Churches and Cathedrals in Kings Hill

"Often overlooked in favour of Westminster Abbey is Westminster Cathedral. The mother church of Roman Catholics in England and Wales, this cathedral is situated next to Victoria Tube station on the District and Circle lines. Over 360ft long and 284ft tall the incredible construction that is Westminster Cathedral was built in the early 1900s."

"Westminster Cathedral, not to be confused with Westminster Abbey, has the tower viewing gallery 210 feet above street level. The cathedral is near Victoria so the views are best over south and west London."

"For centuries this has been one of London’s most iconic buildings, and it remains a breathtaking structure, inside and out. Sir Christopher…"

"Finally, All Hallows-by-the-Tower is believed to be the oldest surviving church in London, and overlooks the Tower of London on Byward Street. The church was founded in 675, and while it has obviously undergone extensive restoration since then, it still contains an Anglo-Saxon arch from the time which we believe qualifies it to take the crown as London’s oldest church!. Thanks to its proximity to the Tower of London, this church was frequented often where beheading victims were sent for a temporary burial!"

"All Hallows-by-the-Tower is associated with the executions on Tower Hill, and has a piece of Roman pavement in the crypt 4"

"The Inns of Court either side of busy Fleet Street are a far cry from the bustle of central London. In a large courtyard off a narrow street is their best-known sight, the Temple Church, which was founded by the military Knights Templar as their London headquarters in the late 12th century. As with other Knights Templar churches it was originally round, but a rectangular chancel (the area containing the choir and altar)was later added."

"The name, Temple, derives from the Order of the Knights Templar, an order established in 1118 for protecting pilgrims. (You may know of them as the knights who wore white tunics with red crosses on them.). In 1162, the group built their first church and houses on the banks of the Thames."

"This church was initially built in the 13th century when it was known as St Olave-towards-the-Tower, dedicated to the patron saint of Norway, King Olaf II. It was a favourite place of worship of the diarist Samuel Pepys, and he and his wife Elizabeth are both buried in the nave of the church. The present building was erected in 1450, and survived the Great Fire in 1666 thanks to Sir William Penn (whose son would found Pennsylvania) and his men from the local naval yard."

"St Olave’s church near Fenchurch Street station dates from the fifteenth century, and survived the Great Fire mainly due to the efforts of the writer Samuel Pepys, who lived and worked nearby. Pepys is buried in the nave of the church. Other burials include Mother Goose, who was interred in 1586, and Mary Ramsey, the woman who it is claimed brought the plague to London in 1665."

"It was one of a small number to survive the Great Fire of London. It suffered far greater damage during the London Blitz of World War II, and the 15th century body of the church was restored by the mid-1950s. It’s a small church with a wealth of history."

"A post shared by C R Y S T A L (@ourlifeinseasons) on Sep 9, 2016 at 1:44am PDT. Built to cater to a burgeoning population in 1824, St Luke’s is one of the earliest Gothic Revival churches in London. It’s also, with a nave that measures 60ft high, one of the tallest in the city, too."

"It is a little square box of a church, by Wren, tucked away in a little courtyard which was once the graveyard, but now a place to sit and eat your sandwiches. It is not only one of Wren’s prettiest churches but also the least altered since it was built in 1686. It is renowned for its splendid carved wood interior, especially the reredos, or altarpiece, by the master Grinling Gibbons, with its lively swags of flowers."

"St Mary-le-Bow has held a place in London folklore for generations and it is said that east Londoners can only call themselves true cockneys if they were born within earshot of the Bow Bells, which ring from St Mary-le-Bow church. The church’s long, thin spiral pierces the east London skyline, standing out as an anomaly in and amongst the otherwise fairly nondescript Cheapside setting. For all its history, St Mary-le-Bow has got plenty to offer today too — the church’s extensive programme includes lectures, musical recitals and live bell ringing, where people can hear the famous bells rung up close and personal."

"St Mary le Bow was historically one of the most important City of London churches, and was one of the first to be rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire. It’s another beautiful Baroque church with an elegant tower which houses the famous Bow Bells. According to London tradition, a true Cockney can only be born within earshot of these bells, which are a 200-metre walk around the corner from St Paul’s Cathedral on Cheapside."

"Perhaps one of the best-known City of London churches, St Mary-le-Bow is found on Cheapside within the Square Mile. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren (who also lays claim to nearby St Paul’s Cathedral), it’s full of bold baroque-style features including Corinthian columns and a bright blue and gold ceiling. Tradition states that you can only call yourself a true Cockney if you were born within earshot of the church’s famous Bow Bells."

"The Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."

"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."

"The Horniman’s far-out location (almost an hour from central London) means that you can expect lots of lovely breathing space at a museum that would otherwise be packed. The huge building, with its looming clocktower, looks a bit like a very ornate train station and is surrounded by 16 acres of garden. You’ll find large natural history and anthropology galleries, as well as an aquarium, carefully curated wild-looking gardens, and a beautiful Victorian conservatory."

"Victorian tea merchant Frederick John Horniman opened his house to visitors and it has been open ever since. His collection of objects has grown tenfold, now with internationally significant displays of natural history, anthropology and ethnomusicology. Unusually with such a museum, you can touch and try on some of these artefacts."

"Founded in 1901 by Frederick John Horniman, a tea merchant who wanted a space to display his private collection of natural history, the Horniman Museum is a nature lover’s dream. See African art or visit the tiny aquarium. We especially like the conservatory, set in a grand Victorian glasshouse with views over the rolling gardens."

"Restaurants Contemporary Global Peckham"

"Thankfully the connoisseurs themselves have an incredible vegan and vegetarian range that includes calzones and starters. With their popular dishes being re-imagined with vegan cheese and delicious toppings, you don't need to miss out on your favourite comfort food. Try their new Calzone Verdure, packed with veggie goodness like roasted peppers and aubergine, it'll soon become your favourite."

"As the country’s favourite pizza chain, Pizza Express has been serving up authentic thin crust pizzas since 1965. If you’ve been craving their legendary dough balls, a Sloppy Guiseppe pizza, or their al forno cannelloni, you’re in luck. Pizza Express is one of the Wembley Park Restaurants reopening for outdoor dining on 12 April."