L O N D O N Did You Know !

Blogging friend Jeanie has been writing about her 2024 visit to the UK which included a visit to London. I can remember saying in my comment to her that although I live in the UK it is many years ago that I last visited the capitol. Which then got me thinking, and no, I will not be visiting but instead thought I'd do a 'Did You Know' post about London which I hope readers may find interesting.

Of course London has a rich history, so to keep my post to a reasonable length I thought as London has six letters I'd just share six facts.

1. London was first known as Londinium.
Around 110-120 AD, the Romans built the Roman Fort of Londinium as the capital of Roman Britain. The fort itself occupied a fairly small area, taking up just 400,000 square meters (around 1.5% of a square mile).

A city wall was built into the fort in 200 AD, but not long after, the site was shut down. Britannia (as Britain was known back then) had become more secure, and the fort was no longer needed.

If you visit London today, you can spot some of the remains of the Roman Fort of Londinium. Look for them on Noble Street and along the London Wall, where you will see the old Roman Fort Gate, many people take a city tour to do this.

London, Big Ben - image from google

2. “Big Ben” is the name of the bells, not the tower.

London’s iconic clock tower is often referred to as “Big Ben,” but did you know it is really called the Elizabeth Tower? Known for decades as the Clock Tower, this striking building was renamed in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

The “Big Ben” bells have been chiming since 1367. You can hear them ringing throughout Westminster every hour. It was on New Year’s Eve in 1923, that the whole country could hear the bells of Big Ben ringing as its chimes were broadcast on BBC Radio for the first time.

3. The Changing of the Guard ceremony happens every day in London.

If you spend a few days in London, you will likely have an opportunity to watch the Changing of the Guard. This ceremony is held at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, check the changing of the guard timetable/details here.

It is the moment when the famous royal guardsmen, in their bearskin hats and red jackets, hand their duties over to their colleagues, and is watched by many.

4. The River Thames is the longest river in England and runs through the City of London.

The River Thames is 205 miles (330 kilometres) long. It is well-known as a feature of London, and it is not difficult to spot the River Thames if you visit this famous city. However, it extends outside of London and well beyond the city, reaching surrounding places like the Cotswolds and Northamptonshire.

If you want to travel around London differently, you can ride along the River Thames on a boat. Talking of which the river also hosts the yearly Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge, the race in 2025 will be on 13th April you can read about the 2024 one here

5. The Crown Jewels are kept in the Tower of London.

People who watch British royal ceremonies might notice sparkling gemstones among the pomp and circumstance. These are from a collection of 23,578 jewels, which have been stored in the Tower of London since 1661. Armed guards look after the Crown Jewels in the tower’s Jewel House. They are only moved for special occasions, like royal coronations, and important events like the State Opening of Parliament.

6. The Harry Potter movies were filmed in London.

All eight Harry Potter movies were filmed at Warner Bros. Studio in London. More than two million visitors a year enjoy a behind-the-scenes studio tour to learn more about these world-famous films.

London has iconic locations linked to the Harry Potter movies, like Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross station. Another, Leadenhall Market, a Victorian market built in 1881, appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron pub and Diagon Alley.

I hope you enjoyed these six facts, did you know any of them, have you visited London?

Do please share your thoughts in the comments.

~ wishing all readers happy March days ~

enjoy the remainder of this month

This blog is presented in a magazine style, and you will find a variety of articles, studies, thoughts, funnies, photographs, music and recipes. However, not all the recipe ideas featured in this blog may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic (more about this here) and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e., use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan