From the alleyways of Soho to the medieval remains of Moorgate, the new book by Sunday Times bestselling author Jack Chesher takes you on a journey through London and its history, showing you its hidden corners.
Explore the fascinating history of the city with the creator of the ever-popular @LivingLondonHistory. Have you ever wondered where a notorious Victorian murderer was captured? Or in which backstreet you can find the pub that hid the masterminds behind the Great Train Robbery? Or perhaps which pocket park contains the remains of a great medieval monastery? Have your questions answered and let London: The Hidden Corners reveal the capital’s unique and shadowy mysteries.
Illustrated throughout and complete with a selection of maps to help you discover your new favourite locations, London: The Hidden Corners promises to bring the city to life for intrepid explorers and local Londoners alike.
Whether you are new to the city or a seasoned traveller, London: The Hidden Corners is a must-have guide for anyone looking to uncover something beyond the familiar. So, in true @LivingLondonHistory style, turn the page and get ready to transform the city into the museum you never knew you had.
I. Alleys, Courtyards and Hidden Pubs
Walk I: Piccadilly Circus Station to Belgravia
Behind the grand streets and bustling thoroughfares in London, there are often networks of narrow, winding alleyways, atmospheric courtyards or old stable yards – all packed with history. Venture down these quieter, more shadowy backstreets and you will often find amazing architectural survivors and hidden pubs.
II. Room to Breathe and Contemplate
WalkII: Moorgate Station to Mansion House Station
London is blessed with a lot of green spaces: its large parks are world-famous, but it also has plenty of miniature gardens hidden among its streets. They often have their own fascinating stories. Many, for example, started life as graveyards, filled to bursting point in the 19th century before being turned into gardens, and others are inspiring community efforts, laid out on unloved and forgotten slips of land.
III. Inns of Court
Walk III: Temple Station to City Thameslink Station
The areas occupied by the Inns of Court in London are fascinating and beautiful enclaves to explore. The Inns of Court themselves are professional institutions for barristers in England and Wales, which started off as lawyers’ guilds, around the 14th century, providing training and accommodation for their members. All barristers in England and Wales today need to be a member of one of the four Inns of Court in London: Lincoln’s Inn, Gray’s Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple. In the 13th century, King Henry III proclaimed that civil law could not be taught within the city walls. The Inns therefore set themselves up to the west, in Holborn and Temple, where they still are today. They have many little gardens, courtyards and historic nooks and crannies to discover, best explored during weekdays, when all entrances are open and accessible.
IV. Riverside Nooks
Walk IV: London Bridge Station to Wapping
Along and around the riverfront of the Thames are a number of intriguing river stairs and little cut-throughs. The river has always been crucial to London’s prosperity, bringing in trade and linking it to the outside world, and these nooks and crannies hold many of the city’s most exciting tales.
V. Cultural Curiosities
Walk V: Monument Station to Guildhall
You never know what you are going to find tucked away in one of London’s hidden corners: many have memorials or links to famous cultural figures; some contain small art galleries or museums; and, in the case of a few, they are home to unexpected architectural details and historical remnants.
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