Battlebridge Basin is one of the larger basins on the Regent's Canal, located just north of King's…read moreCross station. It's home to the London Canal Museum, housing and offices, as well as the brand new 'Kings Place' office and cultural centre. The Regents Canal opened from Paddington to Camden in 1816 and throughout to the basin at Limehouse in 1820. Battlebridge Basin, originally called Horsfall Basin, was opened in 1822. Like the other basins, it was originally intended for the trans-shipment of goods to and from the canals. Among the unusual cargoes carried were ice - imported from Norway from the 1820s - used for making (among other things) ice cream. The former ice warehouse is now the London Canal Museum. Over the years, goods traffic declined, due largely to competition from the railways and then the roads, although some traffic continued until the late 1960s. The canal basin was privately owned until 2000 when it was purchased by British Waterways. The basin has since been redeveloped and gentrified, and provides moorings as well as an attractive urban space. Since 1989 it has been the home of the London Canal Museum, and in 2008 the Kings Place development opened, with a cafe, restaurant, art gallery space and two auditoriums for music recitals and concerts. NB: The main towpath is on the other side of the canal from the basin. Access (except by boat) is easiest via the Canal Museum, as most of the moorings are private. For information about boat moorings, contact British Waterways' London Office on (020) 7985 7200. The museum itself opened in 1992 and is based in a former ice warehouse, dating from the 1860s. The main hall includes a view down into one of the two large circular ice stores. The museum tells the story of canals in general, and in particular how the canal network developed around London. There's a small section of a narrow boat which illustrates how the canal families lived, a small tractor used from the 1940s onwards in place of horses on some of the London canals, and a wide range of smaller canal items. The upstairs is largely given over to exhibition space, showing newsreels from the 1920s-50s depicting canal life in London, wildlife in canals and the story of canal restoration. Downstairs there's access to the side of the Battlebridge Basin, from where the museum runs canal trips in the summer. By the entrance there's a small shop selling books and souvenirs. Staff a friendly and very knowledgable. A diverting hour or so if you are in the Kings Cross area.

I'm glad we stopped in this museum. It was very interesting! Bonus points for the opportunity to…read morestep outside onto the canal walk. Make sure you watch the video upstairs for some rare peeks at the canal and area long ago (humor included).

Now in the care of the National Trust, 24 Cheyne Row in Chelsea is the beautifully preserved house…read morelived in by the writer, historian and essayist Thomas Carlyle and his wife Jane. Opened to the public in 1896, it was London's first literary 'shrine'. History The house itself was built in 1708 in the reign of Queen Anne, in the then largely rural suburb of Chelsea. It was rented to a series of tenants, but was became famous as the home of Thomas Carlyle and his wife Jane when they moved from Scotland to London in 1834 to further Carlyle's career. Thanks to the efforts of his wife Jane, who worked tirelessly to promote her husband's career, the house became the centre of a glittering literary circle, which included Dickens, Tennyson and Ruskin. Despite this, the marriage was not a happy one, (and rumoured to have been unconsummated) with both suffering ill health. After Carlyle died in 1881, the house was largely stripped of its furnishings, rented to another tenant (the Carlyles never purchased it) and fell into neglect. However, admirers of the writer established the Carlyle's House Memorial Trust to purchase and maintain it through public subscription. It was transferred to the National Trust in 1934. Since then, the Trust has continued the work of restoring the house to its appearance during the Carlyles' extensive tenure. The House The location is lovely: a quiet, leafy little street just off the Embankment and only minutes from the King's Road, but feels a world away from either. The house itself is surprisingly atmospheric, with much of the original early 18th century wooden panelling in place (which Jane hated), narrow corridors and staircases, and the garden is a small but tranquil haven. The rooms include the original kitchen, dining room, drawing room, bedroom and Carlyle's intriguing soundproofed garret study: he hated noise, and his wife's correspondence testifies to constant disturbance by noisy neighbours. The garden - where Carlyle spent many evenings smoking his pipe - has also been restored to it mid-19th century appearance. Many of the original furnishings have been returned to the house, alongside extensive memorabilia. The rooms are presented largely as they were during the Carlyles' tenure: both the interiors and the garden were exceptionally well documented through paintings, photographs and their correspondence. Practicalities The house is a five minute walk from the King's Road with its extensive bus services: the nearest tubes are South Kensington and Sloane Square, both about a mile away. Car parking is limited to a small number metered bays (often full). The house is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. It has 4 steps to the main entrance, and even then is fairly cramped. There are more narrow stairs to the basement kitchen and shop and to the three upper floors. There is a single toilet (located in the garden) and a small shop selling postcards and books. The staff are very helpful, but be warned that you will asked to leave bags etc in their office during your tour. being a relatively small venue, it is best appreciated at quiet periods (eg during week days).

Just a few minutes from the busy King's Road No 24 Cheyne Row was the home of the influential 19th…read morecentury writer Thomas Carlyle and Jane his clever and ambitious wife Jane.It was first preserved as a literary shrine in 1895. It used to be the gathering place of many from the literary world including Dickens,Tennayson and Browning.

We stopped by here as part of the capital ring walk. This was our planned stop, so we were relieved…read morethat it was open (during one of the many phases of COVID lockdown). We had a couple of coffees, a cream tea (without the tea), and one of THE BEST sausage rolls I've ever tasted (but I'm America - living here 6 years, so please assess that statement as you see fit). We ate on a bench right outside the folly, but I recommend continue walking for about 60 seconds and there are some more benches with wide open views! Only 4 stars as I live in north London and I'm not sure it's worth a way out of the way trip, but definitely worth a stop if you are in the area.

I am really happy that this "castle" (ahem...it's really a folly...) has been done up and is…read morelooking good! Around four years ago my friends and I walked past here on one of the green chain walks around South London...and we all thought it was a shame that this place was all boarded up and empty. Yesterday, we were walking in the other direction (this time on the capital ring walk...) and it was a lovely surprise to see that it is all in use. Now they have a café on the ground floor, selling cakes, teas and pretty decent ice-cream. Apparently if you pay £2.50 you can climb up to the top and explore, and hear about the history of Severndroog. The lady in the tea room also mentioned that it is possible to hire the whole place for events / weddings. Apparently Severndroog Castle's opening times are 11:00am - 3pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays Oct - March. So pop in if you're wandering along one of South London's pretty walks.

Our visit to this remarkable house revealed a treasure trove of history, ambition and humanity. We…read moreappreciated having Will as our guide, whose knowledge enlightened and enriched our experience. The grounds add quiet splendour in which to relax -- the ambience of the whole place makes it a real gem.

I visited Strawberry Hill on a school trip, and it was a really educational experience! The house…read moreitself is so interesting to look at and walk through, and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. The commute there from London was a bit rough, but it was a cool experience to see.

Marble Hill House in Twickenham is such a lovely spot. The house itself is free to explore, with…read morebeautiful history and charming gardens all around. The surrounding park is perfect for a stroll, with plenty of space for picnics, walks, and dog walkers. A quiet, pretty spot!

Marble Hill House is an elegant 18th century villa which borders on the Thames very near to…read moreRichmond.It has been recently transformed with hand painted Chinese wall paper in its dining parlour.The property was originally built for Henrietta Howard the mistress of George 11.

Bruce Castle is a Grade I listed 16th Century manor house in 20 acres of parkland. I went to school…read morea few streets away and we visited this small white castle a few times. It is definitely well kept, and being as old as it is, it is full of history. The main exhibitions were on the World Wars, it was almost like an Army museum. This is a huge part of Tottenham Heritage, the one thing that stands, and in many ways, the Tottenham local should be very proud of it, Henry VIII actually funded certain parts of the building to be completed in his years as King.

Located close to Tottenham, the Bruce Castle Museum is an odd sort of place. It has a feel of a…read moresmall town museum, rather than one in the metropolis. The old house, still grand despite historical modifications, is charming, whilst also in need of some TLC (which in this case might mean tonnes of lottery cash). Inside the exhibitions are varied and interesting though perhaps a little worn around the edges. It seems as if all the historic items of interest and value stored by Haringey Council have been dumped here, and arranged wherever possible into some sort of coherent order. The variety is interesting, but means in truth there is a lack of quality exhibits in any one genre. There are small exhibits on local sport, the history of the house (including ghost story), local life during World War Two, the growth of Tottenham, picture-filled corridors on the ground floor and a larger exhibition space upstairs. The most interesting exhibit within the museum, and possibly the only one that would genuinely justify a visit is located on the ground floor. Where the rest of the museum is a hotch-potch of items the exhibit relating to Broadwater Farm Estate is excellent. Based on a university research project, the large exhibit looks closely into the building and development of the infamous housing estate associated with the 1980s riots. It is fascinating how badly conceived the estate was in the first place, then how poorly built. The levels of deprivation and crime, and the eventual riots are widely known, but what is excellently presented is the subsequent creation, development and success of a growing community unity. The story of the Broadwater Farm Estate may be best known for the violence, but that would be wrong. The colourful, dedicated and determined community leaders that brought the estate back from the brink are modern heroes, and their story deserves to be more widely known. Generally I would find it hard to recommend the Bruce Castle Museum to anyone who had not yet exhausted London's larger and grander offerings. But the permanent exhibition on the Broadwater Farm Estate is informative, thought-provoking and gives a sense of hope for the good nature of people, and a reminder of what communities can achieve when working together. It would be fair to say the exhibit would benefit from an update, but for those with an interest in London's built and social evolution will find it fascinating and easily worth the visit.

A little museum in the house John Keats used to live in…read more Situated near Hampstead Heath it's a tranquil retreat from the hustle & bustle of London life. There's a video in the basement to introduce you to his life and then you are free to walk around the house and grounds. The house has original pieces of furniture and items from the 1800's. The house is pricey with it's £6.50 entrance fee but worth it if you are a Keats' fan like me.

Gorgeous.Romantic. And you can learn : today it was the Art…read moreOf Georgian Cookery but tomorrow it could be poetry Keats House is where the poet John Keats lived from 1818 to 1820, a setting that inspired some of Keats's most memorable poetry. Here, he wrote 'Ode to a Nightingale', and fell in love with Fanny Brawne, the girl next door. It was from here he travelled to Rome where he died of TB aged just 25.

I really enjoyed my visit to The Banqueting House recently. On a scorching hot day in London, I was…read moredesperate to find an air conditioned place to hang out for a few hours so I decided to visit The Banqueting House and I am so glad that I did! It's a small place, but full of so much history. You will enter downstairs where you can pick up an audioguide to use throughout your visit. Once that's sorted, you move into an undercroft area where you can watch a film about the history of the house, which was quite interesting. The house was used as a performance space for royalty, so there is a small exhibition about these performances and the beautiful historic sets and costumes. I visited in the summer following Pride Month, so there was also a small exhibit about LGBT kings which was interesting as it's not something I've seen at a museum or palace before. The real magic happens when you finish in the undercroft and move upstairs where you encounter the breathtaking Rubens ceiling. It's stunning! Here you can use your audioguide which takes you through the history of the palace and the symbolism of the painting. Try and snag a spot on a beanbag so you can lay down and really get a good look. Overall, I had a great time here. The staff were so polite, the history was fascinating and well presented, and there are sparkling clean bathrooms and air conditioning, so it's the perfect place to spend an hour or two on your visit to London.

This museum is small and doesn't take long to visit. If you love history, architecture, and art…read more You will enjoy your visit. This is home to the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by Flemish artist, Sir Peter Paul Rubens (and it is impressive!). If you only have a short time in London. I probably wouldn't put this on your top 10 list. But, if you have some extra time, I would definitely recommend a stop. When you first enter you can watch a short video on the history of the space. Then climb the stairs to the banqueting room. The ceiling painting is mind-blowing. They have bean bags you can lay in to take in the expansive beauty of the painting. The Banqueting House was built between 1619-1622 and designed by Inigo Jones. It was the first structure in England to be completed in a neo-classical style. Also, it is the only surviving banqueting house in England and the only remaining structure of the Palace of Whitehall. At the time banqueting houses were used to entertain (not just eat). Royalty would attend royal receptions, ceremonies, mosques in these grand buildings. The Banqueting House was also the last place Charles I walked through on his way to be executed just outside.