Must See Sights and Landmarks in Taplow Area

"A splendid mixture of architectural styles, Westminster Abbey is considered the finest example of Early English Gothic. It's not merely a beautiful place of worship – the Abbey is still a working church and the stage on which history unfolds. For centuries, the country's greatest have been interred here, including 17 monarchs from King Henry III (died 1272) to King George II (1760). Much of the Abbey's architecture is from the 13th century, but it was founded much earlier, in 960 AD."

"Westminster Abbey is often mistaken as one of the cathedrals of London. It’s an easy mistake to make, but it’s an Abbey which has served as the Coronation Church for Kings and Queens of England for almost a thousand years. Westminster Abbey is one of the big-ticket top three or four things to do in London, and it’s something we suggest you make time for, even if you only have a 1-day London itinerary."

"If unparalleled views are what you’re after, you’ll find them at the Shard’s Shangri-La hotel. Stretching 306 metres into the sky, the Shard is London’s tallest building and the Shangri-La occupies floors 34 to 52. With Borough Market, the Globe, Tate Modern and the Tower Bride close by, your days will easily fill with sightseeing but the hotel's rooms, with views across the city, will easily lure you back come nightfall – as will the hotel’s restaurant, Ting, which offers tasting menus starting from £55."

"Scraping the sky at 306 metres, western Europe’s tallest building boasts a high-end hotel, restaurants and bars and London’s highest viewing platform—an unobstructed 360-degree view stretching as far as 64 kilometres. Here are 12 more observation decks with thrilling views."

"This is an example of modern luxury, being part of the famous Shard building that towers above London. The building was completed in 2012 and was the tallest structure in Europe at the time. The multi-award-winning hotel takes up floors 34-52."

"3 km from city center 7 out of 40 places to visit in London. A royal fortress and a World Heritage Site which is also famous for being an infamous prison back in the day, the Tower of London, founded in 1066 and located in the heart of the city, is a majestic fortress, with a history dating back to centuries before the present day. Treat your eyes to the world-famous and priceless jewels, archaic yet riveting architecture, and to a clear view of the River Thames on a day trip to this Tower."

"The Tower of London – Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, the Tower of London was turned into a prison in 1100. Some of its most famous prisoners included King Henry VI, the wives of King Henry VII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and Sir Thomas More. These days the Tower is a museum rather than a prison. A great way to see some of the grounds is with an entertaining tour hosted by the Yeoman Warders who will frighten and dazzle you with tales of the Towers past."

"Tour the (in)famous Tower of London, and find out more about its 900-year history. It’s had many uses over the years – as a palace, prison and even a zoo – but today it’s famously the home of the Crown Jewels. Prepare to be dazzled by the Royal Family’s riches – I recommend booking ahead through Get Your Guide so that you can skip the line."

"Tower Bridge is one of the tourist attractions you can't afford to miss because it is one of the famous monuments in London. It was built between 1886 and 1894. The Bridge is one of the most-visited landmarks globally with more than 40,000 people using it daily."

"After the houses of Parliament, this bridge is London’s most well known site. There are several excellent angles to photograph this bridge from. – A very popular photo to take is traffic light trails going through the archways of the bridge."

"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)."

"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. It is made up of two houses – the Commons and the Lords – and if you reserve ahead (or just try your luck on the day) you can go inside to watch British democracy in action."

"A visit to London is not complete without a trip to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Quick Tip: Big Ben is the name of the bell inside the clock tower. The tower is actually known as the Elizabeth Tower."

"This beautiful little 18th-century church was James Gibbs’ first commission. It sits in the middle of a busy traffic island on the Strand"

"St. Giles-in-the-Fields is known as the Poets’ Church and has a number of important burials plus a burial pit of plague victims"

"Speakers Corner in the north-east corner of London’s Hyde Park is an area where open-air public speaking, debate and discussion are allowed and encouraged. While Hyde Park isn’t the only speaker’s corner in the world or even London itself, it is the original and is often referred to as the ‘home of free speech‘. Anyone can turn up unannounced to speak on any subject they want, with speakers discussing everything from politics, religion and world conflicts to healthy lifestyle choices and more."

"There are a number of famous landmarks within the park including Serpentine Lake where you can hire a row boat, Speakers’ Corner and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain along with countless statues. Enjoy a coffee or bite to eat from one of the two cafes on the lake or just get lost walking around the miles and miles of pathways."

"Finally, All Hallows-by-the-Tower is believed to be the oldest surviving church in London, and overlooks the Tower of London on Byward Street. The church was founded in 675, and while it has obviously undergone extensive restoration since then, it still contains an Anglo-Saxon arch from the time which we believe qualifies it to take the crown as London’s oldest church!. Thanks to its proximity to the Tower of London, this church was frequented often where beheading victims were sent for a temporary burial!"

"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."

"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."

"Windsor Royal Shopping, in the heart of the town, boasts top retail brands in a cafe culture setting. Names like Links, Pandora, Phase Eight and Whistles rub shoulders with Carluccio's, All Bar One, Bill's and La Tasca providing a welcome break from serious shopping. This is the place to meet and be seen."

"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 blood and viscera has long since been scoured away, making this museum a fascinating place to visit. Pioneering medical techniques were trialled here back in the day, and today, it holds the crown as the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe. Tickets for adults are £7.50."

"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*)."

"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…"

"The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability is housed in the building that Victorian doctor Dr John Langdon Down lived and worked in. In this building, Dr Down researched and took new approaches to caring for people with learning disabilities. The museum today highlights exhibits about the work of Dr John as well as Normansfield Theatre and the Royal Earlswood Asylum."

"Stefan Kalmár, the Director of the ICA London states: The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London has been the model for most ICAs that exist in the world today. Since its founding in 1946, the ICA contextualises contemporary culture within the socio-political conditions of the times. The ICA was created as an institute (not a museum), for the contemporary (not just modern) and for all the arts (not just art)."

"The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an art gallery near London's Trafalgar Square. In addition to exhibits on contemporary art, the ICA includes two cinemas, a bookshop, a theatre, and a bar. Established in 1947, ICA creators wanted to create a place for artists and other creative and science folk to debate ideas without being constricted by the rules and traditions of the Royal Academy."

"Occupying disused bare-brick railway arches in Waterloo underground station, The Vaults is a striking space for alternative arts and immersive theatre. As well as jazz sets, indie plays, and alien-themed musicals, you can discover a continual rotation of art in its tunnels. This unique contemporary art gallery is said to feature artists who ‘have a natural affinity for the unusual, the daring, and the unknown’, and that is easy to see."

"There is nothing even slightly fancy or instagrammable about The Brownie Box. The Earl’s Court location on Old Brompton Road is right next to a bus stop and the tables outside are noisy and liberally fumigated with auto exhaust. The tables inside are old fashioned and formica topped, the floor linoleum."