As bombings intensified during the Second World War the Government embarked on a programme of constructing deep level air raid shelters beneath the streets of London, usually near underground stations. This one has some 210 steps before you reach the bomb-proof tunnels where up to 8,000 people would have sheltered. Due to the challenges of…
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Following intense bombing during the Second World War, Londoners were in need of new homes – and fast. The solution adopted by the Government was a unique scheme which saw temporary homes being built in factories, sometimes by prisoners of war, to speed up the construction process. 1,500 homes were destroyed in Lewisham in the…
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As World War Two intensified, Surrey Council Council ordered four deep shelters to be built. These big underground complexes could accommodate hundreds of civilians in the event of an air raid. This shelter was built within the grounds of the now demolished Cane Hill Asylum, so presumably would have been available for both local residents…
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Parkland Walk allows people to walk along the abandoned tube line between Finsbury Park and Highgate and has been dubbed London’s version of New York’s High Line. The route of the path was originally built in the 1860’s to connect Finsbury Park to Edgware and was officially opened on 22nd August 1867. In the 1930’s, London Underground had…
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Joined by explorer Sam, we ventured into a culvert running through a suburban town on the border of south-east London and Kent. This drain, covered likely in the post-war period along much of its length, was created from a historic river which ran to the River Thames. Originally it was a ditch running through fields,…
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Shooters Hill is one of the highest points in London with a summit of 432 feet. The name is thought to date back to 1226 when the land was used for archery practise; either that or a common area for highwaymen. During the Second World War several defences were built in the area to protect…
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At Hampstead Heath in North London lies Kenwood House. Constructed across the 17th and 18th centuries, the house now stands as a symbol of traditional British elite culture. However, only across the road lies the enormous manors built by a new elite class, decaying in a state of neglect. Nicknamed Billionaires Row, this busy road…
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Every year 80 million people file in and out of Heathrow Airport on their way around the world. While many take the Tube or train to get there, very few will be aware of a secret station that’s been built beneath their feet. When Terminal 5 was planned, the airport decided to include the structure…
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When we visited the Houses of Parliament last year for the launch of the campaign ‘Archive Awareness’ we were fortunate to meet Clem Brohier who works for the National Archives. Clem invited us for an exclusive tour of the National Archives, and now that we have both finished college for the summer, we headed up…
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