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Imperial War Museum - image from http://readthisblog.net/2005/07/
Following up on our previous post of British Airways High Life magazine’s 1,000th thing to do in London, below are a few readers’ suggestions of how to appreciate various aspects of the city’s history:
“Lord’s, the home of cricket, is where the sport originated. It still has the headquarters of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and it’s the dream of every cricketer to play there.”
“The trench experience at the Imperial War Museum. Everyone should be made aware of just how lucky we are to be born at the right time and not to have had to experience this first-hand.”
“West Norwood Cemetery is the burial place of the richest, most famous, iconic and inspirational people to have set foot in or shaped the city of London. With thousands of plots, monuments and mausoleums—each with a unique story to tell—and the fascinating history behind the ancient catacombs it’s here that you’ll get a real glimpse of the movers and shakers of the city’s past.”
“For a slice of history, visit Temple Church near the embankment. It’s one of the most beautiful, magical and historical places you’ll see. It dates from the 12th century and was built by the Knights Templar. The church is nestled among a collection of ancient buildings, which make up the Inner and Middle Temple. If you can, attend a service there—the choir is second to none.”
“The Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum give you a real sense of wartime London. An absorbing experience where time stands still.” (I personally endorse this one—I’ve been there twice and could easily go again today if I could. A fascinating, authentic experience that is not so overwhelming in size that you can’t take your time and peruse all the information and reflect on its impact—be careful visiting in Spring, though, when student tour groups may flood the narrow and intimate corridors!)
“Few people realise that London is one of the most important urban archaeological sites in the world due to the history along the Thames. Pull on some wellies and head out at low tide to spot 200-year-old clay pipes, bits of Tudor pottery and many other wonderful items.”
And to see history-in-the-making:
“Watch democracy in action at the Strangers’ Gallery in the House of Commons.”
If you’re moving to London, you’ll eventually be eager to side-step the tourist trail and discover these hidden nooks on your own. Once the relocation specialists at London Relocation Ltd. assist you with your London home search, you’ll be ready to explore and surely discover your own list of 1,000 things to do here!
Related posts:
- London Locations: Parks & Gardens
- National Treasure
- Living in London – From Fine Print to the Finest of Printing
- Living in London – Rock on!
- International Tour-Guide of Mystery…mwahahahahaaaa…
[...] A weather update to start with. Returning from the heat of Africa to the on-going winter in London was a real shock although everyone kept saying that it was much warmer than it had been. Snow was still falling all around London, tho’ not in London itself, so much so that a long awaited visit from a friend in Oxfordshire was cancelled as they were snowed in and that’s only about 30 miles away! Since then we’ve been rained on, daily, so thank goodness for lots of indoor things to do in London! [...]
A very insightful blog on historical London – I think you would find the book Amazing People of London an interesting read, http://www.amazingpeopleclub.com/bioview/amazing-people-london.html. Keep up the good work!
Very cool resource – that really humanizes the history of London, knowing the histories of its notable people. Thanks!
[...] – As for museums, a really cool one that is kind of tucked away is the Churchill War Rooms, located in the underground bunker where Churchill and his cabinet strategized during [...]