Historic Sites in Holmer Green

"Standing proudly next to the Westminster Houses of Parliament, the home of British politics, is the beautiful and hugely significant Westminster Abbey. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site back in 1987, this church is one of the most important in the UK and dates back to around 800AD. Westminster Abbey is steeped in history and has been the scene of royalty since William the Conqueror in the 1000s."

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"The Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor, and William the Conqueror was crowned in it on Christmas Day 1066. Thousands of people are buried, or have their ashes interred, in it. Many others have plaques."

"The Tower of London, which is officially known as Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle in London that sits on the River Thames. The Tower of London has stood since 1066. Beginning in 1100 and lasting through 1952, the Tower of London was used as a prison, though it was intended to be a royal home."

"This well-preserved medieval castle is one of London’s premier attractions for families – adults and children love it. Interior exhibits are interactive and informative. The castle was eventually converted to a prison and the site of many executions."

"A view of the Elizabeth Tower and the Houses of Parliament through a pedestrian tunnel on London’s South Bank|© Beatrice Preve / Alamy Stock Photo. One of the finest examples of Gothic Revivalist architecture in the world, the Palace of Westminster was built by 19th-century architect Sir Charles Barry, but the real brains behind it was the incredibly talented Augustus Pugin. He was just 23 when Barry enlisted him to help with the design of the building and was instrumental in its Gothic detailing (his superior was more of a Classicist)."

"The Palace of Westminster (more widely known as the Houses of Parliament) is the seat of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The present building largely dates from the 19th century when it was rebuilt following a fire in a splendid example of Victorian neo-Gothic architecture. The House of Commons (elected Members of Parliament) is located to the north of the building and is decorated with green leather upholstery, and the House of Lords is located to the south and decorated with red leather upholstery."

"A visit here is a journey to the heart of UK democracy. The Houses of Parliament are officially called the Palace of Westminster, and its oldest part is 11th-century Westminster Hall, one of only a few sections that survived a catastrophic 1834 fire. The rest is mostly a neo-Gothic confection built over 36 years from 1840. The palace's most famous feature is its clock tower, Elizabeth Tower (but better known as Big Ben), covered in scaffolding until restoration works are finished in 2021."

"Held in the Marquesses of Hertford’s former townhouse, the Wallace Collection is one of the world’s finest collections of French 18th century paintings and decorative art. Once owned by Edward Seymour, nephew of Queen Jane Seymour, the noble 17th century townhouse is a thing of beauty in itself. However, it’s the paintings, sculptures, furniture, medieval objects, and armour that undoubtedly take centre stage."

"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."

"Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare is a small garden temple built in 1756 on the River Thames. The temple was built by actor David Garrick to honor William Shakespeare; it has since turned into a museum meant to honor Garrick, as well. The temple displayed Garrick's extensive personal collection of Shakespearean artifacts."

"Raised off the ground and surrounded by glass on the Thames riverbank in Greenwich, the Cutty Sark is the world’s last surviving tea clipper. This 19th century boat used to sail to China and back, bringing back a cargo of tea in exchange for other goods. Today, you can climb aboard and explore the sleeping quarters of the captain and officers, mess about with the interactive maps, play hide and seek behind boxes of cargo and take the helm at the ship’s wheel."

"The Cutty Sark (fee*) is a British clipper ship built in Scotland on the River Clyde in 1869. The ship is historically significant for being one of the last tea clipper ships ever built and one of the last clipper ships of this period still in existence. The ship was originally used to carry tea from China to England as quickly as possible and would visit almost every major world port during its life at sea."

"The Cutty Sark Museum is a maritime museum dedicated to celebrating the Cutty Sark, a historic sailing ship that, at its heydey, was the fastest ship on the seas. The British clipper ship was built in 1869, is part of the National Historic Fleet, and is one of only three remaining original composite construction clipper ships from the 1800s."

"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."

"Many of the regal residences created by the Rothschild family throughout Europe are gone now, but this one is still a vision of the 19th…"

"6 floors up from the madness of Leicester Square lies an oasis of calm in the form of the AWAY Spa at W London. The spa is all-white and minimalist, with smooth, sleep lines. A team of celebrity therapists are on hand to help you: from the signature facials by Su-Man and advanced aesthetics of Dr. Wong, expert tanning of James Harknett, to Ruthie Belle's stunning eyelashes and hair styling of Sergio Giannasso."

"This luxe Soho spa at the W Hotel on Leicester Square is the go-to place for glamour, perfectly placed for pampering ahead of a night on the town. Revitalise your body with one of their tailor-made treatments or revive your soul in their sauna and steam rooms. Book a ritual or package for a loved one, including specials for the ‘modern gentleman’ and ‘the entrepreneur’."

"This vibrant and superbly sexy London hotel and spa is an energising experience from the spa to the restaurant. Putting you in the mood to party and recover the next day, it’s a breath of fresh air in the heart of Soho."

"Named after the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, whose impressive work to the taxonomic rank helped communicate our understanding of who we are, and how we as individuals fit into the world surrounding us, Linnaean is a spot that’s on one hell of a health kick. Fused together through a love for health, beauty and lifestyle, all of your girlie needs are catered for here, from the health-driven cafe, natural beauty treatments, to a little lifestyle boutique for all of your self-pampering needs. Unlike most ‘Instagrammable’ venues, Linnaean manages to deliver on all accounts and ticks all of your interior goals as soon as you step inside."

"It's not often can you have pancakes under the same roof as a spa offering manicures, blow-dries, express glow facials and massages. But that’s exactly that kind of luxury treatment on offer at London’s recently-opened Linnaean. As well as offering some of the finest beauty treatments in the capital (it’s interiors alone are enough to have your Instagram feed sorted for weeks), Linnaean’s restaurant offers a plant-rich menu including a variety of vegan and gluten-free pancakes."

"South London’s answer to Instagrammable restaurants is Linnaean: a health-focused café, apothecary and beauty salon named after Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus. Located in the heart of London’s Embassy Gardens, Linnaean is a beautiful space, with a very Instagram-friendly flower ceiling, hanging lights and pastel pink bar seats, alongside an equally pretty – and delicious – food offering. Afterwards, pop into the salon for a treatment for a long-awaited self-care day."

"Towering over diminutive Ludgate Hill in a superb position that's been a place of Christian worship for over 1400 years (and pagan before that), St Paul’s is one of London’s most magnificent buildings. For Londoners, the vast dome is a symbol of resilience and pride, standing tall for more than 300 years. Viewing Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece from the inside and climbing to the top for sweeping views of the capital is a celestial experience."

"Located on an island in the middle of the bustling Strand, St Clement Danes Church church offers an oasis of calm. Explore the famous London church, whose bells are mentioned in the traditional Oranges and Lemons nursery rhyme, and hear them ring out across the City of London several times a day. Reconsecrated as the Central Church of the Royal Air Force in 1958, the church is also home to books of remembrance and more than 1,000 RAF badges."

"St Clement Danes church is one of the best-known churches in Westminster, London. It’s a fine white Baroque building with a prominent spire on a traffic island in the Strand, close to the Royal Courts of Justice. It’s famous for the nursery rhyme ‘Oranges and lemons ring the bells of St Clement’s’, and it’s not the only church in our list to get a mention in."

"Christopher Wren and James Gibbs rebuilt the original 9th-century church, but only its outer walls and steeple survived destruction in the Blitz"

"For breakfast, brunch and lunch with a view, grab a spot at Pavilion Café in east London’s Victoria Park. With a decked terrace perched on the edge of the river, it’s the ideal place to spend a few slow hours. Locally-grown produce is given a Sri Lankan twist, with string hoppers, dal, coconut sambol and beetroot curry served for breakfast."

"For some of the best pancakes in East London in a gorgeous settingWhat to eat?. Buttermilk, banana praline and whipped cream pancakes. If you like your pancakes served up with a side of gorgeous view, then look no further than The Pavillion Café in Victoria Park, one of our favourite pancake places in East London."

"Restaurants British Victoria Park"