Why go: Baby Things, Mitten is located outside the Foundling Museum - the UKs first children’s charity where mothers often left their children to be cared for as they could not. The Mitten recalls both the children (Foundlings) left behind, as well as the mothers brave enough to part with them. Many 18th-century mothers left a token with their child (a mitten) while keeping hold of its twin. One day, they hoped, the two might be reunited. The mothers of the Foundlings placed their entire faith in the Foundling Hospital, trusting that the institution would provide their young one with a better life.
Location: Bloomsbury Map
Address: Foundling Museum, Brunswick Square
Why go: Brydges Place is an alley between St Martin's Lane and Bedfordbury in the City of Westminster, Greater London, running alongside the Coliseum. It is especially narrow, being just 1 foot 3 inches (0.38 m) wide at one point, and so is commonly claimed to be the narrowest street in London Despite the ongoing evolution of London’s streets; Brydges Place has stood the test of time, dating all the way back to the 17th century. Although the alleyway itself hasn’t really changed in almost 400 years, its name certainly has. Starting out as Dawson’s Alley, then later becoming Taylor’s Buildings; it wasn’t until some point in the late 19th century that the passageway secured its current name of Brydges Place. Perhaps not for the faint-of-heart but certainly worth a peek; if you can face squeezing yourself down the 200-yard alleyway, you’ll discover a few hidden gems along the way. Local boozer (and regular hangout of Charles Dickens, The Marquis, backs onto the alleyway – and you’ll often find a huddle of people sipping, smoking and setting the world to rights.
Location: Covent Garden Map
Address: Brydges Place, London
Why go: Leading between Birdcage Walk and Old Queen Street is the small passageway of Cockpit Steps, named after its rather sinister connection to the age old pastime of cock fighting. The steps themselves are actually the last remaining parts of the old Royal Cockpit, a venue built in the 18th century for the upper classes to watch and wager on cock fights. These steps are rumoured to be haunted by a headless lady! First reported by The Times in 1804, it told of a pair of Coldstream Guards who after walking past Cockpit Stairs saw a headless lady moving down the stairs and drifting over the road towards St James’ Park. After seeing the apparition, the guards were so frightened that they had to be confined to hospital! More recently in 1972 a motorist driving past the steps at night collided with a lamp-post. He was adamant that the reason he swerved was to avoid a woman in a red dress who suddenly appeared in front of the car.
Location: Saint James's Map
Address: Birdcage Walk or Great Queen St
Why go: Lurking around the back of the world famous Savoy lies an ingenious – if not slightly nauseating – piece of Victorian engineering; London’s last remaining sewage lamp. The Webb Patent Sewer Gas Lamp was invented in the late 19th century by the Birmingham inventor Joseph Webb. In London the lamps were used for two main reasons; firstly to burn off the smells and germs from London’s sewer system, and secondly as a low cost, low maintenance way to keep London lit up at night.
Location: Covent Garden Map
Address: Carting Lane WC@
Why go: The Golden Boy of Pye Corner is a small late-17th-century monument located on the corner of Giltspur Street and Cock Lane in Smithfield, central London. It marks the spot where the 1666 Great Fire of London was stopped, whereas the Monument indicates the place where it started. The boy at Pye Corner was erected to commemorate the staying of the Great Fire, which, beginning at Pudding Lane, was ascribed to the sin of gluttony when not attributed to the papists as on the Monument, and the boy was made prodigiously fat to enforce the moral.
Location: City of London Map
Address: Giltspur Street
Why go: The Landseer Lions, the four iconic bronze sculptures guarding Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, London, are famous for a specific, humorous anatomical inaccuracy regarding their paws and claws. Here are the key details regarding the paws and claws of the Landseer Lions: Modeled on Domestic Cats: Because the dead lion used as a reference model for the statues (from London Zoo) began to decompose before the paws were finished, Sir Edwin Landseer reportedly used his own house cat's paws as a reference instead.
Location: Leicester/Trafalgar Square Map
Address: Trafalgar Square
Why go: Linking South Bank and Waterloo, the epic 300-metre-long Leake Street tunnel that crosses beneath the tracks of Waterloo Station is the unofficial centre of south London graffiti culture.
Location: Southwark Map
Address: Leake Street, London SE1 7NN
Why go: Everyone has heard of Big Ben but even lots of locals don’t know about Little Ben. Little Ben is a cast iron miniature clock tower, situated at the intersection of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, close to the approach to Victoria station. In design it mimics the famous clock tower colloquially known as Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster, found at the other end of Victoria Street.
Location: Victoria Map
Address: Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street Intersection
Why go: Whether myth or truth, stroll down the Mall from Admiralty Arch and look atop each of the lampposts and you will see a small ship on each one. Some say these represent the ships in Nelson’s Fleet which supported him at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Location: Saint James's Map
Address: The Mall
Why go: Giro, a terrier owned by the German ambassador to the UK, Leopold von Hoesch, is buried at 9 Carlton House Terrace in London, with his 1934 grave often cited as the only Nazi-era memorial in the city. The dog was electrocuted after chewing a cable in the garden, and while his owner served the Nazi regime, he was considered an anti-Nazi.
Location: Saint James's Map
Address: Duke of York Steps
Why go: What do you think is the centre of London? In theory it should be somewhere East because London slowly moved West over the centuries. But in fact, there is a centre to London, and we know this because it's clearly marked. The brass plaque in the pavement behind the statue of Charles I in Trafalgar Square is the site of Charing Cross. The plaque marks the exact mid-distance between the old city and the new seat of government - making it the centre of London. Anyone working within six miles of this was entitled to London Weighting pay - and we could take this as a measure of what makes a true Londoner.
Location: Leicester/Trafalgar Square Map
Address: King Charles I Island, Trafalgar Square
Why go: On the right hand side of this building is a metal coat hook with the plaque "Metropolitan Police" above it. Back in the 1930s, a policeman would stand in the six-way junction of St Martin's Lane and direct the traffic by hand. The story goes that what is now 4 Great Newport Street was undergoing building works, and on the hoarding outside was a protruding nail. The wily officer took advantage of this nail to hang up his coat and get back to directing the traffic without boiling to death. After the building works had finished, of course, the hoarding - complete with nail - was removed, and the officer had nowhere to hang his coat. So the public-spirited building owner installed the coat hook and plaque to allow the officer to continue his job of directing traffic at a bearable temperature.
Location: Covent Garden Map
Address: 4 Great Newport Street
Why go: In a quiet spot along the North of the River Thames, you’ll find the Queenhithe Mosaic, an epic 30m artwork that charts the history of the City. Welcome to Queenhithe, the site where Alfred the Great re-established the City in 886, after it had been abandoned by the Romans. The artwork was commissioned by the City of London and 4C Hotel Group footed the bill. The design is by Tessa Hunkin and Southbank Mosaics put it all together. Over 30 metres they have to fit in 2,000 years of history. Much like the story of London itself, the River Thames runs through it.
Location: City of London Map
Address: Queenhithe, London EC4V 3DX
Why go: St Dunstan in the East Church Garden is a truly unique space set within the ruins of a Wren church. This green oasis has benches and a fountain with greenery draping the historic walls.
Location: City of London Map
Address: St Dunstan's Hill, London EC3R 5DD
Why go: The UK's first brass memorial plaque for a Holocaust victim was unveiled in the heart of London. The Stolperstein stone was laid in Golden Square, Soho, where Ada von Dantzig worked. She was murdered, along with her family, at Auschwitz in 1943. Gunter Demnig laid over 100,000 brass plaques across more than 25 countries, "Most people are not aware of how close to home the Holocaust was," said Dr Toby Simpson from the Wiener Holocaust Library (WHL).
Location: Soho Map
Address: Golden Square, London
Why go: The Astronomical Clock is a fascinating modern installation that blends science, art, and timekeeping. Unlike historic medieval clocks, this piece is contemporary in design, featuring intricate mechanisms that display not only the time but also astronomical information such as planetary positions and lunar phases. Created to celebrate humanity’s long-standing relationship with the cosmos, the clock serves both an educational and decorative purpose. Its detailed craftsmanship and moving parts attract passersby, offering a moment of reflection amid the busy financial district. Positioned in a highly urban setting, the clock stands out as a reminder of the universe beyond city life. It symbolizes precision, innovation, and curiosity, making it a unique landmark for visitors exploring central London.
Location: City of London Map
Address: 10 Cannon St, London EC4M 9BT
Why go: Londons smallest statue! If you look up at London’s 23 Philpot Lane, you will find a sculpture of two mice stirring – well, to be more exact, busily feasting on a block of cheese. This is the capital’s smallest public sculpture and was created as a memorial to two of the building’s construction workers who fell to their deaths during an altercation over who had eaten their cheese sandwiches. It is thought that mice were the culprits.
Location: City of London Map
Address: 23 Philpot Lane
Why go: The story behind this one relates to Hedonism Wines, the emporium established on Davies Street in 2012. When they opened they took over no.s 3 and 7, the owner curious as to why there had never been a number 5 Davies Street. They decided to create a mini number 5 in the form of a tiny mouse hole in the middle of the shop front which was in place until approx 2014. But since the business has expanded the mouse hole has also had an upgrade, now a palatial mouse-mansion complete with a bronze, whiskered resident enjoying a glass of wine on a deck chair!
Location: Mayfair Map
Address: 5 Davies Street
Why go: Originally developed in the 19th century by Trinity House, Trinity Buoy Wharf served as a base for maintaining navigation buoys and testing lighthouse technology. Its lighthouse—associated with experiments by Michael Faraday—reflects its scientific and maritime heritage. Today, the wharf is a vibrant creative hub in East London. Repurposed industrial buildings and innovative spaces like Container City provide studios for artists, designers, and small businesses. The site hosts events, exhibitions, and performances, blending culture with community. A standout feature is Longplayer, a 1,000-year musical composition playing continuously inside the lighthouse.
Location: East London Map
Address: Orchard Place E14
Why go: In September 1887, the Victorian artist George Frederic Watts wrote to The Times proposing a monument to honour everyday heroism as part of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee. This vision was realised on 30 July 1900 with the unveiling of the Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice in Postman's Park in the City of London. The memorial is a modest wooden cloister containing a wall with 54 tablets commemorating 62 individuals—men, women, and children—who died while saving others. The earliest case is Sarah Smith (1863) and the most recent is Leigh Pitt (2007), with ages ranging from eight-year-old Henry Bristow to sixty-one-year-old Daniel Pemberton.
Location: City of London Map
Address: King Edward St Postman, London EC1A 7BT