Historic Sites in London Borough of Enfield

"Of course you will want to check off primary attractions such as The Big Ben, The London Eye, or Westminster Abbey off your list. If you’re a keen shopper, you will want to hit the shopping mecca that is Oxford Street. But also make sure you experience luxurious afternoon tea in London , take an offbeat food tour, sample street art, and hit a few alternative bars in town. Check out our Guide To London for loads of offbeat and fun ideas of things to do in London."

"Famous for being the spot where coronations take place, Westminster Abbey is another tourist top spot. It’s a stunning, majestic building that has been around since 1090 when it was originally built. Various monarchs have ensured the upkeep of the building, guaranteeing that Westminster Abbey continues to be one of the crown jewels of London."

"Westminster Abbey is a pretty imposing building with stunning architecture. Needless to say, it makes for some pretty beautiful Instagram shots. If you want the perfect Instagram shot just walk a little further away from it along one of the roads that lead to it."

"This is one of the oldest fortresses in London, built after the Norman Conquest of England, to house the new royalty who had just moved into the country and needed a nice secure palace to live in. As such, it’s a highly defensible castle, with two defensive walls and a moat, so it feels very castle-like. It’s also the home to the English Crown Jewels and has played host to notable historical events, in particular, the executions of 112 people, including Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey."

"Nowhere else does London's history come to life so vividly as it does in this mini city of 20 towers, the intimate details of lords and…"

"More than 1000 years of history can be discovered at London’s magnificent Houses of Parliament, stretching beautifully around the corners of Westminster and housing Big Ben. View it from the bank of the Thames and admire a building that continues to remain one of the capital’s biggest attractions, or head inside to delve into its past and present on a Houses of Parliament audio tour. You can also learn more about Big Ben with a free Elizabeth Tower talk."

"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."

"The Houses of Parliament, or the Westminster Palace, is designed in the gothic-architectural style. It is the meeting place for the two Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The current palace was built in 1847 after a fire destroyed the original building."

"North of Oxford Street, there’s no missing the striking buildings of the Wallace Collection, one of the most interesting free art museums in London. Inside the buildings, you’ll find paintings from the 15th to 19th century, with a particularly impressive collection of 18th century French artworks said to rival the collection at Versailles. This free museum is the only place you’ll ever be able to see these masterpieces – when Sir Richard Wallace’s widow bequeathed the collection, she made it a condition that not a single piece should ever leave the imposing building."

"Not so much a gallery as an art-filled time portal, this considerable collection of 18th and 19th century fine art and design at Hertford House is the work of Sir Richard Wallace and his ancestors. Paintings in the collection include works by Rembrandt, Fragonard, Rubens, Canaletto, Velazquez and the wonderful Laughing Cavalier by Franz Hals. Hertford House, Manchester Square, Mayfair, W1U 3BN, wallacecollection.org"

"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."

"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)."

"Alternatives (or additional spots) in the area to the above attractions: Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market (one of London’s most famous food markets), The Old Operating Theatre Museum (fee*), The Monument (fee*), and The View from the Shard (fee*)."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. Tickets cost £20 GBP (around $26 USD). Make sure to book your tickets and pick a time-slot in advance directly on the museum website."

"Ham House is a dreamy place to go if you want to escape the inner city for a while. Explore magical gardens and immerse yourself in the 17th Century. COVID-19 UPDATE: The gardens at Ham House have reopened to the public, but you’ll need to book your visit in advance."

"It was built in 1610 and is lavishly decorated with many unique treasures hiding inside its walls. It epitomises the absolute height of luxury in this era. There are also formal gardens and an on-site café."

"Reserve a table - Take Away"

"Where: Notting Hill, Fulham, West Hampstead, Camberwell, Selfridges Food Hall. In normal times, you can even learn how to make your own hand rolls with Feng Sushi’s classes - but for delivery, you’re in the hands of their chefs who turn out well-priced sushi. They offer regularly changing specials - like nori tacos or a seaweed tiger roll - alongside more recognisable options."

"A Gothic wonderland of shrouded urns, obelisks, broken columns, sleeping angels, Egyptian-style tombs and overgrown graves, Highgate is a Victorian Valhalla spread over 20 wonderfully wild and atmospheric hectares. On the eastern side, you can pay your respects to the graves of Karl Marx and Mary Ann Evans (better known as novelist George Eliot). The real highlight, however, is the overgrown West Cemetery, which can only be visited on a guided tour."

"London’s most famous cemetery in Highgate is the resting place for some 170,000 – most notably, Karl Marx, although there are many other famous figures. It’s a peaceful and beautiful place. The cemetery is privately owned and operated."

"Most people come to see Karl Marx’s tomb in the eastern half of the cemetery, but it’s the huge monuments in the west that are really worth seeing 6"

"For a relatively small town, Windsor has a wide range of shops, including department stores, high street outlets, specialist fashion shops and local independents. There are plenty of retail stores catering for tourists, offering souvenirs and other memorabilia. The main shopping areas are Peascod Street, the High Street and Thames Street, along with Windsor Royal Station and Eton High Street, where the upmarket, fashionable stores can be found."

"Whether you’re looking for local crafts or designer duds, you’re bound to find something that strikes your fancy at this quirky shopping arcade located opposite Windsor castle. Housed in a fromer Victorian Railway Station, architecture lovers will get a kick out of spotting the building’s original remaining features including Jubilee arch, the cobbled stones, and Queen Victoria's Royal Waiting Room."

"Truly in the heart of the city, Red Cross Garden is part of the Bankside Open Spaces Trust. You can stare out at the city from the tranquility of the garden, which was restored to its original Victorian layout back in 2005. COVID-19 UPDATE: Red Cross Garden looks to be open, but please respect social distancing rules."