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Camellia's Tea House
This month’s scone extravaganza started with a return visit to Camellia's Tea House with Yannick, who first introduced me to this delightful, quirky tea room hidden away just off Carnaby Street.
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Fabulous views of the River Thames from Tower Bridge
Tuesday 18th March 2014 saw the launch of the New City of London Visitor Trail Map & App at Tower Bridge.
Yannick Pucci and I were delighted to be one of the 140 invited guests who found out more about the features of this great new app while taking in the magnificent City views.
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Rotherhithe, on the south bank of the River Thames, has managed to retain a charming village atmosphere and it is from here I started my walk along the Thames Path. In Part One of this two part blog post I explore Rotherhithe’s delightful historic centre before continuing my journey along the waterfront to Tower Bridge.
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I really enjoy the Cemetery Club's blog as it's full of atmospheric photos and fascinating stories and it's a great reference point for anyone wanting to know more about our magnificent cemeteries so I was delighted to be invited by Sheldon Goodman, one half of the Cemetery Club and a Westminster Guide student, to write a guest blog about one of my favourite graveyards in London.
I’ve written about "Postman Park" my favourite place in the City of London, it's a delightful small park near St Paul’s Cathedral best known for Watts Memorial of Heroic Self Sacrifice but it's also a former graveyard.
If you like this you might like to hear me being interviewed for London Undone's podcast about Postman Park.
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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In the 1630s room the table is laid out with sweet dishes
Updated with 2013 opening times
One of my favourite places to visit in London is the Geffrye Museum, located in former eighteenth century almshouses. The Museum is named after Sir Robert Geffrye, a former Lord Mayor of the City of London, at whose bequest the almshouses were built. The Geffrye features eleven period rooms which reflect the styles and fashions of the English middle classes from 1600s to the present day.
It is worth visiting at any time of the year but it is at its most magical during its annual Christmas Past exhibition when the rooms are transformed and decorated as they would have been for their era. The rooms are laid out sequentially with the earlier rooms tending to have just very simple evergreen decoration.
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It’s uncertain where the name "Little Venice" came from and even though you’re unlikely to see any gondolas, it’s a title that well suits this area with its attractive waterways.
For most of the year Little Venice is one of the most charming and tranquil corners in London but on the first bank holiday weekend in May (Saturday 4th - Monday 6th May 2013) the area is transformed with the vibrant and colourful Canalway Cavalcade, a unique waterways festival. It is organised by the IWA (Inland Waterways Association). More information about the IWA can be found on their website here.
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St Albans is best known for its magnificent cathedral but if you’ve travelled there by train you might have noticed the historic St Albans Signal Box adjacent to the station. This cheerful yellow and maroon painted building always puts a smile on my face as I travel past it so I was delighted to find out that there are regular free open days throughout the year.
The Signal Box is Grade II listed and dates back to 1892, replacing an earlier one on the site. It is a prefabricated wooden building, meaning that it was built off site, and at a later time the building was extended with the idea to house more levers but they were never installed. It closed in 1979 and has since been restored and opened to the public thanks to the volunteers from the St Albans Signal Box Preservation Trust.
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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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In the summer I had a very enjoyable visit to Eltham Palace in South London. The house is best known today for being the former home of Stephen and Virginia Courtauld and for its art deco style. However the Courtaulds only lived there briefly from 1935 to 1944.