Throughout history much has been discussed about the positioning of statues, acknowledging that sometimes, a statue’s station is as important as his stance and design.  A good example of the thought that goes into this process relates to the statues outside Westminster Palace.

Outside the Palace walls, stands a sword-bearing statue of Oliver Cromwell facing stridently east. Across the street, in a niche in the wall of St. Margaret’s Church, Charles I looks back at his murderer with forgiveness in his eyes, the two wedded for posterity in sculpture as they are in history.  And, a short distance away in Parliament Square stands Sir Winston Churchill.

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Amid the splendor of modern cities it’s hard to imagine what places looked like before they became what we know today. In a previous incarnation, the ground where Buckingham Palace now stands was a mulberry garden cultivated by King James I as food for silkworms. The silk industry he hoped to nurture never materialized, and eventually a roadhouse was built there, followed in due course by the Blake House, Goring House and Arlington House.

Originally known as the Buckingham House, built as a townhouse by the Duke of Buckingham in 1709, the estate was acquired by King George III in 1762.  After a great deal of growth and expansion transforming a “House” into a “Palace,” the Buckingham estate was first embraced by Queen Victoria, who moved in three weeks after her accession to the throne in 1837, marking the first sovereign to take up residence there. Buckingham Palace has served as the royal residence ever since.

Over the next few weeks, fix an afternoon tea and settle in to join us for a new series of featured posts from seasoned travelers and local hosts. They’ll be letting you in on what makes the UK so captivating.

From the Houses of Parliament, erected a thousand years ago, to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the nation’s sovereigns since 1837, you’ll find that outings in London are brimming with history. And just a couple of hours from there, find Bath, home of some of Europe’s finest architectural sites.

Don’t like tea? Perhaps coffee suits your fancy. One museum in London is a hot spot for enjoying either of the favorite caffeinated beverages. Learn more insider travel tips on the upcoming tour of the UK…

The Houses of Parliament, more widely known as Westminster Palace, is the preeminent symbol of London with its famous clock tower and “Big Ben” bell.  Originally erected a thousand years ago, its primary function was as a royal residence.  Today, Westminster Palace serves several roles, including acting as the location where the United Kingdom’s House of Lords and House of Commons meet to conduct business.  Read the rest of this entry »

Changing the Guard dates to Henry VII (reigned 1485-1509) and was designed to show military discipline as well as ceremony. The tall bearskin hats were introduced in the 18th century to make the soldiers look taller and thus more frightening, and they were adopted for ceremonial use in 1832. The ceremony we know today started in the late 1800s and involves real soldiers who fulfill all military duties, guarding the Queen being just part of their service. Read the rest of this entry »

Little is known about Shakespeare’s wife and mother of three, Anne Hathaway, but she is nonetheless intriguing to UK tourists and locals, alike. While we would all, no doubt, like to see the muse that once captured Shakespeare’s heart, no images of Anne Hathaway exist because, during her lifetime, only men had their portraits canvassed, save women in aristocracy. Read the rest of this entry »