Last week I did a Zoom talk for 40 or so people as a fundraiser for Prostate Cancer UK.
Called “a history of London in eight (and a bit) structures” it looks at bridges, churches, walls and other constructions, tracing the history of the city from the Romans through to the 21st century. On the way there are stories about the monarchy, the Reformation, the rise of parliamentary democracy and the growth of London as one of the great centres of trade. There are invasions, conquests, eccentrics, geniuses and some of the world’s most recognisable buildings.
It includes the Tower of London – the Norman castle built to dominate the conquered Anglo-Saxons – Westminster Abbey, the site of royal coronations since 1066, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and (of course) London Bridge. Throw in Parliament, the docks and one or two surprise choices, and you get a complete picture of the capital, illustrated by the very stones that built it.
The full recording is below – watch and (hopefully) enjoy, but make sure you make a donation to Prostate Cancer UK (the link is here). The talk raised about £500 for the charity – and anything extra you can donate will provide even more help to the charity that funds research into the disease, and support for the men who get it (one in eight men will get prostate cancer – that includes me).