London is full of history. While most people head to the generic Natural Museum of History, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, I thought I’d put together a list of things that are famous but not too cliché.
1. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
Though the original Globe Theatre burned down during Shakespeare’s time, the theatre has been restored. It features exhibits of what the theatre would’ve looked like. However, the new Globe Theatre that has been built up is not in the original location. The original location is about 200 yards from the new theatre.
2. Churchill’s War Museum
The Churchill War Museum is one of my favorite exhibits (more of a review here)! I originally saw this location in a “Cities of the Underground” documentary and in the movie The Darkest Hour. The Museum is the underground and shows bedrooms, workspaces, a kitchen, and common areas that the workers during WWII resided in.
3. Tower of London
The Tower of London is a former prison, residence, and is home to several sites in history. It holds the location for Anne Boleyn’s execution, the tower where the York princes disappeared during the War of the Roses, and is home to the Crown Jewels.
The Tower of London was one of my favorite field trips growing up in England.
4. Old Churches of London
One famous church is Saint Dunstan in the East Church Garden. The church survived the Great Fire of London in 1666 and has been standing for 900 years.
5. The River Thames
The River Thames serves as the entry way in which the city of London came to be. It was used by the Romans to enter the city and became a Roman port.
6. Hampton Court Palace
The Hampton Court Palace was a residence of Tudor king, Henry VIII.
7. Benjamin Franklin House
Near Trafalgar Square is Benjamin Franklin’s old home at 26 Craven Street.
8. The Mayflower Pub
The historic Mayflower Pub (circa 1550), which was originally named the Spread Eagle sits in Rotherhithe Village. The pub sits alongside the Thames where the Mayflower ship which left for the Americas had been docked. TripAdvisor shows it has amazing reviews.
9. St. Paul’s Cathedral
10. Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square’s history, like most big squares, gets lost in the way it looks today. Historically, this square and Nelson’s statue commemorates the defeat of Napoleon I’s attempt to invade England.
11. Charles Dickens Museum
As an English major who has read Dickens novels since intermediate/middle school, this is such a MUST. The Museum is Charles Dickens’s past home. I lived in England for many years and I regret I didn’t have this list at the forefront during my list visit, so I didn’t make it here. But it’s on my list now! The house has been restored to look as it would have in the past.
I would LOVE any suggestions or comments about these wonderful places in London. As a history lover, London never seems to disappoint. If you’re into tea, Fortnum & Mason (established in 1707) is a historical, must-visit tea place, which I wrote about here.
