Historic Sites in Hoddesdon

"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."

"Now home to the British Crown Jewels, the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. It served as a prison from 1100 to the mid twentieth century. This has led to the phrase “sent to the Tower”, meaning imprisoned."

"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."

"One of London's best small galleries, hidden away just north of Oxford Street, the Wallace Collection is an enthralling glimpse into 18th-century aristocratic life, set up in a lavishly restored Italianate mansion stuffed with 17th and 18th-century art. You might also like:. Best day trips from LondonSecret London: 9 unusual sights hidden in the cityLondon watchlist: films to see before your trip"

"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."

"Once the home of Princess Diana (and before that, a young Queen Victoria), Kensington Palace is currently one of the residences of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge—that’s William and Kate. The lush gardens and the King’s and Queen’s state apartments are open to visitors year round. Here’s what Kensington Palace looked like right after Princess Diana’s death."

"Kensington Palace is one of the historical landmarks of London, England. The famous rich history of the palace began when it was first built in 1605 by Sir George Coppin. The Palace was the birthplace of Queen Victoria, and today, it is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge."

"Somerset House is a museum and historic house located in a Neoclassical building that overlooks the River Thames. The Somerset House, built in 1796, is an arts centre that is open to the public with free admission almost every day of the year. Free guided tours of the grounds are offered twice per week and the museum often offers special exhibits like Mary Sibande's I Came Apart At The Seams."

"Somerset House is home to London's Courtauld Gallery (currently closed for refurbishment) with its collection of Old Masters, Impressionist and Post-impressionist paintings, and The Embankment Galleries with a rotating programme of exhibitions dedicated to art, design, fashion and photography. Some exhibitions require tickets."

"London is bursting at the seams with historic architecture, but the neo-classical Somerset House is a true standout. Built in the late 1770s, it’s home to art exhibitions, open-air concerts, and 55 sparking fountains. It’s worth a visit in the winter, too: the courtyard hosts one of the world’s best skating rinks."

"If your kids are learning about the Great Fire of London at school I thoroughly recommend a themed day out in the capital visiting all of the following major sights. Start with a visit to the Museum of London to wander around the Plague and Fire gallery. You can then easily walk to St Paul’s Cathedral, which was completely rebuilt after the original cathedral, Old St Paul’s, was burnt down in the 1666 fire."

"Sir Christopher Wren's 1677 column, known simply as the Monument, is a memorial to the Great Fire of London of 1666, whose impact on the city's history cannot be overstated. An immense Doric column made of Portland stone, the Monument is 4.5m wide and 60.6m tall – the exact distance it stands from the bakery in Pudding Lane where the fire is thought to have started."

"Monument was built between 1671 and 1676 to commemorate the Great Fire of London. Today, you can access the viewpoint at the top for some great views of the city. However, you will be required to climb a spiral staircase comprised of 311 stairs (although it felt like a thousand!) and pay a small entrance fee."

"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…"

"Take a day trip to Winchester, where you can visit Winchester Cathedral (the site of Jane Austen’s grave) and Winchester Castle. You can also tour the City Mill or one of the numerous museums and science centres. Return to London for the night."

"The gable and rose window is all that’s left of the medieval palace of the powerful Bishop of Winchester who once ruled south of the river 1"

"Valentines Mansion & Gardens is a Grade II on the National Heritage List for both building and garden. Built in 1696, the mansion was for the widow of Archbishop of Canterbury John Tillotson's widow, Lady Tillotson. It later was the home of Sir Charles Raymond."

"Eggslut opened their first London restaurant in Notting Hill and it was a huge hit. This sees them expanding to Fitzrovia where they'll be serving up more of their eggy buns to Londoners."

"It doesn’t matter that your grandma’s apple pie won last year’s village bake-off; this one is better. It’s stuffed full of fruit that is soft but still chunky, sharp but definitely sweet, juicy but not wet, and encased in buttery, magically crisp shortcrust pastry. Choose a drizzle of cream or a melty scoop of vanilla to go alongside; either way you’re going to want a second serving."

"The one by Garden at 120 This healthy grab-and-go restaurant is famous for its Field Trays; flavour-packed proteins with your choice of grains, salads and sides all dished up in a compartmentalised tray for less than £8. A different day brings with it a different combination; pair your harissa chicken with brown rice, cavalo nero and bean salad and a tarragon dressing, or match grilled salmon fillets with pesto, sweet potato chips and wilted greens. The offerings are just that little bit different compared to most takeaway joints in the City, lending from Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines."

"Why: Wild West décor and a hefty menu make this Texas-style grill in Hoxton a worthy addition to this list of the best American restaurants in London. Whether you’re in the mood for a mighty slab of quality meat slow-cooked in a hickory-burning smoker, fried chicken and fries, or a pimped-up burger, we promise you won’t go hungry at Red Dog Saloon. If you’re feeling particularly famished and reckon you can eat a lot in a short space of time, why not enter the ‘crabby patty challenge’?"

"Complete with a Man vs Food eating challenge (break the record for most patties in your cheeseburger and you get it for free), all the dishes on the menu at Red Dog Saloon are reminiscent of any good chain in the USA. With burgers and pulled pork sandwiches, mac 'n' cheese and St Louis pork ribs, plus hot (and extra hot) chicken wings you pay for by the platter, Red Dog will fill almost every craving you can imagine. Which is what great American food is all about, isn't it?"

"Located in Hoxton and Soho, the Red Dog Saloon serves old-school Austin barbeque and world-famous burgers. From classic bar snacks like Buffalo wings, tacos and nachos to barbeque favourites like southern fried chicken, burgers and cheesesteaks. The saloon also gives brave customers the chance to take on their famous crabby patty challenge, allowing you to add as many patties as you can handle for the chance to eat for free."

"Located within the heart of the city, surrounded by buzzy shops, cobbled streets and just a short walk from the Cathedral, the St Albans Museum & Gallery is the city’s arts and cultural hub, presenting an eclectic array of traditional and contemporary artworks spanning the past 2,000 years. Explore the exhibitions, discover the historic building’s history and delight in tea and scones in the Courtroom café. stalbansmuseums.org.uk"

"St Albans Museum + Gallery details the history of the city from the Roman period to modern times. Through the many artefacts and exhibitions, a story is weaved together that traces the timeline of St Albans. It’s housed inside the old Town Hall building."

"From fully-qualified doctors to avid viewers of Holby City, this museum will remind you of how surgery used to be a whole lot more gruesome back in the day. Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre is in Southwark, dating back more than 300 years. Nowadays you can tour the theatre, which has been kept exactly as it was when it was used during a time of no anaesthetic (ow), no antiseptic (ew) and certainly no antibiotics (crikey)."

"The V&A's Theatre Collections hold the UK's national collection of material about live performance in the UK since Shakespeare's day, covering drama, dance, musical theatre, circus, music hall, rock and pop, and other forms of live entertainment. Theatre and Performance galleries dedicated to the performing arts, display works of art, costumes, ephemera, video recordings, puppets, posters and photographs."

"The Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide is the oldest organization in the world devoted to the study of the Holocaust. The Wiener Library was founded in 1933 to keep Jewish communities up to date on Nazi persecution. Later, it became a research institute and public access library following the end of World War II. The library today has an estimated 70,000 books, 2,000 document, 45,000 photographs and 3,000 periodicals."