Off The Beaten Track
Identifying the capital's less well-known sights of interest, hidden corners, and best kept secrets...
Sir John Soane's Museum, Holborn
This treasure-trove is one of London's best kept secrets. A short walk from Lincoln's Inn and Holbon tube, this nondescript Georgian terrace houses a fascinatingly bizarre collection of objects collected on the travels of Sir John and his wife in the late 18th century.
With a love of art and antiquity - and the funds and connections to secure precious items - Sir John collected original statues and ancient artefacts from Italy and Egypt, paintings by Hogarth and Canaletto, and an eclectic range of other treasures that often defy description. The museum itself is an attraction, with converted cellars, 'secret' rooms, sliding panels, and the mysterious 'Monk's Cellar'.
Lincoln's Inn Fields; free. Visit www.soane.org for details. Holborn tube.
The British Library
Despite being the UK's most expensive public building (at a staggering cost of £500 million), the British Library looks as much like a huge brick supermarket as anything else. The unremarkable exterior should not put you off though, as the British Library features some of the world's great printed treasures.
The most important of the Library's attractions include the richly illustrated Lindisfarne Gospels, ancient papyrus scrolls from the Holy Land that are some of the earliest biblical texts, original Shakespearean folios, works of Beethoven and Mozart, the Magna Carta, ancient Indian and Arab artwork and texts, and letters from such luminaries as Henry VIII and Lord Nelson. Touch screens allow you to 'virtually' turn pages and zoom in on illustrations.
Special exhibition areas also display ancient and beautifully illustrated maps from around the world - Nazi war maps, fanciful medieval charts, maps produced for various emperors and kings - presented with a fascinating historical commentary. The massive King's Library (containing thousands of books collected by King George III) is also well worth a visit.
96 Euston Road; free. Visit www.bl.uk for detail. Kings Cross or Euston tubes.
Ham House, Richmond
Boasting one of the best-preserved 17th century interiors in the UK and an enviable riverside location upstream from Richmond, Ham House is well worth the 20 minute walk from Richmond pier. Once the home of the influential Duke of Lauderdale and the popular Countess of Dysart, Ham House continued to flourish despite the political and social storms of the 17th century. Gifted in this century to the National Trust, the House also features a formal garden, shop, and cafe.
Tip: Rather than enter through the main door to the house, turn right on coming through the main gates, enter what used to be the stables and visit the video room, where an interesting 10 minute video explains the history of Ham House and its once-important inhabitants. From there you can explore the garden before entering the richly decorated house.
Tube: Richmond, then 20 minute walk beside the Thames to Ham or bus #371.
Boat trips from Westminster Pier will take you on a fascinating 2-2.5 hour cruise to Richmond for not much more than a fiver. Ring Westminster Passenger Services on 020 7930 4721 for sailing times and details. N.B. Your Travel Card entitles you to a 33% discount - make sure you ask!
Opening Times: Mon-Wed, Sat & Sun 11am-5.30pm.
Price: £6, incl. gardens.
More Information: Ham House.
The Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner
The Wellington Arch has been one of the most controversial pieces of architecture in London throughout its 180-year existence. The location, design, and adorning statues (including a massive bronze Duke of Wellington on horseback that was perched atop the Arch for many years) all caused great political and public debate in the nineteenth century.
Repositioned this century at Hyde Park Corner to improve traffic flow along Constitution Hill, this impressive Triumphal Arch in the Roman style was originally built to honour the Duke of Wellington, the great British general who conquered Napoleon at Waterloo, and who became Prime Minister of the nation several years later. Ceremonies and processions often took place at the Arch or travelled through its gates during the Victorian era, including the funeral procession of the Duke of Wellington himself.
As the decades passed, the Arch soon faded from prominence and a gradual decay set in. The interior of the Arch contained numerous rooms, and London's smallest police station operated from there until the 1960's. When the last inhabitants of the Arch vacated, this historical curiosity from the glory days of the British Empire was largely ignored by the city authorities.
In 1999 English Heritage took over custody of the Arch and began a £2 million pound restoration, a complicated process that involved the work of several craftsmen and that was finally completed late last year. The results are impressive - the massive bronze chariot that crowns the arch has been painstakingly restored to its former glory, and the refurbished interior rooms now house an interesting exhibition that chronicles the history of the Arch, the Duke of Wellington, and London itself with the interesting use of video and sound. There's even a temperature-controlled pair of the Duke's famous 'Wellington Boots' on display.
The viewing platform at the top of the Arch overlooks Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace Gardens, and back at ground level is a small shop. For the lazy modern tourist, a lift has even been installed.
If you are in the Hyde Park or Piccadilly areas, it's well worth half an hour of your time and the £2.50 entrance charge.
Tube: Hyde Park Corner.
More Information: Wellington Arch
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