Living London History | Jack Chesher
@livinglondonhis
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London explorer, tour guide and blogger. Buy my Sunday Times bestselling book/sign up to my newsletter here! 👇
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Ahh look what arrived in the post!! The first ever copy of my book! It’s amazing to finally see it in the flesh, really happy with how it looks 🙌 It is available to pre-order now, published 6th April. Find out more here 👉
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One of my favourite hidden passages in London is near Angel. It has a incredible surprise at the end of it! 👇
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One of my favourite London curiosities: the fake houses of Leinster Gardens… 👀
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Spotted these two uprooted bollards by London Bridge today. You can clearly see that they are in fact sneakily disguised, recycled, upended cannon barrels!
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The longest street in London! 👇 An area also bursting with historical delights…
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The back of St Bartholomew’s Gatehouse in Smithfield. Built in 1595, during the reign of Elizabeth I, I always think it is so evocative of a largely lost London.
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Little Green Street in North London is one of the city’s best preserved 18th century streets👇
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Bizarrely, hidden inside a South London housing estate you can find the top of a 340 year old church spire designed by Sir Christopher Wren…👇
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A bit of hidden underground history in the City! 👇
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Delighted with my recent purchase of a bright yellow umbrella from James Smith and Sons, London’s oldest umbrella shop. It has plying its trade on New Oxford Street since 1857 and has an amazing original Victorian shopfront and interior. ☂️
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Evidence of one of London’s lost rivers can be seen hiding in plain sight at Sloane Square station..👇
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A peek inside the 18th century Pickering Place in St James’s this afternoon: London’s smallest square. 🎄
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A few years ago this stretch of the Strand was a congested road and this was a photo I took of it yesterday, now that it has been pedestrianised 🌳🙌
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A few bollards in London are actually repurposed upended cannon, like this one by Southwark Bridge.
Look for the tell-tale stumps left when the trunnions (the protrusions that allowed it to sit on a carriage) were removed.
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Surely the tallest, thinnest door in London..
Opened in 1904, it was once home to the Elms Lesters Painting Rooms, used to store and produce theatre scenery and backdrops. The tall door allowed the huge scenery to be maneuvered.
Found on Flitcroft Street, near Covent Garden.
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Anyone for an epic historic pub crawl around London? My top ten historic pubs below👇
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A hidden historical gem just off Fleet Street! 👇
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One of the most extraordinary places I have visited in London is, bizarrely, an old Victorian sewage pumping station. Find out why here! 👉
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In South London you will find some ordinary looking fences with an extraordinary story!👇
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The wonderfully traditional frontage of London’s oldest umbrella shop: James Smith and Sons on New Oxford Street, established in 1830.
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Amazing to see the Götheborg of Sweden sailing through
@TowerBridge
this morning!
One of the world’s largest ocean-going wooden sailing vessels, she is a replica of an 18th century ship that sank off the coast of Sweden in 1745.
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The jaw-dropping interior of Leighton House in Kensington 👇
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Did you know many of London’s streets were once paved with wood?! 🤯
One of the many little oddities in my book! London: A Guide For Curious Wanderers is available to pre-order now 👉
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Looking down the 18th century Lord North Street in a drizzly Westminster this afternoon from the portico of St John’s Smith Square.
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James Smith and Sons umbrella shop on New Oxford Street has one of the oldest shop fronts in London. For the history behind this glorious time capsule, click here 👉
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The London street where time has stood still: Roupell Street just minutes from Waterloo Station. It was laid out in the 1820s by John Roupell as workers cottages and, visually, has barely changed since.
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One of my favourite, more hidden, sections of London’s Roman wall 👇
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A hidden garden by Cannon Street station! 👇🍃
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I was lucky enough to have a look around the Natural History Museum yesterday before it opened 🙌
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I love London symbols and little details. Here’s one to spot as you walk the city’s streets… 👇
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The story behind London’s only surviving Anglo-Saxon dock and the brilliant Queenhithe mosaic 👇
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There are so many little hidden pockets in the City of London: walk down an alleyway and you’re likely to come across one. This is St Olave’s House Garden off Ironmonger Lane, with the 17th century Wren tower of St Olave’s Old Jewry in the background.
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A mysterious little symbol all over London (and the country!)… 👀👇
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You may have spotted these green huts by the side of London’s streets. Here’s the story behind them 👇
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A historical gem tucked away amongst the alleyways off Fleet Street! 👇
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You can see the full story here:
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Tucked just back from the river in Bankside you’ll find the ruins of Winchester Palace. Built in the 13th century, it was the London residence of the powerful Bishops of Winchester. All we have left visible today are the remains of the Great Hall and its lovely rose window.
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A rare survivor, sandwiched between two 19th century buildings, on Fleet Street.
Constructed in 1610 as the Prince’s Arms tavern, it sits atop the gate into Inner Temple. The upper floor today is used by the Delegation of the Government of Catalonia.
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The stunning Leadenhall Market this morning. There was a meat, game and poultry market here from the 14th century in the grounds of a manor house with a lead roof- hence Leadenhall. The market building was designed by Horace Jones and finished in 1881.
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There is something about a good corner pub. The wonderfully eccentric Blackfriar pub here, built in 1875. Decorations on the building nod to the history of the area as having once been occupied by the Blackfriars monastery until the 1530s.
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These are thought to be London’s oldest terraced houses!
Dating from 1658, they can be found at 52-55 Newington Green.
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Highgate Cemetery is, I think, one of the most atmospheric spots in London 👇
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The Ship and Shovell, near Charing Cross, said to be the only London pub split in two halves!🍻
Up until 1998 it was separate pubs, The Ship and The Shovell, but they are now combined, with a tunnel linking the two under the street, used as the kitchen.
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One of my favourite little streets. Minutes from King’s Cross station you’ll find the utterly charming Keystone Crescent. Constructed in 1846, it claims to be the smallest crescent in Europe in terms of radius.
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In St Magnus the Martyr church in the City you can see this incredible 4m long model of the old medieval London Bridge👇
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This is thought to be Britain’s oldest door…
It can be found by the Chapter House in Westminster Abbey. Dendrochronology revealed that the wood was felled nearly 1000 years ago in 1032. The tree it was taken from could have been growing when London was still under Roman rule.
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The tomb of Thomas Sayers (1826-1865) in Highgate Cemetery: a famous Victorian bare-knuckle boxing champion. His tomb is guarded by a sculpture of his pet dog, Lion.
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Tucked away a quiet backstreet in Hampstead you’ll find this, the old parish lock up! Find out about the history behind it here 👉
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Can’t quite believe I’m writing this but… I wrote a book!! London: A Guide For Curious Wanderers is available to pre-order now.
It is my (beautifully illustrated) guide to London’s array of quirks and oft overlooked little details! 👉
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Leadenhall Market looking utterly stunning this evening 👌🎄
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A survivor in the City: East India Arms pub, built in 1829 as part of a block of buildings that once housed merchants and suppliers to the East India Company.
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Have you spotted these odd statues as you have walked around London? 👇
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Every Shrove Tuesday the inter livery pancake race takes place in the yard of the Guildhall. I went today! 👇
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A little detail on The Monument👇 Have you spotted it before?
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The old watchhouse in Rotherhithe, built in 1824 to keep watch over the graveyard of St Mary’s Church, keeping the bodies safe from graverobbers and bodysnatchers. Today the WatchHouse cafe!
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This building was left standing all alone on Tottenham Court Road when a V2 rocket landed here on the 25th March 1945 and destroyed, beyond repair, all the buildings that once stood around it.
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On Bishopsgate, you’ll find London’s smallest church: St Ethelburga’s.
This tiny church is also hiding a secret…👇
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The Mayflower Pub in Rotherhithe. There has been a pub on the site potentially since the 1550s. The current building is predominantly a post-war rebuild.
The name was also changed to the Mayflower as it sits close to the site where the Mayflower set off to the New World. ⚓️
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A brilliant oddity to spot in Soho!👇
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I have released a new walking tour! It is a tour of the City of London through the lens of its hidden nooks, pocket parks and minutiae: the oft-overlooked little details. It is called Secrets and Symbols of the City, find out more here 👉
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A fascinating bit of London history, hiding in plain sight! 👀👇
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The history behind the old bird-keeper’s cottage in St James’s Park 🦢👇
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Pepys, plague and Dickens: St Olave’s is a surviving medieval church in the City of London packed with history. 👇
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A few photos from a snowy walk around Highgate and Hampstead this morning ❄️
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Today is the day!! 🥳 My book, London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers is published officially in the UK! Cannot quite believe it is finally here. Find out more and order your copy here 👉
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A look inside London’s oldest surviving Victorian music hall! 🎶
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A detail missed by thousands everyday by the Tower of London! The entranceway to a tunnel…👇
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Tower Bridge from the battlements of the Tower of London last night 🙌
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London’s lovely side streets. The view down the Bride Lane off Fleet Street towards Wren’s majestic St Bride’s Church.
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Take 30 seconds out of your day to walk down the beautiful, ancient, winding Lovat Lane in the City of London.
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Tower Bridge through the ramparts of the Tower of London. Built 800 years apart but both iconic symbols of London today.
The gothic design of the bridge was chosen to be in keeping with the architecture of the medieval Tower of London.
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The Prospect of Whitby has been plying its trade by the river since 1520. Today it largely dates from the 19th century but its worn flagstone floor, is said to be original. It was once known as the ‘Devil’s Tavern’ due to it being a notorious hangout for smugglers and pirates.
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Last year a section of the Roman city wall was made accessible to the public!👇
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I actually put together this video on cannon bollards a few months ago as well for more info:
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Tucked away behind the Southbank is an obstinate little historical survivor! 🙌
67 Hopton Street (previously 61) was built in 1702 by James Price, making it the oldest house in the area. The house and the railings are both grade ii listed and it is still used as a house today.
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The ‘Ancient House’ is an amazing historic survivor in Walthamstow. This rare timber-framed house dates from 1435 and was described by architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner as a ‘cherished relic of a rural past’.
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One of my favourite, stubborn little historical survivors in London. The over 300 year old house near the Tate Modern 💪
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The surprising story behind the Charles I statue by Trafalgar Square!👇
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St Paul’s looking majestic on this bright, crisp day in London. These are such great days for walking around the city 👌
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Spotted this door knocker on Denmark Street today… the most elaborate door knocker in London?
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The Grade I listed Tower House near Holland Park was built in 1881 by gothic revival architect William Burges. It has since been lived in by John Betjeman, actor Richard Harris and since 1972 by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page who purchased it for £72k, apparently outbidding Bowie.
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A Victorian survivor on the corner of Cannon Street and Queen Victoria Street 💪. Built in 1871, Albert Buildings were designed in this sumptuous Italian gothic style by F J Ward.
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I’m sorry but the City is just so lovely to walk around on a quiet Sunday morning.
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Why is there a giant stone spike by London Bridge? 👀👇
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Unusual street names in the City! I think I’d like to move to Garlick Hill.. 🧄
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Many streets in the City are so called because of trades that once took place there. Cannon Street is not quite as simple as it might seem. It was actually a hub for candlemakers in medieval London, originally called Candelwrichstrete. This corrupted over time to ‘Cannon Street’.
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I have spent a lovely morning exploring the Barbican: the spectacular architectural expression of a post-war vision for a new country/city.
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Close to Waterloo Station you will find one of the best preserved streets in London. History here on the blog👇
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One of the newest pocket parks in the City gives a fantastic view of the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral!👇
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I went on a visit to the beautiful Fenton House, the oldest house in Hampstead! 👇
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I was on the news! In a good way 😁👇
Jack’s walking tours of London’s hidden history are filled with oddities and focus on the quirky and off-the-beaten-track.
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Sherborne Lane in the City has not always good by that name. It was once called ‘Shiteburne Lane’ because of the public lavatories that were based here in the medieval period, before being changed to something more palatable…
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Just look at that ceiling. This is the sensational Fitzrovia Chapel, designed in 1891 as the chapel of the Middlesex Hospital before it was demolished in 2007.
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Over 300 years old, 17 Gough Square was originally built for a merchant, but from 1748-1759 it was lived in by Dr Samuel Johnson, giant of English literary history. It was here that he compiled the work for which he is best known, his ‘Dictionary of the English Language’.
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Beautiful sky this evening, looking down Cornhill towards Bank
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The front entrance (but less seen side) of St Paul’s church, Covent Garden. Its old churchyard is now a beautiful, peaceful garden, lit partly by its original gas lights.
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Is the ostler’s hut, hidden inside the grounds of Lincoln’s Inn, London’s smallest listed building? 👇
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Middle Temple Hall this morning. Built in the 1570s, it is one of the finest Elizabethan halls in the country. It hosted the first recorded performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in 1602.
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The view this morning from the top of the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral! The 528 steps are well worth it 💪
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One week today until my book is released in the UK! It is my guide to London’s quirks, oddities and overlooked little details. Thank you to those who have pre-ordered so far, link here to pre-order if you haven’t yet! 👉
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