Rogers Govender must be a busy man. As well as presiding over the city’s cathedral he is also the rector of a parish church and the warden of the Collegiate Church. But the Dean doesn’t have far to to go to move from one to the other – […]
These days Birmingham and Manchester battle it out to be England’s second most important city, but from medieval times to the 18th century it was Norwich that was the runner-up to London. Cloth was the industry that made this place famous and weavers’ work was brought here from […]
In part one of my round-up blog of 2016, I waxed lyrical about southeast London and all the great places I have visited in that part of the capital over the course of the year. But other spots, both here in the UK and abroad, also stand out […]
The Industrial Revolution was “a storm that passed over London and broke elsewhere,” suggested J R Hammond, writing in 1925. And the author wasn’t alone in this view: “The capital cities would be present at the forthcoming industrial revolution, but in the role of spectators. Not London, but […]
Dining in an authentic Polish milk bar is a real blast from the past. Order your dish from the limited choice available (probably involving pierogi – dumplings in one form or another) at the first counter, grab a tray and pick up your meal at the next […]
Parts of the City of London can resemble a ghost town at the weekend when offices – along with many pubs and shops – are closed. While a number of new residential developments have sprung up in recent years, the square mile is largely regarded a business district […]
Harrow is an area of north London in the shadow of Wembley Stadium that’s full of contrasts. Step out of the station at Sudbury Hill and you are greeted by a shabby high street with bookies and fried chicken shops, but a mere 10 minutes walk up the […]
Taking in Boots, Waterstones, John Lewis and Next, I’m on a tour of Exeter’s well known chain stores. But rather than looking at the latest product ranges on offer, my visit is taking me below these high street shops and I’m merely being told about their locations by […]
Anyone who is enthused by heritage is unlikely to get that excited by a city centre shopping complex. Exeter, however, has a claim to fame in modern history in that it boasts the country’s first pedestrianised shopping precinct. The current Princesshay development only dates back to 2007, but […]
Thanks to everyone that supported Pastinthepresent.net during 2014. Over the past 12 months I’ve had great fun uncovering history in Britain and beyond – and I’ve really enjoyed sharing my adventures with you on these pages. Given that I live and work in London, most of my blogs […]
Past In The Present 