London Travel Guide

LONDON ZOO                  

There can be few modern institutions that hold the interest and nostalgic charm of the zoo.  Of all zoos, the great and intricate complex in Regent's Park must be the king.  It is one of the world's foremost zoos, and has a reputation for the care of its charges that is second to none.  It is also unfailingly popular with the millions of people from all over the world who visit it each year.

The zoo's founder was Sir Stamford Raffles, an extensively travelled stalwart of the British Empire, who had a thorough and largely self-taught knowledge o natural history.  He and other eminent naturalists of the day formed the Zoological Society, a body which began a small collection of animals on a five-acre site in Regent's Park.  Thus, in 1828, the foundations were laid for one of the world's greatest zoological collections - a    collection that still receives no aid from the government, and subsists entirely on the proceeds of its ticket sales.

The first major increase in the collection occurred when the entire Tower of London menagerie was transferred to Regent's Park.  Subsequent additions arrived thick and fast, causing great excitement amongst the local population as exotics of a ll shapes and sizes were herded through the streets to their new homes.  One of the most famous of these was Jumbo the elephant, who was so well known that his name became absorbed into the English language as a descriptive word.

London Zoo was opened to the public ) as the Zoological Gardens) in 1847, and has never been short of visitors since.  Neither has it stood still.  It opened the first insect and reptile houses in the world, kept the first aquarium, and today is able to show a staggering 6,000 living species of animal, many in environments that are hardly a whisker away from their natural habitats.

Some of the creatures are such as might be encountered on a country walk in Hampshire; others are endangered species that would be difficult to find anywhere in the world.

Somewhat different are the large, superbly designed Lion Terraces, which were opened exactly one century after the building of the previous  'big cat' accommodation.

The rest of the zoo architecture is just as stunning: the walled-and-ditched Mappin Terraces, where visitors can enjoy unrestricted views of animals that think they are in the wild; the Freshwater, Seawater, and Tropical Halls of the Aquarium; the Reptile House; the Michael Sobell Pavilion for Apes and Monkeys; the Elephant and Rhino pavilion; and the amazing night-time world of the Charles Clore Pavilion for Small Mammals, where day and night have been reversed so that visitors can see the denizens of the dark.

Deer an Antelope roam the Cotton Terraces above the Regent's Canal.  The best views of them are obtained from the British Waterways Board's Water bus, which cruises along the canal between Little Venice and the zoo.  Elsewhere are camels and llamas, giraffes and a worldwide selection of cattle.

One of the most famous, if controversial, structures in the whole complex is Lord Snowdon's aviary.  Some people may throw doubt onto the aesthetics of its futuristic shape, but nobody can deny that it is an ideal place to see birds.  Inside the enclosure is a cantilevered bridge from which visitors can watch free-flying birds in a number of re-created habitats - nesting, fighting and feeding as they would in the wild.  There are other, more conventional aviaries dotted around the zoo, but for many this is the high spot of their visit.

London Zoo is not just a place to idle away a few enjoyable hours in satisfying a vague sense of curiosity, although it is very good for that.  It is also a serious scientific institution dedicated to the study and preservation of all forms of wildlife - an institution that has already saved numerous rare animals from extinction by encouraging them to breed in captivity.

It is also part of London legend, a repository of apocryphal tales about such unlikely creatures as the intractable Jumbo, the lovable Guy  (the gorilla), and the old-time Chimps' Tea Parties.

THE INNS OF COURT                                

To pass through the doorway of an Inn of Court is to step back in time.  The peace and tranquillity of their courtyards is anachronistic, more in keeping with their monastic origins than the blatantly secular hubbub outside their walls.

They were founded for the education and lodging of lawyers, and even today nobody can enter that profession without being accepted by an Inn of Court - even if they already have a law degree.  Their student charges literally eat their way to success, because an old Inn tradition decrees that prospective barristers must eat three formal dinners there each term for 12 terms.  They also have to pass their exams, of course.

There used to be 12 Inns of Court, but only three still exist in their traditional capacity - Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, and Temple.  The others survive only in the names of streets and buildings, or as premises whose function has changed.  A notable example of the latter is the old Inn of Chancery  (Staple Inn) which stands at the junction of High Holborn, Holborn and Gray's Inn Road.  It is one of the finest examples of half-timbered building in London.

GRAY'S INN
A late 17th-century gatehouse opens from Holborn into the quiet, sequestered confines of Gray's Inn Square.  Groups of buildings of such varied heights and styles that they seem to have grown where they stand are separated by sheltered pavements and smooth lawns.

Mature plane trees add their pale green to the picture, standing sentinel over the lovely gardens and casting dappled shadows across the grass.  Charles Lamb said that these were the best gardens of the Inns of Court.  They may have been designed by Francis Bacon, whose bronze statue stands in South Square, but the nature of their origins seems unimportant.  It is enough to know that they are there.

LINCOLN'S INN
Rightly known for its fine architecture and long history, Lincoln's Inn is inseparable from that much-loved lunchtime haven of city workers, Lincoln's Inn Fields.

This large, leaf-embowered area is the largest modern square in London, and as such should perhaps be included in the  'Squares' section of this chapter.  It is an essential part of the Inn, however, and echoes the tranquillity of that ancient establishment.

The central gardens cover a surprising 12 acres and are well laid out with paths and lawns.  Office escapees can play tennis on several courts here, and the two full-sized netball courts are very well used.  The popularity of this little  'green lung'  became apparent some years ago when a proposal was made to build new courts there.  The public outcry was so great that the plans had to be dropped.

THE TEMPLE
The best way to enjoy this Inn of Court, named after the Knights Templar who occupied the riverside site from about 1160, is to walk through its lanes and alleys.  The buildings are very fine and generally very old, and the sense of space is well married to that indefinable air of peace peculiar to all the Inns.

The main entrances are from Fleet Street, near the Law Courts.  Between Fleet Street and the Thames are the Middle and Inner Temples, whose finely manicured lawns slope gracefully down to the Thames.  The lovely garden of the Middle Temple is not accessible to the public, but can be seen from the road.

Fine old trees grace Fountain Court, close to Middle Temple Hall.  Architecture by Sir Christopher Wren can be seen in King's Bench Walk, part of the residential complex, and a 14-century precursor to 20th-century Inner Temple Hall can be seen from Elm Court.  One of the most notable buildings in the Inn is the ancient round church of the Knights Templar, which was consecrated in 1185.  Temple Inn sustained a great deal of bomb damage during World War II, but this has since been skilfully repaired.

EATING OUT IN LONDON                    

London is a gourmet's paradise.  Concentrated in the West End alone are several hundred restaurants, catering for most tastes and pockets, with full meals ranging from £1.50 to £30.  Most nationalities with a reputation for cuisine are represented somewhere in Soho, but it sometimes pays to look farther afield to find the best place of its kind.

There are many establishments in London which are worth visiting because they provide a special kind of treat - like afternoon tea for children of all ages at Neal's Yard Bakery in Covent Garden, or Muffin Man at 12 Wrights Lane, Kensington.  Then there is the eat-as-much-as-you can set tea at Harrods Restaurant - expensive, but the children's tea costs less than Mum's and Dad's.  You can eat jellied eels at the Eel pie and Mash Shop in Wandsworth Bridge Road, or a tasty pasty at Cousin Jack's Cornish Shop in Drury Lane.  There are plenty of American-style hamburger joints, and other American restaurants offering more than just fried chicken.  If you want something out-of-the-ordinary try Roscoe's in Old Compton Street, or Tootsie's in Holland Park Road.  Fashionable but fairly expensive is Joe Allens in Exeter Street, off the Strand, while Widow Applebaum's in South Molton Street offers a good selection of American-Jewish food.  The choice is endless, but the establishments selected here reflect the best London can offer.

CLASSICAL FRENCH

CONNAUGHT HOTEL
Carlos Place
The restaurant and grill room of his world-famous hotel offers food of the highest classical standards.  It is cooked under the direction of French-born Michael Bourdin, ex sous-chef of Maxim's in Paris.  The dignified restaurant with its beautiful panelling offers attentive service matching the best in Europe.

LE GAVROCHE
61 Lower Sloane Street
According to experts this is the best restaurant in Britain.  The Roux brothers, who own it, have established standards of excellence that encompass not only their cooking but every member of their staff.  Every dish is an experience.

CLASSICAL INTERNATIONAL

MIRABELLE
56 Curzon Street
One of the last  'grand'  restaurants in London, the Mirabelle is expensive, but luxurious in setting and service.  Its usual decor includes barley-sugar twist pillars and a stunning garden at one end with a retractable roof fro warm weather.  The cuisine represents the very best in Continental cooking, and is unrivalled in England.

CHEZ SOLANGE
35 Cranbourne Street
Opened 20 years ago and owned by Rene Rochon and his wife, Therese, this restaurant is unpretentious, but elegantly furnished.  The service is efficient, and the cooking authentic.

LACEY'S
26 Whitfield Street
This restaurant is situated in a sparkling-clean basement room, and provides first class French cooking accompanied by reasonably priced regional wines.  The owner, Bill Lacey, was once a sous-chef at a famous French restaurant.

MA CUISINE
113 Walton Street
Fairly new on the scene, this small restaurant with cook/owner Guy Mouilleron and his wife in charge, has become very popular.  The menu is simple, but the food is excellent.

TANTE CLAIRE
68 Royal Hospital Road
The owner, Pierre Kaufman, does the cooking - and includes some unusual dishes such as a pig's foot stuffed with a mousseline of sweetbreads.  Another is andouillette de la mer - a slice of turbot rolled round a stuffing of fish with an exquisite sauce made from blackcurrant vinegar.

ORIGINAL

CARRIER'S
2 Camden Passage
Charm and good taste can be seen in all three small dining rooms of Robert Carrier's restaurant.  The menu is a four-course, fixed price affair.  The starters are especially enjoyable and main courses contain Greek, Turkish, French and English influence.

ALONSO'S
32 Queenstown Road
One of the most consistently good restaurants in London.  The theme and decor is Spanish, but the menu is remarkably original.

SWISS

THE SWISS CENTRE
Leicester Square
This modern complex of restaurants offers a variety from snacks to full meals.  The Taverne specialises in cheese dishes, the Locarda in Italian-Swiss, and the Chesa in more expensive meals.

BRITISH

SIMPSON'S
The Strand
Established in 1828, this is a traditional English restaurant with several rooms on two floors.  The dishes to sample are the huge roasts from heated carving trolleys, but there are others - boiled chicken, tripe and onions, Lancashire hotpot, etc.

TATE GALLERY
Millbank
The location and decor should not deter potential customers, since this is a very fine restaurant.  The food is modelled on early traditional English dishes, some from the recipes of Elizabeth, wife of Oliver Cromwell.

WALTON'S
121 Walton Street
One of the most elegant and opulent restaurant is London.  The English cooking is of a standard barely matched anywhere.  Naturally, it is also very expensive.

LOCKET'S
Marsham Court, Marsham Street
Within easy reach of the House of Commons, Locket's is popular with MPs.  Sound basic ingredients are evident, and Lamb Shrewsbury is a good choice for the main course.

KOSHER

BLOOMS
90 Whitechapel High Street
Situated in the East End, here will be found the finest gefillte fish, salt beef, latkes  (fried potato cakes), and much more.  Reasonable prices, too.

ITALIAN

TERRAZZA
19 Romilly street
The first of the famed Mario and Franco group, the food here shows some compromise for English tastes, but is mostly authentic, and always enjoyable.  This restaurant is handy for theatre land and the West End.

SAN FREDIANO
62 Fulham Road
One of the new trattorias, the San Frediano is popular for its reliable food and animated atmosphere.

CANTONESE

POON'S
King Street
The menu here is large and varied and includes many items rarely found in Britain.  It is best to go in a party to sample dishes which may be suggested by Mrs Poon.

HUNGARIAN

GAY HUSSAR
2 Greek Street
This restaurant is full of atmosphere, ans has excellent food and wine.  It is situated at the Oxford Street end of Soho, and it is necessary to reserve tables.

GREEK

WHITE TOWER
Percy Street
Not cheap, but a value-for-money restaurant.  The menu includes dishes from other Balkan countries.

JAPANESE

MASAKO
6 St Christopher's Place
An authentic atmosphere with charming Japanese waitresses.  Included on the menu is Sashimi, a dish of raw fish which is in fact delicious when served with a special sauce and mustard.

THE SQUARES                      

London's squares form an essential part of the capital's overall character.  Many of them were originally surrounded by the elegant town houses of the gentry, and some of these mansions still stand.  It is their look of refined gentility, combined with the formal elegance of the central gardens, which gives these areas their unmistakable aura.

BELGRAVE SQUARE
Sheer size robs Belgrave of its square-like characteristics, because it is not possible to see from one side to the other.  To all intents it is a small park, but the carefully tended lawns and gardens have an un-park-like air of exclusiveness undoubtedly lent by the elegant cream-coloured terraces that surround it.  The square is one of the largest in London, and centres on attractive private gardens enclosed by ironwork entirely in keeping with the local architecture.
BERKELEY SQUARE
Modern development has detracted somewhat from the original charm of this very famous square.  It is doubtful whether the nightingales assigned to it in the song actually existed, though the huge plane trees in which they would have perched are there for all to see.  The trees were planted in 1790, a decade before the building of the quaint Pump House that is still so much a part of the square's character.  Also very much in keeping with the atmosphere of slightly time-worn elegance is the garden fountain - a nymph with a pitcher.

DORSET SQUARE
Long before Dorset Square was laid out its site was occupied by the original Lord's Cricket Ground.  Here the MCC - the country's most famous cricket club - was begun in the 19th-century.  However, the grass in the square is no descendant of that upon which early matches were played, for when the square was being developed ground keeper Thomas Lord left, taking his turf with him.

FITZROY SQUARE
Designed by the famous Adam brothers in the 18th-century, Fitzroy Square preserves well-built terraces typical of their designers' work, particularly on the eastern side.

GOLDEN SQUARE
According to popular legend, this Soho square had its name changed from  'Gelding' to 'Golden' by some of its more society - conscious residents.  It is now a centre for the wollen trade.

GROSVENOR SQUARE
Built and rebuilt on the site of a 17th-century citizen's blockade against Charles I, Grosvenor Square is now largely in the hands of a foreign power.  This is immediately apparent in the vast brooding eagle that stretches its 35 foot wingspan protectively over the American Embassy, at the same time managing to encompass most of the square in that expansive gesture.  The area is popularly known as 'Little America'.

The open garden around which the square is formed was designed by William Kent, a distinguished 18th-century architect and designer, and occupies some six acres.  It is a pleasant patch of green amongst the buildings that loom from all sides, and echoes the transatlantic feel of the place in a memorial to one-time US President, Franklin D Roosevelt.

MANCHESTER SQUARE
The leafy centre of Manchester Square contrasts prettily with the dark brick of the Georgian architecture that surrounds it.  It is a quiet place, situated just far enough away from Oxford Street to be unaffected by the noise, yet close enough to be a haven for those weary of shopping in the famous thoroughfare.

PORTMAN SQUARE
One second only to Grosvenor Square in the eyes of high society, Portman took 20 years to build during the 18th-century.  The centre of the square is occupied by a garden in which grass, shrubs and trees combine effectively.

RANELAGH GARDENS
These delightful gardens are adjacent to the Royal Hospital, and are in fact owned by that famous 'Chelsea Pensioner' institution.  The hospital bought the original gardens after they had been closed down in the 19th-century.  Before this they had been used in spring only for concerts in the Rotunda.

Perhaps the most famous event held in the gardens nowadays is the Chelsea Flower Show, when thousands of visitors come to enjoy the colour and perfumes of thousands of blooms.

RUSSELL SQUARE
James Burton laid out Russell Square in the early 19th-century, but few of his original buildings have survived.  An exception is No 21, on the north side, which is considered a good example of his work.

The pleasant central garden was originally designed by the architect Humphrey Repton, but his layout was later altered.  The sculptor Richard Westmacott made the impressive statue of the 5th Duke of Bedford.

ST JAMES'S SQUARE
At the centre of this orderly and elegant square, originally created by architect Henry Jermyn, is a garden which is particularly noted for its lovely trees.  An equestrian statue of William III forms the central focal point for ranks of tall plane trees, the pastel softness of flowering almond and cherry blossom, the fragrant pyramids of lilac bloom, and golden crowns of laburnum.

THE SQUARES                      

London's squares form an essential part of the capital's overall character.  Many of them were originally surrounded by the elegant town houses of the gentry, and some of these mansions still stand.  It is their look of refined gentility, combined with the formal elegance of the central gardens, which gives these areas their unmistakable aura.

BELGRAVE SQUARE
Sheer size robs Belgrave of its square-like characteristics, because it is not possible to see from one side to the other.  To all intents it is a small park, but the carefully tended lawns and gardens have an un-park-like air of exclusiveness undoubtedly lent by the elegant cream-coloured terraces that surround it.  The square is one of the largest in London, and centres on attractive private gardens enclosed by ironwork entirely in keeping with the local architecture.

BERKELEY SQUARE
Modern development has detracted somewhat from the original charm of this very famous square.  It is doubtful whether the nightingales assigned to it in the song actually existed, though the huge plane trees in which they would have perched are there for all to see.  The trees were planted in 1790, a decade before the building of the quaint Pump House that is still so much a part of the square's character.  Also very much in keeping with the atmosphere of slightly time-worn elegance is the garden fountain - a nymph with a pitcher.

DORSET SQUARE
Long before Dorset Square was laid out its site was occupied by the original Lord's Cricket Ground.  Here the MCC - the country's most famous cricket club - was begun in the 19th-century.  However, the grass in the square is no descendant of that upon which early matches were played, for when the square was being developed ground keeper Thomas Lord left, taking his turf with him.

FITZROY SQUARE
Designed by the famous Adam brothers in the 18th-century, Fitzroy Square preserves well-built terraces typical of their designers' work, particularly on the eastern side.

GOLDEN SQUARE
According to popular legend, this Soho square had its name changed from  'Gelding' to 'Golden' by some of its more society - conscious residents.  It is now a centre for the wollen trade.

GROSVENOR SQUARE
Built and rebuilt on the site of a 17th-century citizen's blockade against Charles I, Grosvenor Square is now largely in the hands of a foreign power.  This is immediately apparent in the vast brooding eagle that stretches its 35 foot wingspan protectively over the American Embassy, at the same time managing to encompass most of the square in that expansive gesture.  The area is popularly known as 'Little America'.

The open garden around which the square is formed was designed by William Kent, a distinguished 18th-century architect and designer, and occupies some six acres.  It is a pleasant patch of green amongst the buildings that loom from all sides, and echoes the transatlantic feel of the place in a memorial to one-time US President, Franklin D Roosevelt.

MANCHESTER SQUARE
The leafy centre of Manchester Square contrasts prettily with the dark brick of the Georgian architecture that surrounds it.  It is a quiet place, situated just far enough away from Oxford Street to be unaffected by the noise, yet close enough to be a haven for those weary of shopping in the famous thoroughfare.

PORTMAN SQUARE
One second only to Grosvenor Square in the eyes of high society, Portman took 20 years to build during the 18th-century.  The centre of the square is occupied by a garden in which grass, shrubs and trees combine effectively.

RANELAGH GARDENS
These delightful gardens are adjacent to the Royal Hospital, and are in fact owned by that famous 'Chelsea Pensioner' institution.  The hospital bought the original gardens after they had been closed down in the 19th-century.  Before this they had been used in spring only for concerts in the Rotunda.

Perhaps the most famous event held in the gardens nowadays is the Chelsea Flower Show, when thousands of visitors come to enjoy the colour and perfumes of thousands of blooms.

RUSSELL SQUARE
James Burton laid out Russell Square in the early 19th-century, but few of his original buildings have survived.  An exception is No 21, on the north side, which is considered a good example of his work.

The pleasant central garden was originally designed by the architect Humphrey Repton, but his layout was later altered.  The sculptor Richard Westmacott made the impressive statue of the 5th Duke of Bedford.

ST JAMES'S SQUARE
At the centre of this orderly and elegant square, originally created by architect Henry Jermyn, is a garden which is particularly noted for its lovely trees.  An equestrian statue of William III forms the central focal point for ranks of tall plane trees, the pastel softness of flowering almond and cherry blossom, the fragrant pyramids of lilac bloom, and golden crowns of laburnum.

LONDON PUBS          

There are over 7,000 pubs in London.  They cater for every conceivable taste, and range in appearance from labyrinthine coaching inns to basic bars on humble street corners.  You will find a selection of the most interesting of them.  It should be remembered that many City pubs are not open on weekends.

THE ANCHOR
Bankside, Southwark
Shakespear's Globe Theatre was sited near this historic pub and its Clink Bar is a reminder that it stands close to the site of the old Clink Prison from which the slang term  'in clink' is derived.  Instruments of torture are on display in the bar - a gruesome reminder of the days when prisons were places of extreme cruelty.  The pub has known river pirates and smugglers as well as the Press gang who hauled men off to serve in the Navy.  Beams, open fireplaces and natural brick and stone walls form a really old world interior, but the restaurant, where English and French dishes are served, is a modern addition.  The remainder to the building dates from the 17th-century and commands fine views across the river to the City.

THE BLACK FRIAR
174 Queen Victoria Street
Occupying a sharply-angled corner site, this wedge-shaped building is a splendid example of a Victorian pub, with wrought-iron balustrades on the upper storeys and a large Black Friar perched on the corner above the entrance.  A nearby Dominican Priory founded in the 13th-century was the inspiration for this tavern's name and visual theme.  Hand-beaten copper murals in the bar depict jolly friars carousing, fishing and otherwise enjoying themselves.  Gold leaf on the ceiling, gas lighting, open fireplaces with brass fire dogs and some good art nouveau decorations combine to make The Black Friar a most unusual and interesting pub.

BUNCH OF GRAPES
207 Brompton Road, Chelsea
The ornate exterior of this pub contrasts sharply with its interior, which provides a quiet haven from the bustling street, with some fine wood carving and Victorian mirrors to add visual interest.

DIRTY DICK'S
202 - 4 Bishopgate
The original Dirty Dick was one Nathaniel Bentley, an educated and well-travelled 18th-century gentleman, who went totally insane when his bride-to-be died on the day they were to have been married.  The room where the wedding feast was set out was closed at his order and he became ragged and unkempt, in direct contrast to his former elegance.  This story which has obvious affinities with that of Miss Haversham in Dickens' novel Great Expectations, which leads one to believe that Dickens knew the place and its legend.  Bentley actually lived in Leadenhall Street and at his death the landlord of the pub - known at that time as The Gates of Jerusalem or The Old Port Wine House - bought the contents of the room and had them removed to his hostelry.  The collection has since been altered and added to and its main point is indescribable filth.  It's worth having a drink in this room just for the experience.  Elsewhere in the establishment good pub food is available in a pleasant  (clean!) atmosphere.

THE FLASK
77 West Hill, Highgate
Highgate is one of London's prettiest  'villages'  and the Flask has the atmosphere of a country pub, in winter log fires adding cheery comfort to the pub's always-friendly welcome.  The site has been occupied by a tavern since the 15th-century, but the present building dates from 1663.

GEORGE INN
77 Borough High Street
Eleven years after the Fire of London a similarly disastrous fire destroyed many buildings south of the Thames, among them the George Inn, which Shakespeare once frequented.  After the fire, the inn was rebuilt as an exact replica of the medieval hostelry, with galleries overlooking a central courtyard.  Unfortunately, extensions to the nearby railway marshaling yards resulted in the loss of part of the building, but one side with a gallery remains, making this the only example of a galleried inn still to be seen in London.  Dickens' father was detained for debt in the nearby Marshalsea prison.  The author became intimate with the area and knew the inn well, afterwards using it as a location in a number of books, including Little Dorrit.  Companies of actors play scenes from Shakespeare and Dickens in the inn's courtyard during the summer months.

THE GOLDEN LION
25 King Street, St James's
Clamped between office blocks, this imposing Victorian building has high ornate ceilings and some interesting furniture and ornaments.  During the summer months, tables and chairs are set out on the pavement in front of the pub.

THE GRENADIER
18 Wilton Row, Belgravia
There is a ghost in The Grenadier.  Irate officers rather overdid the flogging they gave to one of their number who was caught cheating at cards, and he died as a result.  This took place in the Officers' Mess at Wellington's barracks.  A pub called The Guardsman was built on the site and the ghost of the officer took up residence in it.  Later its name was changed to The Grenadier but old traditions linger: the barmen wear white mess jackets - so that the ghost will feel at home perhaps - and part of the original pewter bar can be seen.

THE GUINEA
30 Bruton Place
Although The Guinea dates back to 1423, its appearance is not particularly distinctive and there are no frills inside either.  This pub is also known as The Olde One Pound Note.

THE GUN
27 Cold Harbour
With the West India Dock on one side and a River Police jetty on the other, The Gun is very much a part of the life of the Thames.  It has its own boat moorings and a veranda overlooking the water.  The building is predominantly 18th-century, built of brick with timber cladding to the upper storey - a style familiar in Essex villages farther downstream.  Guns used at the battles of the Nile and Trafalgar were produced at a nearby foundry, which accounts for the pub's name.  Upstairs there is a room where Nelson kept assignments with Lady Hamilton.

I AM THE ONLY RUNNING FOOTMAN
5 Charles Street
A modern picture hanging in the bar here shows a footman running ahead of a gentleman's carriage blowing a horn to warn people to clear the way.  Another authority says that the running footman went ahead to pay tolls, make arrangements for accommodation or a change of horses, and generally ease the difficulties of a long journey.  The best of them might have done well in an Olympic marathon since they were reputed to manage about eight miles an hour.  The pub is an unpretentious but well-proportioned 18th-century building.  Originally called The Running Horse, its name was changed by the 4th Duke of Queensbury, who may have admired the stamina of a particular footman.

THE JAMAICA WINE HOUSE
St Michael's Alley, Cornhill
Coffee was not sold commercially in England until 1652 and one of the partners in the company which started the trade opened the Jamaica as a coffee house - the first one in London.  Pepys mentions visiting a coffee house in Cornhill in 1660.  The original building was one of the many lost in the Fire of London and the present stone-built Jamaica  Wine House dates back to 1668.  The main bar, with its oak panelling, retains the appearance of a coffee house.  Indeed coffee is still available, as well as an excellent selection of wines, spirits and bottled beers.

LAMB AND FLAG
33 Rose Street, Covent Garden
The Georgian frontage of this famous pub disguises the fact that it is the only surviving example of a 17th-century timber-framed building in the West End.  Its unusual sign is the same as that of the Middle Temple Inn of Court but there seems to be no direct connection, though they may have a common religious derivation.  The hostelry was once connected with prize-fighting and became known as  'The Bucket of Blood'.  Nowadays it is a favourite haunt of theatre folk and plays are sometimes performed in an upstairs room.  Paintings, prints and satirical illustrations adorn the walls.

THE LONDON APPRENTICE
Church Street, Isleworth
On the Thames, some miles west of London as it existed until the beginning of this century, The London Apprentice was the mecca of many workers from the  'Great Wen'  who rowed up the river on high days and holidays.  A painting in one of the bars shows apprentices resting after arriving by boat at the hostelry, but there is a second explanation of the pub's name.  When Robert Adam designed nearby Syon House for the Duke of Northumberland, Italian craftsmen were employed on the building, and their apprentices worked on a beautiful carved ceiling in the room in the pub which is now used as a restaurant.  Still a favourite place to get away to, this 500-year-old hostelry has many connections with history: Henry VIII, Lady Jane Grey and Charles II are all reputed to have stayed here.

THE MAGPIE AND STUMP
18 Old Bailey
Lord Tomnoddy, a character in Burham's Ingoldsby Legends, hired an upstairs room in The Magpie and Stump where he entertained 20 friends at an all-night party, the object being to watch the public executions at Newgate Prison next morning.  By morning they were all out cold and missed the  'entertainment' - which served them right.  That story is fiction but the truth is not much different, for people paid  £10 or more for a grandstand window on the upper floor of the hostelry.  Newgate Prison has now been replaced by the Central Criminal Court  (the Old Bailey)  and the last public hanging took place in 1868, but lawyers and others connected with the Court still frequent the house - in fact one room is known as Court No 10, there being nine courts in the Old Bailey.  The building dates back to the 17th-century though the facade, which has mock-Tudor timbering on the upper storey, is a recent addition.

MAYFLOWER
117 Rotherhithe Street
The Mayflower has such close connections with the United States that it is licensed to sell both British and American postage stamps.  The story goes back to the 17th-century - when the pub was as new as the colony.  The famous ship Mayflower was moored nearby before setting sail for Southampton.  Plymouth and the New World, and the pub's name was subsequently changed from The Shippe as a tribute to that brave little vessel.  In 1621 the Mayflower returned to Rotherhithe and her master, who died shortly afterwards, is buried here.  Inside, the pub is genuine 17th-century, with old beams and porthole windows, except for part of the upper floor which was damaged during World War II.

OLDE BULL AND BUSH
North End Way, Hampstead
'Come and have a drink or two down at the Olde Bull and Bush'  sang Florrie Ford in her still-popular Music Hall song, and down the years people have happily done just that.  This one-time farmhouse is set in attractively wooded scenery near to Hampstead Heath, and was converted into an inn at the beginning of the 19th-century.  It became popular after the statesman William Pitt  (who lived nearby at North End House)  breakfast there with the actor David Garrick, the painters Reynolds and Gainsborough, and the essayist Sterne.  They were delighted with the place, and it has retained its popularity, through Victorian times when it was famous for concerts, until now, when it is still a favourite haunt of people from the worlds of entertainment and the arts as well as Hampstead residents and tourists.

YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE
145 Fleet Street
The original Olde Cheshire Cheese was a victim of the Great Fire and the present building rose from the ashes in 1667.  The cellars, however, are much older and are partly made up of the under croft of a 14th-century Carmelite monastery, later the London house of the Abbots of Peterborough.  The first record of a tavern of the site dates from 1538, and in 1543 a certain Thomas Cheshire kept a tavern in Fleet Street.  It is probably from him that the pub derives its name.  Now in the middle of Fleet Street's newspaper offices and a favourite haunt of writers and journalists, the pub's literary connections reach back into the past.  Dr Johnson was a regular, and Dickens mentions it in A Tale of Two Cities, while one of its most famous characters was verbose rather that literate.  This was a parrot whose knowledge of bad language was prodigious.  It died in 1926 at the age of 40 and even the BBC announced its demise.  The pub's restaurant is famous for traditional English food.

THE POPPINJOY
Fleet Street
This modern pub stands on the site of a house which belonged to the Abbots of Cirencester in medieval times.  The Poppinjoy was a model bird used for target practice by archers.

THE PRINTERS DEVIL
Fetter Lane
A number of models and illustrations in this pub explain the history of printing and the pub's name is derived from an early term for printer's errand boys.

PROSPECT OF WHITBY
57 Wapping Wall
The Prospect was a ship out of the Yorkshire port of Whitby which was laid up off Wapping, and the pub was referred to as  'the tavern near the Prospect of Whitby'.  It has also been known as the Devil's Tavern because it was the haunt of river pirates, smugglers and men who stole from bodies dragged from the Thames.  During the 17th-century hundreds of ships were moored along this stretch of the Thames, so it is no surprise that Samuel Pepys, as Secretary to the Admiralty, knew the Prospect.  The Pepys Society now holds its meetings in this historic old pub.

RED LION
2 Duke of York Street
Typical of a Victorian  'gin palace', the Red Lion has a number of small bars with engraved mirrors, and a cast-iron staircase leading to the toilets.

THE SALISBURY
90 St Martin's Lane
Situated in the middle of London's theatreland, this opulent Victorian pub attracts many people from the world of entertainment.  Its superb etched windows and mirrors, red plush seating, and abundance of polished wood, all combine to make it a fine example of a 19th-century hostelry.

THE SAMUEL PEPYS
48 Upper Thames Street
About the only drink you can't get at The Samuel Pepys is tea, which is strange as the building was a tea warehouse in Victorian times.  The decor is mostly 17th-century, with the downstairs bar done up as a ship's chandlers, and there is a letter by Pepys and a translation of part of his diary on display upstairs.

THE SPANIARDS
Hampstead Lane
Before it became a pub, this 15th-century building was the home of the Spanish ambassador to the Court of James I.  It is possible that after he had returned to Spain some of the Ambassador's servants stayed on to run the house as a tavern, which would explain the pub's name.  It is a comfortable building with exposed beams, huge fireplaces and displays of maps, etchings and firearms.  Names connected with the place - which lies between Hampstead and Highgate on the Old North Road - include Dick Turpin, Oliver Goldsmith, Byron, Keat and Shelley, Joshua Reynolds and Charles Dickens.

SPOTTED DOG
212 Upton Lane, Forest Gate
This is a very old timber-frame building with weather-boarded gable-en and part-thatch, part-tiled roof, and a history which matches its appearance.  Among the tales told about it is one concerning Charles II and his hunting party who inconsiderately turned up requiring refreshment after the place was closed for the night.  The landlord  'blew his top'  (in modern parlance), to the King's amusement, luckily.  When he found out who his guests were he quickly changed his tune and Charles rewarded him with a 24-hour licence.  Dick Turpin is supposed to have associations with the pub too, which is more likely to be true than some of the other stories about him, as he came from Essex and was a member of a gang which worked from Epping Forest.  The pub was also used by City merchants during the plague periods of 1603 and 1665 - 66, and the City Arms can be seen painted on a wall here.

THE TWO CHAIRMEN
39 Dartmouth Street
Situated in a street which adjoins elegant Queen Anne's Gate, this old pub retains an atmosphere that fits perfectly with its surroundings.  Its one bar is everything that a typical English pub should be.  The cock-fighting equipment displayed on the walls is a remainder that a cockpit was situated nearby during the 18th-century.

WIDOW'S SON
75 Devons Road, Bow
Two hundred years ago this site was occupied by a cottage in which lived a widow and her sailor son.  He was expected home for Easter and she baked a batch of hot cross buns for the occasion.  Good Friday passed, and Easter Day, and the sailor did not come, but his mother kept a bun for him.  The following year she set aside another bun for him and continued to do so until her death.  When she died the buns were strung together and hung up.  Each Good Friday a sailor added another bun, and the cottage became known as the Bun House.  When the Widow's Son pub was built on the site in 1848 the string of mouldy and blackened buns was hung in the bar and still each year another bun is added.  The pub is an interesting example of an early Victorian building, with a wooden ceiling, many ornamental mirrors and pictures and plaques of seascapes, ships and other things connected with the sea.

SPORTING LONDON

London is the centre of much British sport.  Every Saturday afternoon during the season hundreds of thousands of voices roar in support of London's 12 Football League Clubs.  The football match of the year - the FA Cup Final - is held at Wembley in May, at Twickenham the world's Rugby giants lock in fierce combat, and for a hectic midsummer fortnight heads twist left and right watching the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.  For those wanting something a little quieter, the two major Test Cricket grounds, Lord's and the Oval, are both popular places to spend an hour, a day, or even a few days when the Tests are in.

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL
Football is so old a sport that no-one is quite sure of its origins.  It has always been popular in England, where legend has it that the severed head of a marauding Dane was once used as a ball.  In 1385 Edward III had to ban the game because his troops were spending more time playing than training for war. 

Football in London was well established by the 17th-century when street games were regularly played between rival groups of apprentices in Covent Garden, Cheapside and the Strand.

The football Association  (FA)  was not founded until 1863, and the first FA Challenge Cup Final was played at the Oval, Kennington, in 1872.  Today London has 12 teams in the four divisions of the Football League, and it has had at least one team in the top category, Division One, every year since 1904, In addition, London boasts Britain's foremost football stadium - Wembley.

WEMBLEY STADIUM
Empire Way, Wembley
Built in 1923 as part of the British Empire Exhibition, the 100,000 - capacity Wembley Stadium held its first FA Cup Final in the same year, and has been the Cup Final venue ever since.  Also used for the Football League Cup Final ad the majority of England's International fixtures, it is every footballer's dream to  'go to Wembley'.

A host of other events take place each year, including the Rugby League Cup Final, Women's Hockey Internationals, Schoolboy Soccer Internationals, the Gaelic Games, pop festivals, Speedway Championships and regular twice - weekly greyhound racing.  In 1934 an indoor sports building, the Empire Pool and Sports arena, was built, and though no longer used for swimming, the arena is adaptable for staging ice shows and ice hockey, boxing, badminton, tennis, gymnastics, basketball, cycling and horse shows.

Almost every major event at Wembley goes down in the history books, but perhaps the two most notable events in Wembley's history were in 1948, when the Olympic Games were held here, and in 1966, when it was the ground on which England won the World Cup Soccer Final against West Germany in a game that will never be forgotten.

LONDON'S FOOTBALL CLUBS

ARSENAL
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury
Arsenal have won the FA Cup five times, the most recent being in 1979.  They have achieved a total of eight League Championships, including four between 1931 and 1935.  In 1971 they were the second team this century to win the League and Cup double, ironically beating Spurs who had done the same ten years earlier.

BRENTFORD
Griffin Park, Braemar Road, Brentford
Brentford have spent most of their time in the lower echelons, apart form a spell in the First Division just before and after World War II.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC
The Valley, Floyd Road, Charlton
Charlton Athletic played in the first post-war Cup Final in 1946.  Their player Bert Turner scored for each side in Derby County's 4 - 1 victory and the ball burst.  Charlton redeemed themselves the following year, beating Burnley 1 - 0.  The ball burst again.

CHELSEA
Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road
Chelsea, currently undergoing a team spell, won the League Championship in 1955 and the FA Cup in 1970.  This was the first Wembley final to require a replay, which was played at Old Trafford, Manchester, where Chelsea beat Leeds after extra time.  The following year they beat Real Madrid in the European Cup - Winners Cup Final, again in a replay.

CRYSTAL PALACE
Selhurst park, Whitehouse Lane
Crystal Palace, then in the Third Division, reached the semi-final in 1976, but were beaten by Second Division Southampton.  Palace, as they are known, won the Second Division Championship in 1979 to gain long-sought promotion to the First Division.

FULHAM
Craven Cottage, Stevenage Road
Fulham, a Second Division club, went to Wembley in 1975 for an all-London final against West Ham, but found their First Division opponents too much for them, losing 2 - 0.

MILLWALL
The Den, Cold Blow Lane
Millwall have yet to gain promotion to the First Division, having spent most of the last two decades in the Second Division.

ORIENT
Leyton Stadium, Brisbane Road
Orient's fine Cup form in 1954, when they reached the 6th round as a Third Division side, was surpassed in 1978 when they reached the semi-final - only to lose to Arsenal in an exciting match.

QUEEN'S PARK RANGERS
South Africa Road
Queen's Park Rangers' supreme moment came in 1967 when they appeared in the first Wembley League Cup Final - a Third Division club facing First Division opponents West Bromwich Albion.  Rangers were losing 0 - 2 but staged a dramatic fight-back to win 3 - 2.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
748 High Road, Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur have probably been the most successful London club over the last two decades, their total of five FA Cup triumphs including wins in 1961, 1962 and 1967.  In 1961 they were the first team this century to achieve the League and Cup double by winning both trophies in the same year.  Tottenham, or Spurs as they are popularly known, became the first English club to win a European trophy when they defeated Athletico Madrid 5 - 1 in the 1962 - 63 European Cup-Winners Cup Final.  Since then they have added two League Cup Finals victories  (1971 and 1973)  as well as winning the EUFA Cup in 1972.

WEST HAM UNITED
Boleyn Ground, Green Street
West Ham United have never been League Champions but they won the FA Cup in 1964 and 1975, and defeated Munich 1860 in the European Cup-Winners Cup Final at Wembley in 1965.

WIMBLEDON
Plough Lane Ground, Durnsford
Wimbledon were elected to the Football League in 1977 after three consecutive Southern League Championships.  Earlier that year they had a splendid FA Cup run, disposing of First Division Burnley away from home and holding Leeds United, one of the country's leading sides, to a draw on their own ground before losing the replay.

ATHLETICS
London has witnessed many great moments in athletics history, including the staging of the 14th Olympic Games at Wembley in 1948.  The White City stadium has also been the scene of many memorable events.  Built at the beginning of this century, the stadium was the venue for the 4th Modern Olympic Games and was London's principal athletic stadium for more than half a century. 

In 1964 the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre opened and the White City finally ended its long and honourable association with athletics.  The purpose-built Sports Centre has an all-weather track and covered accommodation for spectators, and stages all manner of athletics ranging from major international matches to county championships.

CRICKET
Cricket was first played in Tudor times but it was not until 1744 that the rules were formally drawn up.  Nevertheless, it had become, and still is, one of the most widely played games in England.  Even the smallest village will probably have its team and its own ground where the quiet of a Sunday afternoon is broken only by the slap of leather on willow and a gentle ripple of applause.

Cricket is equally widely played in London, on commons and playing fields, but the two major venues are Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood and the Oval in Kennington.  Lord's is probably the best-known ground in the country ans is the home ground for two clubs - Middlesex County Cricket Club and the famous Marylebone Cricket Club, perhaps even better known by its initials, MCC.  Until recently  the MCC was effectively the governing body for the game, and its collection of cricket memorabilia forms the Lord's Cricket Museum. 

The MCC started out as the White Conduit Club, named after its ground in Islington, and moved several times before finding its permanent ground.  Lord's is named after Thomas Lord, a groundsman, who was instrumental in finding the site and even moved the hallowed turf from ground to ground.

The game of cricket accompanied the British to the colonies and it became equally popular in Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies, India and Pakistan.  It is these countries who play England in the Test Matches, which are played here and in their own countries.  A Test Match is usually five days long and there can be as many as six in a series, played on various pitches throughout the country.  Both Lord's and the Oval are traditional venues for Test Matches, the latter being the site of the first-ever Test in 1880.

The Oval is the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club, and today it is usually the venue for the final Test in a series.

Lord's, too has Test Matches, and many other countries as well as the six Test  countries are being drawn into international cricket by the new Prudential Cup competition.  Begun in 1975, it takes place every four years, with the final being played at a Lord's in June.  The many other matches played at Lord's include county cricket, the finals of the Gillette Cup and the Benson and Hedges Cup and the annual match between Eton and Harrow.

GREYHOUND RACING
'Going to the dogs'  has always been a popular pastime, especially with East End Londoners.  Pure-bred greyhounds chase after an artificial hare on an electrified rail at speeds of up to 40mph.  Races, either on the flat or over hurdles, are over varying distances and attract a good deal of betting and prize money.  The more famous tracks are at Haringey, Walthamstow and White City, and many have restaurants overlooking the races.

RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL
Rugby Football may have been born when , in 1823, W W Ellis picked up a soccer ball and ran with it - but there is no doubt it was nursed to maturity in London.  Guy's Hospital claims to have the world's oldest Rugby Club, formed in 1843.  Blackheath Club, the first group to come together specifically for the purpose of playing Rugby  (in 1858), Richmond  (founded 1861) and Harlequins  (founded 1866) played important roles in shaping the game as it is now played.

Twickenham was not always Rugby Union's  'home' as it is now.  Before the Rugby Union purchased the land at Twickenham in 1907, internationals involving England were mostly played at the Oval, with Blackheath, Richmond and Crystal Palace playing host on a few occasions.

Wherever one is in London, there is likely to be a rugby game worth watching.  Fixtures to look out for at Twickenham are internationals  (which are well publicised), the Oxford v Cambridge match in early December, the RFU Club Competition final in April, and the Inter-Services Championships played during March and April.  Apart from the major clubs listed above there are a number of Old Boys' Clubs and teams which compete for the Hospitals Cup, as well as the many college and school teams acting as nurseries for future great players.

SPEEDWAY
Introduced to Britain in the 1920's, speedway has grown to be the largest spectator sport after football.  This highly-specialised motorcycling sport, which developed from dirt-track racing in open fields, is now usually held within large football or greyhound stadiums.  With thrills, spills, and the roar of machines under brilliant floodlighting, speedway racing is very exciting entertainment.  The highly-powered 500cc bikes run on pure methanol, and have no brakes.  The fearless riders need a great deal of skill and daring to execute the long, broadside drifts on the sweeping curves at each end of the track, sending showers of the loose shale surface into the air.

TENNIS
'Wimbledon' - for tennis fans the world over, the name resounds with the excitement and magic of that summer fortnight when top players from across the globe converge in London to compete for the most coveted prizes in lawn tennis.  In the last week of June and the first week in July, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club hosts, in effect, the world tennis championships on grass, though with typical British reserve the event  is called simply the Lawn Tennis Championships Meeting.

The Wimbledon complex, to which improvements have been made since its opening in 1922 by King George V, consists of 15 grass courts with their cherished and world-famous Cumberland turf, 10 hard courts, a post office, bank, and restaurants whose speciality is strawberries and cream.

Over 2,000 members of staff cater for the 300,000 - plus spectators who attend throughout the fortnight, and almost as coveted as the prizes and trophies is a ticket to the Centre Court for one of the final matches.  Near-continuous TV coverage of the Wimbledon fortnight sweeps the whole country with tennis-madness, and  'Wimbledon' has become one of those great British institutions which everybody loves - or simply learns to live with.