London attracts a wide range of people with different interests and wants from their visit to the city. Whether you’re staying at The Piccadilly London West End Hotels or you’re simply visiting the city for the day, there is an abundance of opportunities for both entertainment and shopping in the area. Whilst it’s easy to get wrapped up in the bright lights and hustle and bustle, one thing which is easy to forget in the roaring hubbub is the layers and depths of the cities history. After all, London as we know it has been built on 2 millennia worth of history. Whilst we don’t expect you to get to know all 2000 years of it, it opens you up to countless experiences in the city and some amazing stories about past residents.
18 Stafford Terrace
Also known as Linley Sambourne House, 18 Stafford Terrace is a Victorian era Kensington Townhouse which was once the residence of Punch magazine illustrator Edward Sambourne. As a skilled artist for the satirical magazine, the home has become a museum dedicated to the architecture and interior design of Victorian London as well as giving a great history of the iconic artist.
Burgh House
Burgh House, or the Hampstead Museum is a house in Hampstead which has housed many notable residents since its building in the early 18th century. Reopened in 2006 as a museum showcasing the history of the area, you can find out information about the past inhabitants as well as holding a massive archive of Victorian watercolourist Helen Allingham.
Jewel Tower
Now housing a museum, this amazing 14th century tower is part of the Palace of Westminster and is known as being the storage vault for much of the monarchies greatest treasures and jewels, hence the name. Nowadays you can visit the three-story tower and see many exhibits of its past riches as well as viewing the ground floors carved ceiling and vaulting.
Keats House
Romantic Poet John Keats lived in a house on a street now named after him, Keats Grove in Hampstead. The house was occupied by Keats for two years, between 1818 and 1820 and it is now open to the public as a museum of his life and work, displaying artefacts and manuscripts from his life at the house. The plum tree in the garden of Keats House is thought to be where Keats wrote one of his most famous Poems, Ode to a Nightingale.
Carlyle’s House
This Chelsea townhouse is another perfect example of middle class houses in the Victorian era and was owned by philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle and his wife, a famous Woman of Letters named Jane Welsh Carlyle. With the house now preserved in much of its original décor, Carlyle’s House is a great place to visit for anyone interested in the history of the affluent Chelsea area.
Kew Palace
This beautiful royal palace is based in Kew Gardens in West London and dates to 1631 but was only occupied by royals between 1728 and 1818. The house is also home to a museum set up in the adjoining Dutch House.
