This modern looking lodge with exterior walls and an inside fire place over looking forest and…read moremeadow is the only surviving Tudor hunting lodge. In the 16th century it was called "The Great Standing" - an elaborate OPEN SIDED viewing platform used by the corpulent Henry the Eighth and court to view hunting and equestrian displays. He was better able to gracefully ascend the "procession stairs" (as you will) that had low risers and wide treads to accommodate his girth, equestrian injuries and the ladies' great skirts. The supporting massive oak beams have survived more than 500 years. Banners with family crests used to festoon the sides of the platform and flags flew gaily above. See what the Royal party will be feasting on and hear the kitchen help chopping and dicing in the background. Children can try on Tudor clothing upstairs. This is a family-friendly destination. The volunteers are great about answering your questions. Many thanks to volunteer Danny, now 94 who used to play about the ruins as a boy and has studied the history of the site for years. He was an incredible font of knowledge.

I brought a group up here today for a work trip, and I was pleasantly surprised!…read more It's a very neat building from the 1500s, first used as an open building for Henry VIII to go hunting from (they apparently corralled deer in for him to shoot with his bow and arrow from a chair in the building). Queen Elizabeth then closed it in and made it into the building it is today. The building is charming and a bit corny, set with fake food and costumes to try on - definitely a bit school group centered, but at the same time, it's really more about coming in and having a bit of a feeling of how old and special the building is, and there are lovely views from the top floor. Plus the staircase is original, and is apparently one of the first (if not *the* first) example of a staircase that goes up in a square (like most staircases now!) The guide told us that The Globe came and measured up the stairs and used them as a template when they redid the Globe, so you're in fine company. It's free to go and is open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm (subject to some closures for private tours, like us today, or school groups). It's set in Epping Forest but is easy to get to as it's less than 10 minutes by foot from Chingford. There's a pub next door and a café across the street, so it's a nice place to start or end a trip to the Forest. There's also a great visitor centre, with permanent and temporary exhibitions, and a gift shop (naturally).

Had an event here last week and I cannot rate this venue highly enough. They gave helpful guidance…read morein selecting food and making the arrangements. The staff working on the day were so polite and efficient. Definitely would recommend using Stephen's House and Gardens for any kind of event.

This is the house that Tim & Dasiy Rented in the TV comady Spaced...... Skip to the end!…read more A must visit for all fans. You do get a strange feeling to see it for real. At quick walk from Camden you can recreate the finger gun battle!

Very good open air venue in a lovely part of London. A visit to an open air concert is a great…read moreactivity during summer. Bring a picnic though - it's best enjoyed that way. I saw Bjorn Again there a couple of years ago and it was hilarious. great family day out.

The grounds of the Kenwood House in Hampstead are one of my favourite places in London. The…read moreconcerts that are put on here in the summer are lovely, but other than this, the grounds are just a great place to go for picnics, have nice walks and fly kites on the hill. With lots of green grass, ponds, small forests and hidden areas, it's just a lovely place to be.

Lovely afternoon with friends. Great food and super friendly staff would highly recommend Thank…read moreyou for a great afternoon

Dick Whittington was a real person,who lived from about…read more1350 to 1423, and he was indeed Mayor of London. There are many variations of the story based on a play produced in 1606 with later additions and evolution over hundreds of years.He was never actually 'Lord' Mayor, as that title was not used until a much later period, but the Mayor was a very important position: the holder was head of government for the City of London.Usually the story is 3 times Lord Mayor. He was Mayor 4 times. Near the foot of Highgate Hill is the famous Whittington stone, which is supposed to mark the point where Dick Whittington, on his way out of London, heard the sound of bow bells chiming 'turn again Whittington, Lord Mayor of London' and decided to return to the city. The cat is harder to explain; there is no evidence that Dick Whittington ever had a cat. Maybe the association with the animal arose from the type of boat he used for trading, known as a 'cat'. The present sculpted cat on the top of the stone was not added until 1964. The story first appeared nearly 200 years after Whittington's death. Other characters were added, and Dick Whittington became a favourite pantomime in the 19th century. Many legends surround Old Highgate and Hampstead, and there is an old belief that if Whittington's Stone is ever removed or if any harm should befall it, great change and disaster will fall upon the neighbouring area. Of course, this myth is probably based upon the fact that the Stone is one of Highgate's oldest landmarks, and therefore, it would be bad luck to remove it. The real Richard Whittington was apprenticed to the Mercers' Company in the City of London. He became a successful trader, dealing in valuable imports such as silks and velvets. All his goods would have entered London through the river quays. Whittington was three times Master of the Mercers' Company and four times Mayor of London. Richard II and his successor Henry IV were important customers for Whittington. He supplied silks for the wedding dresses of the daughters of Henry IV. Richard Whittington's fortune was used for many charitable purposes, including almshouses, a library, and also public works such as improvement to the water supply and a public lavatory. The Whittington Charity still exists, and provides housing and financial help.

I have been waiting years to visit the Royal Air Force Museum and it was every bit as exciting as…read morethe anticipation leading up to our visit to London. I planned to stay there for most of the day and I ended up taking upwards of 500 photos of every aircraft, gun, missile & bomb in the 6 buildings covering the history of the RAF from WWI to modern day. As you enter the grounds, you are greeted by the gate guardian, a Supermarine Spitfire of WWII fame. Starting off at Building H1 are many Cold War and modern weapons, aircraft, history and technology, all the way up to the mock-up of the Lockheed F-35 Lightning II strike/fighter currently serving with the RAF and RN on HMS Queen Elizabeth II and HMS Prince of Wales. You will notice that many of the aircraft are accompanied by life-sized cutout pictures of the pilots that flew them and their stories, giving the machines a personal effect. Buildings H4, H5, H6 house many of the larger historical planes from WWII multi-engined propeller driven bombers to 21st century supersonic interceptors. Both British and American aircraft are seen here from the close allied relations between the USA and UK over the last century. You will also see rare aircraft taken as war trophies from Germany and Japan. Most have been meticulously returned close to their original condition with some still undergoing restoration. One artifact of note is a Handley Page Halifax, a 4-engine heavy bomber from WWII that was shot down after a raid on the German battleship Tirpitz in 1942 and recovered with most of its parts from a Norwegian lake in 1971. The Hendon Kitchen between buildings H2 & H6 is a great place to take a break, rest your feet and grab a bite to eat. I was surprised by the quality of the food and is way better than the hamburger, hot dogs & chicken fingers at museums in the United States. For lunch, I got the Spitfire Wings with Roasted Vegetables and it was excellent. It was served on a porcelain plate with real silverware and I was suitably impressed. Don't forget to visit the gift shop on the way out and make a supporting donation to the museum to keep it free for all to enjoy.

Amazing. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it. They have a wide selection of planes…read more 10/10 recommended to go But. The VR flight sim cost a lot of money and only for a short time you can play

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.

A great venue for those looking to experience climbing for the first time or old school climbers…read morejust wanting to have a bit of fun. There is a cafe on the top floor which is surrounded by walls and smiling people. Shoes available to purchase or landed did a taster session.

Quirky! A former water tower designed like a Scottish castle with moat…read more The Castle was designed and built by William Chadwell Mylne, and is a spectacular example of the Victorian propensity for interpreting functional industrial buildings in the architectural style of earlier ages. Here it is a French mediaeval castle, complete with parapets and three different towers, set on a raised mound as if within a moat, looking like something from a Book of Hours, although Mylne is said to have taken Stirling Castle as his inspiration. The building was constructed in 1856 as a pumping-station for the supply of fresh water in east London, in the wake of a cholera epidemic. In 1995 Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners imaginatively converted the building into an indoor climbing centre and the interior is now a maze of artificial rock faces on different levels, studded with climbers like fridge magnets.

You don't have to go to the country to visit a country house you know, you can just get on the…read moreNorthern line to Hampstead! This National Trust gem has many examples of early keyboard instruments most of which are still in good working order, as well as needlework and paintings which date back to the 17th century when the house itself was built. As wonderful as the house is on its own though, I suggest you go and check it out in the summer. The walled gardens are just stunning, there's Apple orchards and Rose gardens, giving the overall experience of a Jane Austen set. Where's Mr Darcy though? Admission for both house and garden was £5.40.

I found this very underwhelming because it felt a little hodgepodge, such as porcelain figurine…read morecollections, piano/harpsichords just lining the upper floors rooms (without signage), and a more modern interior than expected. The volunteers were kind and gardens pretty, but wouldn't make a special effort to see this.