The Nereid Monument in the British Museum

22/01/2024 donbrown 0

On one’s way to the Parthenon Gallery one walks through Room 17 of the British Museum and there, on the right, is what appears to […]

the view from Horizon 22 - the viewing gallery at 22 Bishopsgate

Up on the roof (again): the ‘Beast’

18/01/2024 donbrown 0

At 278m (912’) and 63 storeys, the new(ish) office block at 22 Bishopsgate is the tallest building in the City of London, and second only […]

London Pubs: The George Inn in Southwark

17/01/2024 donbrown 0

Pubs! Pubs are great (as I’ve mentioned before). If you truly want to experience London then you need to spend a few hours in a […]

StuffAboutLondon: 2023 in review

03/01/2024 donbrown 0

And a happy new year to one and all. Thank you for following the blog, and for making 2023 the most successful year (in terms […]

blue plaque to emperor napoleon iii

Vive l’Empereur! London’s oldest blue plaque

14/12/2023 donbrown 0

One of the underappreciated glories of London is the Blue Plaque scheme, the commemoration with 19” (48cm) ceramic discs of the places associated with history’s […]

herbert and sons lion sculpture in west smithfield london

“Justice and Strength”: the Smithfield Lion

13/12/2023 donbrown 0

Just across the street from where the new London Museum (nee Museum of London) is emerging in copper-covered glory from the old Poultry Market is […]

battersea park peace pagoda

The London Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park

06/12/2023 donbrown 0

In 1829 the Duke of Wellington, the then Prime Minister, fought a duel with the Earl of Winchelsea on Battersea Fields, an area of common […]

western pumping station pimlico

Victoria’s Campanile – the Western Pumping Station

03/12/2023 donbrown 0

As one rattles across the Thames in to Victoria station an elegant building appears on the Chelsea Embankment on one’s left. It’s a building on […]

a german enigma machine

Most secret: the story of the Bletchley Park codebreakers (video of online talk)

30/11/2023 donbrown 0

Discover the secrets of Bletchley Park’s codebreakers & the cracking of Enigma in this online talk. All ticket money goes to The Brain Tumour Charity […]

A History of London – free talk recording

27/11/2023 donbrown 0

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 […]