Visually stunning or curious places to visit.

I lived in London for many years, but haven't been back recently.

I want to take someone around some of the more unusual places of interest. I'm looking for visually stunning/curious if possible as we are both photographers. Does anyone have any suggestions?

---

Right then! Well CarynGrace I have recently suggested a bunch of not so famous places to visit in London that are very interesting in another thread about finding hidden gems in London. I will cut and paste some of them here.

Also if I might I would suggest going on some of the "London Walks" please see www.walks.com for the details of each one. These are led by blue badged guides and their knowledge is incredible. I always learn new things from them. Please remember to bring cash when you meet them at the appointed place.

Anyway, please see below some of my suggestions, they may not be visually stunning but they are not the mainstream lot that most tourists are keen on.

1. "The cafe in the Crypt" which is under St. Martin's in the Fields (in Trafalgar Sq). It is free to just go down and look at even if you dont want to eat.

2. York Watergate - This is cool because it shows you where the Thames used to be before it was pushed back 150 yards by the embankment (the great stink of 1858 had everything to do with why the embankment was built to push the water back; the Underground was also begun at the same time since they were digging everything up). This gate used to belong to George Villers Duke of Buckingham which he used to board his boats etc. It can be found in embankment gardens near Embankment station and is within walking distance from St Martin's in the fields.

Here is more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_House,_Strand

3. Broad St. Pump in Soho - A significant event in the history of epidemiology and public health was Dr. John Snow's study of an 1854 outbreak of cholera in Soho. He identified the cause of the outbreak as water from the public water pump located at the junction of Broad Street (now Broadwick Street) and Cambridge Street (now Lexington Street), close to the rear wall of what is today the John Snow public house.

John Snow mapped the addresses of the sick, and noted that they were mostly people whose nearest access to water was the Broad Street pump. He persuaded the authorities to remove the handle of the pump, thus preventing any more of the infected water from being collected. The spring below the pump was later found to have been contaminated with sewage.

The actual pump is no longer there but the landmark to find on your hunt can be the John Snow Memorial. It is a black pump without a handle on Broadwick St. in Soho (It is off of Carnaby St.) I usually go to Oxford Circus stop when taking people there. It looks like this by the way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Snow_memorial_and_pub.jpg

4. The Benjamin Franklin House - This tends to go over better with touring Yanks but it is still kind of cool to show people it is rather obscure and unknown and it is a stop to be made between the Cafe in the Crypt and The Watergate. IT can be found at 32 Craven St.

http://www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org/site/sections/default.htm

5. Mason's Yard - Meeting Place of John and Yoko Ono. While this is more Pop history than educational history it is a nugget that few people know about in the capital. The art shop that led to the fateful meeting that led to the breakup of the Beatles was in Mason's yard a small street/mews off of Duke St.

6. Marble Arch - This often overlooked attraction has a rich history that you can read about. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Arch (I once had the fortune of being able to go up inside the arch as I happened to be nearby on a very rare occasion that it was opened, very cool indeed)

Also of note is that is located near the Tyburn where many a hanging occured.

7. Little Ben - How about this little known landmark.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ben

Hope this helps and happy sight hunting.

---

Thank you for taking the time to do that. I am truly grateful.

Kind regards,

Caryn

---

---