London On The Ground
City of London Street names: a dozen of the best
The Square Mile has a wealth of unusual, colourful and deceptive street names. Many of London's most curious and unlikely street names...
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London On The Ground
Jul 3, 20234 min read
The Cornhill Pump, The Royal Exchange, Fire and Insurance
The 224 year old pump links the City of London, fire, insurance and the Royal Exchange. The water pump on Cornhill features helpful signs...
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London On The Ground
Feb 24, 20235 min read
Ludgate, London, Lud and legend
Lud, a pre-Roman ancient Briton, founded London, according to legend. There is a very old legend that a king called Lud ruled in ancient...
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London On The Ground
Aug 19, 20223 min read
Old Dr Butler's Head: City pub named for James I's physician
The pub is named after a self-proclaimed specialist in nervous disorders, who had no medical degree. According to its website a pub was...
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London On The Ground
Feb 11, 20222 min read
Seven Ages of Man: Shakespeare, BT & brutalism
Shakespeare's 'All the world's a stage' inspired a 22ft sculpture at BT's brutalist City of London building. The statue, entitled 'Seven...
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London On The Ground
Feb 4, 20227 min read
Old Queens: Ten of Six in the City
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee prompts a look at ten public statues of six past queens in the City of London. By my count, ten statues of...
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London On The Ground
Jan 28, 20226 min read
Bracken House: The Financial Times, Churchill And The Sun
Named after a friend of Winston Churchill and designed by an architect who preferred candles to electric light. Bracken House, the City...
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London On The Ground
Dec 10, 20214 min read
London knights: Cnihtengild statue guards Devonshire Square
Unusual bronze sculpture evokes a guild of knights of 1,000 years ago. This impressive work of art in the east of the City of London was...
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London On The Ground
Nov 12, 20213 min read
Monument to the slave trade: Gilt of Cain in Fen Court
A poem and sculpture hidden away in the City of London commemorates the abolition of the slave trade. Sculpted by Michael Visocchi with...
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London On The Ground
Nov 5, 20216 min read
Number 1 Poultry: Stirling work divides opinion
A postmodern City of London building shows how the Establishment can assimilate outsiders. Number 1 Poultry was designed by the...
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London On The Ground
Oct 28, 20216 min read
Walbrook Wharf: the river, rubbish and Romans
City of London's only working freight wharf has Roman origins. Walbrook Wharf is the only freight wharf still operating in the City of...
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London On The Ground
Oct 4, 20216 min read
City of London: dragons' den
Dragons guard the City of London and are to be found on its streets and buildings. The City of London coat of arms The City of London's...
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London On The Ground
Sep 18, 20216 min read
St Mary Axe: what's in a (street) name?
The City of London's blend of old and new is a defining feature. Ancient Roman origins, highly recognisable modern buildings. And strange...
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London On The Ground
Sep 10, 20214 min read
Crutched Friars create frisson. A little known City of London carving
A sculpture of two friars in the City of London casts light on the medieval City, the sculptor's sense of humour and the nature of...
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London On The Ground
Sep 2, 20214 min read
Norman Foster vs the tree & Wren
A City building pays its respects to Christopher Wren and a London plane tree. The City of London contains some of the most expensive...
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London On The Ground
Aug 26, 20214 min read
London's livery lampposts: The Great Twelve at the Royal Exchange
Look carefully at the forecourt in front of the Royal Exchange and you notice that it is watched over by 12 ornate iron lampposts. They...
746 views1 comment
London On The Ground
Jul 30, 20213 min read
Magnus, the Monument and me
The once prominent church of St Magnus the Martyr and the Monument to the Great Fire of London inspired me to become a City of London Guie
356 views2 comments
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