Historic Sites in Ebbsfleet

"Moving down to the City of Westminster now, and London’s most famous church, home to Royal Weddings, Coronations (all of them since 1066!) and a whole host of famous dead people – Westminster Abbey. You’re not actually allowed to take photographs inside the Abbey, but that’s ok, because the outside is very photogenic. Unfortunately, the folks in charge of civil planning tend to ignore the needs of photographers, because there’s a rather inconveniently placed road right in front of the Abbey’s two stunning towers."

"The London Pass is a pre-paid sightseeing card which gives you FREE fast-track entry to the city’s top tourist attractions, including the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and a Hop on Hop off Bus Tour. The view from the Shard"

"Westminster Abbey is one of the most important historical places in London. The royal abbey church dates back almost a thousand years. It is also the burial place of many of Britain’s kings and queens."

"While visiting the historically important Tower of London does require a paid entrance ticket, the daily Ceremony of the Keys – the traditional ‘locking up’ of the Tower – is completely free to watch. At exactly 21:53 each evening, the Chief Yeoman Warder (or ‘Beefeater’) marches through the Tower carrying the Queen’s Keys. Escorted by four armed guards, he performs a series of specific rituals as he locks the gates to the Tower for the night before returning the keys to the Queen’s House at 10pm."

"The unmissable Tower of London (actually a castle of 22 towers) offers a window into a gruesome and compelling history. A former royal residence, treasury, mint, armoury and zoo, it's perhaps now most remembered as the prison where a king, three queens and many nobles met their deaths. Come here to see the colourful Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters), the spectacular Crown Jewels, the soothsaying ravens and armour fit for a very large king."

"You’ll have to pay to take a tour of the Houses of Parliament, but there are other ways to get in if you just want to look around. Debates in the Commons or Lords have public viewing galleries, which you can queue up for on the day, and you can stay for as long as you like. You can also request tours or a free ticket from your MP but these are very limited."

"If you see pictures of London, they often contain images of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. This is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses that make up the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In case you didn’t already know, Big Ben is not the name of the clock or the tower it is housed in."

"Home to the world’s most famous clock, Big Ben (officially the Queen Elizabeth Tower, but no one calls it that), the Houses of Parliament is a neo-Gothic wonder built in the mid-19th century. All tours are currently suspended, so for now would-be visitors will have to make do with a 360º virtual tour."

"The Wallace Collection, in Hertford House, a grand 19th-century townhouse on Manchester Square and the former residence of the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, now plays host to the family’s extraordinary collection of art and artefacts. It features exquisite examples of Urbino maiolica and Sèvres porcelain, miniatures kept in covered cases and imperious armoury on the ground floor. But the star attraction is the collection of works by European artists such as François Boucher, Anthony van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens, and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn."

"Wallace collection displays magnificent artworks in the historic London town. It has some of the most amazing old paintings, decorative arts, and world-class armouries. This stunning London museum is free and also has a glazed courtyard restaurant."

"With its Great Gallery stunningly refurbished, there's even more reason to visit this exquisite gem of an art gallery—although housing…"

"However, today visitors can still see one remaining section of the palace complex, the Banqueting Hall (fee*) designed by famous architect Inigo Jones with a ceiling painted by Peter Paul Reubens. Today Whitehall is the center of the Government of the United Kingdom and you’ll pass a number of buildings home to various departments and ministries, including the Ministry of Defense and the Cabinet Office. Along this street you’ll also find The Household Calvary Museum (fee*), located in the 18th century stables of the Horse Guards, which gives information on the history of the Household Cavalry and displays a small collection of uniforms and weapons."

"The new Globe was designed to resemble the original as closely as possible, which means having the arena open to the fickle London skies, leaving the 700 ‘groundlings’ (standing spectators) to weather London’s spectacular downpours. Visits to the Globe include tours of the theatre (half-hourly) as well as access to the exhibition space, which has fascinating exhibits on Shakespeare, life in Bankside and theatre in the 17th century."

"Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Continue your walk along the River Thames to the Globe Theater. The original Globe Theatre was built in 1599 and hosted plays written by Shakespeare. A modern version of the Globe Theatre was built in 1997 on the site of the original theatre."

"Lambeth Palace is the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England on the banks of the River Thames. The palace has served as the archbishop's home for more than 800 years. While the palace opens to the public via guided tours, it is not open to the public only a daily basis."

"Fulham Palace is a site dedicated to tracing its own history. Items found on the palace's grounds date all the way back to prehistoric times; the archaeological finds are part of the museum's impressive collection of artifacts and objects. The site has been a residence of the Bishops of London since 704 and played a major role as a hospital during World War I and a refugee spot during World War II."

"A beautiful open garden, glasshouses, flowers in bloom, and brick walls, all in a place less visited by tourists which make for one great location for a photo shoot or a private event. And if you’re looking for some diversity, just walk a few steps out of Fulham Palaceand you’re right on the shore of river Thames."

"Founded in 1857, the Science Museum is one of London’s main tourist attractions. Hosting a collection of over 300,000 items, the museum also features a dedicated library and an IMAX 3D Cinema showing science and nature documentaries. It’s free, and offers loads of interactive exhibits and fascinating history, including the famous 'Puffing Billy', the oldest surviving steam locomotive, dating from 1813-14."

"My personal favourite free museum in London has to be the Science Museum in South Kensington. London’s Science Museum covers various aspects of science and human achievement, from the exploration of space to the invention of modern digital technologies. It is currently the most visited science museum in Europe."

"Now in its 53nd year, this unmissable exhibition looks at everything from elephants in their natural habitat to urban foxes peering over fences, and is a sheer delight from start to finish. Date: until 10th September"

"Fronted by a pair of intimidating 15in naval guns and a piece of the Berlin Wall, this riveting museum is housed in what was the Bethlem Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital also known as Bedlam. Although the museum’s focus is on military action involving British or Commonwealth troops largely during the 20th century, it covers war in the wider sense. Must-see exhibits include the state-of-the-art First World War Galleries and Witnesses to War in the forecourt and atrium above."

"This historic warship, operated today by Imperial War Museums, will definitely be of interest to military buffs, or anyone with even a slight interest in boats. Launched just before the outbreak of World War 2, this Royal Navy Light Cruiser saw action in both World War 2 and the Korean War, before being decommissioned in 1963."

"Despite its name, the cultural venue formerly known as the Imperial War Museum (one of five IWM branches around the country) does not…"

"The Bentley Priory Museum was a home and park built in the 17-1800s in London. Initially it served as a medieval priory, wThose original remains don't exist any longer. In the late 1770s, a mansion was built near the original site."

"Among the hundreds of stores, you’ll find popular antique stores, the British department store Harvey Nichols, and the world-famous Harrods with its 1 million square feet of retail space which sells everything from speciality food to designer shoes! Harrods was started by Charles Henry Harrods as a small family-run shop, but like many British landmark institutions it is sadly now owned by foreign corporations (in this case the state of Qatar). In addition to shopping, you might also want to stop for an afternoon tea, such as this fashion inspired afternoon tea in Knightsbridge."

"You’ll love Columbia Road Flower Market for the vibrancy of colour and wonderful smells that permeate the neighbourhood on Sundays. Open from 8am till 3pm be sure to get there early for the freshest flowers but also arriving late on can grab you some bargains as sellers want to move stock, especially cut flowers, but beware of all stock selling out if you plan to arrive later in the day. Located on a historic street in the East End of London, the area springs up like an oasis in the concrete desert with all manner of plants from cut flowers to small bedding plants, to small and large trees."

"With the cute shops and stunning flower stalls, it’s easy to see why Columbia Road Flower Market is one of the best places to take photos in London. The market takes place every Sunday and, while we don’t make it there often (Sundays are reserved for laziness in our household), we are always pleased when we do. Everyone at Columbia Road Flower Market will be photographing in the flowers, but try to catch a bit of what is going on behind the scenes as well, or a completed bouquet shot that highlights your personality."

"One of the most traditional romantic places in London has to be Columbia Road’s Flower Market. Even if you’re not interested in buying flowers, the atmosphere and people will certainly romanticise the occasion. It’s a cute and quaint market, and arguably one of the more subtle romantic places around London."