Mentioned by 10Best
London's history is revealed through visiting 10 of its most famous sites
"Along the south bank (always worth a wander), you can stop in at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern Art Gallery, and even quickly cross the Millennium bridge for a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Globe and St. Paul’s Cathedral are both included on the London Pass, whilst the Tate Modern is free to enter."
"The Church of England church All Hallows by the Tower is so-called as the land it stands on was granted to Barking Abbey in 675 by Erkenwald, Bishop of London. Nearly a thousand years later, Samuel Pepys climbed the church tower to watch the progress of the Great Fire of London. ” … and there saw the saddest sight of desolation that I ever saw."
"Reconstruction during 1955, after extensive damage in the Blitz. Image source: Ben Brooksbank / CC BY-SA 2.0. Located on the doorstep of the Tower of London, this church has buried the bodies of numerous victims sentenced to death on Tower Hill, including those of Thomas More, Bishop John Fisher and Archbishop Laud."
"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."
"This church belongs to the Inner and Middle Temple, two of England’s ancient societies of lawyers. Located in the heart of the city between River Thames and Flee Street, the Temple Church’s origin dates back to 12th century. Built by Knights Templar, this church showcases a typical round structure."
"Another of Sir Christopher Wren’s designs from the ashes of the 1666 Great Fire, St Bride’s is the tallest of Wren’s churches after St Paul’s, standing at 69m tall. Located in Fleet Street, it has a long association with newspapers and journalists. It was largely gutted by fire during the Blitz in 1940."
"He is thought to have been inspired by illustrations of the Tower of the Winds in Vitruvius. However, it is best known for its lasting influence on weddings. This originated when a Mr Rich, an 18th-century pastrycook of Fleet Street, modelled his famous wedding cakes on the spire."
"St Sepulchre is dominated by its grey 15th century Gothic tower. Captain John Smith, the famous Governor of Virginia, rescued by Pocahontas, was buried here in 1631. But St Sepulchre also has darker associations."
"This is my nomination as the most beautiful of the churches in the City of London. It was also built bySir Christopher Wren, and I’d go so far as to say that it’s a London must see. It’s a beautifully proportioned Church, appearing quite small from outside but inside there’s a soaring, lofty central dome and wonderful sense of space."
"Sir Christopher Wren is best known for the design and construction of St Paul’s Cathedral. He also built many other churches around London after the Great Fire. He probably did more to shape the appearance of London than any other single person, all the way through to the 19th century."
"Wildly regarded as Wren’s best City church, this was damaged during the Blitz so they commissioned Henry Moore to design a new altar"
"Splendidly refurbished in 2010 it was built between 1721-1724 to the designs of John James, as one of the Fifty Churches projected by Queen Anne’s Act of 1711. The reredos is from the workshop of Grinling Gibbons and frames a ‘Last Supper’ painted for the church by William Kent in 1724. The windows contain Flemish glass of the early 16th century from Antwerp."
"This beautiful little 18th-century church was James Gibbs’ first commission. It sits in the middle of a busy traffic island on the Strand"
"16/05/2021: Ordered at 4pm, on their website, which said delivery would be between 4.50 and 5.05pm. AFTER the order had been confirmed, I received an email to say it would be dispatched at 5.35pm!. By 6pm it still hadn't arrived so I phoned (shop is only 7 mins away)."
"You may have heard of British vegan activist Earthling Ed, whose calm and collected approach to educating people on the realities of animal agriculture has helped to spread awareness to hundreds of thousands of people. Unity Diner is his restaurant, and in true Earthling Ed fashion, all profits at Unity Diner are put towards animal rights campaign work. Unity Diner is a great place to be, with beautiful decor in the form of greenery and fairy lights to set the scene."
"Nestled in East London's Spitalfields, Unity Diner has expanded to a much larger space shortly after opening, making this wholesome restaurant one of the biggest completely vegan diner and cocktail bars in the city. Founded by a couple friends, including vegan advocate Earthling Ed, this not-for-profit eatery is a safe haven for everyone, with options so good it's hard to tell the difference from traditional fish and meat dishes."
"Earthling Ed’s non-profit restaurant Unity Diner deserves a spot on this list for the three epic burgers that don’t just taste great but help animals too. You can choose from the classic Moving Mountains Burger featuring ‘beef’ patties, cheese, bacon, and all the trimmings. There’s also the VFC Burger – a vegan take on the Southern-fried chicken patty with cheese, bacon, and a hash brown."
"Not for the faint of heart, Maxwell’s Freakshakes (£8.95) are among the most legendary London desserts. From a salted caramel concoction layered with whipped cream, marshmallows and a hefty doughnut to seasonal numbers that have seen unicorn, Pokemon and even Spice Girls themes, they’re as indulgent as they are Instagrammable. Line 'em up: the best kinda trio."
"Following a revamp, this Shoreditch club now has an American pool and Casino lounge, for all your late-night gaming needs. Q Shoreditch also boasts a swish restaurant, fancy bar and cool club, perfect come pay day."
"Get out of the office and head to The White Swan for a delicious pub lunch, made from seasonal British ingredients. The Chancery Lane boozer is perfect for an intimate bite to eat with goodies such as roast duck breast, day boat fishcakes and toad in the hole filling you up til tea time."
"Rok may be gone, but Nordic dining in Islington is back with the opening of Skal. They've quietly taken over the space left by Rok on Islington's Upper Street promising traditional Nordic recipes but with a modern, seasonal twist."
"Rise high above London and see the city's iconic skyline from a unique perspective, with views stretching up to 40 miles (64km). Spot the likes of the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral and Wembley Stadium from The View from The Shard's observation deck, which sits 800ft (244m) up western Europe's tallest building."
"This magnificent neoclassical mansion stands at the northern end of Hampstead Heath in a glorious sweep of landscaped gardens that lead down to a picturesque lake. The 17th-century house was substantially remodelled in the 1760s and rescued from developers by Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, who donated it and the wonderful collection of art it contains to the nation in 1927. Among its treasures are paintings by Rembrandt (one of his many self-portraits), Constable, Gainsborough and Vermeer."
"This largely Palladian villa offers an escape to a gracious country house with a magnificent collection of Old Masters and beautiful…"
"St Botolph was a Saxon saint who built a large monastery near to modern-day Boston (a corruption of Botolph’s town) in Lincolnshire in 654. He was the English patron saint of travellers and has three surviving churches in the City dedicated to him. They are all situated next to old city gates, presumably so that those about to set off could dedicate so"