History - Archive Articles

Stand inside a 250-year old subterranean ice well

Hidden beneath a small metal grate in a south London park is a 250 year old marvel -- subterranean ice well from the days before modern refrigeration. And it's occasionally open to the public.

Exceptional Roman London kiln to be restored and put on display

London's most complete Roman pottery kiln is going on public display for the first time, following a grant to cover the restoration costs.

You can climb to the top of the Canonbury Tower

A tall tower that's not only one of London's oldest buildings still in private ownership but also boasts some wonderful views across north London - this is the Canonbury Tower.

The English Civil War Society marches through Central London

Had you been in central London on Sunday morning, you'd have seen over 200 people in full English Civil War clothing and arms marching through central London.

Kensington’s mobile memorial to Queen Victoria

At the western end of Kensington High Street is a tall stone column memorial to Queen Victoria, but it used to be at the eastern end of High Street. It moved.

The day Londoners humbled an Austrian tyrant

On a Southwark side street, you can find a small plaque that reminds people that in 1850, "an international incident occurred here", when an Austrian general was attacked by a mob.

Barts Hospital’s “Hogarth” stairs to be restored

A grand set of stairs, decorated by William Hogarth, in the historic part of Barts Hospital are to be restored, thanks to a £4.9 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The unexpected heritage of London Bridge station’s iron girders

Little noticed by the thousands of people who use London Bridge station, but above their heads are some of the oldest iron girders in the UK.

Hopton Street’s 320 year old house

Squashed in between Southwark's tall modern buildings is a peculiar survivor, a 320-year old house.

An eternal flame burning at an east London war memorial

A cluster of war memorials with an eternal gas flame can be found rather hidden away in an east London industrial site if you know where to look.

Chelsea Pensioners to open a public heritage centre

For the first time in its 330-year history, the Royal Hospital Chelsea will have a permanent heritage centre that will be open to the public to visit.

WWII air raid shelter discovered in southeast London

An early example of a WWII air raid shelter has been uncovered during building site clearance works in Plumstead, in southeast London.

There’s a WWII bombshell next to Bexleyheath police station

Next to Bexleyheath police station is a WWII bomb, that in a literal interpretation of swords into ploughshares is now a potplant holder for a small garden.

Old sign on the Bank of England declaring “special limits”

If you look up on the wall on the side of the Bank of England building, you might see a very old sign declaring that this street is within special limits.

New archaeology trail around HS2’s Ruislip building site

Archaeological works taking place on West Ruislip Golf Course where HS2 is preparing its tunnel boring machines have revealed over 45,000 years of history, and there's now a walking trail to show off what's been found and where.

There’s a medieval wall inside a London office that you can visit

There's a large section of medieval wall from the City of London's first monastery that can be found inside a modern office, and it's open for the public to pop in and have a look.

The short-lived London Supperette Car Company

There's an amazing image that pops up occasionally online, of what looks to be a richly decorated wagon in Brixton that's said to be a mobile cafe from around 1910.

A Blue Plaque to remember the Match Girls’ Strike

One of the most important strikes in modern British history has been commemorated by English Heritage with a blue plaque at the site of the former Bryant and May match factory in East London.

There’s a vacancy for a Beefeater at the Tower of London

If you can meet the "strict eligibility criteria", there's currently a vacancy to be a Beefeater at the Tower of London.

Going on a tour of Harrow School

A famously posh private school in northwest London opens its doors four times a year for the less posh to have a peer inside and see what all the fuss is about.

A preview of Boston Manor House’s impressive restoration

In 1622/3, when all around here was fields, a grand manor house was built in West London, and 400 years later, it's about to reopen to the public after years of restoration work.

The UK’s first Stolperstein or “stumbling stone” has been installed in Westminster

A small brass plaque has been laid in the pavement in Golden Square, Soho to commemorate the life of former resident Ada van Dantzig, who died in Auschwitz.

Visit one of London’s last aristocratic mansions – Spencer House

Next to Green Park is a palace and a long row of grand houses, and one of those grand houses is open to the public.

Two more London Cabmen’s shelters given listed status

Two of the 13 remaining distinctive green cabmen's shelters that used to be a common sight in central London have been given historic listing status to protect them.