From its mythic origins to the present day, London is a historic city full of undiscovered wonder and exploration. But there is only one real way of uncovering the hidden pockets of this extraordinary city - on foot. London's historical past reveals itself uniquely to the walker like no other. The Cadogan Book of Historic London Walks traces the stories of the men and women who created, built and lived in the city through the centuries, from Kings and Queens and architects of great buildings and gardens, to shopkeepers, writers and artists. Each of the 12 walks is designed and written to give the reader a fascinating historical background to the city, together with quirky nuggets of information and clear, straightforward directions. There are recommendations on the best - and most unusual - cafes and pubs as well as portraits of dozens of famous Londoners, historical events and little known facts: which men's hairdresser's contains the remains of the Roman Basilica in its basement? What was Stalin's favourite hotel? Along the way, the walker will discover the hidden rivers of the City, the original location of Little Britain, the forgotten story of the London Stone, the place where William Blake and Daniel Defoe are buried and the famous London Monument.
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'A mine of information' -- Daily Mirror (on 'London Markets')
'Bursting with practical information and in-depth knowledge' -- The Times
'Excellently written and bursting with character' -- Holiday Which
'Good writing, amusing comment and invaluable advice’ -- The Independent
‘Cadogan are the pick of the bunch’ -- Daily Telegraph
'Bursting with practical information and in-depth knowledge' -- The Times
'Excellently written and bursting with character' -- Holiday Which
'Good writing, amusing comment and invaluable advice’ -- The Independent
‘Cadogan are the pick of the bunch’ -- Daily Telegraph
From the Publisher
This engrossing book is the first in a new series of Cadogan guides to historic walks in major European cities. Offering everything from a relaxing lunchtime stroll to a full day’s exploration, the series is designed to reveal the fascinating stories and exciting unknown corners that every great city has hidden away.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A. Anderson
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Unfortunately the "mine of information" this books carried needs a severe health warning. In just the first two chapters, I noticed three major errors - the wrong statue outside Tower Hill, the wrong church at the crossing of Holborn Viaduct and Giltspur Street, and the wrong date for Postman's Park (not even the right century!). Add to that the lack of any index, and you would be wasting your money on this one.
By Mark Klobas
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
London is a city of layers. From its Roman core, successive generations have built over and outward, turning the walled town into the vast metropolis that it is today. This evolution can be seen just by walking around central London, yet many of the signs of it are tucked away in obscure corners or hidden in the anonymity of everyday life.
It is for those people who seek to discover the city's past for themselves that Leo Hollis wrote this guidebook. In it he details a dozen walks that allow participants to explore the span of London's history, from the Roman remnants to its vast physical expansion during Victorian times. Each walk includes a small map and instructions in bold as to the streets to take, along with explanatory text providing the background of the sites and their historical relevance.
Hollis's book can be a good tool with which to explore London's past. His text is readable yet insightful, bringing to light the relevance of so much of the architectural and geographical landscape that might otherwise be taken for granted. Yet its usefulness is marred by the unclear directions the walks offer. Oftentimes these are more simplistic than London's streets can justify and in a few places they prove to be outright wrong. These problems can be surmounted by an aware reader, though, and should not detract from the informative explorations of the city that Hollis offers within its pages.
It is for those people who seek to discover the city's past for themselves that Leo Hollis wrote this guidebook. In it he details a dozen walks that allow participants to explore the span of London's history, from the Roman remnants to its vast physical expansion during Victorian times. Each walk includes a small map and instructions in bold as to the streets to take, along with explanatory text providing the background of the sites and their historical relevance.
Hollis's book can be a good tool with which to explore London's past. His text is readable yet insightful, bringing to light the relevance of so much of the architectural and geographical landscape that might otherwise be taken for granted. Yet its usefulness is marred by the unclear directions the walks offer. Oftentimes these are more simplistic than London's streets can justify and in a few places they prove to be outright wrong. These problems can be surmounted by an aware reader, though, and should not detract from the informative explorations of the city that Hollis offers within its pages.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Mrs Orme
Format:Paperback
I had some American friends visit and I bought this book in preparation. It is a wonderful read and once we began to walk it proved a very useful guide to the city. I learned things about London (I have lived there in on and off for my whole life) that I never realised.
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