Category: London History

  • Chuny the Elephant: A Tragic Tale

    Chuny the Elephant: A Tragic Tale

    In the early 19th century, London was a city captivated by exotic animals. Zoos, travelling menageries, and exotic creatures in private collections fascinated the public, offering rare glimpses of wildlife from far-flung corners of the world. Among these animals was Chuny, an Indian elephant who became one of London’s most tragic and infamous animal residents. His…

  • The Exotic Animals of Georgian London

    The Exotic Animals of Georgian London

    Roaring Lions, Royal Zebras, and Camels In the 18th century, Londoners didn’t need David Attenborough documentaries to experience the wonders of the animal kingdom. They had something much more immediate—and, often, much louder: live exotic animals, scattered across the city in royal residences, menageries, and inns. From roaring lions on the Strand to zebras grazing…

  • The Tragic Story of Robert Hubert: The Man Who Was Hanged for Starting the Great Fire of London

    The Tragic Story of Robert Hubert: The Man Who Was Hanged for Starting the Great Fire of London

    The Strange tale of Robert Hubert—the man who didn’t start the Great Fire, but was hanged for it anyway.

  • Thames Mudlarking: Hunting for Buried Treasure

    Thames Mudlarking: Hunting for Buried Treasure

    Welcome to the age-old, utterly addictive pastime of mudlarking, where ordinary folks turn into part-time treasure hunters on the riverbanks of London.

  • The Wife Auctions of Smithfield Market

    The Wife Auctions of Smithfield Market

    In the grand annals of London’s rich and often eccentric history, few traditions are as bizarre, misunderstood, or as steeped in myth as the wife auctions of Smithfield Market

  • The London Necropolis Railway

    The London Necropolis Railway

    Like something out of a horror movie, the London Necropolis Railway, used to be a railway line that transported the dead across London.

  • The Decapitated Heads of London Bridge

    The Decapitated Heads of London Bridge

    For over 300 years, London Bridge was infamous for displaying the severed heads of traitors and rebels, mounted on spikes as warnings to all who dared challenge the crown.

  • Dirty Dicks: The London pub that wasn’t cleaned for 200 years… with dead cats and dogs left on the floor

    Dirty Dicks: The London pub that wasn’t cleaned for 200 years… with dead cats and dogs left on the floor

    Dirty Dicks is one of Londons strangest pubs. The pub’s name might appear rather cheeky, but there’s a tragic reason behind it. Many a Londoner has emerged from Liverpool Street station, let their gaze wander left down Bishopsgate, and spotted some electric scarlet letters spelling out the pub name, “Dirty Dicks”. Yes, the omission of…

  • The Day a Tiger Roamed London: The Legend of Jamrach’s Tiger

    The Day a Tiger Roamed London: The Legend of Jamrach’s Tiger

    Imagine walking down a cobbled street in Victorian London, the fog hanging thick, gas lamps casting an eerie glow, and then—just in front of you—a tiger, roaming freely, prowling through the East End like it owns the place. This isn’t the plot of a gothic novel but a true story from 1857, when one of…

  • Club Row: London’s Pet Market

    Club Row: London’s Pet Market

    Shoreditch’s Once-Infamous Animal Bazaar Nestled in East London’s Shoreditch, the Club Row Pet Market was once a bustling hotspot for animal lovers, traders, and spectators alike. It ran for over a century, from the late 19th century up until its closure in the 1980s, attracting Londoners from all walks of life in search of pets…

  • Bar Italia: The Beating, Caffeinated Heart of Soho

    Bar Italia: The Beating, Caffeinated Heart of Soho

    Bar Italia is less a cafe and more a cultural institution; it’s Soho distilled into an espresso shot, steeped in the rich Italian tradition, with a twist of classic British eccentricity. Opened in 1949 by the Polledri family, this little spot at 22 Frith Street isn’t just about coffee — it’s about the particular magic…

  • The Story Behind Notting Hill’s Name: Knights, Hills, and Quirky Legends

    The Story Behind Notting Hill’s Name: Knights, Hills, and Quirky Legends

    How did Notting Hill get it’s name? When you hear “Notting Hill,” you probably think of colorful townhouses, charming markets, and perhaps Hugh Grant stammering his way through a bookshop. But how did this iconic area in West London get its intriguing name? Notting Hill’s name has layers of history—and maybe even a touch of…

  • Dr Hunter’s Menagerie of Exotic Animals

    Dr Hunter’s Menagerie of Exotic Animals

    In the heart of 18th-century London, a remarkable figure with a taste for the unconventional was turning his garden into something like a cross between Noah’s Ark and a surgical experiment.

  • Knights Templar: London Landmarks

    Knights Templar: London Landmarks

    London is a treasure trove of Knights Templar locations. From the solemn splendour of Temple Church to the dark histories of Smithfield, these locations allow visitors to touch the mysterious and somewhat mythologized history of the Knights Templar.

  • Millenium Mills: An East End icon

    Millenium Mills: An East End icon

    On the eastern edge of London, near the River Thames in Silvertown, sits an imposing relic of the city’s industrial past: the Millennium Mills. This hulking, derelict building stands as a silent testament to a time when London’s Docklands were the beating heart of global trade and manufacturing. Although it’s been decades since Millennium Mills…

  • When Mammoths Ruled London

    When Mammoths Ruled London

    Thousands of years ago mammoths roamed the area now known as London…

  • The London pub that inspired a nursery rhyme

    The London pub that inspired a nursery rhyme

    The Eagle pub is the only pub that is immortalised in a nursery rhyme. Pop Goes the Weasel features the lines UP and Down The City Road, In and Out The Eagle….

  • The Real Dick Whittington

    The Real Dick Whittington

    Everyone who knows pantomimes has heard of Dick Whittington and his magical black cat. But the true story of the real Dick Whittington or rather Richard Whittington is just as compelling. Richard Whittington was a real historical figure—a three-time Lord Mayor of London, merchant, and philanthropist. From Fact to Folklore. Born in 1354 in Gloucestershire, Richard Whittington, sometimes misspelt as…

  • The Highwaymen of Blackheath

    The Highwaymen of Blackheath

    Picture this: It’s the 18th century, and London is a bustling metropolis, but venture just a little way out of the city, and you’d find yourself in the dark, misty expanse of Blackheath—a desolate stretch of land with windswept hills and the occasional inn, all perfect for a lurking danger. This eerie setting was the playground…

  • The Opium Dens of London’s East End

    The Opium Dens of London’s East End

    In the heart of London’s East End during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the dimly lit, smoke-filled opium dens became notorious symbols of the city’s underworld.

  • How Elephant & Castle Got Its Name

    How Elephant & Castle Got Its Name

    London has a lot of strange place names and one of the most quirky is the South London area known as Elephant & Castle. So, how did Elephant and castle get its name? Well, it’s not a reference to an ancient fortress guarded by enormous elephants (though that would be cool. But the story behind…

  • The Polar Bear that Lived at the Tower of London

    The Polar Bear that Lived at the Tower of London

    The Tower of London is renowned for its rich and multifaceted history that spans over a millennium. Within its storied walls, the Tower has seen countless tales of intrigue, treachery, and opulence. While most narratives revolve around the beheadings, imprisonments, and the Crown Jewels, one of its lesser-known yet equally fascinating tales is that of…

  • Queenhithe – London’s hidden Anglo-Saxon dock

    Queenhithe – London’s hidden Anglo-Saxon dock

    On the north bank of the Thames between Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. is Queenhithe a secret bit of London history that even almost Londoners aren’t aware of. Queenhithe, is now just a small part of London beach sandwiched between apartment blocks but it was once a thriving Anglo Saxon harbour that played a pivotal…

  • The Wife Auctions of Spitalfields

    The Wife Auctions of Spitalfields

    In the colourful tapestry of London’s history, there exists a curious and often overlooked chapter: the wife auctions of Spitalfields. These peculiar events, which unfolded in the bustling East End district of London, were a blend of quirkiness, scandal, and social commentary that could only have emerged from the vibrant streets of 18th and 19th-century…

  • Charles Dickens’ Top 10 London Locations

    Charles Dickens’ Top 10 London Locations

    Charles Dickens was a masterful storyteller who vividly depicted the gritty and colorful streets of 19th-century London in his novels. Here are ten real-life Dickensian London locations that played a prominent role in his works: These real-life London locations served as the backdrop for Dickens’ timeless stories, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the vibrant,…

  • London’s Hidden Rivers

    London’s Hidden Rivers

    Every Londoner knows the River Thames, London’s most iconic river but beneath its modern streets lies a hidden world of forgotten rivers, streams, and waterways. These forgotten watercourses, once the lifeblood of the city, have been buried, paved over, or redirected to accommodate the city’s growth and development. Here Londonopia delve into the history of…

  • London’s Grim Coffin Houses

    London’s Grim Coffin Houses

    In the shadowy underbelly of London’s sprawling metropolis lies a secret world that few dare to explore – the coffin houses. These grim and foreboding establishments are not for the faint of heart, nor for those who seek comfort and solace. No, they are the last refuge of the desperate, the destitute, and the damned.…

  • Historic video of London’s Regent’s Canal

    Historic video of London’s Regent’s Canal

    ‘Barging Through London’ (1924) is a short film of horse drawn barges travelling from east to west London on the Regent’s Canal, interspersed with relevant street scenes.  It gives a fascinating insight into what life was like on London’s canals 100 years ago. Timeline:  00:00 Departure from Limehouse 00:47 Mile End Road at Stepney Green  01:13…

  • The locations of the Jack the Ripper murders

    The locations of the Jack the Ripper murders

    Jack the Ripper is one of London’s most infamous serial killer. Jack the Ripper spread a rein of terror through London’s East End in Victorian London between 1888 and 1891. His victims were mostly prostitutes, who had their throats slashed and their bodies mutilated.Although many books have been written on him, nobody knows his true…

  • London’s Deepest Tube Station

    London’s Deepest Tube Station

    Londons deepest tube station is ‘North End’, also known as ‘Bull and Bush’. You may have been past it but you won’t have got on or got off there, because its one of the London underground’s ghost stations. It was never completed and never even opened. It’s on the Northern line between Hampstead and Golders…

  • Soho’s Sleazy History

    Soho’s Sleazy History

    In the heart of London, where the city’s vibrant energy and seedy underbelly collide, lies Soho. This compact, bustling district has long been a hotbed of creativity, rebellion, and, yes, sleaze. Soho’s history is a kaleidoscope of illicit affairs, underground clubs, and characters as colorful as the neon lights that have adorned its streets for…

  • London’s Scariest Tourist Attractions

    London’s Scariest Tourist Attractions

    London is one often greatest cities to live and visit but with over 2000 years of history it has also born witness to a lot of horror.If you like your tourist attractions to be scary then here are our favourites. The London Dungeon The London Dungeon is London’s scariest tourist attraction. At the London Dungeon…

  • The Highwayman of Wimbledon Common

    The Highwayman of Wimbledon Common

    On the edge of Wimbledon Common where the Kingston Road passes, are some trees on the side of a small rise of ground. This part of the common is called Jerry’s Hill. It is named after the 18th-century highwayman called Jerry Abershawe, who frequented those parts and held up carriages on their way between Kingston…

  • The Roman boat under Guy’s Hospital

    The Roman boat under Guy’s Hospital

    Deep below the 14 storey Guys Hospital are the preserved remains of a Roman boat. The remains of a Roman boat were discovered in 1958 and had been carefully left free of disturbance since that date. In 2009, a proposal was made to construct a 14-storey building above the boat. A trial pit was opened…