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Horse Guards is the official entrance to both Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace. There are two mounted guards on Whitehall daily from 10:00 to 16:00.
Walking through the archway will bring you into Horse Guards Parade where Trooping of the Colour and other magnificent military displays are held. During the 2012 Olympic Games this was the venue for the beach volleyball tournament.
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Agatha Christie Memorial - London
The London memorial to Agatha Christie by Ben Twiston-Davies is cleverly designed in the shape of a book reflecting her status as one of the world’s best selling authors.
The bronze memorial was unveiled on 18th November 2012 to coincided with The Mousetrap's 60th anniversary celebrations.
It is located close to Leicester Square Tube Station at the junction of Cranbourn Street and Great Newport Street, in the heart of London’s theatreland.
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The elegant Piazza, an Italianate styled main square, is Covent Garden's centrepiece. It’s the heart of a vibrant area offering a wide choice of theatres, shops, restaurants, cafes and public houses.
Free daily shows by the entertaining street performers take place by the portico (porch) of St Paul’s Church and inside the Central Market House.
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The Winter Garden
Earlier this week friends and I enjoyed afternoon tea at The Landmark, a luxury five star hotel located opposite Marylebone Station. The hotel originally opened in 1899 as the Great Central Hotel and designed by RobertWilliam Edis. It was built in conjunction with Marylebone Station, which was the last of the London main line railway termini to be completed. The building has had a varied history as it was requisitioned for military purposes in both World Wars and then later became offices and at one time was the Headquarters for British Rail. It re-opened as a hotel in 1993 and has been known as the London Landmark since 1995.
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I was asked by Westminster Libraries to write a guest blog for National Libraries Day 2013.
In the blog "Westminster Libraries and me", I have written about some of my favourite books which I have used to research some of my walks.
If you would like to read the article you can find the link here.
The author of this blog is a qualified City of London and City of Westminster Tour Guide who leads guided walks combining world famous landmarks with hidden treasures often missed by the crowds.
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The Drawing Rooms
Earlier this week a friend and I visited the V & A to see their wonderful Hollywood Costume exhibition and ended the day with a delicious afternoon tea at the Ampersand Hotel. It’s a small boutique hotel set in a beautiful Victorian building and its location was perfect being only a couple of minutes walk from the V & A. Afternoon tea is served in the cosy Drawing Rooms with its botanical and ornithological themed decor, where we opted to sit in the less crowded rear section.
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“My dear, I have come from my house to your palace”
Queen Victoria apparently made this remarked when she visited her close friend Harriet, the Duchess of Sunderland, at Stafford House (the house's previous name).
It is one of the few surviving great London townhouses, built in a warm honey coloured Bath stone, its next door neighbour is Buckingham Palace. The house is very opulently furnished with its principle rooms lavishly decorated in a Louis XIV style.
Today Lancaster House is managed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is used as a venue for conferences and government hospitality. It is seldom open to the general public but I was fortunate to attend a private guided tour arranged for Westminster Guides. The tour was lead by James Yorke, the author of “Lancaster House: London's Greatest Town House”, whose encyclopaedia knowledge and genuine love for the house made this a very special visit.
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Last week I took a little detour to visit the delightful St Pancras Old Church which is quietly tucked away behind St Pancras International Station. Although adjacent to the busy main railway line it's a peaceful, little oasis.
It’s believed to be one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in England, dating back to 314 AD, although the church one sees today was restored in the Victorian period. It became known as Old when the new church was built in nearby Euston Road. The church and neighbouring railway station are both named after a child martyr beheaded in Rome for his Christian faith.
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St James’s Square is an elegant square with a facinating history. It is located in St James's one of the most exclusive districts in central London. This quiet area tucked away between Piccadilly and The Mall has managed to retain a charming village identity and is noted for quality shopping offering everything from handmade clothing to fine cigar and wines. The St James's area is often referred to as “Gentlemen’s London” due to its gentlemen's clubs and specialist retailers.
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Utterly charming Christmas decoration featuring the Snowman, Billy and the Snowdog.