London On The Ground
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, 2023
- 5 min
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, 2022
- 3 min
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, 2022
- 2 min
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, 2022
- 7 min
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, 2022
- 6 min
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, 2021
- 4 min
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...
1,028 views0 comments
London On The Ground
- Nov 12, 2021
- 3 min
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, 2021
- 6 min
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, 2021
- 6 min
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, 2021
- 6 min
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, 2021
- 6 min
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, 2021
- 4 min
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...
489 views1 comment
London On The Ground
- Sep 2, 2021
- 4 min
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, 2021
- 4 min
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...
691 views1 comment
London On The Ground
- Jul 30, 2021
- 3 min
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
326 views2 comments
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