Places of interest

Blewcoat School Gift Shop (National Trust) 020 7222 2877

23 Caxton Street, Westminster, London SW1H 0PY
The Blewcoat School Gift Shop was an early 18th-century school for the poor, but is now the National Trust’s London shop. For more information please visit their website.

Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms 020 7930 6961

Clive Steps, King Charles Street, SW1A 2AQ
http://cwr.iwm.org.uk
The Churchill museum is dedicated to the life of Winston Churchill and is located in the Cabinet War Rooms, the underground room in which Churchill worked with his War Cabinet. Check their website for special events, performances and activities.

City of Westminster Archive Centre (Westminster City Council) 020 7641 5180

10 St Ann’s Street, London SW1P 2DE
The Archives Centre houses extensive collections relating to Westminster past and present. The Centre’s collections extend to over 5 kilometers of shelving. There are around 60,000 illustrations dating from Tudor times to the present day, and its earliest original item dates from 1256. For more information please visit the Westminster Archive Centre website.

Horse Guards  

Whitehall, SW1
The Horse Guards is the home of the Troopers of the Household Cavalry. It is guarded by mounted soldiers and every day at 11.00 a.m. (expect Sunday which is at 10.00 a.m.) there is a changing of the guard ceremony, where the cavalry ride from Hyde Park via the Mall to Whitehall for the changeover. This is a very popular tourist attraction!

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben 020 7219 4272

Palace of Westminster, Westminster SW1A 0AA
www.parliament.uk
The Palace of Westminster consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Big Ben, one of London’s famous landmarks is found at the Houses of Parliament. UK citizens can arrange a tour of the Houses of Parliament through their local MP or a Peer. Tours are available both during session and in recess. Special arrangements are also put in place during summer recess, when the Palace of Westminster opens to visitors who can go on pre-booked tours.

Lindley Library (Royal Horticultural Society) 020 7828 3022

80 Vincent Square, SW1 2PE
www.rhs.org.uk
The Lindley Library holds the historical collections and most of the Royal Horticultural Society’s art collection. It has over 50,000 volumes covering a wide range of subjects including garden history, flower arrangement and botanical art. It is open to both RHS members and the general public. For more information please visit their website.

St John’s 020 7222 1061

Smith Square, SW1P 3HA
www.sjss.org.uk
St. John’s in Smith Square, is one of London’s major concert venues and favourite historic buildings. Valued for its superb acoustic, it presents an extremely varied programme of classical music throughout the concert season, ranging from choirs and symphony orchestras to solo instrumental recitals.

SW1 Gallery 020 7963 4024

2 Cardinal Gardens SW1
www.sw1gallery.co.uk
The SW1 Gallery provides interesting, enjoyable and exciting exhibitions and events for the local community and the large numbers of people who visit or work in the area. The exhibitions are always different, offering artwork that is constantly interesting and varied. Demonstrations, lectures, tours and schools workshops are offered as well as recitals, book readings and music evenings.

Tate Britain 020 7887 8888

Millbank, SW1P 4RG
www.tate.org.uk/britain
Tate Britain is the national gallery of British art. The Collection comprises the national collection of British art from the year 1500 to the present day. Tate Britain has extensive and innovative interpretation, education and events programmes, including a wide range of talks, lectures, free and paid-for gallery tours, symposia, seminars, courses and workshops, as well as film, music, performance, schools, family and community programmes and online events. For details of all programmes please visit their website.

Westminster Abbey 020 7222 5152

The Chapter Office, 20 Dean’s Yard, Westminster Abbey, SW1P 3PA
www.westminster-abbey.org
Westminster Abbey offers a range of services and music sermons as well as events, concerts and tours of the Abbey. For more information please visit their website.

Westminster Cathedral 020 7798 9055

42 Francis Street, London SW1P 1QW
www.westminstercathedral.org.uk
Westminster Cathedral is one of the greatest secrets of London; people heading down Victoria Street on the well-trodden route to more famous sites are astonished to come across a piazza opening up the view to an extraordinary facade of towers, balconies and domes. It is a quiet place for prayer as well as a busy parish! Throughout the year events are arranged in the parish, ranging from musical events to bazaars, prayer groups and parish meetings. For up-to-date information please visit their website.

Royal Parks  

www.royalparks.gov.uk
Neighbourhoods in SW1 are close to two Royal Parks, St James’s Park and Green Park.

St James’s Park covers 23 hectares, and it has a lake with ducks, geese and pelicans. The Park hosts many events throughout the year including free guided walks and concerts. You can also watch the pelicans being fed and have a guided tour of Duck Island. For more information please visit the Royal Parks website.

Green Park covers 19 hectares and is viewed as being a more peaceful park than St James’s, with mature trees and grassland. The Park’s primary role is as a peaceful refuge for people living, working or visiting Central London, and is particularly popular for sunbathing and picnics in fine weather. It is also popular as a healthy walking route and for jogging and running. For more information please visit the Royal Parks website.

Pimlico Farmers’ Market  

Orange Square, Pimlico Road
www.lfm.org.uk/pimlico.asp
Opened in June 2002, Pimlico Farmers’ Market is already one of the biggest in London. Held in a leafy square, the market is convenient for residents living in SW1. The Market is held every Saturday from 9.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. For more information please visit their website.

Strutton Ground Market (off Victoria Street)  

Strutton Ground Market runs from Monday to Friday, from late morning until mid afternoon and is very popular with the lunchtime crowds from the local area. The market sells a wide range of products including clothes, fruit, books, CDs and household goods.

Tachbrook Market (Off Warwick Way)  

Tachbrook Street Market runs throughout the day from Monday to Saturday, off the busy Warwick Way. It’s a great resource for the local community, selling a wide range of products including household goods, antiques and bric-a-brac, fish, meat and veg.

Archbishop’s Park  

Archbishop’s Park is an historical park adjacent to Lambeth Palace, which is a short walk from SW1 across Lambeth Bridge. The Park includes an all weather games area, tennis and netball courts, a play area and putting green.

Battersea Park  

Battersea Park is a short walk from SW1, across Chelsea Bridge. It is a large park with many different paths and tracks, where people walk, cycle and roller-blade, there’s also a Peace Pagoda and a lake where many different types of birds can be seen. It has a wide range of things to do including, a children’s zoo, adventure playground, all weather pitches, tennis courts and cycle hire. For more information please visit their website.

British Airways London Eye  

British Airways London Eye is the world’s highest observation wheel offering passengers amazing panoramic views of the capital. On a clear day you can see as far as Windsor Castle, some 25 miles away. For more information please visit their website.

Florence Nightingale Museum 020 7620 0374

St Thomas’ Hospital 2 Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7EW
www.florence-nightingale.co.uk
A museum with artefacts and archives relating to Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War, the Nightingale School and St Thomas’ Hospital. For more information please visit their website.

London Aquarium  

London Aquarium is one of Europe’s largest displays of aquatic life and home to over 350 species in over 50 displays, from sharks, stingrays and clownfish, to moray eels, lionfish and sideways walking crabs. For more information please visit their website.

Museum of Garden History 020 7401 8865

St Mary-at-Lambeth, Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7LB
www.museumgardenhistory.org
The Museum exists to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the history and development of gardens and gardening in the UK. The Museum hosts a range of events throughout the year including lectures, exhibitions and jazz nights. For more information please visit their website.

Vauxhall City Farm 020 7582 4204

Tyers Street (Off Kensington Lane) London SE11 5JE
Vauxhall City Farm is an inner city community farm, with activities including spinning and weaving, horse riding, gardening, animal care and environmental education. Please phone to confirm opening times.