Historic London Buildings
College of Arms - Forty Hall
An A-Z of historic buildings and other historic attractions in the heart of London. See also historic attractions in the Greater London area, and for more on royal palaces see Royal London.
The College of Arms grants new coats of arms, keeps records of arms, genealogies, flags, changes of names, and royal licenses. Though the heralds do have purely ceremonial duties, they also act as a source of knowledge and advice on the peerage, matters of precedence and honours, and the use of symbols on both personal and civic flags.
130 Queen Victoria Street,
London,
Greater London,
England, EC4V 4BT
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: Keepers of the all records of tradition heraldry.
Nearest: Self Catering
One of London's most famous markets, Covent Garden was primarily a place to buy fruit and vegetables. This 40-acre site once belonged to the convent of St Peter's, Westminster, which maintained a kitchen garden here. This 'convent garden' evolved to become known as Covent Garden.
The Piazza, Covent Garden London,
Greater London,
England, WC2E 8RF
Heritage Rating:
Nearest: Self Catering
Crossness Pumping Station was built in 1865 as part of Sir Joseph Bazalgette's ambitious scheme to deal with London's sewage problem. The Pumping Station has been called the 'Cathedral of Victorian Ironwork' and features a restored 47-ton beam engine.
The Old Works, Thames Water S.T.W. London,
Greater London,
England, SE2 9AQ
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: A stunning example of Victorian Romanesque architecture.
Nearest: Self Catering
The London home of Samuel Johnson from 1748-1759. It was in this building that Dr Johnson compiled his now famous dictionary of the English language. The house has been restored to the way it would have been during Dr Johnson's residency here, and it remains one of the oldest surviving townhouses in London.
17 Gough Square,
London,
Greater London,
England, EC4A 3DE
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: Home of Samuel Johnson while he wrote his Dictionary
Nearest: Self Catering
Owned by the National Trust, Eastbury Manor House is a superb example of a 16th-century merchant's house, dating to the Elizabethan period. The highlight of the interior is the collection of well-preserved 17th-century wall paintings. The house is set in small but enjoyable gardens.
Eastbury Square,
London,
Greater London,
England, IG11 9SN
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: The infamous Gunpowder Plot was hatched here ... or was it?
Nearest: Self Catering
A combination Tudor palace and Art Deco mansion, Eltham Palace is unlike any other historic house in London. Henry VIII spent much of his childhood at Eltham, but in the 1930s the ruinous palace was rebuilt in sumptuous Art Deco style by the wealthy Courtauld family.
Court Yard, Eltham London,
Greater London,
England, SE9 5QE
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: One of the great medieval royal palaces
Nearest: Self Catering
Emery Walker (1851-1933) was a close friend of Arts and Crafts Movement pioneer William Morris. Walker's Thames-side house in Hammersmith is filled with decoration and furnishings reflecting his interest in Morris's ideas, including mementoes of Morris and other Arts and Crafts leaders.
7 Hammersmith Terrace, Hammersmith London,
Greater London,
England, W6 9TS
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: Exceptional Arts and Crafts interiors
Nearest: Self Catering
Fenton House is an elegant red brick merchant's house in the centre of Hampstead, dating to the 17th century. There is a lovely walled garden and an orchard that is over 300 years old. The interiors boast a collection of porcelain from across Europe and China, plus early keyboard instruments and needlework from the time of William and Mary.
Hampstead Grove, Hampstead London,
Greater London,
England, NW3 6SP
Heritage Rating:
Nearest: Self Catering
Fitzroy House was built in 1791, with elegant interiors inspired by Robert Adam, who developed nearby Fitzroy Square. The house was the home of playwright George Bernard Shaw, and in the 1950s became the residence of writer and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Dianetics and Scientology.
37 Fitzroy Street,
London,
Greater London,
England, W1T 6DX
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: Original Georgian interiors
Nearest: Self Catering
This lovely red-brick house was built in 1629 for Nicholas Rainton, a wealthy haberdasher and soon to be Lord Mayor of London. The house is set in over 270 acres of grounds, offering formal gardens and wildflower meadows. In the grounds is the site of Elsyng Palace, a Tudor royal palace owned by Henry VIII and his daughter, Elizabeth I.
Forty Hill, Enfield London,
Greater London,
England, EN2 9HA
Heritage Rating:
Nearest: Self Catering