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Art on a plate: Temple Bar's hidden treasures
Unique, architect-designed plates recognise support for the Architects Benevolent Society. City of London livery companies are known for...

London On The Ground
May 12, 20244 min read


The Brunswick Centre, a pioneer in 20th century architecture
The Bloomsbury structure has proved highly influential, but is it modernism, brutalism or something else? The Brunswick Centre is a...

London On The Ground
Apr 29, 20243 min read


Arsenal's Art Deco Highbury, Herbert Chapman and me
The North London stadium was unique in football architecture, motivated by an innovative manager and inspiring generations of Arsenal...

London On The Ground
Apr 20, 20248 min read


'Work' by Ford Madox Brown, a painting to rival a Dickens novel
The artist tackles Victorian social attitudes, the class divide and urbanisation in this Hampstead scene. Work, by Ford Madox Brown,...

London On The Ground
Apr 13, 20247 min read


Poster art and design on the London Underground
A personal selection from the London Transport Museum. The London Transport Museum's Global Poster Gallery, which only opened in October...

London On The Ground
Apr 8, 20245 min read


Old houses of John Thomas Smith's London
Engravings of London of more than 200 years ago. John Thomas Smith was an artist, engraver and writer who captured London in the late...

London On The Ground
Mar 25, 20242 min read


Senate House: Stalinist or Art Deco?
The University of London's 1937 landmark by Charles Holden: views differ. Senate House in Bloomsbury is the administrative centre of the...

London On The Ground
Mar 16, 20245 min read


St Olaf House: an Art Deco classic at Hay's Wharf
Striking 1930s entrance hall and staircase, sculpted river front panels and other fine architectural details. I recently took some...

London On The Ground
Mar 4, 20245 min read


The Royal Exchange frieze: a freeze frame of history
Sculptures on the Victorian building tell of the City of London's past It is easy to miss the sculpted details on the the Royal Exchange,...

London On The Ground
Feb 24, 20246 min read


Ward Lock's City of London 1929
A 95 year old illustrated guide book shows many recognisable views. Ward, Lock & Co began publishing a series of illustrated guide books...

London On The Ground
Feb 17, 20243 min read


The Old Operating Theatre, Europe's oldest surviving surgery room
Head and abdominal surgery and amputations took place without anaesthetics or antiseptics. The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb...

London On The Ground
Feb 11, 20246 min read


Temple Bar Memorial: Victorian delights you may not have noticed
The fearsome dragon is impressive, but the plinth contains hidden treasures. Temple Bar Memorial, where The Strand becomes Fleet Street,...

London On The Ground
Feb 2, 20246 min read


St George the Martyr Southwark, London's first St George church
Its 900 years feature Henry V, Dickens, Livery Companies - and what a ceiling! The foundation stone of today's church of St George the...

London On The Ground
Jan 27, 20244 min read


Would Elizabeth I recognise Clerkenwell today?
A drawing of Clerkenwell in 1560, two years into the reign of Elizabeth I, shows some features still visible today, sort of. Published in...

London On The Ground
Jan 19, 20248 min read


Frederic Leighton's art at Leighton House
An excellent collection of 19th century paintings and sculpture by Frederic Leighton. The painter, draughtsman and sculptor was one of...

London On The Ground
Jan 14, 20244 min read


The London Christmas Quiz 2023: Answers
Thanks to all who sent in answers. The highest scoring entry was from Nicola Stanhope, with 13½ out of 25. Congratulations to Nicola, who...

London On The Ground
Jan 2, 20244 min read


1 January: New Year's Days from London's history
Pepys, Amazing Grace, The Times, Frankenstein, Joe Orton, The Beatles, mobile phones and more. To celebrate New Year's Day 2024, here is...

London On The Ground
Dec 31, 20234 min read


The London Christmas Quiz 2023
Test your knowledge of London and Christmas with another challenging quiz. The London On the Ground London Christmas quiz is back for a...

London On The Ground
Dec 23, 20234 min read


Angel Wings sculpture: not just for Christmas
Angel Wings is a year-round 'Christmas decoration' on an epic scale, a play on the Angel Islington's name and link to the Nativity story.

London On The Ground
Nov 24, 20233 min read


The Hitchcock mosaics of Leytonstone station
Vibrant tiled images celebrate the life and work of film director Alfred Hitchcock. The passageway into and out of the Central line...

London On The Ground
Nov 11, 20232 min read
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