crooked Usage  The name of this street might be traced back to … [Read more...] about Streets of London: London’s Most Unique Street Names and Their Fascinating Histories

Guest Long Read: A First Time Trip to Camden Market

By

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

As I mentioned in my previous article about Portobello Road, going to street markets has been a recent addition to my trips to the United Kingdom. In fact, if you consider that Convent Garden doesn’t count, it was only last year that I started my adventures this way. I was travelling with a group of friends and one of them suggested going to Portobello Road. The experience … [Read more...] about Guest Long Read: A First Time Trip to Camden Market

Guest Long Read: Top 10 Things to do in London with Teens and Tweens

By

Missing proper British Food? Then order from the British Corner Shop – Thousands of Quality British Products – including Waitrose, Shipping Worldwide. Click to Shop now.

If you are planning to visit London with older children, you might wonder where to begin. What sort of activities would appeal to teenagers and leave a lasting impression? While that might depend on your particular tastes, here is a somewhat diverse list of memorable activities that my teenagers and those in my extended family would recommend to others. 1) The Harry Potter … [Read more...] about Guest Long Read: Top 10 Things to do in London with Teens and Tweens