Meard Street in Soho is a small street named after John Meard Jnr, the man who developed the thoroughfare. Although small, it has an interesting and vibrant history as well as some quirky art…
Archives for Curiosity of the week
The statue of King Charles I, Trafalgar Square
Not all statues are just statues. There are more to some than meets the eye. A good example of this is the statue of King Charles I, just south of Trafalgar Square in London…
The London Stone
The mysterious lump of the London Stone stands on Cannon Street in the City, but where did it come from? Curiosity of the week ponders its origins…
Curiosity of the week: Postman’s Park
Situated on an old burial ground in the City of London near St Paul’s Cathedral, Postman’s Park is a small relaxing haven with an intriguing history…
Curiosity of the week: heroic railings in Oval
This week’s curiosity is a good example of something that is easy to miss because of its ordinary looks. In Oval the innocuous looking black railings placed outside a block of flats have a hidden history…
Curiosity of the week: the only lighthouse in London
The first Curiosity of the Week for December may shed some light on the long dark evenings. London’s only lighthouse is no longer functional but still holds some interesting secrets…
Curiosity of the week: the Whittington Stone (and cat) in Archway
As it’s approaching Christmas, this week’s curiosity has a panto connection. The Whittington Stone is situated on Highgate Hill in-between Archway Station and the Whittington hospital…
Curiosity of the week: the wish tree
This week’s curiosity is the wish tree, thought to bring luck, these coin covered trees can be found in various places around the UK…
Curiosity of the week: Victorian Turkish baths
Each week we post a new curiosity on Contrary Life, this week’s quirky find is an old Victorian Turkish bath house in the City of London…
Curiosity of the week: the coffin stone
Welcome to Contrary Life’s new weekly feature. Each week we will be posting a new curiosity on the blog. We kick off with this coffin stone that we spotted whilst out walking in Grasmere…