Beautiful gardens, with a resident cat it seemed. I think it was Burmese, a real cutie, purring its…read moreheart out, until an annoying little girl came over and asked if it was mine. When i said no, she scooped it up and walked off with it! Wonderful embroidery gallery attached to the cafe with some stunning local work inside.

The Sunbury Millennium Embroidery is intended as a permanent, commemorative record which celebrates…read morethe ancient riverside village of Sunbury-on-Thames and its community at the turn of the year 2000. The Embroidery consists of 9 panels and over 100 insignia of local organisations and companies. it is housed in a new and award winning gallery with cafe attached within the Walled Garden off Thames Street. The website can give an overview. It's a lovely little thing to visit, and the walled garden provides an extension in the form of a beautiful stroll, or Sunbury park provides more of a romp for families. There are often ladies demonstrating embroidery technique as this is all local work, and the gallery is also used for art and sculpture displays. Child friendly - there is colouring and the embroidery is covered with glass but a bronze relief is provided for children or the partially sighted to feel the descriptions of the area and its wildlife.

Quite the conundrum, this place. You get slightly bewitched by the colourful history - one of its…read moremany former guises is as the embassy of Sierra Leone - and it's truly a grand house, right in the centre of London. It's available for private hire and I've been to 'carnival nights' there, but it's somewhat hobbled by Westminster's restrictive licensing policies. I've also seen venue staff arguing with promoters - who's at fault, well who's to know. Either way, it probably should be hidden from the punters. Long queues often form to get in for events, as everyone's name has to be checked individually, and at peak times it can become difficult to move around as the toilets are in the basement down a narrow servants' staircase. On the other hand, not that many venues attract such an eclectic crowd, and the memory of the Leonard Cohen lookalike wearing the full-sized black angels wings is going to remain with me for quite a while. It's frequently used as a shoot location as well as having some bedrooms upstairs. I presume that if you're a resident you get to use the outside hot tub. A rather fascinating, decadent interior which has undoubtedly seen all kinds of goings-on. Check out their website for more details.

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.

I visited this house a few years ago which was only a few miles from my high school in…read moreHertfordshire and realized its historical significance. This was the house where Mary I, Elizabeth I and Edward VI were raised. London in Henry VIII's time was riddled with disease such as typhoid, cholera and smallpox, hardly a place fit for little royals where childhood mortality was common. King Henry VIII choose Hatfield house for its proximity to London but far away enough from its scourge. Located in the North Downs, you could see the Thames and from London, you could see Hatfield House. Henry could signal his intention to visit his children and the royal household at Hatfield would make preparations to cater for his arrival with his royal entourage. The journey on horse from London to Hatfield would take a day by the way of Saint Johns Wood. Now you could get to Hatfield from Central London in probably an hour. On a clear day you should be able to see the London Eye from Hatfield if you know what you are looking for. This house was a crucial incubator of the protestant faith. King Henry had the best scholars of the time to instruct his children so that they can continue their reign as protestants. Without Elizabeth I being a strong protestant, England might have kept the Catholic faith as the country's religion. Her eldest sister Queen Mary reinstated Catholicism as the faith of the land when she reigned after the death of Edward VI and the brief reign of Jane Earl Grey. It was reverted to the Church of England when Elizabeth I became Queen. So, if you are ever within spitting distance of this place you should try and see it.

Hatfield House is a lovely day out from London. It is about a 25 minute train ride north of London…read more Hatfield House is the family home of the Marquess of Salisbury, and was built by Robert Cecil (Chief Minister to James I, and son of William Cecil) from 1607-1611. The house is gorgeous, and has loads of beautiful furniture and art. Also on site is Old Hatfield Palace, where Elizabeth I spent much of her childhood. Elizabeth was out on the grounds at Hatfield when she learned that she was now queen, following the death of her sister Mary. Hatfield has somewhat limited opening hours, and is closed (except for the grounds and for special events) during the winter. Check the website (great info) for details. I recommend going at the weekend: during the week you must take a guided tour of the home. The guide was knowledgable and entertaining, but we had to keep moving ahead of the group behind us, so did not have time to savor all of the wonderful things about Hatfield. I will definitely go back.

Founded in 1882 by Edward, Prince of Wales (later Kind Edward VII), the RCM is one of the great…read moreeducational institutions of the UK. A world-leading conservatoire of music, the list of former students reads as a 'Who's Who' in the world of British Classical music, including Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, the conductor Leopold Stokowski, Dame Joan Sutherland and Sir James Galway. Designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, the main building was completed in 1894. Its red-brick façade rather freely mixes Classical, Romanesque and Gothic elements, all framed by two large towers in the French Baronial style. It provides an imposing prospect from the steps of the Royal Albert Hall opposite. The interior includes two major performance spaces in the Concert Hall (added in 1901 to the designs of the architect Sidney J Smith) and the more intimate Britten Theatre, alongside practice rooms and a smaller recital hall. The Library has an important collection of original scores and manuscripts from late mediaeval times to the present, and an impressive museum of instruments, which includes 800 items from 1480 to the present. The college provides academic courses for 600 students from undergraduate to postgraduate level, and the libraries and museum can be accessed by those undertaking research contact them ahead of your visit to discuss your requirements. The building is open to the public for performances, which focus on major classical works, opera and chamber music, and the museum is open to the public (free entrance) from Tuesday to Friday from 14h until 16.30h. Recitals are also held in nearby churches and other public buildings. The studios can be hired by musicians, and the halls can be booked for conferences and other major events.

For starters this has nothing to do with the College itself. It is about the "museum" inside, the…read morelay out and the staff. The college is located in the outside of the city of London. It is more like the suburbs of the city. It is in a very traditional looking part of town and is directly across from the Royal Albert Hall, which is very fitting. However, when you enter the college you are immediately in the college you are in the Lobby where there is a desk manager in attendance to keep the students of the campus safe from strangers (Stranger Danger!!!). However the guy who was working when I was there was very weird. He kept ignoring us and our questions. He mumbled so we couldn't really hear what he was saying. The directions located on the building to point us to the museum where they house very old instruments like pianos violins, and a wait for it.... harp guitar. Yes that's right citizens harp guitar. It was very interesting. The directions led us in circles and we accidentally ended up at the studios where the students go to re-string their instruments or practice. The museum was very small and very cold in order to preserve the instruments. The lady working there didn't really say much. She just sat there. My mom was really tired from walking around all day so we decided to take the elevator back up to the main floor to leave. So when we got in the elevator we assumed when we hit 1 it would take us back to the main floor in the lobby. No. It took us INSIDE a students studio room. As we were in the elevator were thinking "Oh wow this is some really nice elevator music. Very cool" when the doors opened all I saw was a bow moving back and forth, back and forth. I almost wanted to click the close door button and run away. The girl who was practicing turned around and gave us a very weird look but she never stopped playing. So good for her! But seriously who puts an elevator in a studio room?! I mean really? really?! that's just ridiculous. But if you're the girl whose room we accidentally burst into, SORRY! But again so weird your studio has an elevator in it. There are also free shows to watch the students perform but we didn't get a chance to see it because it's not every day that is available. Maybe if I saw this it would have heightened my experience here.

My parents used to visit the original location in the 1970s close to Mayfair. I was in Kensington…read moreone evening and was walking past looking at the establishment when the door opened, a friendly face appeared who very kindly gave me a tour of the institution. Classical Indian music and dance lessons are available here. At the weekends for about two hours they have a reasonably priced cafe which I am yet to try and an art gallery space upstairs which I believe can be hired. South Asian language classes are also available. A few weeks later they invited me to join them for Indian Independence Day celebrations where the students performed and the Indian High Commissioner to London gave an excellent speech.

I entered Wanstead Park through the corridor that runs south of the Golf Club. Here's there's…read moreserious woods, with paths that wander naturally. Something it's so rare to find in London. Further in the park opens out, and there's a notice board. It turns out it's officially part of Epping Forest. It's also the remains of the gardens of a stately home, laid out 200 years ago, and is grade II listed. You can still see the artificial ponds, avenues and some of the buildings, including one used for events. However the house is gone, and the rest is overgrown. No posh flower borders or manicured lawns. Instead the woods are nearly impenetrable and full of brambles and deadfalls. Heading north there's an open grassy ride, and I found a small path turning off it and wandering through the woods. Though some of the deadfalls have been cut away, there's still places you have to step over fallen trunks. I find it wonderful to get away from the manicured walks found in so many London parks, even the wilder ones such as Richmond and Hampstead Heath. Here nature really does seem to have claimed back some ground. I'm sure many would like to see it returned to 'former glory', but I rather like it as it is. On the webpage given one of the links, to a leaflet, is broken. The correct link is: http://213.86.34.248/NR/rdonlyres /B0689AE5-87D4-4AC2-B3FB-6423E56D7988 /0/OS_EF_WansteadPark.pdf (take out gaps: added as otherwise it doesn't display)