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London: Your Guide To The 10 Best of Everything
London: Your Guide To The 10 Best of Everything
London: Your Guide To The 10 Best of Everything
TOP 10
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ROGER WILLIAMS
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
Contents
Contents
London’s Top 10
Colour reproduction by Colourscan, Singapore
British Museum 8
Printed and bound in China by Leo Paper
Products Ltd National Gallery &
10 11 12 13 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Published in the United States by DK Publishing,
National Portrait Gallery 12
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Copyright 2002, 2010 London Eye 16
© Dorling Kindersley Limited
Reprinted with revisions
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Tate Modern &
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under
copyright reserved above, no part of this publication Tate Britain 18
may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any
means, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, Natural History Museum 22
recording or otherwise), without prior written
permission of both the copyright owner and the Science Museum 24
above publisher of this book.
Published in Great Britain by
Dorling Kindersley Limited Buckingham Palace &
A catalog record for this book is available from
the Library of Congress Royal Parks and Gardens 26
ISSN 1479-344X
ISBN 978-0-7566-6074-1 Westminster Abbey &
Within each Top 10 list in this book, no hierarchy
of quality or popularity is implied. All 10 are, in the
Parliament Square 32
editor’s opinion, of roughly equal merit.
Floors are referred to throughout in accordance Tower of London 36
with British usage; ie the “first floor” is the floor
above ground level.
St. Paul’s Cathedral 40
Moments in History 44
Churches 46
Museums 48
Art Galleries 50
Cover: Front – Alamy Images: David Noton Photography main. DK Images Stephen Oliver clb.
Spine – DK Images Stephen Oliver b. Back – DK Images: Philip Enticknap cl; Stephen Oliver cr;
Getty Images: Joe Cornish c.
Left Lamb and Flag pub, Covent Garden Right View from Parliament Hill
3
LONDON’S
TOP 10
London Highlights
6–7
LONDON’S TOP 10
British Museum
8–11
National Gallery &
National Portrait Gallery
12–15
London Eye
16–17
Tate Modern &
Tate Britain
18–21
Natural History Museum
22–23
Science Museum
24–25
Buckingham Palace &
Royal Parks and Gardens
26–29
Westminster Abbey &
Parliament Square
32–35
Tower of London
36–39
St Paul’s Cathedral
40–43
Top 10 of Everything
44–77
London Highlights
A city of infinite colour and variety, London is both
richly historic, tracing its roots back over 2000
years, and unceasingly modern, at the forefront of
London’s Top 10
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Museum
History
London’s Top 10
of science (see pp24–5).
Buckingham Palace
&
The official home of the
Queen, Buckingham Palace * Westminster Abbey
and Parliament
is one of the city’s most Square
recognizable landmarks, This royal abbey has, since
where the changing of the 1066, been the place where
Queen’s guard happens all Britain’s monarchs have
every day (see pp26–7). been crowned (see pp32–5).
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) St Paul’s
Cathedral
Sir Christopher
Wren’s Baroque
masterpiece, St
Paul’s still dominates
the City skyline and has
been the setting of many
great ceremonial events
(see pp40–43).
7
British Museum @ Mummified Cat
Cats and sacred cows
The world’s oldest museum has no fewer than 6 were mummified in Ancient
Egypt. This cat comes from
million items spanning 1.8 million years of world Abydos and dates from
civilization. The collection was started with the around 30 BC. Many
London’s Top 10
Top 10 Exhibits
1 Parthenon Sculptures
2 Mummified Cat
3 Ram in a Thicket
The British Museum façade 4 Mildenhall Treasure
There are three cafés 5 Rosetta Stone
6 Portland Vase 0
and one restaurant.
7 Rameses II
Picnics can be eaten 8 Mixtec-Aztec Mosaic Mask 9
in the forecourt by 9 Kwakwaka’wakw
the main entrance. 0 Amitabha Buddha
Highlights’ tours give
an introduction to ! Parthenon Sculptures
This spectacular 5th-
the collection. century BC frieze from the
Parthenon (below) was
The British Museum made under Pericles
shop sells repro- and shows a proces- 7
duction artifacts. sion in honour of 5
the goddess
Athena. It was
• Great Russell Street obtained in 1779
WC1 by Lord Elgin,
• Map L1 Ambassador to 1
• 020 7323 8000 Constantinople.
• www.thebritish
museum.ac.uk
• Open 10am–5:30pm
daily (selected galleries
10am–8:30pm Thu &
Fri). Great Court:
Open 9am–6pm Sun–
Wed, 9am–11pm
Thu–Sat £ Ram in a Thicket
Decorated with shells
• Guided tours at Key to Floorplan and gold leaf, this priceless
10:30am, 1pm & 3pm ornament comes from Ur
Lower floor
daily in Sumer, one of the world’s
Ground floor earliest civilizations. Games
Upper floor and musical instruments
are also displayed.
London’s Top 10
lively decorations include sea to be of the god Quetzal-
nymphs, satyrs and Hercules. coatl, and dates from the
15th century.
% Rosetta Stone
In 196 BC Egyptian priests
wrote a decree on this tablet in
both Greek and in Egyptian
hieroglyphics. Found in 1799, it
proved crucial in deciphering
3
Egyptian pictorial writing.
( Kwakwaka’wakw
The large, carved and
painted wood thunder-
bird from North America
6
was used as an anvil for
breaking coppers (a form
8 ^ Portland Vase
Sold by Britain’s
of currency) at potlatches
(ceremonies of Pacific
9 ambassador to Naples, Coast peoples in which
Sir William Hamilton, to chiefs destroyed their
the Duchess of Portland, worldly goods).
this exquisite 1st-century
blue-and-opaque glass
vase comes from a tomb ) Amitabha Buddha
This impressive
in Rome, and was stoneware Buddha dates
probably made by a from around AD 585,
Greek craftsman. during the Chinese Sui
Dynasty, when Buddhism
became the state religion.
Museum Guide
Visitor guides with
full maps are on sale
at the information desk
in the Great Court and
shops. Otherwise start
to the left of the main
entrance with the
Assyrian, Egyptian,
& Rameses II
This is all that remains
Greek and Roman
galleries. The North
of the colossal granite Wing ethnography
statue of Rameses II and Asian galleries
(c1275 BC) from his provide a change from
memorial temple at Classical material, as
Thebes. The statue was do the early British,
acquired in the late 18th medieval and Renais-
century by Charles sance collections on
Townley, British the east side.
ambassador to Rome.
£ Greek and
Roman Antiquities Floorplan
Highlights from the Classical world
(c.3000 BC to c.AD 400) include modern day, this collection in-
the Parthenon sculptures and cludes Lindow Man, a 2,000-year-
exquisite Greek and Roman vases. old body found preserved in a
peat bog, the Sutton Hoo Ship
$ Japanese and
Oriental Antiquities
Burial and some fine decorative
arts including medieval jewellery
Buddhist limestone reliefs from and Renaissance clocks.
India, Chinese antiquities, Islamic
pottery and a Japanese collection
so large it has to be shown on a & Coins and Medals
A comprehensive collection
rotating basis. of more than 750,000 coins and
medals dating from the 7th
Native Canadian
gull mask
century BC to the present day.
% Ethnography
An incredible 350,000 objects ( Enlightenment
This exhibition features the
from indigenous peoples around museum’s 18th-century collec-
the world. The Africa gallery holds tions from around the world.
a fine array of art and artifacts.
London’s Top 10
2 Mahatma Gandhi Sir Norman Foster. In the centre of the Court is the
(1869–1948), Indian leader domed Reading Room, built in 1857. Holding one
3 Oscar Wilde (1854–1900), of the world’s most important collections of books
playwright and wit and manuscripts, the Reading Room has been the
4 Virginia Woolf workplace of some of London’s greatest writers.
(1882–1941), Having been used as temporary exhibition space for
Bloomsbury novelist major exhibitions, it reverted to its normal use in
5 WB Yeats (1865–1939), 2009. The Great Court is the capital’s largest covered
Irish poet and playwright square and contains shops, cafés and the British
6 Thomas Hardy Museum’s main information desk, supplying visitors
(1840–1928), English with everything they need for an informed visit.
novelist
7 George Bernard Shaw
(1856–1950), Irish
playwright
8 EM Forster (1879–1970),
English novelist
9 Rudyard Kipling
(1865–1936) Poet,
novelist and chronicler
Rooftop View of the Great Court
of Empire The top of the Reading Room dome protrudes
0 Leon Trotsky (1879–1940), from the new glass roof of the Great Court. The
Russian revolutionary public can now use the room to access information
about the museum’s collections by computer.
11
National Gallery
The National Gallery has around 2,300 pictures,
from the early Renaissance to the Impressionists
(1250–1900), forming one of the greatest col-
London’s Top 10
London’s Top 10
^ Mystic Nativity
Feminine grace has never been depicted
better than by the painter Sandro Botticelli
(1445–1510). Painted in a centennial year,
Mystic Nativity reflects his own anxieties,
with an inscription from Revelation.
7
( AinWoman Bathing
a Stream
This portrait by Rembrandt
(1606–69) was painted
5 when his technical
powers were at their
0 height, and shows his
striking brushwork and
mastery of earthy colours.
Getty
entrance
Trafalgar
Square
entrance
1
* AStanding
Young Woman
at a
West Wing displays
works from 1500 to
Virginal 1600, the North Wing
Peace and calm rule the 1600–1700, and the
works of the Dutch painter East Wing 1700–1900.
Jan Vermeer (1632–75). Although the main
Many of his interiors entrance is on Trafalgar
(above) were painted in Square, the Sainsbury
his home in Delft, but it Wing makes a more
has never been possible sensible starting point.
to identify his models.
Free concerts at
6:30pm on Fridays,
and lectures at 7pm
on Thursdays.
14
5
Key to Floorplan 7 6
2
Ground floor 0 1 4
First floor 8 3
Second floor 9
London’s Top 10
$ The Whitehall Mural
This cartoon of Henry VII
and his son Henry VIII by Hans
Holbein (1537) was drawn for Germaine Greer
a large mural in the Palace ( The feminist author
of Whitehall, lost when the of The Female Eunuch
palace burnt down in 1698. is brilliantly captured
(below) by Portuguese
George Gordon, artist Paula Rego, the
6th Lord Byron % first artist-in-residence at
This painting of Lord the National Gallery.
Byron (1788–1824), by
Thomas Phillips, depicts
the poet and champion of
liberty in Albanian dress.
He died fighting with
Greek insurgents
against the Turks.
^ Horatio Nelson
This 1799 portrait
(below) by Guy Head
depicts Nelson after the
Battle of the Nile. Apart
from Queen Victoria and ) Margaret
Thatcher
the Duke of Wellington, Today’s famous are more
he was painted more likely to sit for a photo-
often than any other grapher than a painter.
British figure in history. This revealing portrait of
the former British prime
minister by Helmut Newton
allows you to study her in
a way you would never
dare in real life.
Gallery Guide
The gallery’s three floors
are arranged chronologi-
cally. Take the escalator
to the second floor and
start with the Tudor and
Stuart galleries (1–8).
& Alfred Lord
Tennyson Men and women of arts,
This picture of the poet science and industry
from the 18th and early
laureate is by one of the
pioneers of photography, * The Beatles
Photographic portraits 19th century are in
Julia Margaret Cameron took on a new lease of life galleries 9 to 20. The
(1815–79). She was given in the 1960s, when pho- first floor has eminent
a camera at the age of tographers themselves Victorians and early pho-
48 and was noted for her became stars. Norman tographs. The balcony
memorable portraits of Parkinson, who took this and ground-floor
Tennyson, the naturalist picture of the Beatles, galleries have 20th- and
Charles Darwin and the was one of Vogue’s favour- 21st-century works.
essayist Thomas Carlyle. ite fashion photographers.
of London. Towering over the Thames opposite the Wharf (see p153) in the
heart of Docklands, the
Houses of Parliament, it was built to celebrate the East London business
Millennium year, and has proved enormously and finance centre. It
popular. Its 32 enclosed capsules each hold 25 stands in the middle of
the Isle of Dogs, in an
people and offer total visibility in all directions. A area formerly occupied
flight on the London Eye takes 30 minutes and, on by the West India Docks.
a clear day, you can see up to 40 km (25 miles)
across the capital and the south of England.
Top 10 Sights
1 Houses of Parliament
2 Wren Churches
3 Canada Tower
4 Tower 42
5 British Telecom Tower
Observation capsule
6 Windsor Castle
There are two cafés 7 Heathrow
in County Hall. 8 Alexandra Palace
9 Crystal Palace
Tickets are available
0 Queen Elizabeth II Bridge
on the day but
advanced booking is
advisable, especially
at weekends and in
the school holidays.
After-dark flights
make the city look
romantic.
London’s Top 10
that was moved here in
% British Telecom Tower
Built for the Post Office in 1961–5,
1852 and burned down
spectacularly in 1936.
this 190-m (620-ft) tower (left) is a
television, radio and telecommunications
tower. At the height of terrorist activity in
the 1970s, the revolving restaurant at the
top was closed and has never re-opened.
) Queen
Elizabeth II Bridge
On a clear day you can
just make out the lowest
downstream crossing on
the Thames, a huge sus-
pension bridge at Dartford,
some 32 km (20 miles)
away. Traffic flows north in
a tunnel under the river,
south over the bridge.
Millennium
Legacy
The London Eye was
one of a number of
nationwide projects
^ Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle sits & Heathrow
To the west of the
designed for the
Millennium. The focus in
by the Thames to the city, London’s main airport London was on the
west of London (below). is one of the busiest enormous Millennium
The largest occupied international airports in the Dome, a spectacular
castle in the world, it is world. The Thames acts structure built in
still a favourite residence as a kind of runway, as Greenwich to house a
of the royal family. planes line up overhead national exhibition.
to begin their descent. Other projects were
Tate Modern (see
* Alexandra Palace
The world’s first
pp18–19) and the
Millennium Bridge, the
high-definition television Waterloo Millennium
broadcasting service was Pier, the Great Court at
transmitted by the BBC the British Museum
from Alexandra Palace on (see pp8–11) and the
2 November 1936. There opening up of Somerset
is an ice hockey rink and House (see p99).
exhibition halls here.
17
Tate Modern
Affiliated with Tate Britain (see pp20–21),
London’s most exciting new gallery is housed
within the old Bankside power station, on a prime
London’s Top 10
18
% Coffee The Reckless
Pierre Bonnard (1867– * Sleeper ) Spatial Concept
“Waiting”
1947) frequently painted René Magritte (1898– The Italian-Argentine
life at the dining table. 1967) painted this work artist Lucio Fontana
In this 1915 canvas, (below) in 1928, during (1899–1968) began to
the artist portrayed his a period in which he cut canvases in 1959.
London’s Top 10
wife Marthe sipping explored Surrealism and Although these cuts were
coffee with her pet Freudian symbolism. A carefully premeditated,
dachshund by her side, man sleeps in an alcove they were executed
suggesting an intimate above a dark sky and a in an instant. In this
domestic routine. tablet embedded with work, Spatial Concept
everyday objects, as if “Waiting” (below), the
Suicide dreamed by the sleeper. cut erupts from the
This painting by ^ surface, giving the
George Grosz (1893– impression of a gesture
1959) reflects the artist’s towards the viewer in a
disillusionment with way that is at once both
German society energetic and threatening.
especially during
World War I.
( Fish
Constantin Brancusi
(1876–1957) created Fish
in 1926. This sculpture
Gallery Guide
presents a bronze “fish”
on a polished disc above The main entrance is
a wooden base. Brancusi down a ramp into the
was known for his huge Turbine Hall below
ability to capture the ground level, on level 1,
essential qualities of his where the coat check,
subjects in elementary, information and main
abstract forms. shop are. You can also
enter the gallery on the
ground floor, level 2, by
the Café or by the
Millennium Bridge. The
& Summertime
No. 9A
main themed galleries
are on level 3 (material
The American Jackson gestures; poetry and
Pollock (1912–56) was the dream) and level 5,
pioneer of Action Painting. which includes a new
He carried out his first learning zone. Temporary
“drip” painting in 1947, exhibitions are on level
pouring paint on to huge 4, and level 7 has a
canvases on the floor. restaurant with great
Summertime No. 9A views of the Thames .
(below) dates from 1948. As with many London
galleries, Tate’s works of
art are sometimes
moved temporarily,
loaned out or removed
for restoration.
Henry Tate (1819–99) who made his fortune from sugar. (1727–88) was a
portrait and landscape
The collection contains works by all Britain’s major painter and a favourite
painters, and was greatly added to by J M W Turner. of the Royal Family.
Paintings are often moved to Tate’s other galleries, His family groups in
landscapes are among
loaned out or removed for restoration. The works on the finest “Conversa-
these pages, therefore, may not always be on display. tion pieces” in English
art. An artistic inter-
Top 10 Paintings pretation of his native
1 Norham Castle, Sunrise Suffolk, this is one of
his earliest landscapes,
2 The Deluge painted in 1747.
3 Wooded Landscape
with a Peasant Resting
4 Three Ladies Adorning
a Term of Hymen
Tate Britain’s grand portico 5 The Lady of Shalott
6 Elohim Creating Adam
Good basement café.
7 A Scene from the
Excellent restaurant,
Beggar’s Opera
with good wine list. 8 Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose
9 Recumbent Figures
Free guided tours, 0 Three Studies for Figures
talks and films every at the Base of a Crucifixion
day of the week. Free
audio guides are also
available.
Comprehensive art
bookshop.
Free cloakroom.
London’s Top 10
Schools in promising in his view of
London, John life. When first shown,
William this series of paintings
Waterhouse caused an immediate
(1849–1917) famously sensation, shocking
revived the literary
themes of the Pre- ^ Elohim
Creating Adam
audiences with their
savage imagery. They have
Raphaelites, as seen in Born in London and trained become some of his best-
this piece. Waterhouse’s at the Royal Academy known works (below).
subject is taken from School, poet, mystic,
Lord Alfred Tennyson’s illustrator and engraver
tragic poem of the William Blake (1757–1827)
same name. claimed to be guided by
visions. Elohim Creating
Adam is typical of his
work, of which the Tate
has a large collection.
Gallery Guide
The permanent
collection occupies
& Girl
Dog
with White
three-quarters of the
This picture (above) by main floor. Starting in
Lucian Freud (b1922) the northwest corner, it
shows the artist’s wife follows a broad chrono-
while pregnant. The style logical sweep from the
of the painting has roots 16th century to the
in the linear portraiture of present. The collection
the 19th-century French is arranged into rooms
painter Ingres. exploring historical
themes interspersed
with displays devoted
to single major artists.
Impressive loan exhibi-
tions covering all
manner of British art
are installed in the
remaining quarter of the
main floor and in the
six new galleries on the
* Carnation,
Lily, Rose
Lily,
( Recumbent
Figures lower floor. The Turner
John Singer Sargent One of several 20th- Bequest, some 300 oil
(1856–1925) moved to century artists from paintings and about
Britain from Paris in 1885 Yorkshire, Henry Moore 20,000 watercolours
and adopted some of the (1898–1986) was an out- by J M W Turner, is
Impressionist techniques standing sculptor whose displayed in the
established by his friend, work is on public display adjoining Clore Gallery,
Claude Monet. The title around London. This with oil paintings and
of this work is from a drawing by Moore shows watercolours on view.
popular song of the time. two sleeping figures.
Top 10 Exhibits
1 The Vault
2 Earthquake Simulator
3 Journey Through the Globe
4 No. 1 Crawley House
5 Model Baby
6 Water Cycle Video Wall
7 Fossils
Main entrance 8 Blue Whale 0
22
% Model Baby
A giant model of an unborn baby in the Human
Biology galleries demonstrates sounds heard in
the womb. Other hands-on exhibits test abilities and
reactions and show how physical
characteristics are inherited.
London’s Top 10
^ Water Cycle Video Wall
A semi-spherical video wall in
the Ecology Gallery shows the ( Dinosaurs
T. Rex, one of the
water cycle and how it links all life museum’s impressively
on the planet. A walk-through leaf life-like animatronic
shows how plants make oxygen. models, lurches and
roars in this hugely
popular gallery. More
traditional exhibits of
fossilized skeletons and
eggs are also on display.
) Darwin Centre
The centre features
an eight-storey concrete
structure in the shape of
a cocoon, which is home
to over 200 scientists,
2 and provides protection
to millions of insects and
plant specimens.
Key to Floorplan
Ground floor
First floor
Second floor
Museum Guide
The Natural History
Museum is divided into
& Fossils
Marine reptiles that four distinct sections:
1 lived at the time of the the blue zone, which
dinosaurs have survived includes the dinosaur
in some remarkable gallery; the green zone,
fossils, such as the which includes the
pregnant female ecology and creepy-
Ichthyosaur, found in a crawlies galleries; the
Dorset garden, which orange zone, which
3 includes a wildlife
lived 187–178 million
years ago. garden; and the red
zone, which incorporates
the geological displays.
* Blue Whale
The Mammal gallery The ornately
houses this fascinating embellished Cromwell
exhibit, where both Road entrance leads to
modern mammals and the imposing central hall
their fossil relatives are with its grand staircase.
dwarfed in comparison An additional entrance
to the astounding life- on Exhibition Road
sized model of a blue leads to the red zone.
whale, the largest
mammal in the world.
For more London museums See pp48–9 23
Science Museum
Packed with exciting hands-on exhibits, this £ Apollo 10
Command Module
huge museum explores the fascinating world The Apollo 10 Command
of science through centuries of scientific and Module, which went around
London’s Top 10
Visitor information
touch screens 8
throughout the
7
museum give details
of exhibits.
London’s Top 10
used to transport coal. surround sound system
George Stephenson’s will totally immerse
famous 1829 Rocket, the you in the action.
first locomotive engine to
pull passenger carriages,
is also on display.
2
4
Key to Floorplan
Museum Guide
Basement The museum is spread
Ground floor over seven floors.
Heavy machinery and
First floor large-scale museum
highlights are on the
Second floor
& Health Matters
Health Matters is a Third floor
ground floor. Tele-
communications, time,
multimedia look at medi- agriculture and weather
Fourth floor are on the first floor.
cine. Aids, cancer and
heart disease are review- Fifth floor The new Energy Gallery
ed by patients and and computing are on
physicians. Take a look at Wellcome Wing the second floor, and
“Jedi” helmets used for heat, health and flight
MRI scans of the brain.
* Launchpad
This hands-on gallery
are on the third. The
fourth and fifth floors
is aimed specifically at are dedicated to
children. In this area medical history. At the
(left), friendly “explainers” west end of the building
make key science is the four-storey
principles fun and easy Wellcome Wing.
to understand.
Victoria Monument
• Buckingham Palace
SW1 • Map J6
• 020 7766 7300 ! Changing
the Guard
of
@ Th e Balcony
On special occasions, the
(booking line) • www. The Palace guards, in Queen and other members of
royalcollection.org.uk their familiar red tunics the Royal Family step on to the
• State Apartments: and tall bearskin hats, Palace balcony to wave to the
Open Aug–Sep: 9:45am– are changed at 11am crowds gathered below.
6pm daily (last adm each morning (10am on
3:45pm). Admission: Sundays, and alternate
adults £16.50; students days in winter). The
and over 60s £15; under guards march to the
17s £9.50; family ticket Palace from the nearby
£44; under 5s free Wellington Barracks.
• Royal Mews: 020 7766
7302 Open Apr–Oct:
11am–4pm daily (last adm
3:15pm). Admission: adults
£7.50; students and over
60s £6.75; under 17s £ Qu een’s Gallery
The gallery hosts a
£4.80; under 5s free changing programme of
• Queen’s Gallery: 020 exhibitions of the Royal
7766 7301 Open 10am– Collection’s masterpieces,
5:30pm (last adm 4:30pm) including works by artists
such as Johannes Vermeer
and Leonardo da Vinci.
26
$ Grand Staircase
The Ambassadors’
Entrance leads into the
Grand Hall. From here
the magnificent Grand
Staircase, with gilded
London’s Top 10
balustrades, rises to the
first floor where the
State Rooms are found.
% Throne Room
This houses the
thrones of Queen Eliza- ^ Picture Gallery
The largest room in & State Ballroom
Banquets for visiting
beth and Prince Philip the Palace has a barrel- heads of state are held
used for the coronation. vaulted glass ceiling and here. The most glittering
Designed by John Nash, contains a number of social event of the year
the room has a highly paintings from the Royal is in November, when
ornamented ceiling and Collection, including works 1,200 members of the
magnificent chandeliers. by Rembrandt (above), Diplomatic Corps arrive
Rubens and Van Dyck. in full court dress.
* Royal Mews
Caring for 34 horses, ( Palace Garden
The extensive Palace
Palace Life
including the Windsor garden is an oasis for The official business of
Greys, which pull the wildlife and includes a the monarchy takes
royal coach on state four-acre lake. There are place in the Palace,
occasions, these are the at least three Royal which has a staff of
finest working stables in garden parties each year, around 300. The Duke
Britain. The collection of to which over 30,000 of Edinburgh, Duke of
coaches, landaus and people attend (below). York, Prince Edward
carriages includes and the Princess Royal
the magnificent Gold all have offices here.
State Coach, which The most senior member
was built in c.1760. of the Royal Household
is the Lord Chamberlain.
The Master of the
) Brougham
Every day a Household and 200
horse-drawn domestic staff organize
Brougham carriage many functions in the
sets out to collect Palace every year,
and deliver royal including around 25
packages around Investitures for recipients
London, including of awards which are
the Palace’s weekly given by The Queen.
copy of Country Life.
London’s Top 10
and an open-air theatre, park. There are great near Hampton Court.
Regent’s Park (above) views of the Old Royal Highlights include the
is surrounded by John Naval College (below), and Arethusa “Diana” Fountain
Nash’s Classical terraces. over London (see p147). and Chestnut Avenue.
The fragrant Queen
Mary’s Rose Garden is
a delight (see p129).
% Green Park
Popular with
was taken from the
Church by Henry VIII in
office workers, this the 1530s, during the
small park (below) Reformation. He was a
has deckchairs for passionate hunter and
hire in summer. It filled Hyde, Green and
was once part of St James’s parks with
the grounds of St deer. Henry also hunted
James’s Palace. in Greenwich Park,
London’s oldest, having
* Primrose Hill
North of Regent’s
been founded in 1433.
From the late 17th
Park, Primrose Hill offers century, parks were land-
spectacular views of the scaped and gardens laid
city skyline from its 66-m out. In 1689 William and
(216-ft) summit. Once a Mary ordered the plant-
popular venue for duels, ing of Kensington Gar-
this small park was saved dens. In 1811 the Prince
from development in Regent and Nash built
1841 when it was the private estate that
taken over by the became Regent’s Park.
Crown Commissioners.
London’s Top 10
pavement when used for 3
coronations.
7
^ Tomb of
Elizabeth I
2 0
England’s great 8
Protestant queen (1553–
1603) is buried on one
side of the Lady Chapel
while the tomb of her
Catholic rival, Mary Queen
of Scots (beheaded in
1587), is on the other
side. Mary’s remains were Cloisters
brought to the abbey by )The cloisters were
James I in 1612. located at the heart of
the former Benedictine
The Choir monastery and would
& The all-boy have been the mon-
Westminster Abbey astery’s busiest area.
Choir School, the only On the east side are
school in England the only remaining parts
devoted entirely to of the Norman church,
choristers, produces the the Pyx Chamber, where
choir which sings here coinage was tested in
every day. The present medieval times, and
organ was installed in the Undercroft, which
1937 and first used contains a museum.
at the coronation of
George VI.
Abbey History
A Benedictine monas-
tery was established by
St Dunstan (AD 909–
988) on what was the
marshy Isle of Thorney.
King Edward the Con-
fessor re-endowed the
monastery, and founded
the present church in
1065. William the Con-
querer was crowned
* Grave of the
Unknown Warrior
here in 1066. Henry III’s
and abbey. The square was planned as part of the known as Big Ben. How-
ever, the name
rebuilding programme following a fire that destroyed actually refers to
the Palace in 1834. Usually known as the Houses of the clock’s 14-
Parliament, the new Palace of Westminster stands tonne bell, named
after Sir Benjamin
opposite Westminster Abbey. On the north side of the Hall, who was
square, Parliament Street leads to Whitehall and No.10 Chief Commis-
Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s residence. sioner of Works
when it was
installed in
Top 10 Sights 1858.
1 Westminster Abbey
2 Houses of Parliament
3 Big Ben
Detail above Central Hall 4 Westminster Hall
window 5 St Margaret’s Church
The basement café in 6 Winston Churchill Statue
Central Hall is a good 7 Central Hall
place for a snack. 8 Dean’s Yard
To avoid long lines 9 Jewel Tower
for the Strangers’ 0 Statue of Oliver Cromwell
Galleries go after
6pm Mon–Thu.
! Westminster
Abbey
• Parliament Square SW1 See pp32–3.
• Map M6
• www.parliament.uk
• The Strangers’ Galleries
at the Houses of Parlia-
ment have limited
seating for visitors during
debates. Times are given
at St Stephen’s gate, or
phone 020 7219 4272
• Tours can be arranged
through MPs at www. $ Westminster Hall
Westminster Hall (left) is
parliament.uk • Tickets for about all of the original palace
summer opening of that remained after the 1834
parliament are available fire. For centuries the high
from 0844 209 0382 court sat beneath its marvel-
lous hammerbeam roof.
Houses of Parliament
A Gothic revival building @
from 1870 by Sir Charles Barry
and Augustus Welby Pugin, the
Houses of Parliament cover 8
acres and have 1,100 rooms
around 11 courtyards. The
Commons Chamber (right) is
where Members of Parliament
sit and debate policy.
34
Plan of the Square
*
7 * ( 2 5 *
( 6 7
%5,'*(67
0 3
6
5 <
8$
67 0$5 *$
7 1&
7
5 4
London’s Top 10
6$
'
& Central Hall %5
2$
1 2
5( 76 7
This large assembly
hall, built in a Beaux
8 9
Arts style, was funded
by a collection among * Dean’s Yard
Buildings around
the Methodist Church this secluded square
who wanted to
celebrate the
were used by monks
before the Dissolution ( Jewel Tower
Built in 1365 to
centenary of their of the Monasteries in safeguard the treasure
founder John the 1530s which of Edward III, this is
Wesley (1703–91). closed their school an isolated survivor of
here. A new West- the 1834 fire. A small
minster School museum about the
was founded by history of parliament
Elizabeth I in is housed inside.
1560 and it
remains one of
Britain’s top ) Statue of Oliver
Cromwell
public schools. Oliver Cromwell (1599–
1658) presided over
England’s only republic,
which began after the
Civil War. He was buried
in Westminster Abbey,
but when the monarchy
was restored in 1660,
his corpse was taken
to Tyburn and hanged as
though he were a criminal.
Parliament
The 659 publicly elected
Members of Parliament
sit in the House of
Commons, where the
Prime Minister and his
or her government sits
% St Margaret’s
Church ^ Winston
Statue
Churchill on the right-hand side
of the Speaker, who
Winston Churchill was This powerful statue of ensures the House’s
among many eminent Britain’s wartime leader rules are obeyed. The
figures to marry (1874–1965), opposing “shadow”
in this 15th- dressed in his government sits on his
century church. famous coat, is left. The neighbouring
William Caxton one of several House of Lords is for
(1422–91), who statues in the an unelected upper
set up the first square. These chamber which has
printing press in include prime around 700 members
England, and Sir minister and limited powers.
Walter Raleigh, Benjamin Disraeli The Prime Minister
who established (1804–81), attends a weekly
the first British American presi- audience with the
colony in America, are dent Abraham Lincoln Queen, who today has
both buried here. Charles I (1809–65), and many other only a symbolic role.
is also remembered (right). statesmen and soldiers.
35
Tower of London
London’s great riverside fortress is usually
remembered as a place of imprisonment, but it
also has a more glorious past. Originally a moated
London’s Top 10
the Evangelist
The finest Norman
place of worship in
@ Imperial
State Crown
London (left), which
remains much as it
This is the most was when it was
dazzling of a dozen built, is on the
crowns in the Jewel upper floor of the
House. It has 2,800 White Tower. In
diamonds, and the
sapphire at its top $ The Bloody
Tower
1399, in preparation
for Henry IV’s coronation
is from the reign of The displays here explore procession, 40 noble knights
Edward the Confessor the dark history of the held vigil here. They then
(r.1042–66). The Bloody Tower where mur- took a purifying bath in an
crown was made for derous deeds, including adjoining room and Henry
the coronation of the killing of the Little made them the first Knights
George VI in 1937. Princes, took place. of the Order of the Bath.
London’s Top 10
3 17
& The Royal Armouries
This national collection of
4
6
arms and armour, shared with the 9
Royal Armouries’ other museums
in Leeds and Portsmouth, was
greatly expanded under Henry VIII. Plan of the Tower
) Beauchamp Tower
The new displays in
this tower explore the
different experiences
of real prisoners of the
Tower, including Lady
Jane Grey and the Kray
twins. The tower takes
its name from Thomas
Beauchamp, Earl of
Warwick, who was im-
prisoned here between
1397–99 by Richard II.
Tower History
William I’s White Tower,
built by Gundolph,
Bishop of Rochester,
was intended to
defend London against
attacks – and to be a
visible sign to the
native Anglo-Saxon
population of the
conquering Normans’
power. Henry III
(r.1216–72) built the
inner wall with its 13
towers and brought
* Tower Green
The place of execution for the Crown Jewels
nobility, including Lady Jane Grey here. The city arsenal
(1554) and two of Henry VIII’s was kept here, and
wives – Katherine Howard (1542) under Henry VIII
and Anne Boleyn (1536). (r.1509–47) the Royal
Armouries were
improved. James I
(r.1603–25) was the
last monarch to stay
( Traitors’
Gate in residence. All
The oak and iron coinage in Great
watergate in the Britain was minted
outer wall (above) in the Outer Ward of
was used to bring the Tower until 1810
many prisoners to when the Royal Mint
the Tower, and was established
became known nearby, on Tower Hill.
as Traitors’ Gate.
Left Bell Tower Centre Apartment in the Bloody Tower Right Beauchamp Tower
Tower Prisoners
Sites of
! Bishop of Durham
The first political prisoner to imprison-
5
be held in the White Tower was ment 6
Ralph de Flambard, Bishop of 7 1
Durham. Locked up by Henry l in 3
1100, he was seen as responsible 40 2
for the unpopular policies of
9 8
Henry’s predecessor, William ll.
Anne Boleyn and Katherine
@ Henry Vl
During the Wars of the Roses,
Howard, are buried in the Chapel
Royal of St Peter ad Vincula.
between the rival families of York
and Lancaster, Henry VI was kept
in Wakefield Tower for five years, ^ The Dudley Family
Lord Dudley and his four
until restored to power in 1470. brothers were imprisoned (before
their execution) in the Beauchamp
( John Gerard
He escaped from the Cradle
Tower with a fellow prisoner in
1597, using a rope strung over the
moat by an accomplice in a boat.
Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula
London’s Top 10
4 Queen Victoria’s Crown collection dates from 1661 when a new
5 Royal Sceptre set was made to replace those destroyed
6 Jewelled State Sword by Cromwell following the execution of
7 George V’s Crown Charles I in 1649. St Edward’s Crown was
8 The Sovereign’s Ring the first subsequent crown to be made,
9 The Sovereign’s Orb of pure gold, and is the oldest of the 12
0 The Sovereign’s Sceptre crowns here. Other coronation jewels on
display include a gold, jewel-studded orb,
made in 1661, and a sceptre containing
the 530-carat Star of Africa, the biggest cut
diamond in the world. The Sovereign’s
Ring, made for William IV, is sometimes Sovereign’s
called “the wedding ring of England”. Sceptre
Queen Elizabeth ll wearing the Imperial State Crown, coronation day, 2 June 1953
39
St Paul’s Cathedral $ Quire
The beautiful stalls
This is the great masterpiece of Sir Christopher and organ case in the
Quire are by Grinling
Wren, who rebuilt the City’s churches after the Gibbons. Handel and
Great Fire of 1666. Completed in 1708, it was Mendelssohn both
London’s Top 10
Top 10 Features
1 West Front and Towers
St Paul’s semi-circular 2 Dome
South Porch 3 Whispering Gallery
Food and drink in the 4 Quire
Crypt Café. 5 OBE Chapel
6 High Altar
The most popular 7 The Light of the World
service is the choral 8 Tijou Gates
evensong (usually at 9 Mosaics
5pm daily) when you
0 Moore’s Mother and Child
can hear the choir.
• St Paul’s Cathedral,
Ludgate Hill EC4
@ Dome
One of the
• Map R2 largest domes in the
• 020 7236 4128 world (above), it is 111 m (365
• www.stpauls.co.uk ft) high and weighs 65,000
• Cathedral: Open tonnes. The Golden Gallery at
8:30am–4pm Mon–Sat; the top, and the larger Stone
Galleries: open 9:30am– Gallery, both have great views.
4pm Mon–Sat
• Admission: adults £11;
children 7–16 £3.50
(under-6s free); seniors
! West Front
and Towers
£10; students £8.50; The imposing West
family £25.50; group Front is dominated by
rates available, call for two huge towers. The
details • Guided tours at pineapples at their
10.45am, 11:15am,
1:30pm, 2pm (fee
tops are symbols of
peace and prosperity. £ Whispering Gallery
Inside the dome is the
charged, call for details) The Great West Door famous Whispering Gallery.
is 9 m (29 ft) high Words whispered against
and is used only for the wall can be heard on the
ceremonial occasions. opposite side of the gallery.
London’s Top 10
candlesticks are copies of 2
% OBE Chapel
At the eastern end
a 16th-century pair made
for Cardinal Wolsey.
of the crypt is a chapel
devoted to men and
women who received
the Order of the British
Empire, a military and
civil honour established
in 1917, and the 1
first to include Cathedral Floorplan
women.
) Moore’s
Mother and Child
The sculptor Henry Moore
is commemorated in
the crypt. This
piece (right)
is one of a
growing number
& The Light of the
World
of independent
works of art
This painting by the Pre- that have been
Raphaelite artist Holman introduced into
Hunt dates from c.1900. St Paul’s since
It shows Christ knocking the 1960s.
on a door that opens
from inside, meaning that
St Paul’s History
God can enter our lives
only if we invite Him in. The first known church
dedicated to St Paul
was built on this site
in AD 604. Made of
wood, it burned down
in 675 and a sub-
sequent church was
destroyed by Viking
invaders in 962. The
third church was built
in stone. Following
another fire in 1087, it
was rebuilt under the
Normans as a much
larger cathedral, with
stone walls and a
wooden roof. This was
* Tijou Gates
The French master ( Mosaics
Colourful mosaic
completed in 1300.
In 1666 Christopher
metal worker Jean Tijou ceilings were installed Wren’s plans to restore
designed these ornate in the Quire and Ambu- the building had just
wrought iron gates (detail latory (above) in the 19th been accepted when
above) in the North Quire century. They are made the Great Fire of
Aisle, along with the Whis- with irregular cubes of London burned the old
pering Gallery balcony and glass, set at angles so cathedral to the ground.
other cathedral metalwork. that they sparkle.
St Paul’s Monuments
8
@ Wellington’s Tomb
Britain’s great military leader
J M W Turner
Memorial
and prime minister, Arthur Wel- Crypt
lesly, 1st Duke of Wellington Floorplan
(1769–1852), lies in the crypt. He
also has a monument in the nave.
^ Churchill Memorial Screen
This screen commemorates
£ Nelson’s Tomb
Preserved in brandy and
Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965)
who during the Blitz said “at all
brought home from Trafalgar, sea costs, St Paul’s must be saved”.
hero Admiral Lord Nelson (1758–
1805) is in the centre of the crypt.
& The Worshipful Company
of Masons Memorial
* Turner’s Tomb
The great landscape painter
JMW Turner (1775–1851) is
buried in the OBE chapel.
( American Memorial
Behind the High Altar, the
American Memorial Chapel’s roll
of honour lists the US service-
American Memorial, detail men killed while stationed in
Britain during World War II.
% Gallipoli Memorial
One of many war memorials
) Fire-Watchers Memorial
in the cathedral, this one is In the Nave, this remembers
dedicated to those who died those who saved the church from
in the 1915 Gallipoli campaign. destruction during the 1940 Blitz.
42
Top 10 Moments in
St Paul’s History
St Paul’s Role
1 Elizabeth II’s Golden in History
Jubilee (2002). St Paul’s belongs to the nation and
London’s Top 10
2 Prince Charles’ and Lady to London. It is run by a Dean and
Diana’s wedding (1981). Chapter of five priests, including
3 Winston Churchill’s the Archdeacon, who is respon-
funeral (1965). sible for the City of London’s 30
4 Martin Luther King Jr parishes. Annual services for the
preaches (1964). City guilds have taken place here
5 Festival of Britain for a thousand years. One of the Wedding of Prince of
launched (1951). cathedral’s main functions is as Wales, 501, St Paul’s
6 Cathedral bombed (1940). a place of national mourning
7 Queen Victoria’s and celebration. In the 19th century 13,000 filled the
Diamond Jubilee (1897). cathedral for the funeral of the Duke of Wellington.
8 Duke of Wellington’s Queen Victoria’s Jubilee was a spectacular occasion
funeral (1852). held on the steps of the cathedral. The Prince of
9 Nelson’s funeral (1806). Wales and Lady Diana Spencer chose to be married
0 First service (1697). here rather than the royal Westminster Abbey to show
that they were the people’s prince and princess.
Nelson’s Funeral
Such was Admiral Nelson’s
popularity that he was
afforded a full state funeral
(left). His body was carried
up the Thames from
Greenwich Hospital to
St Paul’s by barge.
43
London’s Top 10
London’s Top 10
William Shakespeare (1564–
1616) as a London dramatist
was recorded in 1585.
@ Rubens Knighted
The Dutch painter Peter
Paul Rubens was knighted by
Charles I in 1629 after painting
the Banqueting House ceiling.
# Purcell’s Appointment
The greatest English com-
poser of his age, Henry Purcell
was appointed organist at
Bomb damage near St Paul’s Cathedral Westminster Abbey in 1679.
45
London’s Top 10
Left Carving, Westminster Abbey Centre Brompton Oratory interior Right Cherub, St Bride’s
Churches
% Temple Church
This circular church was built
in the 12th century for the Knights
Templar, a crusading order. Effigies
of the knights are embedded in
the floor. A chancel was added
later, and a reredos (screen),
St Martin-in-the-Fields designed by Christopher Wren.
The church was rebuilt in 1958.
! Westminster
See pp32–3.
Abbey d Inner Temple Lane EC4 • Map P2
• Open 2–4pm Sun–Thu (check www.
templechurch.com for changes) • Free
@ StSeePaul’s Cathedral
pp40–43.
£ StKnown
Martin-in-the-Fields
for its royal connec-
tions, St Martin’s is the only
church to have a royal box. There
has been a church on the site
since the 13th century, but the
handsome present building was
designed by James Gibbs in 1726.
Coffee shop in the crypt. d Trafalgar
Square WC2 • Map L4 • Open 8am–6:30 Gatehouse, St Bartholomew-the-Great
pm Mon–Sat, services only Sun • Free
46
& Brompton Oratory
This very un-English,
Italianate church was established
by a Catholic convert, John Henry
Newman (1801–90). He introduced
London’s Top 10
England to the Oratory, a religious
institute of secular priests
founded in 16th-century Rome.
The building, designed by Herbert
Gribble, opened in 1884, with many
of its treasures imported from
Italy. d Brompton Road SW7 • Map C5 Italianate interior of Brompton Oratory
• Open 6:30am–8pm daily • Free
Street baker, Mr Rich, starting a
* The main Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral trend. This is traditionally the
journalists’ church and memorial
church in England is in a fearless services are held here. d Fleet
Byzantine style, designed by John Street EC4 • Map Q2 • Open 8am–
Francis Bentley and completed in 6:30pm Mon–Fri; call 020 7427 0133 for
1902. It has an 87-m (285-ft) weekend opening hours • Free
campanile, which can be climbed
for a great view of the city.
Mosaics and marble decorate ) All Souls
This distinctive building, with
the interior, which has the a semi-circular portico and stiletto
widest nave in Britain. d Ashley spire, was designed by John
Place SW1 • Map E5 • Open 7am–7pm Nash, creator of Regent
Mon–Fri, 8am–7pm Sat & Sun • Free Street. After the BBC
built their headquarters
( StThereBride’s
has been a church
next door, it became
the home of reli-
on this site since Roman gious broadcasts.
times. Sir Christopher Wren’s d Langham Place W1
fine church has a wonderful • Map J1 • Open
tiered spire that was copied Memorial tablet 9:30am– 6pm Mon–Fri,
for a wedding cake by a Fleet at All Souls 9am– 9pm Sun • Free
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47
London’s Top 10
Museums
with 145 astonishingly eclectic
galleries. One of the highlights
is the huge Fashion collection,
with exhibits dating from 1600
to the present day. The museum
also has collections of jewellery,
textiles, metalwork, glass,
paintings, prints, sculpture and
rooms full of Indian and Far
Eastern treasures (see p119).
% Museum of London
This comprehensive museum
located near the Barbican Centre
(see p137) provides a detailed
Victoria and Albert Museum account of London life from
prehistoric times to the present
! British Museum
The oldest museum in the
day. It is particularly strong on
Roman Londinium, but also has
world, and one of London’s most a model recreating the Great Fire
fascinating, contains treasures of 1666 and a reconstruction of a
and artifacts from all over the Victorian street including several
world (see pp8–11). original shopfronts (see p136).
£ Science Museum
This exciting museum traces
spirational stories from Britain’s
seafaring past, it tells of the con-
centuries of scientific and tinuing effects the oceans still
technological develop- have on the world today.
ment, with impressive Admiral Nelson’s fatally
and educational displays pierced tunic is on dis-
(see pp24–5). play, the tragic polar
expeditions of explor-
$ Victoria and
Albert Museum
ers are recalled and a
state-of-the-art simula-
This museum of tor gives an idea of what it
decorative arts is one of Smiling Nun, is like to steer a ship into
London’s great pleasures, Museum of London port (see p147).
London’s Top 10
basement moves remorselessly
on, recording the world’s war
dead – a figure that has now
reached 100 million. Six million
of them are commemorated in Imperial War Museum
the Holocaust Exhibition. Other
displays include evocative re-
creations of World War I trench ( London’s
Museum
Transport
* Design Museum
Based in a clean white 1930s
are also interactive “KidZones”
for children (see p100).
building beside Tower Bridge, this
museum is the only one in Britain
devoted to 20th- and 21st-century ) V&A Museum
of Childhood
design. Regularly changing exhi- This branch of the V&A Museum
bitions feature the very best of in Bethnal Green has the largest
modern design from the muse- collection of childhood-
um’s collection, including both related objects in the
product and graphic UK. Its array of toys,
design, fashion, furni- games, lavish dolls
ture, architecture and houses, model trains,
engineering. theatres and costumes
d Butler’s Wharf SE1 • Map dates from the 16th cen-
H4 • Open 10am–5:45pm Austin Taxi, London’s tury to the present day
daily • Admission charge Transport Museum (see p154).
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Left The National Gallery Right Satan Smiting Job with Sore Boils by William Blake, Tate Britain
Art Galleries
! The National Gallery and
National Portrait Gallery $ Courtauld Institute
of Art Gallery
Located adjacent to each other From Fra Angelico to Van Gogh,
at the top of Trafalgar Square, this is a complete art course in
these comprehensive galleries one manageable gallery. The core
make up the core of Britain’s of the collection is the country’s
art collection (see pp12–15). finest Impressionist and Post-
Impressionist works, amassed
by a textile magnate, Samuel
Courtauld (1876–1947). Many of
them are instantly recognisable:
Manet’s Bar at the Folies-
Bergère, Van Gogh’s Self Portrait
With Bandaged Ear, Gauguin’s
Te Rerioa and Manet’s Déjeuner
sur L’Herbe. Visit Somerset
House’s fountain courtyard and
riverside terrace café for a drink
afterwards (see p99).
% Wallace Collection
This wonderful Victorian
mansion belonged to Sir Richard
Wallace (1818–90). In 1897, his
widow bequeathed the house
and their amazing art collection
to the nation. Covering two
Renoir’s At The Theatre, National Gallery floors, the 25 public rooms are
beautifully furnished with one of
@ Tate Modern
Housed in a huge converted
the best private collections of
French 18th-century pictures,
power station on the south porcelain and furniture in
bank of the Thames, this the world. The paintings
exciting new gallery covers are rich and voluptuous
modern art from 1900 to the – notable works include
present day (see pp18–19). Nicolas Poussin’s A
Dance to the Music
£ Tate Britain
The other Tate gallery in
of Time and Frans
Hals’ The Laughing
London, focusing on work from Cavalier. There are
1500 to the present, has the English portraits by
best collection of British art The Laughing Cavalier by Gainsborough and
in the world (see pp20–21). Frans Hals, Wallace Collection Reynolds (see p129).
50
the crowds, and it is often
necessary to reserve a ticket in
advance. The traditional Summer
Exhibition, which anyone can
apply to enter, is also extremely
London’s Top 10
popular (see p113).
( Queen’s Gallery,
Buckingham Palace
Established in 1962 to display
works from the Royal Collection,
this fascinating gallery shows
paintings and other pieces from
the royal collection (see p26).
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51
London’s Top 10
Famous Residents
! Sherlock Holmes
The famous but fictitious
detective created by Arthur Conan
Doyle first appeared in 1891. He
still gets regular fan mail sent to
his equally fictitious address of
221b Baker Street (the museum
is next to No. 239, see p130).
@ Charles Dickens
The great Victorian novelist
and social campaigner (1812–70)
lived in Doughty Street for two Sherlock Holmes, London’s famous detective
years from 1837. The house is his
only surviving London home, and
he thought it “a frightfully first- $ John Keats
The London-born Romantic
class family mansion, involving poet (1795–1821) lived in Hamp-
awful responsibilities” (see p108). stead from 1818 to 1820 before
leaving for Italy to try to cure his
£ Dr“When
Johnson
a man is tired of
fatal tuberculosis. After falling
in love with his neighbour’s
London, he is tired of life,” said daughter, Fanny Brawne, he
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709–84). wrote his famous and beautiful
He lived in the City from 1748 Ode to a Nightingale in the
to 1759 and much of his famous garden (see p141).
dictionary was compiled here,
with six copyists working in the
garrett. His companion James % Sigmund Freud
The Viennese founder of
Boswell reported on the social psychoanalysis (1856–1939)
comings and goings in the house. spent the last year of his life
d Dr Johnson’s House, 17 Gough Square in a north London house. A
EC4 • Map P2 • Open 11am–5:30pm Jew, he had fled the Nazis,
Mon–Sat • Admission charge bringing his celebrated couch
with him (see p141).
^ Lord Leighton
Yorkshire-born Frederick
Leighton (1830–96) was the
most successful painter in
Victorian London and president
of the Royal Academy. He had
this exotic house built for him
Freud’s famous couch in 1866 (see p121).
London’s Top 10
1834. d Carlyle’s House, 24 Cheyne ! Wolfgang A Mozart
The German composer
Row SW3 • Map C6 • Open Apr–Oct: (1756–91) wrote his first
2pm–5pm Wed–Fri, 11am–5pm Sat, Sun symphony, aged eight, while
& public hols • Admission charge at No. 180 Ebury Street.
) William Hogarth
The great painter of London ^ Mark Twain
The American humorist
life (1697–1764, see pp20–21) was
(1835–1910) lived for a year
used to the gritty life of the city at No. 23 Tedworth Square.
and called his house near Chiswick
“a little country box by the
Thames”. d Hogarth’s House, Hogarth
& Mahatma Gandhi
The “father” of India’s
Lane W4 • Open Apr–Oct: 1–4pm Tue–Fri, independence movement
(1869–1948) studied law in
1–6pm Sat & Sun; Nov–Mar: 1–4pm Tue–Fri, the Inner Temple in 1889.
1–5pm Sat & Sun • Closed Jan • Free
* Jimi Hendrix
The American guitarist
(1942–1970) stayed in central
London at No. 23 Brook Street.
( Henry James
The American writer
(1843–1916) lived in Bolton
Street, de Vere Gardens, and in
Cheyne Walk, where he died.
) Giuseppe Mazzini
From 1837 to 1849 the
Italian revolutionary and
patriot (1805–72) lived at
No. 183 Gower Street.
Richly decorated interior of Leighton House
53
London’s Top 10
Royal London
! Buckingham
See pp26–7
Palace
@ Hampton Court
The finest piece of Tudor
architecture in Britain, Hampton
Court was begun by Henry VIII’s
ally Cardinal Wolsey in 1514 and
later given to the king. It was en-
larged first by Henry and then by
William and Mary, who employed
Christopher Wren as architect.
Its many rooms include a huge Tudor gatehouse, St James’s Palace
kitchen, a Renaissance Picture
Gallery, the Chapel Royal and fine served only briefly as a royal
royal apartments. Set in 60 acres, residence. Prince Charles has
the gardens, with their famous offices here (see p113).
maze, are as much an attraction
as the palace (see p147).
% Charlotte’s Cottage
Kew Palace and Queen
$ StAlthough
James’s Palace
not open
was commissioned by
Charles I, who stepped
to the public, St James’s from this room on to the
has a key role in royal scaffold for his execution
London. Its classic Tudor in 1649. d Whitehall SW1
style sets it in the reign Ceiling detail, • Map L4 • Open 10am–5pm
of Henry VIII, although it Banqueting House Mon–Sat • Admission charge
54
& Queen’s House
This delightful home in the
Top 10 Royals in
Everyday London Life
midst of Greenwich Park was the
first Palladian building by Inigo
Jones, and home to the wife of ! King Charles Spaniel
These were the favourite
London’s Top 10
Charles I. Beautifully restored to dogs of King Charles II. Today,
its 17th-century glory, it now the Queen prefers corgis.
provides a home for the National
Maritime Museum’s art collection. @ Queen Anne’s Gate
A delightful small West-
d Romney Road SE10 • Train to minster street with a statue
Greenwich • Open 10am–5pm daily of the queen who gave her
name to a style of furniture.
* Royal Mews
See pp26–7. £ Regent’s Park
The Prince Regent, later
George IV, used John Nash
( Queen’s Chapel
This exquisite royal chapel is
for this ambitious urban plan.
) Clarence House
Designed by John Nash in
serves southern England.
( Windsor Knot
The stylish Duke of
Windsor, who abdicated the
throne in 1938, gave the
world a wide tie knot.
Left Colonnade at the ICA Centre Royal Court Theatre façade Right Performers at Sadler’s Wells
Theatre takes you to the heart of and bars. The centre also
London’s cultural life. Within the contains a library, convention hall
grey blocks of this innovative and music school (see p135).
building, designed by Denys
Lasdun in 1976, you can see
a musical, a classic or a new $ London Coliseum
London’s other principal opera
play in one of its three theatres: house presents excellent produc-
the Olivier, the Lyttelton or the tions sung in English by the
Cottesloe. Check for free shows English National Opera. The
and exhibitions in the theatre re-opened
foyer. Reduced price in early 2004 after
tickets are sold from extensive restoration
10am on the day of the work. d St Martin’s Lane
performance. d South Bank WC2 • Map L3 • 0870 145
SE1 • Map N4 • 020 7452 3000 0200 • www.eno.org
£ Barbican Centre
Home of one of the % Queen
Elizabeth Hall
best music companies Part of the Southbank
in the world – the London Centre, Queen Elizabeth
Symphony Orchestra – Golden globe atop the Hall, along with the
the Barbican is the London Coliseum Purcell Room, Royal
City’s most important Festival Hall and the Hay-
arts complex. Theatre, cinema, ward Gallery, has a programme of
concerts, dance and exhibitions musical, arts and literary activities.
can all be seen here, and there d South Bank SE1 • Map N4 • 0871 663
are plenty of restaurants, cafés 25 01• www.southbankcentre.co.uk
London’s Top 10
stunning new building prides used to make TV shows. The
itself on its community events pleasant café and bar are a draw
as well as its international in themselves. d Crisp Road W6
dance shows (see p144). • Tube Hammersmith • 020 8237 1111
( Riverside Studios
With a glorious location by
the Thames at Hammersmith,
this is a fascinating arts and
media centre. An eclectic
programme includes cinema, Performance, Royal Albert Hall
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@ 100 Club
Atmospheric jazz and blues Ronnie Scott’s jazz club
dive that stays open up to 2am.
This club’s heritage is legendary number of big name acts. d 9–17
– the Rolling Stones played here, Highgate Road NW5 • 020 7284 1001
as did the Sex Pistols and other • Tube Kentish Town
punk bands of the 1970s. Today it
also hosts Indie groups. Member-
ship is not required. d 100 Oxford % Brixton Academy
This is a great place to see
Street W1 • Map K2 • 020 7636 0933 big names from across the music
spectrum. Although it holds 4,000,
58
gospel classics to modern fusion Top 10 Nightclubs
jazz can be heard. d 10 Dean Street
W1 • Map 2K • 0845 602 7017 ! Fabric
The best dance venue in
town, arranged in three rooms
* Borderline filled with sound: 24-hour music
London’s Top 10
One of London’s best small licence. d 77a Charterhouse
clubs, Borderline has hosted Street EC1 • Map Q1
many international bands in its
basement. There’s at least one
different band every weekday
@ 333
This three-storey club
heaves to drum ‘n’ bass, hip
evening, playing a wide range of hop and funky soul. d 333 Old
music, from country to metal. Street, Hoxton EC1 • Map H2
d Orange Yard, Manette Street W1
• Map L2 • 08719 713 789
£ Volupté
Expect top cabaret at this
burlesque club. d 9 Norwich
( O2 Arena & IndigO2
The ill-fated Millennium Street EC4 • Tube Chancery Lane
Dome has been transformed into
the huge O2 Arena, hosting the $ Madame Jo-Jo’s
Some of the best drag
biggest names around including acts in town. d 8–10 Brewer
the Rolling Stones and Justin Street W1 • Map K3
Timberlake. The IndigO2 offers a
more intimate setting, with a % Cargo
One of the best places for
capacity of 2,350. Taking the cutting-edge music. d 83
Thames Clipper along the river is Rivington Street EC2 • Map H2
all part of the fun. d Millennium
Way, North Greenwich SE10 • Tube North ^ Plastic People
Small but perfectly formed
Greenwich • 0844 856 0202
basement club with a top
sound system. d 147–149
Curtain Road EC2 • Map H2
* Café de Paris
Popular disco with a mix
of DJs and a restaurant. d 3
Coventry Street W1 • Map K3
Live music at the Troubadour
( Heaven
London’s best-known gay
Left Blood Brothers Right Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty’s Theatre
@ The Mousetrap
Agatha Christie’s murder
mystery, The Mousetrap, has
been playing in London since
1952, and has been seen by
100 million people. A few bits
of the original set remain. Chris-
tie herself predicted a run of
only six months, and in 1955,
after the 1,000th performance,
a critic wrote: “The biggest
mystery of the evening is
why this play has run so long.”
dSt Martin’s Theatre, West Street WC2
• Map L3 • 08444 991 515 Cast of Phantom of the Opera
London’s Top 10
moves in this raunchy version of
an old favourite. Great fun.
d Aldwych Theatre WC2 • Map N3
• 0870 040 0046
( Priscilla
the Desert
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Pubs
! The Lamb and Flag
This old-world establishment
tucked up an alley looks much as
it did in Charles Dickens’ day. In
the heart of Covent Garden, it can
get crowded – during the summer
drinkers spill outside into the
quiet alley. The 17th-century poet
John Dryden was severely Dog and Duck, Soho
beaten up outside the pub which
was known as The Bucket of
Blood because of the bareknuckle £ YeIn anOldealleyCheshire Cheese
off Fleet Street,
fights held here (see p104). this warren of rooms still seems
as if it should have sawdust on
$ George Inn
Built in 1676, this is the only
galleried coaching inn left in
London, and was taken over by
the National Trust in 1937. You can
enjoy the well-kept beers in its
myriad old rooms, with lattice
windows and wooden beams, or
in the large courtyard (see p86).
% Jerusalem Tavern
A delightful little pub with
cubicles, a small bar and little
more than the 18th-century
coffee shop it once was. People
come here to try out the full range
of a rare but popular brewery, St
Peter’s in Suffolk. Light meals
are served at lunchtime. d 55
Lamb and Flag, Covent Garden Britton Street EC1 • Map G2
London’s Top 10
the 18th-century highwayman food. Portions are large and
Dick Turpin drank here, along inexpensive, and can be washed
with literary luminaries Keats, down with a good selection of
Shelley and Byron (see p145). beer and wine (see p76). d 159
Farringdon Road EC1 • Tube Farringdon
* The Grapes
Built in the 1720s, with
and Dylan Thomas. It is now well
known for its refreshing Breton
wooden floors and panelling, cider and fine wines. d 49 Dean
The Grapes has survived the Street W1 • Map L3
modern development of Dock-
lands, retaining its traditional
charm and informal atmosphere.
The back bar has an open fire
for the winter months and a
terrace by the Thames for the
summer. The excellent upstairs
restaurant is renowned for its
fish dishes. d 76 Narrow Street E14
• DLR Westferry The Grapes, Westferry
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! Liberty
This handsome, half-timbered
$ Harvey Nichols
building dates from 1925 and its Almost a parody of itself,
fine wood-floored and panelled “Harvey Nicks” is where the
interior is part of the shopping glamorous shop. There’s wall-
experience there. Long associ- to-wall designer labels, an
ated with the Arts and Crafts extravagant perfume and beauty
movement, it employed artists department and stylish home-
such as William Morris to design ware. The fifth floor is for
its fabrics. Great for its own consuming, with a food hall,
Liberty floral fabrics, home fur- sushi bar and the to-be-seen-in
nishings, men’s and women’s Fifth Floor restaurant (see p123).
fashions and lovely gifts (see p110).
London’s Top 10
music. The market is every Friday,
which is quieter but has fewer
stalls, and Saturday (see p120).
) Westfield
Europe’s largest inner city
shopping centre mixes high
fashion with overseas brands and
luxury labels (housed in the
boutique-style setting, The
Village). Also has a 14-screen
Camden’s indoor market cinema. d Ariel Way W12
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London’s Top 10
London’s Top 10
accompanying firework extrava- championships. d All England
Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club,
ganzas. Children make dummy
Wimbledon • Jun/Jul
Guys and ask for pennies to pay
for their little arsenals. d 5 Nov
@ London Marathon
26.2-mile (42-km) road
race from Greenwich Park to
* Chinese New Year
Chinatown (see p89) is taken The Mall. d Apr
over by dancing dragons breathing
fire during this vibrant, colourful # Friends
Trophy
Provident
festival. Food and craft stalls are The climax of the cricket
season. d Lord’s NW8 • Jun
authentically oriental. d Soho W1
• Map L3 • Late Jan–early Feb
$ Oxford and
Cambridge Boat Race
( London Film Festival
Scores of international films
The two universities’ annual
rowing race covers some 6.5
km (4 miles) on the Thames.
are shown in this three-week
d Putney to Mortlake • Mar
festival when cinemas, including
the National Film Theatre, reduce
prices. A booth is set up in % The London Inter-
national Horse Show
Leicester Square to take bookings Family fun at this Christmas
show. d Olympia W8 • Dec
and distribute programmes.
d West End • Nov
^ Varsity Match
The Oxford-Cambridge
rugby union duel. dTwicken-
) Great British Beer Festival
Organized by the Campaign ham Rugby Ground • Dec
for Real Ale (CAMRA), this annual
festival in a major London & Head of the River Race
A day-long event in which
exhibition hall is a chance to some 400 rowing boats
sample the best beers and ciders struggle for supremacy.
produced in Britain. d Earls Court d Mortlake to Putney • Mar
SW5 • Aug • Admission charge
* Six Nations Rugby
Annual rugby union contest
with England, France, Ireland,
Italy, Scotland and Wales.
d Twickenham Rugby Ground
• Feb/Mar/Apr
( Royal Ascot
All London Society goes
to the races in top hats and
other glamorous creations.
d Ascot, Berkshire • Jun
) Doggett’s Coat
and Badge Wager
Guildsmen from the Company
of Watermen compete in a
single sculls race. d London
Bridge to Chelsea Bridge • Jul
Lord Mayor’s Show fireworks
67
London’s Top 10
Children’s London
! Science Museum
See pp24–5. $ London Zoo
There’s a full day out to be
had in this 36-acre zoo. Home of
£ Madame Tussaud’s
One of London’s
role in conservation and
research work. Its cages
most popular attrac- and enclosures have
tions, this is where you won awards, such as
can see everyone from the aviary designed by
Arnold Schwarzenegger Lord Snowdon. The
to the Queen. A Spirit children’s zoo is full of
of London ride takes things to do, with a pet
you on a whistle-stop care centre, Animals in
tour of the city’s Action and Predatory
history. The famous Birds displays (see p129).
Chamber of Horrors Waxwork Royalty,
puts you face-to-face
with London’s most
Madame Tussaud’s
% Sea Life London
Aquarium
infamous criminals and has the Located on London’s South Bank,
very guillotine that beheaded the aquarium is home to thou-
Queen Marie Antoinette in the sands of marine creatures. A
French Revolution. Other sections journey along the Great Ocean
of the exhibition include Premiere Conveyor Belt shows them in all
Night, which is devoted to the their glory. Seahorses, green
giants of the entertainment world. turtles and zebra sharks are
Get there early to avoid waiting among the sea life. For interactive
in long lines (see p129). fun, Eco Pirates can climb aboard
the Good Ship SOS (see p84).
^ London Trocadero
The Trocadero entertain-
ment complex in the heart of
the West End is a magnet for
children. Aside from its shops,
restaurants and cinema, a
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, a
bowling alley and a bewildering
array of hi-tech video games
and simulators that will keep
them occupied for hours
Sharks, Sea Life London Aquarium (see p91).
68
& V&A Museum of
Childhood
Children are invited to spend
the day at this East End
museum, which has one of
London’s Top 10
the largest toy collections in
the world, including dolls,
teddies, puppets, games
and children’s costumes.
Activities are organized on
weekends (see p154).
* Coram’s Fields
No adults admitted with- Doll’s house, Museum of Childhood
out a child, says the sign on the
gate to this 7-acre park dedicated
to small children. There’s a ) London Dungeon
The scariest experience in
paddling pool, play areas and a town combines history and
city farm with a pets corner and horror to celebrate an “orgy of
grazing farm animals. d 93 Guilford grisly entertainment”, with death,
Street WC1 • Map F2 • Open daily • Free torture and violence at every turn.
Follow in the bloody footsteps of
( Battersea Park
This large south London park
the Victorian serial killer Jack the
Ripper, witness medieval murders,
is ideal for children. There are the 17th-century Fire of London,
colourful gardens, an adventure or go to your own execution on
playground, boating Judgment Day. Not for
lake, deer enclosure the faint-hearted. d 28
and a children’s zoo Tooley Street, SE1 • Map H4
(see p150). d Albert • Opening times vary. For
Bridge Road SW11 • Map more information on
D6 • Zoo: Open Easter to times please check their
October, and weekends in Entrance sign, website www.thedungeons.
Winter, Admission charge London Dungeon com • Admission charge
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London’s Top 10
River Sights
! Lambeth Palace
The Archbishop of
ring for his hot water like a
gentleman. Adjoining the hotel is
Canterbury’s official the Art Deco Savoy
London residence is a Theatre. d Strand WC2
famous riverside land- • Map M3
mark. It dates from the
13th century, but it is
the red-brick Tudor Gate- $ Millennium Bridge
This stunning,
house, dating from blade-like suspension
1490, that gives the bridge links Tate Modern
palace a distinctive on Bankside with St
appearance. d Lambeth Paul’s and the City
Palace Road SE1 • Map F5 Tudor gatehouse, opposite. Unfortunately,
• Closed to the public Lambeth Palace this new footbridge
suffered from excessive
@ Houses of Parliament
See pp34–5.
movement when it first opened in
2000. It has since re-opened and
is a delightful and apt approach
£ Savoy Hotel
London’s first luxury hotel
to Tate Modern. d Map R3
^ HMS Belfast
The last of the big-gun
armoured ships, HMS
Belfast was built in 1938
and saw active service in
World War II and Korea. In
1971 she was saved for
Rear of the Savoy Hotel, overlooking the Thames the nation as an example
London’s Top 10
get an idea of what life must have
been like on board. d Morgan’s Lane,
Tooley Street SE1 • Map H4 • Open Mar–
Oct: 10am–6pm daily; Nov–Feb: 10am–
5pm daily • Admission charge
( $36 5&,$
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71
London’s Top 10
Literary London
! Samuel Pepys
The extraordinary Diary of
Samuel Pepys (1633–1703) begins
on New Year’s Day, 1660 and
ends on May 31, 1669. He vividly
describes contemporary life, the
Plague and Great Fire, and an
attack on London by the Dutch.
The work was written in short-
hand and only deciphered in 1825.
Peter Ackroyd
@ Dr Johnson
Samuel Johnson (1709–84)
$ Oscar Wilde
was a towering literary figure Dublin-born Wilde (1854–
who presided over gatherings in 1900) dazzled London audiences
pubs, coffee houses and literary with his plays, and society with
clubs, as well as in his own his wit. He fell from grace when
home (see p52), and had he was convicted of homosexual
opinions on everything. His activity. His plays, such as Lady
satirical poem, London (1738), Windermere’s Fan (1892) and
attacked poverty in the city and The Importance of Being Earnest
his parliamentary sketches and (1895) are frequently revived.
dictionary made him famous.
% Virginia Woolf
Woolf (1882–1941) and her
sister Vanessa Bell lived in Gordon
Square, where the influential
pre-war Bloomsbury Group grew
from social gatherings. She
developed an impressionistic
stream of consciousness in novels
such as Mrs Dalloway (1925) and
Engraving of Dr Johnson To The Lighthouse (1927).
£ Geoffrey Chaucer
Chaucer (1343–1400) was a ^ John Betjeman
A devoted Londoner, with a
diplomat and son of a London fine disdain for bureaucracy, medi-
vintner. His Canterbury Tales is a ocrity and hideous architecture,
classic piece of English literature, Betjeman (1906–84) was made
and follows a group of pilgrims Poet Laureate in 1972. His poems
travelling from Southwark to are full of gentle wit and humour
Canterbury. In 17,000 lines the and he remains one of Britain’s
characters tell their rollicking tales. favourite poets.
72
& Colin MacInnes
MacInnes (1914–76) docu-
Top 10 London Songs
mented the teenage and black ! London’s Burning
Commemorating the Great
immigrant culture in Notting Hill in Fire of 1666, this is sung in a
the 1950s. City of Spades (1957) round, a device popular since
London’s Top 10
and Absolute Beginners (1959) Elizabethan days.
are set among the coffee bars,
jazz clubs, drink and drugs scene @ London Bridge is
Falling Down
at a time of great unrest. A traditional song about old
London Bridge, which fell
* Martin Amis
Darling of the London literary
into disrepair.
) Peter Ackroyd
The biographer of Charles
sentimental song that
celebrates the city.
Dickens, Ackroyd (b.1949) turned
to fiction to examine the lives of & England Swings
This hit US song came out
other Londoners, such as the after a 1966 story in Time
architect Nicholas Hawksmoor and magazine announced the
Oscar Wilde. Most ambitiously he arrival of “Swinging London”.
wrote London: a Biography (2000).
* Waterloo Sunset
Pop groups don’t usually
celebrate London, or Britain,
but this 1967 record by The
Kinks was an exception.
) Burlington Bertie
A music-hall song about
the life of a Mayfair gentle-
man in Edwardian London.
Zadie Smith
London on Foot
! Thames Path, South Bank
Start by the London Eye and
walk along the South Bank down-
stream to London Bridge and the
Design Museum beyond Butler’s
Wharf. This stretch of the Thames
Path has enough to distract you
all day. d South Bank • Map N5
@ Regent’s Canal
It’s possible to walk along
the whole 14-km (8.5-mile) canal View over London from Hampstead Heath
from Paddington to Limehouse.
The most accessible part lies
between Camden Lock and $ Hampstead Heath
This green grandstand
Regent’s Park, where grand overlooking the city covers 8 sq
houses back on to the water. km (3 sq miles) and is a rural mix
Further on, in Little Venice, of meadows, woods, lakes and
moored “narrowboats” are ponds for both swimming and
owned by the wealthy (see p130). fishing. Head off in any direction,
and make the Spaniards Inn (see
p145) or Kenwood House a
stopping-off point (see p141).
£ Richmond
Richmond has a lovely aspect
Gallery (see p51), to cafés, foun-
tains and flower gardens (see
on the River Thames. Apart from p28). d Hyde Park W2 • Map C4
its royal park (see p29) there is a • Open 5am–midnight daily
lot to see and do, with riverside
pubs and cafés, and boats to rent.
It’s a half-hour walk along the ^ Battersea Park
This lively park is not just
towpath to the 17th-century Ham for children (see p69). It has a
House, owned by the National pleasant riverside promenade
Trust. In summer you can take a beside a Buddhist Peace Pagoda,
ferry across to Marble Hill House lakeside walks and the Festival
in Twickenham (see p148). Gardens (see p150).
74
& Wimbledon Common
It is easy to get lost in this
Top 10 Outdoor
Activities
wild public space. Start by the
Windmill and go down to
Queens Mere Pond or stride out
! Rowing
Parks with rowing lakes
London’s Top 10
include Hyde Park, Regent’s
along the cinder horse track to the Park and Battersea Park.
pine copse of Caesar’s Camp, an
old Iron Age hill fort (see p150).
@ Ice Skating
Indoors at the Leisurebox
in Queensway. Outdoor winter
* Blackheath
This treeless expanse, rinks include the Broadgate
Centre, Somerset House and
enjoyed by kite flyers, lies the Natural History Museum.
behind Greenwich Park (see
p29). Donkey rides can be taken
around the edge, and on the far £ Kite Flying
Hampstead Heath, Prim-
side is Blackheath Village. d Black- rose Hill and Blackheath are
the best places to get a lift.
heath SE3 • Train to Blackheath
$ Swimming
( London’s major bird
Wetland Centre There are a number of
public indoor pools. d The
sanctuary covers 105 acres in Oasis, Endell Street WC2 •
four disused Victorian reservoirs. Porchester Centre, Queensway
W2 •Chelsea Sports Centre,
It has trails, a visitor centre and Chelsea Manor St SW3
an observatory where you can
spot some of the 130 species
which come here (see p150). % Nature Watching
London’s open spaces and
woodlands are full of plants
and wildlife to discover.
) Highgate Cemetery
Filled with grand tombs,
many of the rich and famous, ^ Skateboarding
Many parks have skate-
this is the best of London’s board facilities. The South
cemeteries. The living have to Bank’s (see p83) concrete
pay to get in, too, and the cem- spaces have a regular clientele.
etery is divided into eastern and
western halves, the latter visitable & Cycling
Rent bikes from On Your
only with a tour (see143). Bike in London Bridge (020
7378 6669) and The London
Bicycle Tour Company in
Gabriel’s Wharf (020 7928 6838).
* Tennis
For indoors try Islington
Tennis Centre, Market Rd N7.
Outdoors, Holland Park, Batter-
sea Park or Regent’s Park.
( Skating
Wide paths make Hyde
Park the most popular choice.
) Horse Riding
The best place is the
stables at Hyde Park. d 63
Bathurst Mews W2.
Faded grandeur, Highgate Cemetery
@ Clarke’s
A steady favourite since it
weeks in advance. The original
idea here is that there are no
opened in 1984, the food here is starter or main courses. Dishes
wonderfully fresh, and basically are categorised under half a
Mediterranean, with roast and dozen themed headings, and you
baked dishes to the fore. Set put together three of four to
menus mean you have to go make a meal. Each one is a rare
with the patronne’s taste, but combination (see p139).
she will take you to places you
have not been before. The wine
list favours California (see p125). % L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Michelin-starred Robuchon
brings his unbeatable gourmet
dining experience to London in
this Japanese-inspired restaurant.
Lobster ravioli and potato purée
are a couple of highlights. The
bar on the third floor is a chic
place for a drink (see p105).
^ Hakkasan
Alan Yau, the man behind
Rasa Samudra, Fitzrovia the successful Wagamama chain,
created this seriously stylish
£ Rasa Samudra
Indian curries are almost a
dining experience. Michelin-
starred oriental-inspired food,
national dish in Britain, but this is such as sautéed sweet ginger
quite different from the norm. The and pineapple roasted duck, with
cooking is stunning, and first- dim sum specialities, is served in
timers will need talking through luxurious surroundings designed
the unusual menu, which includes by Christian Liaigre. The cocktails
delicious fish dishes (see p111). are sublime (see p111).
76
& Orrery
Sir Terence Conran is London’s
Top 10 Places to
Eat with a View
most prominent restaurateur. This
intimate restaurant is at the peak
of perfection and prices. The short
! Oxo Tower
Terrific river views from this
London’s Top 10
South Bank landmark (see p87).
menu changes regularly, and is
Modern European with a French
bias – including the best fish, beef @ Vertigo 42
On the 42nd floor of the
and game (see p133). City’s tallest skyscraper.
d Tower 42, Old Broad Street
EC2 • Map H3 • 020 7877 7842
* Rules
London’s oldest restaurant
(1798), Rules has a wonderful, £ Le Pont de la Tour
Modern French cuisine
genuine Belle Epoque atmos- overlooking Tower Bridge.
phere, and remains a great d 36d Shad Thames SE1
British institution, not resting on • Map H4 • 020 7403 8403
its laurels. It specializes mainly in
game – much of it from the
northern estates of its owner,
$ Tate Modern
Restaurant: Level 7
Panoramic river views and
John Mayhew (see p105). great food. d Bankside SE1
• Map R4 • 020 7887 8888
( Barrafina
One of the coolest tapas
% Portrait Restaurant
bars around, Barrafina uses top- Views over Trafalgar Square
quality ingredients to excellent and Whitehall. d National Por-
trait Gallery, St Martin’s Place
effect. Sit at the bar with a glass WC2 • Map L4 • 020 7312 2490
of fino or a small Cruzcampo and
watch the experts at work.
Expect to queue (see p95). ^ Blue Print Café
A breezy restaurant with a
spectacular view of London
Bridge. d Butler’s Wharf SE1
) A great restaurant near
St John
• Map H4 • 020 7378 7031
Smithfield meat market, this is
in a converted smokehouse. It & Skylon
One of the finest river views
serves a delicious range of high- in town. d Royal Festival Hall
quality British cooking, and has SE1 • Map N4 • 020 7654 7800
its own bakery. Try the amazing
Eccles cakes with Lancashire * Swan At The Globe
Look over to the City
cheese. Bar-menu snacks are not through mullioned windows.
expensive (see pp139, 155, 157). d New Globe Walk SE1
• Map G4 • 020 7928 9444
) Coq d’Argent
Fine City sights from this
rooftop garden bar and French
restaurant. d 1 Poultry EC2
• Map G3 • 020 7395 5000
Orrery, Marylebone
For more restaurants See pp87, 95, 105, 111, 117, 125, 133, 77
139, 145, 151, 157
AROUND
TOWN
Westminster, the South
Bank & Southwark
LONDON’S TOP 10
80–87
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80 Preceding pages: View from London Eye towards Big Ben and
Westminster Abbey
£ London Eye
The second highest
observational wheel in the world
(after the Singapore Flyer) offers
amazing views of the city. While
$ Houses of Parliament
The ancient Palace of
Westminster is the seat of the
two Houses of Parliament – the
Lords and the Commons. A
Union flag flies on the Victoria
Tower when the Commons is in
View down Whitehall towards Big Ben session. Night sittings are indi-
cated by a light on the Clock
! Westminster Abbey
London’s most venerable
Tower – the tower that houses
Big Ben, the 14-ton bell whose
and most beautiful church, the hourly chimes are recognized
scene of coronations and royal around the world (see pp34–5).
weddings and the resting place
of monarchs (see pp32–3).
% Tate Britain
The best of British art is held
@ Tate Modern
One of the world’s great
at the Tate and works range from
1500 to the present. Look down-
contemporary art galleries. A boat stream to see the home of British
service connects Tate Britain and Intelligence (MI5). This large
Tate Modern. It leaves from building, known as Thames
Bankside Pier outside Tate Modern House, is built inside a bug-proof
every 20 minutes (see pp18–19). “Faraday cage” (see pp20–21).
View from London Eye towards Big Ben and Westminster Abbey
* Southbank Centre
The most accessible arts
centre in London still has the air
of friendly, egalitarian optimism
that brought it into life in the
1950s and 60s. The Royal Festival
No. 10 Downing Street Hall’s three concert halls have
diverse programmes, while the
82
A Day By the River
Morning
Start at Waterloo with break-
fast and a self-guided tour
83
Around Town – Westminster, the South Bank & Southwark
£ Dalí Universe
A permanent exhibition of
( Young Vic Theatre
500 works by the great Spanish This famous company for
surrealist Salvador Dalí (1904–89). young theatre-goers is now back
d County Hall SE1 • Map N6 • Open in its original site, housed in a
10am–5:30pm daily • Admission charge stunning new building. Its exciting,
critically acclaimed productions
% Namco Station
Popular with children, this
Check out the boutiques and
galleries below. d Bargehouse
centre has arcade games, bumper Street SE1 • Map P4 • Open daily
cars and a bowling alley. d County
%/$&.)5,$56
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! Parliamentary Bookshop
Buy the day’s political & Oxo Tower Wharf
Two floors are given over to
reading, plus parliamentary- designers of fashion, jewellery
related prints and other souvenirs. and interiors and “the.gallery@
d 12 Bridge Street SW1 • Map L6 oxo” showcases cutting-edge
photography, art, design and ar-
@ Lower Marsh
Once London’s longest
chitecture. d Bargehouse Street SE1
• Map P4 • Open daily
street market, stalls sell inexpen-
sive music, clothes, hardware
and food. Open mornings Mon– * The Furniture Union
Browse through the latest in
Fri. d Lower Marsh SE1 • Map P6 British interior design in trendy
Bankside Lofts opposite Tate
£ Llewellyn Alexander
This art gallery has changing,
Modern. d Bankside Lofts, 65a Hopton
Street SE1 • Map R4 • 020 7703 9595
quality exhibitions, notably in the
summer. d 124–126 The Cut SE1 • Map
Q5 • Open 10am–7:30pm Mon–Sat • Free ( Vinopolis
Wines can be tried out on a
tour of this exhibition of viticul-
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In the basement of St John’s, * Market Porter
A popular, historic market
Smith Square, this is a good spot pub. Open for traders and all-
for a lunchtime snack. d St John’s, night ravers from 6–8:30am.
Smith Square SW1 • Map E5 d 9 Stoney Street SE1 • Map G4
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Restaurants
! The Cinnamon Club
Innovative Indian cuisine ^ Tas
Two branches of an exciting,
served in comfortable, club-like modern, yet inexpensive Turkish
premises. d The Old Westminster restaurant. d 33 The Cut SE1. Map P5.
Library, Great Smith Street SW1 020 7928 2111 • 72 Borough High Street
• Map E5 • 020 7222 2555 • ££££ SE1. Map G4. 020 7403 7200 • ££
@ Skylon
Named after the symbol of & Gourmet Pizza Company
A range of pizza toppings
the 1950s Festival of Britain, the is offered at this wonderful river-
Southbank’s restaurant is a side shack. d Gabriel’s Wharf SE1
classy affair. Guests have a fine • Map P4 • 020 7928 3188 • £
river view, along with classic
British dining. d Southbank Centre,
Belvedere Road SE1 • Map N4 * Oxo Tower Restaurant
Bar and Brasserie
• 020 7654 7800 • ££££ Delicious modern dishes are
served in the restaurant. The
£ Baltic
London’s most spectacular
bar has live jazz (see p77).
d Oxo Tower Wharf SE1 • Map G4
eastern European restaurant • 020 7803 3888 • ££££ • Brasserie: £££
offers excellent dishes such as
sorrel soup, smoked fish, and
caviar in glamorous surroundings. ( Cantina Vinopolis
Huge, vaulted dining room
d 74 Blackfriars Road SE1 • Map Q5 serving excellent Mediterranean
• 020 7928 1111 • ££££ food. d 1 Bank End SE1 • Map P4
• 020 7940 8333 • £££
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! National Gallery
See pp12–13.
south side of the Circus is the
Criterion Theatre, next to Lilly-
white’s – a leading sporting-
89
^ Soho Square
This pleasant square, spiked
Nelson’s Column
The centrepiece of Trafalgar Square,
with palms, is popular at lunch- this huge column is topped by a
time, after work and at weekends, statue of Horatio, Viscount Nelson
when there’s always a friendly (1758–1805). Britain’s great naval
Around Town – Soho & the West End
90
A Walk Around
the West End
Morning
Start the day in Trafalgar
91
Around Town – Soho & the West End
Left Façade, Algerian Coffee Stores Right Coffee makers, Algerian Coffee Stores
Shopping
! Ann Summers
When in Soho, you have & Agent Provocateur
Seriously sexy high-quality
to do something naughty. Ann lingerie, from Joseph Corré,
Summers sex shops have been Vivienne Westwood’s son, and
around so long they seem quite his wife Serena Rees. Give in
tame – but their products really to temptation! d 6 Broadwick
are rather risqué. d 79 Wardour Street W1 • Map E3
Street W1 • Map K3
£ Foyles
In a street of bookshops, this ( Algerian Coffee Stores
Opened in 1887, this is one
grandmother of all bookshops is of the oldest shops in Soho. It
something of an institution. A exudes a wonderful aroma of
vast range of subject matter is the many kinds of coffee it sells.
covered. d 113–19 Charing Cross Road Speciality teas and herbal infu-
WC2 • Map L2 sions can also be bought here.
d 52 Old Compton Street W1 • Map K3
$ Lillywhites
Infamous for its vast array of
) The Witch Ball
sporting goods that are spread Original French lithographs,
over six enormous floors, there antique travel posters and prints
are plenty of bargains to be are sold here. The street is lined
found at Lillywhites. d 24–36 Lower with antiquarian print and book
Regent Street SW1Y • Map K3 shops. d 2 Cecil Court WC2 • Map L3
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A long cuban cocktail bar
Oxford Street, St Giles WC1 • Map L2
£ Café Boheme
French-style bistro:
grill, tex mex and tapas are on
the menu. d 9 Greek Street, W1
sandwiches, salads and light • Map L2
meat and fish dishes are served
until 3am Monday to Saturday.
d 13 Old Compton Street W1 • Map L2 ( Jrink Soho
An inviting and intimate
bar that buzzes with a lively
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crowd. Boasts a huge bar.
d 14 Soho Street W1 • Map K2
@ Maison Bertaux
This little corner of Paris in
market day), and a decent pint.
d 90 Berwick Street W1 • Map L2
the heart of Soho attracts a
faithful clientele, who love its
delicious coffee and heavenly * Beatroot
A small, bright vegetarian
cakes. d 28 Greek Street W1 • Map L3 restaurant serving delicious salads
and hot dishes, packed in boxes.
£ French House
A small, one-bar establish-
d 92 Berwick Street W1 • Map K2
$ Bar Italia
Sit at the bar or out on the ) The Dog and Duck
Small, friendly pub with
heated pavement and enjoy the Victorian tiled walls, classic pub
best Italian coffee in London. A food and British cask ales (see p62).
huge screen at the back of the d 18 Bateman Street W1 • Map L2
bar shows Italian football matches.
67
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with egg mayonnaise in a roll.
d 73 Beak Street W1 • Map K3
Restaurants
! Italian Grafitti
This bustling trattoria sells ^ Yauatcha
Be prepared to book ahead
quality pizzas as well as pasta, and dress up to enjoy steamed
and swordfish simply grilled with scallop schu mai or venison in
oil and garlic. d 163–165 Wardour puff pastry. d 15 Broadwick Street W1
Street W1 • Map K2 • 020 7439 4668 • Map K2 • 020 7494 8888 • £££££
• No disabled access • £££
£ Incognico
Solid French food, such as
restaurant serving imaginative
dishes. d 103 Wardour Street • Map
fried goose liver, is served here. K3 • 020 7479 4790 • ££
The restaurant was set up by
Nico Ladenis, one of London’s
best chefs, who is now retired. ( Busaba Ethai
Trendy Thai restaurant with
d 117 Shaftesbury Avenue WC2 • Map L3 a minimal interior. d 110 Wardour
• 020 7836 8866 • Disabled access • £££ Street W1 • Map K2 • 020 7255 8686 • ££
$ New World
Choose from the trolleys ) Barrafina
Enjoy quality tapas at the
that trundle past at this popular counter in this stylish restaurant.
dim sum venue, or from the Expect to queue. d 54 Frith Street
menu of stir fries. d 1 Gerrard Place W1 • Map L2 • 020 7813 8016 • ££££
W1 • Map L3 • 020 7734 0396 • ££
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7930 0488 • Lunch and pre-theatre
menus • ££££
Left Covent Garden piazza and central market Right Somerset House
Covent Garden
out in the 17th century by Inigo Jones and recently completed by the addition
of the imperious, pearly white Royal Opera House. In spite of such grandeur,
there is still a local feel to the surrounding streets and lanes, especially
around Neal’s Yard and Endell Street. To the south of Covent Garden is
another recently developed institution, Somerset House, which contains the
Courtauld Institute of Art Gallery. To get the full impact of the imposing
riverside setting, enter from the Embankment side.
Sights
1 The Piazza and 6 Benjamin Pollock’s
Central Market Toyshop
2 Royal Opera House 7 London’s Transport
Museum
3 Courtauld Institute
of Art Gallery 8 Neal’sYard
4 Somerset House 9 St Paul’s Church
5 Seven Dials 0 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
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NFUSFT
£ Courtauld Institute
of Art Gallery
Founded in 1932 for the study of
the history of European art, the
Courtauld is part of Britain’s
oldest institute for teaching the
Shops and cafés in the former market area history of art. Located in the North
Block of Somerset House (below)
Left Street entertainment in Covent Garden Right Royal Opera production of Platee
99
% Seven Dials
Also known as “Covent
Covent Garden Architect
Inigo Jones (1573–1652) designed
Garden’s hidden village”, this Covent Garden as London’s first
characteristic street layout was planned square. The low roofs and
created by Thomas Neale (1641– classical portico of St Paul’s
Around Town – Covent Garden
^ Benjamin Pollock’s
Toyshop
• Open 10am–6pm Mon–Thu, Sat & Sun;
11am–9pm Fri • Admission charge
Established in the 1880s, this
independent, family-run shop
specializes in toy theatres, * Neal’s Yard
This delightful enclave is full
theatrical gifts and traditional of colour, with painted shop
toys for both children and adult fronts, flower-filled window-boxes
collectors. The colourful range and oil-drums, and cascades of
on offer includes marionettes plants tumbling down the walls.
and puppets, musical boxes and This is alternative London, with
paper dolls. d 44 The Market, Covent wholefoods and such alternative
Garden WC2 • Map M3 • Open 10:30am– therapies as Chinese medicines,
6pm Mon–Sat, 11am–4pm Sun • www. walk-in back rubs and acupuncture.
pollocks-coventgarden.co.uk Visit Neal’s Yard Remedies and
( StInigoPaul’s Church
Jones built this church
Church. Take a look inside
before lunch in the Royal
(known as the actors’ church) with Opera House’s (see p99)
Amphitheatre Restaurant,
the main portico facing east, on to
with its wonderful views.
the Piazza, and the altar at the
west end. Clerics objected to Afternoon
this unorthodox arrangement, so Before leaving the Piazza,
the altar was moved. The entrance pop into Benjamin Pollock’s
is via the west portico while the Toyshop, then turn
grand east door is essentially a down Russell Street and
fake. d Bedford Street WC2 • Map M3 Wellington Street to the
Strand. Cross the road
and turn left to Somerset
101
Around Town – Covent Garden
Left Street entertainment, Covent Garden Right Globe atop London Coliseum
@ The Sanctuary
A totally hedonistic day can
* Oasis Sports Centre
be spent in this women-only spa Famous for its heated outdoor
with pools, jacuzzis, saunas and pool, there is also an indoor pool,
solarium. d 12 Floral Street WC2 studios, squash courts, gym and
• Map M3 • Open 9:30am–6pm Mon–Fri, sunbeds. d 32 Endell Street WC2
9:30am–8pm Sat & Sun; evening spa: • Map M2 • Admission charge
Mon (Oct–May), Wed–Thu 5–10pm
• Admission charge
( Players Theatre
The company at this tiny
£ Africa Centre
The centre has a restaurant
Victorian theatre recreates tradi-
tional music hall shows. Check
and bar as well as a bookshop on their website for details of
two floors. Ethnic goods are also upcoming events. d 10 Craven Street
sold. d 38 King Street WC2 • Map M3 WC2 • Map M4 • Admission charge
• www.playerstheatre.co.uk
$ Victoria
Gardens
Embankment
) Bush House
In summer, outdoor concerts are Home of the BBC World
held in these attractive gardens Service, Bush House has an
by the river. d WC2 • Map M4 imposing portico on its north
side. In the arcade on the south
% Savoy Hotel
Enjoy a traditional afternoon
side, the BBC World Service
Shop sells DVDs, tapes, videos
tea in the Thames Foyer of this and books. d Strand WC2 • Map N3
grand old London hotel (see
p70). d Strand WC2 • Map M3
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Shopping
! Floral Street
This stylish street is home to & Penhaligon’s
In business since 1870, this
Paul Smith, which sells trendy traditional perfumery carries a
clothes, Camper shoes and cool glorious range of old-fashioned
French designer Agnes B. English scents and soaps for men
d Floral Street WC2 • Map M3 and women. Perfect for gifts.
d 41 Wellington Street WC2 • Map M3
* Benjamin Pollock’s
streetwear, this street is home Toyshop
to G-Star, Boxfresh and Miss The place to go for toy
Sixty, along with beauty shops theatres, theatrical gifts and
and Neal’s Yard Dairy. d Covent traditional toys such as puppets
Garden WC2 • Map M2 and musical boxes.
d 44 The Market WC2E • Map M3
$ Stanford’s
With an extensive range of
and books on how to master the
very English art of tea-making.
travel guides, literature and maps, d 15a Neal Street WC2 • Map M2
this shop is a traveller’s paradise.
The basement is devoted to the
British Isles and sailing. d 12–14 ) Thomas Neal Centre
This upmarket designer
Long Acre WC2 • Map M3 shopping mall has a range of
fashionable boutiques over two
% Ellis Brigham
All the outdoor gear you
floors. On the lower floor there
is a pleasant café and restaurant.
could ever want plus lots of d Earlham Street WC2 • Map L2
useful gadgets and gizmos. d 32
Southampton Street WC2 • Map M3
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Left World food café sign Centre Enjoying a snack at Paul Right Outside the Lamb and Flag
£ Freuds
This small basement attracts
this popular spot. d 36 Drury Lane
WC2 • Map M2
a designer crowd in the evenings.
Huge choice of coffees (some
with liqueurs), cocktails and ( Porterhouse
Excellent beers and a great
bottled beers. d 198 Shaftesbury atmosphere in this pub, which
Avenue W1 • Map L2 boasts snugs and bars over 11
levels. d 21–22 Maiden Lane WC2
$ Canela
Portuguese and Brazilian
• Map M3
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tarts, croissants, breads and
Restaurants
! The Ivy
Mere mortals need to reserve ^ Hamburger Union
Hamburgers are of the
several months ahead for gourmet variety and are
London’s most star-struck restau- accompanied by chunky chips.
rant, but it’s worth waiting for the d 4–6 Garrick Street WC2 • Map L3
delicious brasserie-style food and • 020 7379 0412 • No disabled access • £
lively atmosphere. d 1–5 West Street
WC2 • Map L2 • 020 7836 4751 • ££££
& Orso
A popular, atmospheric,
@ Abeno Too
Okonomiyaki – Japanese
mid-priced Italian restaurant.
d 27 Wellington Street WC2 • Map N3
comfort food, rather like a cross • 020 7240 5269 • ££££
between omelette and a savoury
pancake – is cooked on a hot
grill right in front of you. d 17–18 * L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Experience fine dining from
Great Newport Street WC2 • Map L3 the man who mentored such
• 020 7379 1160 • £££ luminaries as Gordon Ramsay.
d 13–15 West Street WC2 • Map L2
chain of French restaurants has a
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See pp8–11.
one of Britain’s leading 19th-
century architects, crammed three
adjoining houses with antiques
@ British Library
Located in the heart of St
and treasures, displayed in the
most ingenious ways. The base-
Pancras, the British Library holds ment crypt, designed to resemble
copies of everything published in a Roman catacomb, is particularly
Britain, as well as many historical original. The Rake’s Progress
publications from around the (1753), a series of eight paintings
world. Members have free access by Hogarth, is another highlight.
to these, while non-members The houses are on the northern
can enjoy the magnificent space side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the
and the regular exhibitions put heart of legal London, where
on here. A dazzling, permanent gowned and bewigged lawyers
display in the John Ritblatt roam. Lincoln’s Inn, on the east
Gallery includes the earliest map side of the square, is one of the
of Britain (1250), a Gutenberg best preserved Inns of Court in
Bible (1455), Shakespeare’s first London, part of it dating from
folio (1623), Handel’s Messiah the 15th century.
(1741) and many breathtaking d 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2 • Map N1
illuminated manuscripts. The • Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 6–9pm first
glass walls in the core of the Tue of month • Free
Left Illuminated manuscript, British Library Right Sir John Soane’s Museum
% University
London
College pharmaceutical companies,
explores the connections
Founded in 1836, UCL is the between medicine, life and
oldest college of London art. Exhibits include Charles
University and owns several Darwin’s walking stick and
fine academic collections. In Fakir’s sandals. d 183 Euston
the Petrie Museum is one of Road NW1 • Map E2 • Open 10am–
the largest collections of 6pm Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat • Free
Egyptian archaeology in the
world. Etchings, engravings
and early English Mezzotints & British Telecom Tower
At 190 m (620 ft), this was
from the college’s art the tallest building in London
collection are exhibited in when it opened in 1965. Sadly,
the Strang Print Room. the revolving restaurant on
Check out performances at top has been closed for
the college’s Bloomsbury security reasons, but the
Theatre in Gordon Street. Tower Tavern in Cleveland
d Gower Street WC1 • Map K1 Street has a good large-scale
• Petrie Museum: open 1–5pm Tue–Fri, diagram explaining the tower’s
10am–1pm Sat • Free • Bloomsbury Telecom constituent parts (as well as
Theatre • Map E2 • 020 7388 8822 Tower hand-pulled beer). d Map D2
Left Façade, St Pancras International Station Right Carved figures, St Pancras Parish Church
( StThisGeorge’s Church
church was described in Afternoon
a 19th-century guide book as “the See the photos of literary
most pretentious, ugliest edifice in figures such as Dylan
the metropolis”. The steeple is top- Thomas in the basement
bar of Fitzroy Tavern (see
ped with a statue of King George I p111) at No.16 Charlotte
posing as St George. d Bloomsbury Street, while enjoing a pre-
Way WC1 • Map M1 • Open 10am– lunch drink. If you fancy
5:30pm Mon–Fri and for services on Sun something more substantial
than bar food, try a curry
from Rasa Samudra (see
) StStation
Pancras International p111) at No. 5.
109
Around Town – Bloomsbury & Fitzrovia
Left Stylish glasses at Heals Centre Choosing a teddy at Hamley’s Right Liberty
Shopping
! Liberty
One of London’s most ^ Contemporary
Applied Arts
appealing department stores, CAA promotes British art and
Liberty sells cutting-edge crafts, and you can find glass,
contemporary design in clothing, ceramics, textiles and jewellery
jewellery and household items. within. d 2 Percy Street W1 • Map K1
Opened in 1875, to specialise in
goods and silks from the Empire,
the shop remains famous for its & James Smith and Son
Established in 1830, James
“Liberty Print” fabric (see p64). Smith is a beautiful shop that
d 210–220 Regent Street W1 • Map J2 will meet all your umbrella, cane
and walking stick needs. d 53
@ Hamleys
London’s largest toy shop
New Oxford Street WC1 • Map L1
£ Heals
London’s leading furniture ( Jarndyce
The handsome antiquarian
store is a showcase for the best bookshop is best for 18th- and
of British design. There is a café 19th-century British literature.
at the back of the 3rd floor. d 196 d 46 Great Russell Street WC1 • Map L1
Tottenham Court Road W1 • Map E2
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( Carluccio’s Caffè
Georgian townhouse, this is a A touch of authentic Italy in
traditional South Asian restaurant. this quiet square behind Oxford
d 1 Percy Street W1 • Map K1 • 020 Street. Eat hand-made pasta at
7323 9130 • No disabled access • ££££ pavement tables. d 8 Market Place
W1 • Map J2 • 020 7636 2228 • £
) Tas
salubrious but this Chinese This branch is well placed,
restaurant and cocktail bar is offering Turkish food made for
certainly classy. d 8 Hanway Place sharing. d 22 Bloomsbury Street WC1
W1 • Map K1 • 020 7907 1888 • £££££ • Map L2 • 020 7637 4555 • ££
% Fitzroy Tavern
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112
once governed the British
Empire that covered one fifth of
the world (see p28). d SW1 • Map
K5–L5 • Open 5am–midnight daily
! Buckingham
See pp26–7.
Palace Academy’s popular, annual
summer exhibition, new works by
both established and unknown
@ StThisJames’s Park
is undoubtedly London’s
artists are displayed (see p51). d
Burlington House, Piccadilly W1 • Map J4
most elegant park, with dazzling • Open 10am– 6pm daily (10pm Fri) • Free
flower beds, exotic wildfowl on (admission charge for temporary exhibitions)
the lake, an excellent restaurant/
café next to the lake (Inn the
Park, 020 7451 9999 to book) and $ StBuiltJames’s Palace
by Henry VIII, on the
music on the bandstand in site of the former hospital of St
summer. The bridge over the lake James, the palace is the official
has a good view to the west of residence of Prince Charles. The
Buckingham Palace and, to the red brick Tudor gatehouse is a
east, of the former Colonial Office familiar landmark (see p54). d The
where just 125 civil servants Mall SW1 • Map K5 • Closed to public
the south) has long been the In 1960 the Embassy building
place for high society to promen- opened on land leased from the
ade: many of its establishments Grosvenor Estate, who refused to
sell the freehold unless 12,000
have been here for over 100
acres of their estate in Florida,
years. The street is home to top confiscated after the War of
fashion houses, elegant galleries Independence, was returned.
such as Agnews and the Fine Art
Society, Sotheby’s auction rooms
and jewellers such as Tiffany and
Asprey. Where Old and New & Apsley House
The home of the Duke of
Bond Street meet, there is a Wellington (see p53), Apsley
delightful sculpture of wartime House is still partly occupied by
leaders Franklin D the family. Designed by
Roosevelt and Winston Robert Adam in the
Churchill – well worth a 1770s, the mansion is
photograph. d Map J3–J4 given over to paintings,
and memorabilia of the
^ Shepherd Market
The market was
great military leader.
Paintings include several
named after Edward fine works by Diego
Shepherd who built a Velázquez, including The
two-storey house here Sumptuous interior, Waterseller of Seville.
in around 1735. Today, this Apsley House Antonio Canova’s nude
pedestrianized area in the statue of Napoleon has
heart of Mayfair is a good place special poignancy. d Hyde Park
to visit on a summer evening for Corner W1 • Map D5 • Open Apr–Oct:
a drink or meal. Ye Grapes, dating 11am–5pm Wed–Sun (to 4pm Nov–Mar)
from 1882, is the principal pub, • Admission charge
while local restaurants include
L ‘Artiste Musclé, Le Boudin Blanc
and The Village Bistro. During the *Berkeley Square
This pocket of green in the
17th century, an annual May Fair middle of Mayfair was planted in
was held here, giving the area its 1789 and its 30 huge plane trees
name. d Map D4 may be the oldest in London.
114
Exploring St James’s
Morning
Starting from St James’s
Park Underground, walk up
( Burlington Arcade
This arcade of bijou shops Afternoon
was built in 1819 for Lord George Fortnum & Mason (see
Cavendish of Burlington House p64) is the perfect place
(see Royal Academy of Arts p113) to buy tea, as a souvenir,
and to have lunch, in the
to prevent people from throwing
Fountain restaurant,
rubbish into his garden. The where the dieter’s choice
arcade is patrolled by uniformed is caviar and half a bottle
beadles who control unseemly of champagne.
behaviour. d Piccadilly W1 • Map J4
Cross Piccadilly to the
Royal Academy of Arts
) Royal Institution
Michael Faraday (1791–1867),
(see p113) and spend an
hour on their permanent
a pioneer of electro-technology, collection, including
experimented in the laboratories Michelangelo’s sculpture,
of the Royal Institution, where Madonna and Child.
Window shop along
he was Professor of Chemistry Burlington Arcade and then
from 1833–67. These Neo-classical the Cork Street galleries
buildings house high-spec laborat- (see p116). Turn left into
ories and fascinating exhibitions Bond Street, heading for
including the Faraday Exhibition. Brown’s (see p177) stylish
hotel in Albemarle Street,
d The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle and relax over a lavish (and
Street W1 • Map J3 • Open 9am–5:30pm expensive) English tea.
Mon–Fri • Admission charge
115
Around Town – Mayfair & St James’s
Shopping
! Fortnum and Mason
Famous for its food hall and ^ Mulberry
Come here for the complete
restaurants, this elegant depart- country-house look, including
ment store still has male staff clothing, household items and
who wear coat tails. Try the gorgeous leather goods. d 41–2
extravagant ice creams in the New Bond Street W1 • Map J3
Fountain restaurant (see p64).
d 181 Piccadilly W1 • Map J4
& Cork Street Galleries
Cork Street is famous for its
@ Asprey
The British royal family have
art galleries. You can buy works
by the best artists here, from
bought their jewels here for more Picasso and Rothko to Damien
than a century. Other gift items to Hirst and Tracey Emin. d Map J3
be found here include pens and
silver picture frames. d 165–169
New Bond Street W1 • Map J3 * Sotheby’s
View everything from pop
star memorabilia to Old Master
£ Charbonnel et Walker
One of the best chocolate
paintings at this fine arts auction
house founded in 1744. d 34–5
shops in town selling a tempting New Bond Street W1 • Map J3
array of handmade chocolates.
Fill one of the pretty boxes, which
come in a range of sizes, with ( Fenwick
An up-market, pleasantly
your own choice of chocolates. small department store.
d 1 The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond d 63 New Bond Street W1 • Map J3
Street W1 • Map J4
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Momo & Nicole’s
Located in the Nicole Farhi
fashion shop, this café is a popular
kasbah style, this modern, North lunch stop. d 158 New Bond Street
African restaurant serves tajines W1 • Map J3 • 020 7499 8408 • ££
and couscous. The Mo Tea Room
and Bazaar next door serves tea
and snacks. d 25 Heddon Street W1 * Alloro
This Mayfair restaurant has
• Map J3 • 020 7434 4040 • ££££ an airy first-floor dining room, and
good Italian food. d 19–20 Dover Street
£ The Avenue
Join the smart set in this
W1 • Map J4 • 020 7495 4768 • £££££
$ Tamarind
This Indian restaurant doesn’t ) The Greenhouse
Michelin-star modern
disappoint. The food is modern, European cuisine in a serene
original and seasonal while staff Mayfair location. d 27 Hay’s Mews
are helpful and efficient. The set W1 • Map D4 • 020 7499 3331 • £££££
menus are great value. d 20
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Left Tiles, Holland House Centre Kensington Palace Gardens Right Natural History Museum
Sights
1 Natural History Museum 6 Harrods
2 Science Museum 7 Albert Hall
3 Victoria and Albert 8 Portobello Road
Museum
9 Holland Park
4 Kensington Palace
0 Leighton House
5 Albert Memorial
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Museum
and Albert royal costumes, including those
belonging to Queen
A cornucopia of Elizabeth II and also a
treasures is housed in beautiful collection of
this enchanting gowns that belonged to
museum named after Princess Diana (see
the devoted royal p54). d Kensington Palace
couple. There are fine Gardens W8 • Map A4 • Open
and applied arts from Mar–Oct: 10am–6pm daily;
all over the world, from Nov–Feb: 10am–5pm daily (last
ancient China to Turkish table from 1560 admission 1 hour before
contemporary Britain. at the V&A Museum closing) • Admission charge
Highlights include
extraordinary plaster copies of
statues, and monuments and % Albert Memorial
This edifice to Queen
artifacts from the Italian Victoria’s beloved consort, Prince
Renaissance. Displays are Albert, now glowing from a
arranged over six floors of recent restoration, is a fitting
galleries. The stunning British tribute to the man who played a
Galleries display more than 3,000 large part in establishing the
objects illustrating the best of South Kensington museums.
British art and design since 1500 Located opposite the Royal
(see p48). d Cromwell Road SW7 Albert Hall, the memorial was
• Map B5–C5 • Open 10am–5:45pm daily designed by Sir George Gilbert
(to 10pm every Fri) • Free Scott and completed in 1876.
At its four corners are tableaux
$ Kensington Palace
This is a delightful royal
representing the Empire,
which was at its height during
residence on a domestic scale, Victoria’s reign. d Kensington
still in use by members of the Gardens SW7 • Map B4
120
Kensington on Foot
Morning
Start at South Kensington
Underground station, and
( Holland Park
There is a great deal of
Turn right into Beauchamp
Place, where window
shopping takes in creations
charm about Holland Park,
by such English designers
where enclosed gardens are as Bruce Oldfield and
laid out like rooms in an open-air Caroline Charles. Continue
house. At its centre is Holland down into Pont Street, and
House, a beautiful Jacobean turn left up Sloane Street.
mansion, which was destroyed Check out Hermés, Chanel
and Dolce e Gabbana
in a bombing raid in 1941. What before turning left along
remains is used as a youth Knightsbridge to Harrods.
hostel and the backdrop for
summer concerts. Peacocks Harrods has a choice of
roam in the woods and in the 21 bars and restaurants.
The food hall’s Deli and
gardens, including the Dutch the Oyster Bar are best.
Garden, where dahlias were first Save dessert for the 4th-
planted in England. d Abbotsbury floor ice-cream parlour.
Road W14 • Map A4–A5
Afternoon
121
Around Town – Kensington & Knightsbridge
Left Riding, Hyde Park Centre Serpentine Gallery Right Holland Park Orangery
£ Serpentine Gallery
In the southeast corner of
take place on summer evenings.
d Hyde Park W2 • Map C4
Kensington Gardens, this gallery
houses temporary exhibitions of
contemporary art (see p51). ( Speakers’ Corner
This corner of Hyde Park
d Kensington Gardens W2 • Map B4 attracts assorted public speakers,
• Open 10am–6pm daily • Free especially on Sundays. d Hyde
Park W2 • Map C3
$ Christie’s
Visiting the salerooms here
) Hyde Park Stables
is like going to a small museum. Ride around Hyde Park or
Their experts will value items take lessons – this is the best
brought in by the public. d 85 Old place for horse riding in London.
Brompton Road SW7 • Map B5 • Open d 63 Bathurst Mews W2 • Map B3
9am–5pm Mon–Fri (7:30pm Mon)
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! Harrods
London’s most famous
company has held the Royal
Warrant since 1960. Expect
store has over 300 departments service fit for a Queen.
full of the finest goods that d 2 Hans Road SW3 • Tube Knightsbridge
money can buy. Specialities
include food, fashion, china,
glass and kitchenware (see p64 & Antiquarius
Up to 60 dealers housed
and p120). d 87–135 Brompton Road under one roof sell vintage
SW1 • Map C5 jewellery and silverware as well
as more unusual antiques. d 131–
@ Harvey Nichols
Another top London store.
141 King’s Road SW3 • Map C6
$ Nicole Farhi
Sophisticated urban clothing
Road SW3 • Map B6
% L’Artisan du Chocolat
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Hill. d 13 Blenheim Crescent W11
• Tube Ladbroke Grove
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@ Churchill Arms
Filled with intriguing bric-à-
kitchens, traditional ice cream
and sorbet is made with the
brac and Churchill memorabilia, freshest ingredients. Have your
this is a large, friendly Victorian own bespoke flavour created
pub. Inexpensive Thai food is within 24 hours. d Knightsbridge
served in the conservatory at SW1 • Map C5
lunchtime and for dinner until
9:30pm. d 119 Kensington Church
Street W8 • Map A4 * Fifth Floor Café
Open all day for breakfast,
lunch, tea and dinner. d Harvey
$ Portobello Gold
This trendy bar, used by local ) Portobello Stalls
Along the market there are
antique dealers, has a suitably stalls offering ethnic food of
alternative atmosphere and an every kind. The area also has
upstairs Internet bar. There is a good choice of cafes around
also a conservatory restaurant. Portobello Green. d Portobello
d 95–97 Portobello Road W11 • Map A3 Road W11 • Tube Westbourne Park
% Nag’s Head
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Restaurants
! Clarke’s
The menu consists of what- ^ Royal China
A tempting variety of dim
ever chef Sally Clarke decides to sum, including delicious char siu
cook for the evening meal. What- buns, are the main attraction
ever it is will be excellent. here. d 13 Queensway W2 • Map A3
d 124 Kensington Church Street W8 • 020 7221 2535 • £££
• Map A5 • 020 7221 9225 • £££££
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! Madame Tussaud’s
Madame Tussaud’s museum
taste. As well as 25 galleries
of fine Sèvres porcelain and
of waxwork models of the famous an unrivalled collection of
has been one of London’s major armour, there are old masters
attractions for a century. The by English, French and Dutch
famous Chamber of Horrors puts artists, including Frans Hals’s
visitors face-to-face with London’s The Laughing Cavalier (see p50).
most infamous criminals. To d Manchester Square W1 • Map D3
avoid a long wait, arrive early in • Open 10am–5pm daily • Free
the day or book ahead by phone
or web to get a timed ticket.
(see p68). d Marylebone Road NW1 $ Regent’s Park
The best part of Regent’s
• Map C2 • Open 9:30am–5:30pm daily Park is the Inner Circle. Here are
• Admission charge Queen Mary’s Gardens, with
beds of wonderfully fragrant
@ London Zoo
Lying on the northern side
roses, the Open Air Theatre with
its summer Shakespeare plays,
of Regent’s Park, London Zoo and the Garden Café, which,
is home to 600 different animal along with the Honest Sausage
species. The zoo is heavily into near London Zoo, is the best
conservation and you can see park café. Rowing boats, tennis
the breeding programmes of courts and deck chairs can be
endangered animals, such as the rented and in summer musical
giant weta and Knysna seahorse. performances take place on the
A map is provided and their bandstand (see p29). d NW1
booklet is full of fascinating • Map C1–D2 • Open 5am–dusk daily
Left Barack Obama, Madame Tussaud’s Right Boating lake, Regent’s Park
129
% Marylebone
Museum
Cricket Club Regency London
Regent’s Park was named after the
This is the place to unravel the Prince Regent (the future George
mysteries of England’s greatest IV) who employed John Nash in
gift to the world of sports. Founded 1812 to lay out the park on the
Around Town – Regent’s Park & Marylebone
Left Residential narrow boats, Regent’s Canal Right BBC Broadcasting House
131
Around Town – Regent’s Park & Marylebone
Left Selfridges columned façade Centre John Lewis department store Right Selfridges window
Shopping
! Daunt’s Books
All kinds of travel books, ^ Marylebone Lane
This charming lane off
including fiction, are arranged Marylebone High Street still has
along oak galleries in this plenty of quirky gems to tempt
atmospheric Edwardian travel the shopper. d Off Marylebone High
bookshop. d 83–84 Marylebone Street W1 • Map D3
High Street W1 • Map D3
$ Divertimenti
This innovative London
designer fashion, and has a
wonderful food hall with cafés.
kitchen store has a huge variety d 400 Oxford Street W1 • Map D3
of cooking implements, utensils
and tableware. Open
Sunday afternoons. ( Marks &
Spencer
d 45–7 Wigmore Street This flagship British
W1 • Map D3 brand is known for
its underwear and
Market
3
. Street W1 • Map D3
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£ Caffè Caldesi
This light and airy Italian
serving French-inspired food. d 55
Marylebone High Street W1 • Map D3
eaterie offers classic dishes and • 020 7616 8000 • Disabled access • £££££
a good wine list. The upstairs
restaurant is slightly more
formal. d 118 Marylebone Lane W1 ( The Providores and
Tapa Room
• Map D3 • 020 7935 1144 • ££££ On the ground floor, the Tapa
Room serves exciting fusion
$ Reubens
One of London’s
cuisine; upstairs is a more
sophisticated foodie
best kosher restau- experience at The
rants offering such Providores. d 109
comfort food as Marylebone High Street
chopped liver and W1 • Map D3 • 020 7935
salt beef. d 79 Baker
6175 • £££–££££
Street W1 • Map C3
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Left Fish weathervane at Old Billingsgate Market Right Old Billingsgate Market
The City
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$ Barbican Centre
The cultural jewel of the City,
Tower Bridge and the Pool of London and run by the City of London
Corporation, the Barbican Centre
! Tower of London
See pp36–9.
is an important arts complex.
Music, dance, theatre, film and
art all take place here, with top
@ StSeePaul’s Cathedral
pp40–43.
visiting performers and artists.
There is also an excellent library,
a restaurant, Searcy’s (p139), and
£ Tower Bridge
When the Pool of London
a waterside café. Opened in 1982,
the arts complex is part of the
was the gateway to the city’s Barbican, a major development
larder, this flamboyant bridge covering 20 acres and flanked by
(see p71) was constantly being large blocks of flats. Access from
raised and lowered for sail and the Barbican tube station is along
steam ships bringing their a marked route above ground
cargoes from all corners of the level. The Centre looks across
Empire. Pedestrians who needed the moat to the church of St
to cross the river when the Giles Cripplegate, dating from
bridge was open had to climb 1550 (see p56). d Silk Street EC2
up the 300 steps of the towers • Map R1 • Box office: 020 7638 8891
135
% Museum of London
An essential visit for anyone
Dick Whittington
A stained-glass window in St
interested in the history of Michael, Paternoster Royal, depicts
London. Visitors discover the Dick Whittington (and his cat) –
City’s many incarnations in hero of a well-known London rags-
Around Town – the City
^ Guildhall
For around 900 years the
Raphaelite works. With the aid
of a computerized cataloguing
Guildhall has been the administra- system, it is possible to view all
tive centre of the City of London. the Guildhall’s 31,000 prints and
City ceremonials are held in its paintings. d Gresham Street EC2
magnificent 15th-century Great • Map G3 • Open 10am–5pm Mon–Sat,
Hall, which is hung with banners noon–4pm Sun • Admission charge
of the main livery companies. In
the Guildhall Library are rotating
displays of wonderful historic * Bank of England Museum
Liveried doormen greet
manuscripts and an intriguing visitors to this excellent museum,
collection of watches and clocks, housed in a marvellous building
from the Worshipful Company of designed by Sir John Soane (see
Clockmakers – some from 1600. p107). A variety of material is on
d Guildhall Yard, Gresham Street EC2 display, including 45 bars of gold
• Map G3 • Open 10am–4:30pm Mon–Sat bullion at the centre of the 1930s
(& Sun May–Sep) • Free rotunda. There is a map of the
136
The City on Foot
Morning
Start the day with a brisk
trot up the 311 steps of the
( Monument
This 62-m (202-ft) monument
Leadenhall Market building
for trendy shops,
restaurants and bars. Have
by Sir Christopher Wren is the a delicious lunch at Luc’s
world’s tallest free-standing Brasserie in the market.
stone column. Its height is equal
to the distance from the baker’s Afternoon
shop in Pudding Lane where the After lunch, see the City’s
Great Fire of London began in historic financial buildings
along Cornhill. Notice the
1666 – the event that it marks.
Royal Exchange building’s
Inside, 311 stairs spiral up to a grand Corinthian portico
viewing platform; when you and hear its carillon of
return to the entrance, you will bells at 3pm. Opposite is
receive a certificate to say that the Mansion House, the
official residence of the
you have made the climb.
Lord Mayor of London. To
d Monument Street EC3 • Map H4 • Open the north, across Thread-
9:30am–5pm daily • Admission charge needle Street, is the Bank
of England. Continue into
Lothbury and along
) StNearKatharine’s Dock
Tower Bridge and the Gresham Street to Guild-
hall, where you should look
Tower of London, this is the place at the medieval Great Hall.
to come and relax, to watch the
rich on their yachts and the Head up Wood Street to
working sailors on the Thames the Barbican Centre (see
p135) for tea by the lake at
barges. There are several cafés,
the Waterside Café. Check
the Dickens Inn, with outside the programme for the
tables, and the Aquarium day’s events and maybe
restaurant for a serious meal take in a performance.
(see p71). d E1 • Map H4
137
Around Town – the City
@ StOneBartholomew-the-Great
of London’s oldest
Sun • Free
$ St Sepulchre-without-
Newgate
Baroque). Lunchtime concerts are
held on Mon and Fri. d Gresham
The largest church in the city, St Street EC2 • Map R2 • Open 10am–4pm
Sepulchre is famous for its peal Mon–Fri, services on Sun • Free
of 12 bells. Lunchtime concerts
are held on Tue and Wed. d Holborn
Viaduct EC1 • Map Q1 • Open noon–2pm ) StBeautiful
Lawrence Jewry
stained glass win-
Tue–Thu, 11am–3pm Wed • Free dows of historic figures are the
highlight here. d Guildhall EC2 • Map
% StOneKatherine Cree
of eight churches to
R2 • Open 7:30am–2pm daily • Free
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d Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street EC2
• Map H3 • 020 7877 7842 • £££££
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• Map H3 • 020 7618 2483 • £££££
Note: Unless otherwise stated, all restaurants accept credit cards and 139
serve vegetarian meals. Many City restaurants close at weekends.
Around Town – Heading North
Left View over London from Hampstead Heath Right Camden Lock Market
Heading North
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£ Keats House
Keats Grove, off Downshire
Hill, is one of the loveliest areas
of Hampstead. The house where
Hampstead Heath the poet John Keats wrote much
of his work is a pretty white villa,
! Camden Markets
The most exciting North
containing facsimiles of his fragile
manuscripts and letters, as well
London markets are open every as some personal possessions.
weekend, and linked by the busy Poetry readings and talks take
and colourful Camden High place regularly (see p52). d Keats
Street. Camden Market, near Grove NW3 • Train to Hampstead Heath
the tube station, is packed with • For opening times see www.cityoflondon.
stalls selling clothes, shoes and gov.uk • Admission charge
jewellery. Further up the road, by
the canal, Camden Lock Market
focuses on crafts and ethnic $ Freud Museum
Sigmund Freud, the founder
goods. Stalls in the warehouses of psychoanalysis, and his daugh-
of Stables Market have great food ter Anna, came to live here when
on sale. Open weekends only he fled Nazi-occupied Vienna. The
between 8am and 6pm (see house contains Freud’s collection
p65). d Camden High Street & Chalk of antiques and his library,
Farm Road NW1 • Tube Camden Town including first editions of his
own works. Also on display is
141
% Kenwood House
This magnificent mansion,
Hampstead Wells
Hampstead’s heyday began in the
filled with Old Masters, is set early 18th century, when a spring
in an idyllic lakeside estate on in Well Walk was recognized as
the edge of Hampstead Heath. having medicinal properties. This
Around Town – Heading North
^ Burgh House
Built in 1703, Burgh House
d Windmill Hill NW3 • Tube Hampstead
• Open Mar–Nov: 2–5pm Wed–Fri, 11am–
houses Hampstead Museum, 5pm Sat & Sun • Admission charge
which has a good selection of
local books and a map of the
famous people who have lived * 2Designed
Willow Road
in 1939 by the
in the area. The panelled music architect Ernö Goldfinger for
room is used for art exhibitions, himself and his wife, the artist
concerts and meetings, and Ursula Blackwell, this is one of
there is a pleasant café with the most important examples
garden tables. d New End Square of modern architecture in the
NW3 • Tube Hampstead • Open noon– UK. A film helps put the life and
5pm Wed–Fri, Sun • Free times of the couple in context.
Goldfinger designed all the
142
Exploring the North
Morning
Starting at Hampstead
tube station, head left
143
Around Town – Heading North
£ Almeida Theatre
This famous local theatre * Hampstead Theatre
This important fringe
attracts the best actors and theatre is a venue for ambitious
directors from the UK and the US. new writing, and has produced
The bar serves cocktails and light plays by such innovative British
meals and snacks. d Almeida Street artists as Harold Pinter, Michael
N1 • Tube Angel or Highbury & Islington Frayn and Mike Leigh. d Eton
• 020 7359 4404 • www.almeida.co.uk Avenue NW3 • Tube Swiss Cottage (exit
2) • 020 7722 9301
$ Alexandra Palace
Located in a beautiful park,
( Regent’s Park Golf and
this reconstructed 1873 exhibi- Tennis School
tion centre offers a range of This floodlit facility is open
amusements, including regular for golf and tennis from 8am–
antique fairs. Tours of the 1920s 9pm daily. d Outer Circle, Regent’s
BBC studios may be booked. Park NW1 • Tube Camden Town • 020
d Tube Wood Green • BBC tours: 020 7724 0643
8365 2121
@ Manna
Global vegetarian cuisine & Rotunda
A classy restaurant with fine
is served with style in this views of the Battlebridge Basin.
modern restaurant with Try the roast loin of lamb with
minimalist interior. d 4 Erskine confit cabbage and dauphinoise
Road, Primrose Hill NW3 • Tube Chalk potatoes; the meat is sourced
Farm • 020 7722 8028 • ££££ from their own farm. d 90 York Way
N1 • Map E1 • 020 7014 2840 • ££££
* Louis Patisserie
British greasy spoon, this café This wonderful old tea room
serves sausages and mash as is part of Hampstead folklore.
well as other comfort food made Sink into a comfortable sofa and
from quality ingredients. Choose sample some of the tempting
from over half a dozen varieties, cakes on display in the window.
from traditional pork to steak and d 32 Heath Street NW3 • Tube
guiness sausages. d 4–6 Essex Hampstead • 020 7435 9908 • £
Road N1 • Map G1 • 020 7359 5361 • ££
% Camino
Offering tapas and great
Hampstead Heath, this is one
of London’s most famous old
cocktails as well as Spanish pubs. Traditional English pub
wines, sherries and traditional ci- food is mingled with more exotic
der, Camino is a welcome addi- choices such as calamari (squid).
tion to King’s Cross. d 3 Varnisher’s d Spaniards Road NW3 • 020 8731 6571
Yard N1 • Map E1 • 020 7841 7331 • ££££ • Tube Hampstead, Golders Green • ££
Left Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich Right Deer in Richmond Park
Sights
1 Hampton Court 6 Chiswick House
2 Greenwich 7 Horniman Museum
and Gardens
3 Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew 8 Syon House and Park
4 Richmond 9 Ham House
5 Dulwich Picture 0 Wimbledon Lawn
Gallery Tennis Museum
Carving over entrance to
remains of Richmond Palace
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! Hampton Court
Visiting this historic, royal
selling arts, crafts and antiques.
The old tea clipper, the Cutty
Tudor palace and its extensive Sark (see p71), is being restored
grounds is a popular day out nearby. d Greenwich SE10 • Train to
from London. As well as family Greenwich; DLR Cutty Sark, Greenwich
trails and special exhibitions, • Royal Observatory Greenwich: Open
tours of six separate areas with 10am–5pm daily • Admission charge
costumed or audio guides are
available. Events held here
throughout the year include a £ Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew
week-long music festival in June, This former royal garden holds
which regularly attracts big-name the world’s largest plant collection
performers. In July, the grounds of around 30,000 specimens.
are filled by the world’s largest Kew Palace and Queen Char-
flower show, organized by the lotte’s Cottage (see p54) were
Royal Horticultural Society. A used as residences by George
frequent train service from III, whose mother, Princess
Waterloo takes about half an hour Augusta, laid the first garden
but for a delightfully leisurely trip, here. Take a Kew Explorer Bus
catch a boat from Westminster tour of the gardens – you can
Pier, which takes about four hours get on and off it any time.
(see pp54–5). d East Molesey, Surrey d Kew TW9 • Train & tube Kew Gardens
• Train Hampton Court • Open Apr–Oct: • 020 8332 5655 • Open 9:30am daily;
10am–6pm daily; Nov–Mar: 10am–4:30pm closing times vary between 4:15–5:30pm
daily (last adm 1 hour before closing) in winter and from 6–7:30pm in summer.
• Admission charge Call for information • Admission charge
Left Hampton Court Centre Clock at Royal Observatory Right Queen Charlotte’s Cottage
148
A Day Exploring
Maritime Greenwich
Morning
Start the day from West-
149
Around Town – South & West
$ The Bush
This off-West End theatre is
Artillery. Hundreds of exhibits as
well as a spectacular multi-media
one of London’s premier show- display. d Royal Arsenal, Woolwich SE18
cases for new writers. d Shepherd’s • Train to Woolwich Arsenal • Open 10am–
Bush Green W12 • Tube Shepherd’s Bush 5pm Wed–Sun • Admission charge
• 020 8743 5050
$ The Glasshouse
The food is exciting, modern
the usual favourites as well as
more unusual dishes such as
European at this relaxed restau- mud fish sweet and sour soup.
rant. d 14 Station Parade, Kew, Surrey Expect liberal use of chilli and
• Tube Kew Gardens • 020 8940 6777 spices. d 314 Uxbridge Road W12 • Tube
• No disabled access • ££££ Shepherd’s Bush • 020 8743 8930 • ££
% The Gate
Probably the best vegetarian ) The Dove
With the smallest bar in
restaurant in London, The Gate is Britain, a warm fire, good local
worth hunting out. The gourmet beer and a riverside terrace, this
menu changes regularly, and the is as close to a perfect pub as
meals are hearty and inventive. you can get. Good bar food is
Closed Sundays. d 51 Queen Caroline served lunchtime and evening.
Street W6 • Tube Hammersmith • 020 d 19 Upper Mall W6 • Tube Hammer-
8748 6932 • No disabled access • £££ smith • 020 8748 9747
Heading East
Sights
1 Canary Wharf 6 Spitalfields
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152
Among the highlights is a full size
reconstruction of a 19th-century
street in Wapping – here you will
find a wild animal emporium,
alehouse and chandlery. d No 1
£ Hoxton
If you want to see the latest
in British contemporary art, then
this is the place to come. Hoxton
Square is home to the White Cube
gallery, where many of the now
Vaulted glass roof, Canary Wharf DLR station established contemporary artists,
known as the YBAs (Young British
! Canary Wharf
The centrepiece of the Dock-
Artists), such as Damien Hirst,
Sarah Lucas and Tracey Emin,
lands development is Canary first made their names. Acrobats
Wharf and the 240-m (800-ft) - and aerial performers put on
high, 50-storey Canada Tower shows at Circus Space on the
designed by the US architect, north side of Hoxton Market.
Cesar Pelli. Although the tower is Popular cafés and restaurants
not open to the public, parts of include the Hoxton Square
the complex are open to visitors, Kitchen and Bar and the Real
including the mall, where there Greek (see p157). d Tube Old Street
are shops, restaurants and bars.
The star of the area’s exciting
architecture is the stunning Canary $ Whitechapel Art Gallery
This excellent gallery has a
Wharf station, designed by Norman reputation for showing cutting-
Foster. d Tube & DLR Canary Wharf edge contemporary art from
around the world. The White-
@ Museum of London
Docklands
chapel has launched the careers
of David Hockney, Gilbert and
Set in a Georgian warehouse, George and Anthony Caro.
this museum tells the 2000-year- Behind the Art Nouveau façade
old story of London’s river and there is also a great bookshop
port. Exhibits include whale and café. d Whitechapel High Street
bones, opium pipes and the E1 • Map H3 • Open 11am–6pm Tue–Sun
unusual “cabinet of curiosities”. (Thu 9pm)
Left Museum of London Docklands Right Whitechapel Art Gallery’s 1901 entrance
153
% V&A Museum of
Childhood
The Huguenots in London
Driven from France in 1685, the
Everyone will find something to Huguenots were Protestants
delight them here: from dolls and fleeing religious persecution by
teddy bears to train sets and Catholics. They were mostly silk
Around Town – Heading East
Left Georgian terrace, Fournier Street Right Dining room, Geffrye Museum
154
A Day Around the
East End
Morning
Start at Old Spitalfields
) Geffrye Museum
Devoted to the evolution of
space to take in a contem-
porary art show. Have a cup
family life and interior design, of tea in the museum café
this fascinating museum has and stop by the bookshop.
a series of rooms decorated in Finally, take a ride on the
distinct period style. Originally a driverless Docklands Light
1715 almshouse, the building has Railway (from Tower
been transformed and you can Gateway, a short walk
wander through an oak-panelled from Whitechapel), for
some of the best views
17th-century drawing room, a of East London. Emerge
1930s flat or a contemporary at Canary Wharf to see
loft apartment. Stroll through London’s latest architecture
a series of period gardens around Cabot Square, and
between April and October. finish the afternoon with a
drink at Via Fosse (see
d Kingsland Road E2 • Map H2 • Open p157) on West India Quay.
10am–5pm Tue–Sat, noon–5pm Sun
@ Victoria Park
One of East London’s largest
lands with comedy clubs and
public concerts. d Canary Wharf E14
and most pleasant parks. There • DLR Canary Wharf • 020 7418 2782
are two lakes, where model boats
are sailed at weekends, ornamen-
tal gardens, a children’s zoo, & Docklands Sailing &
Watersports Centre
tennis courts and a bowling Enjoy sailing, rowing and canoe-
green. d Bow E9 • Tube Bethnal Green ing facilities here. d Millwall Dock,
Westferry Road E14 • DLR Crossharbour
$ Sutton House
This Tudor merchant’s house
) Mile End Park
dates from 1535 and is one of the For skateboarders, BMX
oldest in the East End. d 2–4 Homer- riders and rollerbladers, this
ton High Street E9 • Tube Bethnal Green, new park also has a go-kart
then 253 bus • 020 8986 2264 • Open track. d Mile End Road E3 • Tube Mile
Thu–Sun and Bank Holiday Mondays End • 020 7264 4660 (Environment Trust)
156
Price Categories
For a three-course £ under £15
meal for one with half ££ £15–£25
a bottle of wine (or £££ £25–£35
equivalent meal), taxes ££££ £35–£50
and extra charges. £££££ over £50
LONDON’S TOP 10
161
Getting Around
162
Sources of Information
163
London for the
Disabled
164
Banking &
Communications
165
Security & Health
166
Excursions from
London
167
Trips & Tours
168
Avoiding the Crowds
169
Shopping Tips
170
London on a Budget
171
Hotels
172–179
Streetsmart
Arriving in London
! Heathrow Airport Luton Airport St Pancras
London’s main airport $ This quieter airport is * International
is 15 miles (24 km) west 31 miles (50 km) north of Home to over 50 shops,
of central London. The London. A shuttle bus bars and restaurants –
Heathrow Express train connects the airport to including Europe’s longest
to Paddington is the quick- Luton Parkway station, champagne bar – this is
est way into the centre, from which various trains the place to arrive in
taking 15 to 20 minutes. go to the city taking London via the Eurostar.
Trains run from 5am until around 20 minutes. Trains take under 2 hours
about 11pm daily. Taxis Green Line operates a from Brussels or 2 hours
take an hour or more, coach service to central 15 minutes from Paris.
depending on traffic, and London. d Luton d St Pancras International •
are very expensive. Cheap information: 01582 405 100 Map E2 • Eurostar enquiries
options include the tube • www.london-luton.co.uk and reservations: 0870 518
(Piccadilly line) or National 6186 • www.eurostar.com
Express coach into the
% London
Airport
City
centre. d Heathrow infor-
mation: 0870 000 0123 Situated in Docklands, 9 ( Channel Crossings
Eurotunnel operates
• www.heathrowairport.com miles (14 km) from the a drive-on-drive-off train
centre, this airport is best service between Calais,
@ Gatwick Airport
London’s second air-
served by Shuttlebus from
Liverpool Street station,
in northern France, and
Folkestone, in the south
port is 31 miles (50 km) or by DLR from Bank tube of England (35 minutes).
south of the centre, on station. A taxi to the Ferries from Calais to
the Surrey-Sussex border. centre takes about 35 min- Dover, the shortest Chan-
The Gatwick Express train utes. d London City infor- nel crossing, take around
runs every 15 minutes into mation: 020 7646 0088 • 90 minutes. The drive to
Victoria Station, taking www.londoncityairport.com London on the M20
around 30 minutes. There motorway takes around 1
are also train connections
to London Bridge and St ^ Other Airports
England’s other main
and a half hours. • www.
eurotunnel.com • Reser-
Pancras. The National airports are Birmingham, vations: 0870 535 3535
Express coach is a little Liverpool, Manchester,
cheaper and takes an
hour longer. d Gatwick
Newcastle and East
Midlands. All have direct ) Other Sea Links
Car ferries sail from
information: 0870 0002 468 road, rail and bus connec- northern France to other
• www.gatwickairport.com tions to and from London. Channel ports in the south
of England, as well as
£ Stansted Airport
This fast-growing & Victoria
Station
Coach from Bilbao and Santander
in northern Spain to
airport is 35 miles (56 km) Both national and inter- Portsmouth or Plymouth.
northeast of London. The national buses operate Hoverspeed operates a
Stansted Express train to from here, London’s main fast catamaran service
Liverpool Street station coach station. The terminal from Dieppe to
takes 45 minutes. is a 10-minute walk from Newhaven (summer
Coaches to various Victoria railway station. only). Passenger and
London locations take d Victoria Coach Station, 164 car-ferry services also
between 1 and 2 hours. Buckingham Palace Rd SW1 run to other ports around
d Stansted information: • Map D5 • Reservations: the country from the
0870 000 0303 • www. 0871 781 8181 • www. Netherlands, Scandinavia
stanstedairport.com nationalexpress.com and Ireland.
161
Streetsmart
Getting Around
! The Underground Pre-paid Travel
London’s underground $ Passes
a firm’s office. Never
pick one up on the
train network, or “tube”, One-day and weekend street, or from one of the
is the fastest way to get Travelcards are economi- unofficial offices in Soho,
around town, but trains cal if you make more than as they are likely to be
are crowded during rush- two trips by public trans- uninsured. “Lady Mini-
hour. Lines are colour- port in a day. They can be cabs” have only women
coded and easy to follow bought at tube stations or drivers. d Lady Minicabs:
on the map on the back newsagents, and are valid 020 7272 3300
cover of this book. Trains on the Underground, • www.ladyminicabs.co.uk
run from around 5:30am some overground trains,
to midnight, with fares
based on the six zones
buses and the DLR, on
weekdays after 9:30am. * Car Rental
Car rental is not cheap
into which the network Oyster cards and weekly in the United Kingdom
is divided. Zone 1 and monthly Travelcards and the rates are similar
covers Central London. are also available: for a among the larger com-
d Transport for London: 020 monthly pass you need panies. Europcar and
7222 1234 • www.tfl.gov.uk a passport-sized photo. Thrifty are most likely to
offer deals. Drivers must
@ London Buses
Slower than the tube % Rail Travel
Suburban and intercity
show a valid licence and
be aged 21 or even 24.
but a cheaper way to travel is served through d Europcar: 0845 758 5375
travel, buses are also a the 10 main London • Thrifty: 01494 751500
good way of seeing the termini. Rail travel is
city as you go. To travel
in the city between
expensive and the fare
structures complicated. ( Cycle Rental
You need a strong
midnight and 6am, you Planning ahead for long nerve to cycle in London’s
will need a night bus. journeys is advisable busy traffic, but it can be
Most night buses may be and may save money. a great way to see the
picked up at bus stops d National Rail Enquiries: city. Lock up bikes as
around Trafalgar Square 08457 484950 • www. theft is common. There is
and the West End. nationalrail.co.uk a choice of bicycle rental
companies in London.
£ Docklands Light
Railway (DLR) ^ Taxis
London’s black cabs
d London Bicycle Tour
Company: 020 7928 6838
The automated overland can be hailed anywhere; • On Your Bike: 020 7378 6669
railway serving Docklands their “For Hire” sign is lit
has two branches, one
that heads south to
up when they are free.
You can also find them at ) London on Foot
Walking is a rewarding
Greenwich and Lewisham railway stations, airports option in London. The
and the other to Wool- and taxi ranks. A 10 per centre of the capital is
wich, Arsenal. It is linked cent tip is customary. not large, and you will be
to the Underground Black cabs can be ordered surprised at how short
network at Bank, Tower in advance from Radio the distance usually is
Gateway (near Tower Hill) Taxis and Dial-a-Cab. between two points that
and other points. Outside d Dial-a-Cab: 020 7253 5000 seem quite far apart
rush hour, it is a pleasant • Radio Taxis: 020 7272 0272 when travelled by tube.
way of seeing this Traffic drives on the left
regenerated area of
the East End. d Transport & Minicabs
Only obtain a minicab
in the UK, so take care
when crossing the road,
for London: www.tfl.gov.uk by telephone or by visiting and watch for light signals.
Sources of Information
! London
Board
Tourist
$ Restaurant
Services
Standard’s website www.
thisislondon.co.uk is also
Visit London is the official This organization (in busi- helpful. Visit London
tourist organisation for ness for over 25 years) (London’s Tourist Board)
London and has a range will find you a restaurant publishes useful guides
of services for visitors to and reserve a table for on accommodation and
the capital, including a you if you call, fax or e- activities in the capital.
useful accommodation mail your requirements
booking scheme. Their
website gives a number
to them. They have a
comprehensive database * Weather
London’s weather is
of options. d Visit London: and will try to meet your unpredictable, but if you
020 7234 5800 • www. needs. There is no charge. want to check ahead
visitlondon.com d 020 8888 8080 phone Weathercall for an
• www.restaurant- up-to-the minute fore-
@ Tourist
Centres
Information services.co.uk cast. There are also regu-
lar weather forecasts for
Offering advice on any-
thing and everything % Television
Apart from satellite
the capital and other re-
gions on radio and
from day trips and guided and cable television, television. d Weathercall:
tours to accommodation, there are five terrestrial 0906 850 0401 • www.
you will find these channels in the UK: two weathercall.co.uk
London Visitor Centres at run as public service
1 Regent Street W1, on
level 2 of Tate Modern
channels by the BBC
(BBC1 and BBC2), and ( Britain and
London Visitor
and in Greenwich, at the three commercial Centre
Pepys House SE10. They channels (ITV, Channel 4 Here you will find a vast
stock free leaflets on cur- and Channel 5). Ceefax amount of information on
rent events and attrac- and Teletext are text London and the rest of
tions. The City of London programmes on these the country, with advice
Information Centre (op- channels, giving travel on accommodation,
posite St Paul’s Cathedral and weather updates. travel, attractions and
in EC4) is also useful. activities. As well as the
^ Radio Visitor Centre in Regent
£ Accommodation
Pre-paid hotel
London radio stations
bring constant news and
Street, there is a good
website. d 1 Regent
reservations booked travel updates for the Street W1 • 0870 156 6366
through Visit London are capital. They include BBC • Map J2 • Open daily
guaranteed to be the London Live (94.9 FM), • www.visitbritain.com
lowest rate you can find. Capital FM (95.8 FM) and
If paying by credit card,
you can use their hotel
LBC (97.3 FM).
) London Lesbian &
Gay Switchboard
booking service online. Publications This information line
You can also book in & For current events provides information,
person at centres in in London, see the daily support and a referral
Victoria and Liverpool papers, particularly the service for lesbians and
Street stations, and at Evening Standard (the gay men. They can give
Heathrow. d Visit London capital’s evening paper), advice on pubs, clubs
Accommodation Booking and Time Out, the and bars for gay visitors
Service: 0871 222 3118 weekly listings magazine, to the capital.
• www.visitlondon which includes activities d 020 7837 7324
offers.com for children. The Evening • www.queery.org.uk
163
Streetsmart
Museums
London without having to
walk too far. Access can ) Publications
The Disability Alliance
£ Most of London’s be difficult for those in consists of many volun-
museums and galleries wheelchairs, however. The tary groups and produces
have ramps for wheel- tours last for around 90 the Disability Rights Hand-
chair access and disabled minutes and can be joined book, a list of organiza-
toilets. Recorded “audio at various city locations tions of and for disabled
tours” can often be hired, (see p168). d Can Be people. d Disability
which are useful to those Done: 020 8907 2400 Alliance: 020 7247 8776
with impaired vision. • www.canbedone.co.uk • www.disabilityalliance.org
Left Bow Street police station, Covent Garden Centre Mounted police Right Boots pharmacy
166
Streetsmart
Left Punting, River Cam, Cambridge Right Palace Pier, Brighton beach
167
Streetsmart
Left Westfield Shopping Centre Centre Harrods Right Covent Garden Central Market
Shopping Tips
! Shopping Areas
There are many great
damaged (this isn’t always
the case with sale items).
End stores (Selfridges,
John Lewis, Liberty,
places to shop in London, Always keep receipts so Harvey Nichols, Harrods
with some areas special- you can return any see pp64–5) have gift
izing in particular things. unsatisfactory items. departments with bright
Covent Garden has the ideas. Elsewhere around
most up-to-the-minute
clothes, shoes, jewellery % Sales
Large stores and
the city, there are shops
selling designer jewellery,
and gifts; Oxford Street is many fashion outlets pottery, ceramics and
best for large department usually have end-of- household goods, many
stores, music, and season sales in January of which are designed
cheaper fashion; Bond and July when there in the UK. The main
Street and Knightsbridge are enormous savings museums, galleries and
are where you will find on many items, from tourist sites all have
all the most expensive furniture to fashions. interesting gift stores.
designer labels and goods;
Mayfair and St James’s
have the best art and ^ Fashion
Big-label fashion ( Art and Antiques
The major commercial
antiques dealers. houses are in Bond Street, galleries are in the West
Knightsbridge and Sloane End, around Bond Street
@ Shopping Hours
Shops generally open
Street. Bespoke wear for
men is in Savile Row and
and Cork Street (see p116).
Bonhams and Sotheby’s
9:30am–6pm Mon–Sat, St James’s. Oxford Street (see p114) auction houses
with late-night shopping is good for mid-range are here, too. You can
until 8pm in the West End clothes. For street fashion, find inexpensive art and
on Thursdays, and in try the markets: Camden craft throughout London.
Kensington and Chelsea (see p141), Portobello (see All kinds of antiques can
on Wednesdays. Sunday p120), Petticoat Lane and be sought out in Porto-
has limited trading hours. Spitalfields (see p154). bello Road, Kensington
Church Street and King’s
£ Payment
Most shops accept & Music
London is one of the
Road (Chelsea).
London on a Budget
! Accommodation
There are several
more than twice. An
International Student
has standing tickets from
£4–£14. The Prince Charles
youth hostels in London, Card (ISIC) offers reduced- cinema in Leicester Place
and universities offer price entry to many is the cheapest one in
rooms from June to museums. Look out for central London.
September. International free lunchtime lectures.
Students House has year-
* Fashion
round rooms. There are
also many cheap bed and % Street
Entertainment
Pick up barely worn,
designer clothes at a
breakfasts (see p179). Covent Garden is the dress agency (try The
best place for day-long Loft, 35 Monmouth St
@ Travel
Buses are cheaper
entertainment, and there’s
always someone to look
WC2; L’Homme Designer
Exchange, 50 Blandford
than the Tube (under- at or listen to in Leicester St W1).
ground), but they do Square. At weekends
usually take longer. If you
are making more than
artists hang their work
up on the railings in ( Markets
London’s markets
two tube journeys in a Piccadilly outside Green have bargain antiques,
day, Travel Cards are good Park, and by Hyde Park fashions, jewellery and
value. They are also valid on Bayswater Road. cheap food (see pp64–5).
on buses and the
Docklands Light Railway.
Carnets, with 10 Zone 1 ^ Free Music
London is awash ) Parks
London’s parks offer
tickets, and pre-pay Oyster with free music. Free endless free entertain-
cards also save you lunchtime concerts are ment, whether watching
money (see p162). held in churches and at sports in Regent’s Park
the music colleges (in or listening to bands at
£ Eating
It’s quite possible to
term time). Performances
also take place at the
St James’s Park band-
stand (see pp28–9).
eat a two-course meal Southbank Centre in
with a drink and coffee for summer and at the Directory
under £20 in many places National Theatre, the
in London. Chinese and National Gallery, and in London Hostel Assoc
Indian restaurants are malls such as Hays 54 Eccleston Square
often inexpensive, and Galleria and Canary Wharf. SW1 • 020 7727 5665
many churches have Youth Hostels Assoc
cheap lunchtime cafés.
Expensive restaurants & Cheap Tickets
The best place for
Trevelyan Hse, Dimple
Rd, Matlock, Derbyshire
can become affordable these is the half-price DE4 3YH • 01629 592
with set-lunch or pre- ticket booth called “Tkts”, 700 • www.yha.org.uk
theatre menus. located on the southside
of Leicester Square, which International
Museums and sells tickets for perform- Students House
$ Galleries ances on that day only. 229 Gt Portland Street
Some museums are “Fringe” theatres outside W1 • 020 7631 8300
free. Others have free the West End (often in London Bed &
late afternoon or evening pubs) are considerably Breakfast Agency
entry. Special deals can cheaper. On Mondays, 71 Fellows Road NW3
mean that buying a all seats are £10 at • 020 7586 2768 •
season ticket makes the Royal Court. The www.londonbb.com
sense if you want to visit Royal Opera House
171
Streetsmart
Inexpensive Hotels
! Travel Inn London
County Hall
It is close to Victoria
station and all rooms are
ground-floor is an
American-style bar (not
London’s best inexpensive comfortably furnished, owned by the hotel) run
hotel has a memorable four with private by New Yorker Janet
location in County Hall bathrooms. d 120 Ebury Evans, which serves
near the river and the Street SW1 • Map D5 great cocktails. d 30–2
London Eye. Facilities are • 020 7730 2384 • www. Old Brompton Road SW7
more than adequate, morganhouse.co.uk • ££ • Map C5 • 020 7584 4517
with fold-out beds for • www.bromhotel.com • ££
children in each of the
% Lancaster
Court Hotel
313 rooms. Book well in
advance. d Belvedere Between Paddington * Morgan Hotel
This cheerful family-
Road SE1 • Map N6 station and Hyde Park, run hotel is long estab-
• 0870 238 3300 • www. Sussex Gardens is a lished. Several rooms
premierinn.com • £££ quiet, pleasant street overlook the British
lined with inexpensive Museum and all have air-
@ Columbia Hotel
The Columbia has a
hotels. Lancaster Court
is just a few minutes
conditioning. The cosy
breakfast area has framed
delightful leafy setting walk from Hyde Park. London memorabilia on
overlooking Kensington d 202–4 Sussex Gardens the walls. d 24 Bloomsbury
Gardens. Originally five W2 • Map B3 • 020 7402 Street WC1 • Map L1
mansions, and once used 8438 • www.lancaster- • 020 7636 3735 • www.
as a US military officers’ court-hotel.co.uk • ££ morganhotel.com • £££
club, it has magnificent
rooms and is much more
opulent than its prices ^ Craven
Gardens Hotel ( Elizabeth Hotel
This handsome town
suggest. d 95–9 Lancaster Located in a quiet, house overlooks a quiet,
Gate W2 • Map B3 • 020 upmarket part of town, private square, which is
7402 0021 • www.columbia this privately run hotel available for guests’ use.
hotel.co.uk • ££ has 43 bedrooms and It is close to Victoria
two executive suites, station, and has single,
£ Fielding Hotel
Ideally situated for
with 24-hour service,
coffee- and tea-making
double, triples and family
rooms. d 37 Eccleston
Covent Garden, this facilities in the rooms Square SW1 • Map D5
quaint room-only hotel is and a bar. It has no • 020 7828 6812 • www.
a warren of oddly shaped restaurant but there is a elizabethhotel.com • ££
rooms, with showers and good Greek taverna just
basins tucked in corners.
Outside there is all of
a few yards away. d 16
Leinster Terrace W2 • Map ) Arran
Hotel
House
Covent Garden to break- B3 • 020 7262 3167 • www. This friendly family-run
fast in. d 4 Broad Court, smartbackpackers.com • ££ hotel is conveniently
Bow St WC2 • Map M2 located a short walking
• 020 7836 8305 • £££ •
www.the-fielding-hotel.co.uk & Brompton Hotel
Situated just by
distance from the British
Museum, Oxford Street
South Kensington tube and the West End. 24-
$ Morgan
Guest House
station and handy for the
museums, this typical
hour Internet facilities and
a walled summer rose
This stylish budget B&B west London hotel has garden. d 77–79 Gower
in a Georgian terrace in comfortable rooms with Street WC1 • Map E2 • 020
fashionable Belgravia has bathrooms. Reception is 7636 2186 • www.london-
light, modern decor. on the first floor. On the hotel.co.uk • ££
Streetsmart
Royal Garden Hotel
Mid-price Hotels
! Bedford Hotel
One of five large, % Cranley
Gardens Hotel
the quiet back streets of
North Marylebone is run
good-value Bloomsbury Occuping four large by two former fashion
hotels run by Imperial Victorian mansions, this models who have styled
London Hotels, the is one of the best of the the seven rooms taste-
Bedford’s advantage is many South Kensington fully and individually. A
a good restaurant and a town-house hotels. Over- roof terrace and a house-
sunny lounge and garden. looking a quiet square keeper are just two of
d 83 Southampton Row (some rooms have bal- the attractions on offer
WC1 • Map M1 • 020 7636 conies), this is a relaxed here. d 9 Ashbridge Street
7822 • www.imperialhotels. and friendly place to stay. NW8 • Map B2 • 020 7725
co.uk • £££ d 8 Cranley Gardens SW7 9694 • www.weardowney.
• Map B6 • 020 7373 3232 com • ££
@ Zetter • www.cranleygardenhotel.
Modern and a little
fun, Zetter is a laid-back
com • ££
( Royal
Hotel
Garden
Designer Hotels
! The Sanderson
London’s most stylish
and attentive staff. The
rooms are light and feng- * The Hempel
When you walk into
hotel is cool, minimalist shui assured, with white this dazzling white, Zen-
and thrillingly expensive. orchids, fishtanks and inspired hotel, you’ll think
Behind a 1950s office- candles for decoration. you’ve reached Nirvana.
block exterior, plain walls d 11–13 Bayley Street Immaculate and stylish,
are punctuated by Dali- WC1 • Map L1 • 020 3004 it has a central atrium
lips and Louis XV sofas, 6000 • www.myhotels. from which five floors
while wafting curtains com • ££££ radiate. Each room is
and oil paintings decorate individually designed in a
the ceilings of the sparse
bedrooms. Facilities in- % Charlotte
Hotel
Street minimal Japanese style.
The restaurant serves
clude a gym and spa. Try One of the most tasteful European cuisine. d 31–5
the special break deals. and comfortable hotels in Craven Hill Gardens W2
d 50 Berners Street W1 London, where leather • Map B3 • 020 7298 9000
• Map K1 • 020 7300 1400 armchairs and antiques • www.the-hempel.co.uk
• www.morganshotelgroup. mix with contemporary • £££££
com • £££££ works of art, and log fires
burn in the drawing room
( Metropolitan
@ One Aldwych
In a former 1908
and library. The bustling
Oscar bar and brasserie
Contemporary and
stylish, this was one of
newspaper building, this attract Charlotte Street the first of the classy
is a relaxing designer hotel diners. d 15 Charlotte modern hotels in London,
with art-filled lobby and Street W1 • Map K1 • 020 with black-clad staff, cool
corridors, two good restau- 7806 2000 • www.charlotte interiors and minimalist
rants and an 18-m (56-ft) streethotel.com • £££££ Oriental-style bedrooms.
pool with underwater Go celebrity-spotting in
music. d Aldwych WC2
• Map N2 • 020 7300 1000 ^ Mercure
Bankside
City the Met Bar or in Nobu,
its fashionable Japanese
• www.onealdwych.com Just a stone’s throw from restaurant (see p117).
• £££££ Tate Modern, this seven- d 19 Old Park Lane W1
storey hotel has pay TV • Map D4 • 020 7447 1000
£ St Martin’s Lane
The Sanderson’s
and a four-star restaurant.
d 75 Southwark Street SE1
• www.metropolitan.co.uk
• £££££
sister hotel was designed • Map R4 • 020 7902 0800
by Phillipe Starck. Rooms
have floor-to-ceiling
• www.mercure.com • £££
) Halkin
A startlingly beautiful
windows and even the
bathrooms (all with big & Number Five
Maddox Street
hotel in a Georgian town
house, which has been
tubs) are 50 per cent Glass, steel and bamboo given a thoroughly
glass. d St Martin’s Lane feature in these high- modern overhaul with
WC2 • Map L3 • 020 7300 quality Japanese-style marble, glass and dark
5500 • www.stmartinslane. serviced apartments, with woods and oriental
com • ££££ on-call chefs to cook for details. The restaurant
you, Ben and Jerry’s ice- overlooks the garden and
$ myhotel
Bloomsbury
cream in the fridge and
full Internet facilities.
the rooms are equipped
for communications and
Just off Tottenham Court d 5 Maddox Street W1 sound. d 5 Halkin Street
Road, this hotel is an • Map J3 • 020 7647 0200 SW1 • Map D4 •020 7333
oasis of calm, with a • www.living-rooms.co.uk 1000 • www.halkin.como.bz
mystical, Oriental style • £££££ • £££££
Streetsmart
Left Marriott Right Tower Hotel
Business Hotels
! Andaz
Street
Liverpool needs and there is a
good northern Italian & Sheraton
Tower
Park
designed by Edwin
Lutyens for the YWCA in
A modern hotel near the
western end of Oxford ( Express by
Holiday Inn
1929. The Queen Mary Street. Facilities include One of a chain of ten,
Hall is now a conference a bar and restaurant, value-for-money London
centre and the former gym, health club and hotels, the London City
chapel provides a quiet, swimming pool. There hotel is not actually in
discreet meeting room. are full business facilities the City, but backs onto
The suites and rooms in the executive lounge. newly fashionable Hoxton
have been designed for a d 134 George Street W1 Square (see p153), an
mainly business clientele, • Map D3 • 020 7723 1277 area known more for
with modems, voice-mail • www.londonmarriott art than for business.
and work desks. d 16–22 marblearch.co.uk • £££££ d 275 Old Street EC1
Great Russell Street WC1 • Map H2 • 020 7300 4300
• Map L1 • 020 7347 1000
• www.doylecollections. ^ Paddington
Hotel
Court • www.ichotelsgroup.com
• £££
com • £££££ Located in a quiet area
Four Seasons
of west London north of
Kensington Gardens, this ) City Hotel
Just off Whitechapel
£ Hotel Best Western hotel has High Street, at the bottom
As smart and stylish as 200 comfortable, spacious of Brick Lane (see p154),
you would expect from rooms, an inexpensive this hotel is ideal for busin-
a new Canary Wharf restaurant for residents ess travellers who wish
hotel, the Four Seasons and a pleasant lounge bar. to be close to the City.
has a central atrium and d 27 Devonshire Terrace d 12 Osborn Street E1
good sense of space. W2 • Map B3 • 020 7745 • Tube Aldgate East • 020
Rooms are all well 1200 • www.paddington 7247 3313 • www.cityhotel
equipped for business court.com • £££ london.co.uk • ££££
175
Streetsmart
Character Hotels
! Hazlitt’s
As much a literary
four-poster beds. Break-
fasts are generous and * Portobello Hotel
Full of character, full
event as a hotel, Hazlitt’s there’s a free bar. of junk, with each room
is located in the former d 111a Westbourne Grove individually and tastefully
townhouse of essayist W2 • Map A3 • 020 7243 cluttered, this is the kind
William Hazlitt (1778– 1024 • www.millershotel. of hotel you would hope
1830). The hotel’s literary com • ££££ to find near London’s
feel is enhanced by its great antiques market.
library of books signed
by the many authors that % Goring Hotel
Decorated throughout
Food in the restaurant is
prepared by the nearby
have stayed here. d 6 in delightful Edwardiana, Julie’s wine bar. d 22
Frith Street W1 • Map L2 this gracious, family-run, Stanley Gardens W11
• 020 7434 1771 • www. country-house-style hotel • Map A4 • 020 7727 2777
hazlittshotel.com • £££££ combines comfort with • www.portobello-hotel.
delightful nostalgia. co.uk • £££££
@ Durrants Hotel d 15 Beeston Place SW1
This Georgian hotel,
close to Marylebone
• Map D5 • 020 7396 9000
• www.goringhotel.co.uk ( The Rookery
A warren of rooms
High Street and Oxford • £££££ has been linked together
Street, has been in to create a brilliant hotel
business since 1790. It
has a comfortable, old- ^ Blakes Hotel
A Victorian delight,
that evokes Victorian
London, with a Gothic
fashioned style, with oak- with sumptuous cushions touch. It takes its name
panelled rooms, paintings and drapes, bamboo and from the gang of thieves
on the walls and comfy bird cages, each room is who once haunted this
leather seats. d George individually styled with area near Smithfield
Street W1 • Map D3 • 020 exotica from all over the market. d Peter’s Lane,
7935 8131 • www.durrants world. The Chinese Room Cowcross Street EC1
hotel.co.uk • £££££ bar and restaurant in the • Map Q1 • 020 7336 0931
basement continues the • www.rookeryhotel.com
£ Guesthouse West
The modish, minimal-
theme with low seating
and cushions. d 33 Roland
• £££££
Streetsmart
Palm Court, Ritz
Luxury Hotels
! The Lanesborough
In London’s most
gold and silk trimmings,
chandeliers and Louis XVI
• Map D4 • 020 7629 8888
• £££££ • www.thedorches
luxurious hotel, the furniture. Afternoon tea in ter. com
Regency decoration the Palm Court is popular
reaches a peak in Aspleys
restaurant, while all the
and the restaurant has a
garden terrace. * Brown’s Hotel
This Mayfair hotel
rooms, with deep pile d 150 Piccadilly W1 • Map was founded in 1837 by
carpets and gleaming K3 • 020 7493 8181 • www. James Brown, valet to
mahogany, are fitted with theritzlondon.com • £££££ Lord Byron, to accom-
the latest entertainment modate country society
and communications
technology. There is % Covent
Hotel
Garden staying in London. Com-
prising eleven Georgian
also a fitness centre. London’s most innovative town houses, it has
d 1 Lanesborough Place new hotel group is distin- recently been refurbished
SW1 • Map D4 • 020 7259 guished here by modern with great style, while
5599 • www.lanesborough. style and traditional retaining its intimacy and
com • £££££ elegance. Rooms are charm. It is also renowned
individually designed for its restaurant and
@ London Marriott
County Hall
with luxurious marble
bathrooms. A basement
English teas. d Albemarle
Street W1 • Map J4
A fantastic setting, with screening room is a nod • 020 7493 6020 • www.
unrivalled views over the to its showbiz guests. roccofortecollection.com
river to Westminster, is d 10 Monmouth Street • £££££
the best part – but the WC2 • Map L2 • 020 7806
wood-panelled rooms,
original library and dining
1000 • www.firmdalehotels.
com • £££££ ( The Berners Hotel
Dating from the 19th
room are magnificent century, this luxury
too. Plus a gym, sauna
and indoor pool. ^ The Waldorf
Hilton
hotel has been extensively
redesigned, with supreme
d County Hall SE1 • Map N6 This is one of London’s comfort and luxury in
• 020 7928 5200 • www. great Edwardian hotels. mind for the modern
marriott.com/lonch • £££££ Recently refurbished, it leisure and business
now presents a 21st- traveller.
£ Savoy
Fortunate in its river-
century interpretation of
this classic hotel. Leisure
d Berners Street W1
• Map K1 • 020 7666 2000
side setting, the Savoy is facilities are excellent. • www.jjwhotels.com
London’s top traditional d Aldwych WC2 • Map N3 • £££££
hotel and reopened in • 020 7836 2400 • £££££
2009 after extensive
refurbishment. Leisure
• www.hilton.co.uk/waldorf
) Grosvenor
Hotel
House
NW3 • Tube Belsize Park of pub food, including Walk directly from
• 0870 850 6328 • www. Sunday lunch. There Gatwick’s North Terminal
premierinn.com • £££ is a conservatory and to this elegant hotel,
garden. Parking available. which has a full range of
£ Richmond
Hotel
Hill d 291 Greenwich High Road
SE10 • Train to Greenwich
facilities. It is linked to
London by the Gatwick
Dating from 1726, this • 020 8293 0037 • www. Express train service.
Georgian mansion at mitregreenwich.com • ££ d Gatwick Airport • 01293
the top of Richmond 567070 • www.sofitel.com
Hill, close to Richmond
Park, has a modern wing. ^ Novotel London
Greenwich
• ££
Streetsmart
Left St Paul’s Youth Hostel Right London City YMCA
Budget Accommodation
! Generator St Christopher’s,
Somewhere between % The Village
d Trevelyan House, Dimple
Road, Matlock, Derbyshire
sci-fi and industrial chic, This is the largest of DE4 3YH • Central booking:
this youth-orientated three hostels on this 0870 770 6113 • www.yha.
hostel provides budget street run by St Christ- org.uk • £
solutions for impecunious opher’s Inns. Other
travellers. 24-hour Internet
facilities. d Compton Place,
branches are in Camden,
Greenwich, Shepherd’s * YMCA
There is some nightly
37 Tavistock Pl WC1 • Map Bush and Hammersmith. accommodation at the
E2 • 020 7388 7666 • www. Double rooms or cheaper London City YMCA (8
generatorhostels.com • £ dormitories are available. Erroll Street EC1) and
There is a bar, roof Barbican YMCA (Fann
@ Arosfa
This recently refur-
terrace, hot tub and
sauna. d 163 Borough
Street EC2). Otherwise
try the German YMCA
bished Georgian town High Street SE1 • Map G4 (35 Craven Terrace W2)
house is now a pleasant • 020 7407 1856 • www.st- or the Indian YMCA (41
small hotel. It has a christophers.co.uk • £ Fitzroy Square W1).
garden at the back and all d City 020 7614 5000;
rooms are en suite. d 83
Gower Street WC1 • Map ^ Dover
Hostel
Castle Barbican 020 7628 0697;
German 020 7723 9276;
E2 • 020 7636 2115 • www. A privately run hostel Indian 020 7387 0411
arosfalondon.com • ££ offering value-for-money • www.ymca.org.uk • £
accommodation for
£ Elysée Hotel
In a quiet street
backpackers, with 60
beds in dormitory-style ( Host and Guest
Service
opposite one of west rooms ranging from 3 to This agency specializes in
London’s most attractive 12 persons. Showers, inexpensive B&B accom-
corners, Leinster Mews, breakfast and lock-up modation in homes in
this small hotel is one of included in the price. London and elsewhere in
the cheapest in the area. Late licensed bar with the UK. A two-night mini-
Basic but comfortable, DJs and bands at mum stay is preferred.
there are various size weekends. d 6a Great d 103 Dawes Road SW6
rooms available, including Dover Street SE1 • Map G4 • Map A6 • 020 7385 9922
a family room for up to • 020 7403 7773 • www. • www.host-guest.co.uk • £
five people. d 25–26 dovercastlehostel.com • £
Craven Terrace W2 • Map
) International
B3 • 020 7402 7633 • www.
elyseehotel.co.uk • ££ & Youth Hostels
Association
Students House
In university holidays,
There are seven youth some student rooms are
$ The Court Hotel
The Court Hotel is a
hostels in London:
London Central, Oxford
available at reasonable
rates. This house, though,
favourite of Australian and Street, St Paul’s (Fitz- has space all year. Dormi-
South African backpackers. rovia), Holland Park, St tories, single and twin
Basic accommodation is Pancras, Earl’s Court and rooms are available at a
offered in single or shared Rotherhithe (all en suite). range of prices. There is a
rooms, and reduced Not all do breakfast and bar, a gym, a restaurant
weekly rates are available. most have shared facili- and an Internet café.
Internet facilities. ties. There are various d 229 Great Portland Street
d 194–196 Earl’s Court rooms, including family W1 • Map J2 • 020 7631
Road SW5 • Map A5 rooms, and cheaper rates 8300 • www.ish.org.uk
• 020 7373 0027 • £ for under 18s. • No en suite bathrooms • £
179
General Index
A art galleries (cont) 73 BBC Promenade Concerts
Abeno Too 105 National Portrait Gallery 66
accommodation see hotels 6, 14–15, 50, 91 Beach Blanket Babylon 124
Ackroyd, Peter 73 Buckingham Palace The Beatles 15, 132
Index
180
British Museum 6, 8–11, Canada Tower 16 churches (cont.)
48, 109 Canadian High The City 138
British Museum Shop 110 Commission 160 St Anne and St Agnes
British Telecom Tower Canary Wharf 153 138
17, 108 Canela 104 St Bartholomew-the-
Brixton Academy 58 Canova, Antonio 114 Great 46, 138
Index
Brixton Jamm 59 Cantaloupe 157 St Bride’s 47
Brixton Market 150 Canteen restaurant 157 St George’s Church 109
Brompton Hotel 172 Canterbury 167 St Katherine Cree 138
Brompton Oratory 47, 121 Canterbury, Archbishops St Lawrence Jewry 138
Brontë sisters 14 of 70, 167 St Magnus the Martyr
Brook, Peter 57 Cantina Vinopolis 87 137, 138
Brown, Capability 28, 149 car rental 162 St Martin-in-the-Fields 46
Brown’s 115, 116, 177 Caravaggio, The Supper St Mary-le-Bow 138
Brunswick Centre 109 at Emmaus 13 St Paul’s Cathedral
Buckingham Palace Cargo 59, 157 7, 16, 40–43
7, 26–7, 115 Carluccio’s Caffè 111 St Paul’s Church 101
budget travel 171 Carlyle, Thomas 53 St Sepulchre-without-
Burberry 123 Caro, Anthony 153 Newgate 138
bureaux de change 165 Carpenter’s Arms 151 St Stephen Walbrook 138
Burgh House 142, 143 Carracci, Annibale 55 Southwark Cathedral 46
Burlington, Lord 148 Catholic martyrs 38 Temple Church 46
Burlington Arcade 115 Cavendish, Lord George 115 Westminster Abbey 7,
Busaba Ethai 95 Caxton, William 35 32–3, 81, 83
buses 162, 168 Central Hall 35 Westminster Cathedral
The Bush 150 Changing of the Guard 115 47
Bush House 102 Channel crossings 161 Churchill, Winston
Bushy Park 29 Chaplin, Charlie 53 35, 42, 43, 82, 114
Byron, Lord 15, 63 Charbonnel et Walker 116 Churchill Arms 124
Charles Dickens Museum The Cinnamon Club 87
C 108 The City 134–9
Cabinet War Rooms and Charles, Prince of Wales churches 138
Churchill Museum 82 43, 54 map 134
Cabot Hall 156 Charles I, King 35, 39, 44 restaurants 139
Café Boheme 93 Charles II, King City Hotel 175
Caffé Caldesi 133 44, 55, 101, 143, 149 Clarence House 55
Café de Paris 59 Charlotte, Queen 54 Clarke’s restaurant 76,125
Cafe Spice Namaste 157 Charlotte Street Hotel 174 Clement VII, Pope 44
cafés Chaucer, Geoffrey 72 Clink Exhibition 84
Bloomsbury and Chelsea Flower Show 66 Clive, Robert 114–15
Fitzrovia 111 Cheltenham & Gloucester clothing
Covent Garden 104 Trophy Final 67 shops 170, 171
East London 157 Chessington World what to pack 160
Kensington and of Adventures 167 Club Gascon 76, 139
Knightsbridge 124 Chez Bruce 151 coach (long-distance bus)
Mayfair and St James’s Chez Gerard 105 travel 161
117 Chicago 60 Columbia Hotel 172
Regent’s Park and children 68–9, 160 Columbia Road Market 155
Marylebone 133 Chinatown 89, 91 communications 165
Soho and the West End Chinese New Year 67 Conran, Sir Terence 77
94 Chiswick House 148 The Conran Shop 131, 132
Westminster, South Bank Chocolat, Chocolat 110 consulates 166
and Southwark 86 Christie’s 122 Contemporary Applied Arts
Cambridge 167 churches 46–7 110
Camden Arts Centre 144 All Hallows by the Tower Cook, Captain James 8, 22
Camden Markets 65, 141 138 Coq d’Argent 77
Cameron, Julia Margaret 15 All Souls 47 Coram’s Fields 69
Camino 145 Brompton Oratory 47, 121 Cork and Bottle 93, 94
181
Cork Street galleries Divertimenti 132 embankments 45
115, 116 Docklands 45, 152, 153 embassies 160, 166
Cornelissen & Son 110 Docklands Light Railway emergencies 166
County Hall Travel Inn (DLR) 162 Emin, Tracey 116, 153
Capital 172 Docklands Sailing & Emirates Stadium Tours
The Court Hotel 179 Watersports Centre 156 144
Index
182
Fire services 166 George VI, King Hals, Frans 50, 129
Fish! 83, 87 33, 36, 39, 55 Hamburger Union 105
Fitzrovia see Bloomsbury George Inn 62, 86 Ham House 149
and Fitzrovia Gerard, John 38 Hamilton, Sir William 9
Fitzroy Tavern 109, 111 Gibbons, Grindling 40 Hamleys 64
Flambard, Ralph de, Gibbs, James 46 Hampstead Heath 74, 141
Index
Bishop of Durham 38 Gieves and Hawkes 116 Hampstead Theatre 144
Flanagan and Allen 73 gift shops 170 Hampstead Village
The Flask 145 Gilbert and George 153 Guesthouse 178
Floral Street 103 Gillespie, Dizzy 58 Hampstead Wells 142
Florence Nightingale The Glasshouse 151 Hampton Court 54, 147
Museum 84 Globe Theatre Handel, George Friedrich
Floridita 93 70, 77, 83, 86 40, 45, 53, 107, 138
Fontana, Lucio, Spatial Golden Hind 133 Hardy, Thomas 11
Concept “Waiting” 19 Golden Hinde 84 Harrods 64, 120, 123
Footstool 86 Goldfinger, Ernö 142 Harvard, John 46
Forster, EM 11 Gordon’s Wine Bar 94, 104 Harvey Nichols 64, 123
Fortnum and Mason 64, Hawksmoor, Nicholas
The Gore 176
115, 116 33, 73, 154
Goring Hotel 176
Hayward Gallery 82
Fosse, Bob 61 Gourmet Pizza Company 87
Hazlitt’s 176
Foster, Norman 11, 153 Grange Langham Court
Head, Guy,
Four Seasons Hotel 175 Hotel 173
Horatio Nelson 15
Fournier Street 155 The Grapes 63
Head of the River Race 67
Fox 157 Great British Beer Festival
Heals 109, 110
Foyles 92 67 health 166
Franklin, Benjamin 46, 53 Great Court, British Heathrow Airport 17, 161
Fratelli Camisa 92 Museum 11 Heaven 59
free entertainment 102, 171 The Great Exhibition helicopter tours 168
Freightliners Farm 144 (1851) 45 The Hempel 174
French House 63, 94 Great Fire (1666) 44, 48 Hendrix, Jimi 53
French’s Dairy 110 Greenhouse, The 117 Henry III, King 33, 36, 37
Freud, Anna 141 Green Park 29 Henry IV, King 36
Freud, Lucian, Green Room, The 151 Henry VI, King 38, 148
Girl with White Dog 21 Greenwich 147 Henry VII, King 15, 32, 33
Freud, Sigmund 52, 141 Greenwich Palace 148 Henry VIII, King 15, 44, 148
Freud Museum 141 Greenwich Park 29 Hampton Court 54
Freuds 104 Greer, Germaine 15 royal parks 29
Fromagerie, La 133 Grey, Lady Jane 37, 38 St James’s Palace 113
The Furniture Union 85 Gribble, Herbert 47 Tower of London
Grosvenor House Hotel 177 36, 37, 38
G Grosvenor Square 29 Hepworth, Barbara 51
Gabriel’s Wharf 83, 85 Grosz, George, Suicide 19 Highgate Cemetery
Gainsborough, Thomas 50 Guesthouse West 176 75, 143
Wooded Landscape with guided tours 164, 168 Hilton 178
a Peasant Resting 20 Guildhall 136 Hirst, Damien
galleries see art galleries Guildhall Art Gallery 136 51, 116, 125, 153
Gandhi, Mahatma 11, 53 Gun 157 history 44–5
gardens see parks and Gundolph, Bishop of HMV Forum 58
gardens Rochester 37 Hockney, David 153
The Gate 151 Guy Fawkes Night 67 Hogarth, William 53, 107
Gatwick Airport 161 Guy’s Hospital Dental Holbein, Hans
Gauguin, Paul 50 Department 166 The Ambassadors 12
Geffrye Museum 155 Gwynne, Nell 101, 143 The Whitehall Mural 15
George I, King 45, 109 Holiday Inn Express see
George III, King H Express by Holiday Inn
54, 107, 147 Hakkasan 76, 111 holidays, public 169
George IV, King (Prince Halkin 174 Holland Park 121
Regent) 26, 29, 55, 130 Hall, Sir Benjamin 34 concerts 122
183
Holly, Buddy 60 J Lasdun, Denys 56
Holmes, Sherlock 52, J Sheekey 95 late evenings, shops 169
130 Jack the Ripper 152, 168 Lauderdale House 143
Home 59 James I, King 37 Leeds Castle 167
Horniman, Frederick 148 James, Henry 53 Léger, Fernand,
Horniman Museum 148 James Smith and Son The Acrobat and
Index
184
lunch hours 169 Mildenhall Treasure 9 museums (cont)
Luton Airport 161 Mile End Park 156 Horniman Museum 148
Millais, John Everett 179 Imperial War Museum
M Millennium 17 49, 83
Mabledon Court Hotel Millennium Bridge 70 Keats House 141, 143
172 Miller’s Residence 176 Lauderdale House 143
Index
MacInnes, Colin 73 Milroy’s Whisky 92 Leighton House 121
Madame Jo-Jo’s 59 minicabs 162 London’s Transport
Madame Tussaud’s Les Misérables 60 Museum 49, 100
68, 91, 129, 131 Mitre 178 The Long View of
Magic Wok 125 Momo 117 London 84
Magritte, René, The Mon Plaisir 105 Madame Tussaud’s 129,
Reckless Sleeper 19 Monet, Claude 50 131
Mahler, Gustav 45 Bathers at La Marylebone Cricket Club
Maison Bertaux 91, 94 Grenouillière 13 Museum 130
Malmaison 173 money 160, 165 Museum of London 48,
Mandalay 133 Monmouth Coffee House 136
Manet, Edouard 50 86, 101, 104 Museum of London
Manna 145 Monument 137 Docklands, 153
Marathon 67 Moore, Henry 51, 74, 142 National Maritime
Marble Arch Marriott 175 Mother and Child 41 Museum 48, 149
Margaret, Princess 119 Recumbent Figures 21 Natural History Museum
Market Bar 124 More, Sir Thomas 38 6, 22–3, 48, 119
Market Porter 86 Morelli’s Gelato 124
Rose Theatre Exhibition 84
markets 6 4–5, 85, 171 Morgan Hotel 172
Royal Institution 112,
Marks & Spencer 132 Morris, William 64, 119
115
Marriott London Heathrow mosques 131
178 Royal Mews 27
The Mousetrap 61
Marx, Karl 11, 143 Science Museum 7,
Mozart, Wolfgang A 53
Mary I, Queen 38 24–5, 48, 119
Mr Chow, restaurant 125
Mary II, Queen 29, 54, 119 Sherlock Holmes
Mudchute Farm 156
Mary Queen of Scots 33 Museum 130
Mulberry 116
Marylebone Sir John Soane’s
Murillo, Bartolomé
see Regent’s Park Museum 107
Esteban 51
and Marylebone Sutton House 156
museums 48–9
Marylebone Cricket Club Apsley House 114 Theatre Museum 49,
Museum 130 Bank of England 100, 101
Marylebone Farmers’ Museum 136–7 Three Mills Museum
Market 132 booking ahead 169 156
Marylebone Lane 132 British Museum 6, 8–11, Tower Bridge
matinees 169 48, 109 Experience 135
Matisse, Henri 18 budget travel 171 Victoria & Albert
The Snail 18 Burgh House 142, 143 Museum 48, 119,
Mayfair and St James’s Clink Exhibition 84 121, 122
112–17 Cabinet War Rooms and V&A Museum of
map 112 Churchill Museum 82 Childhood 49, 69,
restaurants 117 Charles Dickens 152, 154
shops 116 Museum 108 2 Willow Road 142
Mazzini, Giuseppe 53 Dennis Severs’ House Wimbledon Tennis
membership cards 160 156 Museum 149
Mendelssohn, Felix 40 Design Museum 49 World Rugby Museum
Merc 92 disabled visitors 164 150
Mercure City Bankside Fenton House 142 music
174 Firepower 150 free concerts 171
Merton Abbey Mills 150 Florence Nightingale shops 170
Metrogusto 145 Museum 84 venues 58–9
Metropolitan 174 Freud Museum 141 musicals 60–61
Michelangelo 113, 115 Geffrye Museum 155 myhotel Bloomsbury 174
185
N One Aldwych 174 parks and gardens (cont)
Nag’s Head 124 100 Club 58 Victoria Park 156
Namco Station 84 open houses 168 Wimbledon Common 150
Napoleon 89, 114 opening hours 165, 170 Parliament 35, 44, 81
Nash, John Orangery 121 Parliament Hill 141
All Souls 47 Orangery Tea Rooms 124 Parliament Square 7, 34–5
Index
186
Promenade Concerts 66 Regent’s Park and Royal Academy 51, 113, 115
Prospect of Whitby 157 Marylebone 128–33 Summer Exhibition 66
Providores, The & Tapa map 128 Royal Albert Hall 57, 120
Room 133 restaurants 133 Royal Armories 37
publications 163, 164 shops 132 Royal Ascot 67
pubs 55, 62–3 Rego, Paula, Royal Botanic Gardens,
Index
Bloomsbury and Germaine Greer 15 Kew 147
Fitzrovia 111 Rembrandt 27, 51, 142 Royal China 125
The City 139 A Woman Bathing 13 Royal College of Music
Covent Garden 104 Renoir, Pierre Auguste 122
East London 157 At The Theatre 50 Royal Court Theatre 57
Kensington and Restaurant Services 163 Royal Garden Hotel 173
Knightsbridge 124 restaurants 76–7, 169 Royal Institution 112, 115
Mayfair and St James 117 Bloomsbury and Royal London 54–5
North London 144, 145 Fitzrovia 111 Royal Mews 27
Regent’s Park and The City 139 Royal National Theatre
Marylebone 133 Covent Garden 105 45, 56, 82, 168
Soho and the West End 94 disabled visitors 164 Royal Opera House
South and West London East London 157 45, 56, 99, 101
151 Kensington and Royal Opera House Café
Westminster, South Bank Knightsbridge 125 104
and Southwark 86 Mayfair and St James 117 royal parks and gardens
Pugin, Augustus Welby 34 North London 145 28–9
Punk 93 Regent’s Park and Rugby 67
Purcell, Henry 45, 138 Marylebone 133 Rules 77, 105
Soho and the West End rush hours 169
Q 95 Russell, Willy 61
Queen Anne’s Gate 55 South and West London
Queen Charlotte’s Cottage 151 S
54 Westminster, South Bank Sargent, John Singer
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and Southwark 87 Carnation, Lily, Lily,
17 Reubens 131, 133 Rose 21
Queen Elizabeth Hall Reynolds, Sir Joshua Sadler’s Wells 57, 144
56, 82 50, 100 safety 166
Queen’s Chapel 55 Three Ladies Adorning S&M Cafe 145
Queen’s Gallery, a Term of Hymen 20 St Anne and St Agnes 138
Buckingham Palace Reza, Yasmina 61 St Bartholomew-the-Great
26, 51 Rice, Tim 61 46, 138
Queen’s House 55 Richard II, King 14 St Bride’s 47
Queens Ice Bowl 122 Richard III, King 38 St Christopher’s, The
Richmond 74, 148 Village, hostel 179
R Richmond Hill Hotel 178 St George’s Church 109
Racine 125 Richmond Park 29 St James’s see Mayfair
radio 45, 163 Rigby & Peller 123 and St James’s
rail travel 161, 162 Ritz 177 St James’s Palace
Raleigh, Sir Walter 35 The River Café 151 54, 113, 115
Rasa Samudra 76, 109, 111 river sights 70–71, 102, 168 St James’s Park 28, 113, 115
ravens, Tower of London 37 Riverside Hotel 178 Inn the Park café/
The Real Greek 157 Riverside Studios 57 restaurant 113, 115
Reformation 44 Roast 87 St John Bread & Wine
Regent’s Canal 74, 130, 168 Rock and Sole Plaice 105 155, 157
Regent’s Park Romans 44 St John restaurant 77, 139
29, 55, 129, 130 Ronnie Scott’s 58, 93 St Katharine’s Dock 71, 137
Garden Café 129 The Rookery 176 St Katherine Cree 138
Honest Sausage café Roosevelt, Franklin D 114 St Lawrence Jewry 138
129 Rose Theatre Exhibition 84 St Magnus the Martyr
Regent’s Park Golf and Rotunda 145 137, 138
Tennis School 144 rowing 75 St Margaret’s Church 35
187
St Martin-in-the-Fields 46 shopping (cont) Spitalfields 154
St Martin’s Lane Hotel 174 Regent’s Park and sports 67, 75
St Mary-le-Bow 138 Marylebone 132 The Square 117
St Mary’s Hospital 166 sales 170 Stanford’s 103
St Pancras International Soho and the West End Stansted Airport 161
Station 108, 109 92 statutory rights, shopping
Index
188
Tijou, Jean 41 Victoria, Queen 26, 43, 54, Westminster Abbey
Top Floor at Smiths of 55, 119, 120 7, 32–3, 81, 83
Smithfield 77, 139 Victoria and Albert Westminster Cathedral 47
Toulouse Lautrec, Museum 48, 119, 121 Westminster Hall 34
Henri de 50 V&A Late View 122 Wetland Centre 75, 150
tourist information centres V&A Museum of The White House 173
Index
163 Childhood 49, 69, 152, White Tower 36
tours 168 154 Whitechapel Art Gallery
Tower Bridge 71, 135 Victoria Coach Station 161 153, 155
Tower Green 37 Victoria Embankment Whitehall 82
Tower Hotel, The 175 Gardens 102 Whittington, Dick 136
Tower of London 7, 36–9 Victoria Park 156 Wicked, musical 61
Townley, Charles 8, 9 Victoria Station 55 Wigmore Hall 130
Trafalgar Square 89, 91 Villandry Foodstore 111 Wilde, Oscar 11, 70, 72, 73
Traitors’ Gate 37 Vinopolis 85 William I the Conqueror,
travel 161–2 Vinopolis Wine Wharf 86 King 36, 37, 44
disabled visitors 164 visas 160 William II, King 38
discounts 171 Visit London 163 William III, King 29, 54, 119
travel passes 162 Volupté 59 William IV, King 39, 55
Travel Bookshop 123 2 Willow Road 142
Travel Inn London County W Wimbledon Common
Hall 172 The Waldorf Hilton 177 75, 150
traveller’s cheques 160 Walking Tours 168 Wimbledon Lawn Tennis
Travelex 165 walks 74–5, 162, 168 Championship 67
Trooping the Colour 66 Bloomsbury and Wimbledon Stadium 150
Trotsky, Leon 11 Fitzrovia 109 Wimbledon Lawn Tennis
Troubadour Coffee House The City 137 Museum 149
59 Covent Garden 101 Windsor Castle 17, 167
Truckles 111 East End 155 The Witch Ball 92
Turner, JMW 20, 42, 45 Greenwich 149 Woburn Abbey 108, 167
Norham Castle, Sunrise Kensington 121 Wódka 125
20 Marylebone 131 The Wolseley 117
Turpin, Dick 63 North London 143 Wolsey, Cardinal 41, 54
Tussaud, Madame 68 riverside 83 women travellers 166
Twain, Mark 53 St James’s 115 Woolf, Virginia 11, 72, 106
West End 91 World Food Café 104
U The Wallace Café 133 Wren, Sir Christopher 44
Underground 44, 162 Wallace Collection 50, 129 churches 16, 46, 47, 115,
United States Embassy 160 Waterhouse, John William 134, 138
University College The Lady of Shalott 21 Kensington Palace 54
Hospital 166 Waterstone’s Piccadilly Monument 137
University College London 65, 116 Royal Naval Hospital 48,
108 Watt, James 24 148
Weardowney 173 St Paul’s Cathedral 7, 40–42
V weather 163
Van Dyck, Sir Anthony 27 Webb, Sir Aston 26, 46 Y
Van Eyck, Jan, The Wellington, Duke of Yauatcha 95
Arnolfini Portrait 12 42, 43, 53, 114 Yeomen Warders 36
Varsity Match 67 Wesley, John 35 Yevele, Henry 32, 33
VAT (Value Added Tax) 170 West End see Soho YMCA 179
Velázquez, Diego 114 and the West End Young Vic Theatre 84
The Rokeby Venus 13 Westfield 65 Youth Hostels Association
Vermeer, Jan 142 Westminster, South Bank 171, 179
The Guitar Player 51 and Southwark 80–85
A Young Woman Standing map 80 Z
at a Virginal 13 pubs and cafés 86 Zetter 173
Vertigo 42 77, 139 restaurants 87
Via Fosse 155 shops and markets 85
189
Acknowledgements
The Author McGill, Caroline Mead, Catherine
Roger Williams is a London-born Palmi, Helen Partington, Mani
journalist and long-time Soho Ramaswamy, David Saldanha, Lilly
Acknowledgements
190
BRITISH MUSEUM: 6tr, 8b, 9tl, 9cb, 156tr; MARY EVANS PICTURE
9bl, 9cra, 10tr, 10bl; Peter Hayman LIBRARY: 52c, 72tl, 72tc, 72bl;
8cr; Liz McAulay 10c; BROMPTON MBC MANAGEMENT 61tl;
Acknowledgements
HOTEL: 172tr. CAFE DES AMIS MEADOWCROFT GRIFFIN
104tr; CAMERA PRESS: Cecil ARCHITECTS: David Grandorge
Beaton 39b; CAMINO: Ed Reeves 145t; MUSEUM IN DOCKLANDS:
145tc; CARLUCCIO’S: 111tl; CHRIS 153bl; MUSEUM OF LONDON:
CHRISTODOULOU: 57cr; COLLEC- 44c, 44b, 44t, 45tl, 48bc; 136cl;
TIONS: James Bartholomew 7crb; NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON:
John D. Beldom 55br, 66cr, 119br; 12b, 12t, 13cr, 13cb, 13bl, 13t, 50c,
Oliver Benn 150tr; Nigel Hawkins 50cl; NATIONAL MARITIME
129tl; David McGill 80tl, 130cl; MUSEUM: James Stevenson 149cr;
Keith Pritchard; Brian Shuel 66tr; Liz NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY,
Stares 17bl; BILL COOPER: 56c; LONDON: 6c, 14cl, 14bl, 14-15c,
CORBIS: S. Carmona 160t; Jeremy 14br, 15tl, 15cl, 15cr, 15b;
Horner 147tl; Robbie Jack 99br; NATIONAL TRUST PHOTOGRAPHIC
London Aerial Photo Library 6cl, 16- LIBRARY: Bill Batten 149tl; Michael
17c; Kim Sayer 154bl; Grant Smith Boys 52tr; NATURAL HISTORY
17r; Adam Woolfitt 34cb. CUTTY MUSEUM, LONDON: 22cr, 22b,
SARK TRUST: 71tr; DEAN AND 23tl, 23tr, 23c, 23b, 119bl. THE O2:
CHAPTER OF WESTMINSTER: 58tr; NETWORK LONDON P R &
33tl. THE ENGLISH HERITAGE MARKETING: 95tl; PERETTI
PHOTO LIBRARY: 148br. EPO COMMUNICATIONS: Chris
ONLINE: Walt Disney Theatrical Gascoigne & Lifschutz Davidson
Productions/ Catherine Ashmore 77tr; PHILIP WAY PHOTOGRAPHY:
60cl; FERNANDEZ AND WELLS: 40bl, 40-41c, 41t, 42c, 42bl, 43b,
94tl; FINANCIAL TIMES: 72c; 80bl, PHOTOFUSION: Paul Bigland
FREEDOM BREWERY COMPANY: 153tl, 155br; Paul Doyle 152cr; Ray
63cr; FREUD MUSEUM, LONDON: Roberts 67tr; PICTURES COLOUR
52b; FRIENDS OF HIGHGATE LIBRARY: David Noble 4-5; POINT
CEMETERY: Doug Traverso 75bl, 101: 93tl; POPPERFOTO: Reuters/
143tl. GETTY IMAGES: Hideo Greg Bos 72tr; PREMIER PR: 144tl;
Kurihara 1; Jo Cornish 30-31; SALLY PRESS ASSOCIATION PICTURE
& RICHARD GREENHILL: Sally LIBRARY: Toby Melville 28br;
Greenhill 164tr; HAYWARD PRIVATE COLLECTION: 43tr; REX
GALLERY ARTS COUNCIL FEATURES: 27b; Tim Rooke 26br,
COLLECTION: Richard Haughton 54tl; Ray Tang 73bl; Andy Watts
82br; HEALS: 110tl; HISTORIC 67br; RICHMOND HILL HOTEL:
ROYAL PALACES: 36tr; KOKO: 178tr; THE RITZ, LONDON: 177tl;
58bl; LEIGHTON HOUSE ROBERT HARDING PICTURE
MUSEUM: 53bl; THE LONDON LIBRARY: 66tl, 66cl, 84tr, 107br;
AQUARIUM: 68bl; LONDON Nigel Francis 28-29c; Simon Harris
TRANSPORT MUSEUM: 49cb; 36-37c; D. Hughes 137tl; M.P.H.
MADAME TUSSAUD'S, LONDON: 26bl; Walter Rawlings 130br; R.
128tl, GARRY SAMUELS 129bl; Richardson 34-35c; Ellen Rooney
MARINEPICS LTD: Mark Pepper 54tr, 67bl; A. Tovy 126-127; Adam
191
Woolfitt 67cr; THE ROYAL COL- THE TATE MODERN: Fish (1926)
LECTION © 2001 HER MAJESTY Constantin Brancusi © ADAGP,
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: A. C. Paris and DACS, London 2008
Acknowledgements
192