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![What links this 18th century church in London with one of the world’s most famous billionaires…?
This is St Mary le Strand church. It dates from 1724 and was designed by James Gibbs.
I wrote up a full blog post on its history a few months ago (link in bio) but they got back in touch because they discovered an interesting detail about their ceiling…
stmarylestrand
richardbranson
vanessagbranson
holly_branson
bransonsam
virginunite
ofwrens
#london #londonhistory #hiddenlondon #londontravel #londonarchitecture #livinglondonhistory]()
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2025-09-07 12:22:51
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What links this 18t..
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![I am delighted to reveal that I have created my first ever self-guided audio tour!👂
It is called Spectacle, Sin and Uproar: A Hidden History of Covent Garden. It is a tour I have run many times as a guided tour but now you can listen to it in your own time, at your own pace on the VoiceMap app 🥳
VoiceMap is GPS triggered so you simply press play, you can put your phone away and I talk you through exactly where to go.
I will show you the grand piazza and bustling streets, telling you stories of the old fruit and vegetable market, the area’s notorious nighttime trade and theatrical scandals, as well as exploring the lesser-known backstreets and alleyways of Covent Garden, revealing amazing details and historic survivors 👀
There is a link in my bio for to download the app or simply type VoiceMap.me/coventgarden into your browser.
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #coventgarden #londontour #audiotour #selfguidedtour #hiddenlondon #secretlondon]()
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2025-09-04 11:25:32
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![The London hotel with links to the Titanic! 🚢
Kimpton Fitzroy London is a magnificent hotel overlooking Russell Square in Bloomsbury, oozing with Victorian glamour. Built in 1900 and designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll, it was originally called Hotel Russell before undergoing a major refurbishment in 2018.
Thank you so much to kimptonfitzroy for the invitation to have a look around and stay in the lovely Bloomsbury Suite.
There is a link in my bio for the full blog post and more information.
#invited #london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #londontravel #londonhotel #hotelhistory #londonhotels #bloomsbury #titanichistory]()
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2025-08-29 11:41:47
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The London hotel with ..
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![I paid a visit to the UK’s first major exhibition about mudlarking at the Museum of London Docklands!
It covers lots of historical treasures found on the foreshore of the Thames, as well as looking at mudlarking as a practice.
Doves Type found by thames_skipper, the medals by Kamil Zawistowski, the sundial found by Peter Olivant and thehistoryhunter_mudlark, the tobacco pipe bowl found by thehourofthedog, the sixpence by carolinenunneleymudlark and the eye by london.mudlark . 👏👏👏
Exhibition is on until the 1st March 2026 and I have a write up of eight of my highlights on my website (link in bio).
Thank you wearelondonmuseum for the invite to look around 🙌
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #mudlarking #londonmuseum #mudlark #londonmudlark]()
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2025-08-27 20:42:34
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I paid a vi..
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![A selection of photos from a photoshoot I recently had around the City of London! 📸
This was for a tour I am going to be leading for opencity_uk as part of the Open House festival this year. They ran a ballot for tickets and I believe the winners will be announced soon.
Thank you to annarose_mcchesney for the fantastic pics 🙌
My next set of standard public walking tour dates will be out very soon in my newsletter- there is a link in my bio to sign up.
#london #londonhistory #londontravel #cityoflondon #livinglondonhistory #hiddenlondon]()
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2025-08-22 00:31:16
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A selection of phot..
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![This old aristocratic mansion, just outside London, once played a vital role in World War Two, kept hidden from the public for many years… 👀
Today Latimer House is the De Vere Latimer Estate hotel but in the war was commandeered by the Secret Intelligence Services for a top secret purpose.
Thank you devere_latimerestate for the stay (#gifted)!
For anyone who would like the read up more, there is a link in my bio for the full blog post.
There is also a fantastic book by drhelenfry called The Walls Have Ears for an even deeper dive.
#london #buckinghamshire #ww2history #livinglondonhistory #londonhistory #ww2 #londontravel #secretlondon #londontrip #daytripsfromlondon #worldwar2]()
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2025-08-20 11:23:17
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This old aristocrati..
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![A look inside Freemasons’ Hall in Covent Garden!
It is a truly unique and exuberant Art Deco building as well as having a very interesting history.
I have written a full blog post on the building, there is a link in my bio if you would like to read more.
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #londontravel #londonmuseum #freemasons #secretlondon]()
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2025-08-14 12:14:27
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A look inside Freemason..
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![There is something not quite right about this West London street… 👀
23-24 Leinster Gardens have not letterboxes and the windows are all blocked up. To find out why you have to go around the back onto Porchester Terrace.
You will see that they are, in fact, just facades and hiding a section of underground railway!
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #westlondon #hiddenlondon #secretlondon #londontravel #londonunderground #trainhistory #tfl #transportforlondon]()
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2025-08-08 11:17:26
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There is something n..
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![The story behind Victorian London’s ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’…
London had the first tunnel in the world underneath a navigable river and many pass through it everyday without realising.
Designed by Marc Brunel (the father of the much better known Isambard Kingdom Brunel), the Thames Tunnel was constructed from 1825-1843. It had many setbacks but eventually opened as a pedestrian tunnel rather than a tunnel for horse and carriages as had been initially intended.
You can learn all about it at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe and even go inside the old tunnel shaft! brunel_museum.
I have also written up a full blog post on the history, so for more detail, there is a link in my bio!
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #southlondon #londonmuseum #londonlife #londontravel #thames #thamesriver #engineering]()
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2025-08-06 11:23:15
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The story behind ..
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![Why were there riots at the Royal Opera House in 1809 and what part of the building can you find today in Borough Market? 🤔
This is the, sometimes, dramatic history of the Royal Opera House!
Thank you to the royalballetandopera for gifting me the tickets to visit 🙌
There is a link in my bio for the full blog post, with more fun stories, if you would like to read it!
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #londontravel #londontheatre #theatrehistory #theatrelovers #coventgarden #thewestend #westend #opera
#london #londonhistory]()
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2025-07-31 11:32:15
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Why were there riot..
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![I am delighted to have been nominated as one of the people up for the Travel Creator of the Year at the ITV bCreator awards 2025! 🤯
Part of it is a public vote, so I have put a link in my bio if you would like to vote for me, that would be amazing!!
bcreatoruk
#london #livinglondonhistory #award #travelcreator #londontravel #londontrip #worldtravel]()
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2025-07-29 16:03:13
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![What are these odd, round structures you can find across London? 👀
They span London from North to South, are nearly always circular, with vents on top and always come in pairs.
They are, in fact, fascinating remnants from a World War Two plan to protect London’s populace.
I wrote a blog post a few years ago specifically about the history of the Clapham South Deep Level shelter, there is a link in my bio if you would like to read.
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #hiddenlondon #londontravel #westminster #southlondon #clapham #belsizepark #goodge street #stockwell #londontrip transportforlondon]()
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2025-07-18 11:23:14
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What are these odd, ..
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![AD I went to see a true hidden historic gem in South London, a spot I have wanted to see for ages: the stunning Crystal Palace Subway!
I hopped the on the Southern Railway train from London Bridge to Crystal Palace. It cost just £6.50 with a railcard and I paid through the app to avoid third party booking fees.
I have written up the full history of the places I saw in a blog post, there is a link in my bio to have a read.
Thank you very much to the crystalpalaceparktrust for giving me the access to film.
southernrailuk
#london #southlondon #londonhistory #crystalpalace #secretlondon]()
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2025-07-16 16:05:00
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AD I went to see a..
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![This is the story behind a campaign to turn an underused patch of concrete in East London into a community park 🌱
The idea for the East London Waterworks Park (eastlondonwaterworkspark), was conceived in 2019 and they hope the space will include wild swimming, community spaces, a walled garden, cafe, arts studios and a space for wildlife to thrive.
The campaign is ongoing, there is a link in my bio for the full blog post if you would like to find out more!
#london #londonhistory #eastlondon #eastlondonwaterworkspark #hackney #walthamforest #londontravel #gardens #community #wildswimming]()
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2025-07-11 11:32:18
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This is the story behi..
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![A look inside the City of London’s iconic ‘inside-out building’!
The Lloyd’s building was completed in 1986, designed by Richard Rogers and in 2011 became the youngest ever building to be given a Grade I listing.
I was lucky enough to be shown around by someone who works there, so I thought it would show you all what I saw. The building is packed with history, including a very grand, whole 18th century room...
There’s a link in my bio if you would like a more full history.
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #londontravel #londontrip #hiddenlondon #cityoflondon #architecture #architecturephotography #architecturelovers]()
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2025-07-09 15:57:08
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A look inside t..
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![An overlooked architectural gem in central London!
St Mary le Strand (stmarylestrand) was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1723. It was his first work after travelling and training in Italy and is heavily inspired by classical architecture. It has a wonderful, decorative ceiling and they are working to make it even more of a community and cultural hub for the area. There is a link in my bio if you would like to read the more full blog post for all the history 😊
Have you ever been inside the beautiful St Mary le Strand?
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #churchesofinstagram #hiddenlondon #secretlondon #architecture #architecturelovers]()
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2025-07-04 16:27:25
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An overlooked architec..
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![The story behind an unusual street name, not far from Tower Bridge!
Maggie Blake’s Cause can be found on the South side of the river and links Shad Thames to the riverside.
This is, by the way, another of the spots in my new book about London’s hidden corners. There is a link in my bio if you did want to buy a copy.
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #southlondon #londontravel #londontrip #hiddenlondon #secretlondon #towerbridge]()
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2025-07-03 16:09:45
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![AD Here are four more hidden historic sights that you could tie in with a visit to Westminster Abbey! Make sure to save this video for your next trip to London.
If you are travelling to London from abroad, I would highly recommend downloading an eSIM with airalo_uk. I have used them a couple of times before on recent trips and it is simple to use, cheap and avoids delays trying to get something sorted at the airport. You just have to download the Airalo app, select the country/region you want (there are over 200), the amount of data you would like, activate and you are ready to go. You can use my code HISTORY at the checkout for $3 off your first eSIM!
There is a link my bio for more.
#london #londonhistory #londontravel #londontrip #hiddenlondon #secretlondon]()
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2025-07-02 11:32:05
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AD Here are four mor..
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![I went to the Chalke History Festival this year, the UK’s biggest and best history festival! 🎉
I was part of a panel talk on the Sunday discussing how you can bring heritage to 21st century audiences but went down for a couple of days to enjoy all the festival had to offer: inspiring talks, food, drink (I think I may have overindulged in the house rosé on night one), music, heritage crafts and more.
History lovers, make sure to put the festival in your diary for next year. It will be on from the 22nd-28th June 2026.
Thank you chalkehistoryfestival for a wonderful time!
#chalkevalley #history #historylovers #heritagebuilding #summerevents #historycomesalive #wiltshire]()
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2025-06-30 21:28:56
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I went to the Chalk..
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![Just a couple of minutes from St Paul’s Cathedral, missed by many, is a hidden, secluded courtyard.
It is a fascinating spot because it contains not one but two ancient treasures…
There is a link in my bio to buy my new book should you want to, containing around 150 hidden corners (gardens, alleyways and tucked away pubs), including self guided walks in there as well.
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #cityoflondon #hiddenlondon #secretlondon #londontravel #londontrip]()
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2025-06-26 11:22:35
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![The Kray Twins, Jack the Ripper and the Suffragettes, this is the surprising history of Shoreditch Town Hall!
You can read a full history of this magnificent building on the blog (link in my bio).
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #eastlondon #londontravel #londonarchitecture]()
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2025-06-20 11:32:30
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The Kray Twins, Jack the ..
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![Did you know you can see two vintage ambulances outside the London Ambulance Service headquarters in Waterloo? 👀
This year ldn_ambulance, as we know it today, is celebrating its 60th anniversary so I thought I would look into its history! I have written a full blog post, there is a link in my bio if you would like to read it. Also if you search London Ambulance History you will find the history page on their website with lots more information.
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #hiddenlondon #secretlondon #londontravel #ww2history #victorianhistory #ww1history]()
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2025-06-18 11:28:29
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Did you know you can s..
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![Visiting the site of a notorious Victorian London slum!
Just off Shoreditch High Street you will find the Boundary Estate. Built from 1894-1900, it was the first council housing estate in the country.
It was constructed on the site of the Old Nichol slum, a network of thirty streets, alleyways and courtyards in a small five acre area, home to around 6000 residents.
I have written a full blog post of its history, there is a link in my bio for more.
#london #londonhistory #victorianhistory #livinglondonhistory #victorianlondon #secretlondon #hiddenlondon #eastlondon #shoreditch #shoreditchhistory]()
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2025-06-10 20:51:20
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Visiting the site of a no..
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![I went mudlarking! It is something I have wanted to do for ages, so jumped at the opportunity when Thames 21 set up an event with Lara, aka the london.mudlark.
Lara’s first book Mudlarking: Lost and Found in the River Thames was one of the books that really inspired me when I first started exploring London and showed me just how much London has to offer. Her third book A Mudlarking Year: Finding Treasure In Every Season, is coming out in paperback this July.
Thank you Lara and thames21
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #mudlarking #londonmudlark #londonmudlarking #hiddenlondon #mudlarks]()
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2025-06-08 12:32:17
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I went mudlarking! It i..
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![2025 marks the 400th anniversary of the completion of this beautiful building: The Queen’s Chapel, part of St James’s Palace.
Completed in 1625 and designed by Inigo Jones, it was the first building in London to be completed in a classical style of architecture. It has seen royal weddings, events and ceremonies for four centuries now and is still going strong!
#london #londonhistory #livinglondonhistory #royalhistory]()
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2025-06-05 11:32:50
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2025 marks the 400th ..
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On average, Jack Chesher Living London History gets 17.1K likes and 186 comments per post. (Historical)
