London History

The script traces Finsbury Circus Gardens’ transformation from medieval marshland north of London’s wall—created as the Wallbrook’s flow was impeded—into today’s Grade II listed public garden and commercial centre. It recounts Roman burials, later use as a waste dump and tanning area, failed drainage and quarrying, and the successful draining in 1527. The site became home to Bethlehem Royal Hospital (“Bedlam”) in 1675–76, designed by Robert Hooke, before its demolition in 1814–15 and redevelopment as an elegant oval residential circus planned by George Dance and executed by William Montague (1815–17). It covers the area’s religious institutions, a fatal 1825 construction accident, an unrealized radical monument to Rafael del Riego, its 19th-century medical quarter (including Moorfields Eye Hospital), later office redevelopment and key buildings like Lutyens’ Britannic House and Derwent Wood’s sculptures, public opening in 1900, and 2025 restoration after Crossrail works.Podcast show notes: londonguidedwalks.co.uk/podcast

Hazel Baker introduces Smithfield (West Smithfield near St Bartholomew’s Hospital and Smithfield Meat Market) as a deceptively ordinary open space that for centuries served both as a major market/fairground and a prominent execution site used to project state and church power. With tour guide Maria Alexe’s commentary, the episode traces Smithfield’s execution history from William Wallace’s hanging, drawing and quartering in 1305 to the last clearly documented burning in 1612, noting its particular association with heresy burnings and high-profile traitors, especially the Marian burnings under Mary I (about 48 at Smithfield, per Foxe). It highlights John Foxe’s shaping of Protestant martyr memory through accounts such as John Rogers and Anne Askew, describes execution methods including hanging, burning, quartering and boiling (Richard Rouse in 1531; Margaret Davy in 1547), and explains the crowd spectacle, commerce, and the risk of creating martyrs. It ends by identifying surviving local traces—St Bartholomew the Great, the gateway, street names like Cloth Fair, and modern contrasts—and invites listeners to related walking tours.

Hazel Baker traces the story of White Conduit House in Barnsbury, Islington, from its origins as a 1431 Henry VI–licensed water conduit supplying Charterhouse to its later life as an affordable, working-class pleasure garden. She explains how Robert Bartholomew’s 1750s improvements and famed hot rolls and butter made it a London destination, noted by Oliver Goldsmith, and how resident organist James Hook began his career there. In the 1780s the adjacent White Conduit Fields hosted the aristocratic White Conduit Club; disruptions from a public right of way helped prompt Thomas Lord to secure a private ground in Marylebone, leading to the MCC and cricket’s codified laws. The venue later rebranded with spectacles but declined as urban building and nearby gasworks spoiled the air, and it was demolished in 1849, with fragments remembered in names, gardens, plaques, and a surviving façade.Show Notes

Hazel Baker hosts a special bonus edition of the London History Podcast celebrating over 500,000 streams and downloads and continuing a “London’s firsts” theme with a slightly harder, play-along quiz. Listeners get 12 questions with 15 seconds to think, then the show shares the answer and a short story behind each landmark “first,” spanning Norman and medieval London through the Georgian era and beyond. The topics range across royal power, religion, law, theatre, newspapers and magazines, West End planning, docks and trade, botanic gardens, and public art exhibitions. Hazel invites listeners to keep score, compare results with the first bonus quiz, share the podcast, and send in scores via Spotify Q&A or social media.

In episode 151 of the London History Podcast, host Hazel Baker is joined by Caroline Jane Knight, who is Jane Austen's fifth great-niece. Caroline discusses her unique perspective growing up at Chawton House, the family estate, and her deep connection to Austen's legacy. She shares anecdotes about Jane Austen's life, her literary works, and her connection to London. Caroline also talks about her efforts to preserve Austen's heritage through her memoir 'Jane and Me,' her role in the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, and her upcoming project to create a family archive. The conversation covers Austen's experiences in London, including her theatre visits and her correspondence with the Prince Regent, as well as her modern cultural significance.Show Notes

In this special bonus edition of the London History Podcast, the host celebrates reaching over 5,000 followers on Spotify by conducting a quiz themed 'London Firsts through the ages'. The quiz covers significant historical landmarks and events from medieval to Georgian London, asking listeners to identify firsts such as the city's first continually operating hospital, the first long-lived stone bridge across the Thames, and the first systematic building regulations after the Great Fire. The host, Hazel Baker, provides historical context and anecdotes for each of the 12 questions, offering listeners a deeper understanding of London's rich history. The episode encourages audience engagement by asking them to tally their scores and interact via social media.This podcast is produced by Hazel Baker at London Guided Walks

The London History Podcast, hosted by Hazel Baker from London Guided Walks, explores the rich history of Seven Dials in London during the 1920s and 1930s. In this episode, Professor Matt Holbrooke discusses his book, 'Songs of Seven Dials,' which delves into the cultural history of the area through vibrant archival research. Seven Dials was a diverse and vibrant community, home to migrant communities, working-class families, and bohemian nightlife. The episode covers the significant libel trial involving Sierra Leonian café owner Jim Kitten and his English wife Emily against a right-wing newspaper, highlighting issues of race, class identity, and urban redevelopment. The podcast also touches on the local cafés, clubs, and nightlife that shaped Seven Dials' reputation, the key conflicts and tensions, and personal stories of its residents, providing a detailed glimpse into this colourful and dramatic part of London’s history.🔗 Connect With Us🌐 Website: ⁠⁠https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/podcast⁠⁠📱 Instagram: @walk_london🐦 Twitter: @guided_walks 📘 Facebook: London Guided Walks

Step back in time with the London History Podcast as we revisit one of the city’s most daring and heartwarming moments. On a cold, smoggy evening in December 1952, bus driver Albert Gunter faced the unthinkable when Tower Bridge began to rise beneath him. With 40 passengers on board, Gunter made a split-second decision that would make him a local hero and capture the imagination of Londoners everywhere.🏙️ About The London History PodcastHosted by London tour guide and historian Hazel Baker, the London History Podcast explores the fascinating, mysterious, and sometimes dark stories that shaped Britain's capital city. From medieval legends to Victorian scandals, from royal palaces to haunted underground stations, we uncover the hidden history beneath London's streets.🔗 Connect With Us🌐 Website: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/podcast📱 Instagram: @walk_london🐦 Twitter: @guided_walks 📘 Facebook: London Guided Walks

Join Hazel Baker, host of the London History Podcast, as she delves into the character of Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. Explore the rich symbolism behind Scrooge's name, his physical and emotional transformation, and the social commentary embedded in the novella. Discover the streets of Victorian London that inspired Dickens' tale and learn how the story's themes of greed, generosity, and redemption resonate even today. Perfect for literary enthusiasts and history buffs alike, this episode offers a comprehensive analysis of one of literature's most enduring characters.00:00 Introduction to Ebenezer Scrooge01:30 The Symbolism Behind Scrooge's Name04:56 Dickens' Masterful Description of Scrooge11:13 Scrooge's Relationship with Jacob Marley13:39 Scrooge's Troubled Past15:31 The Impact of Fezziwig and Belle19:53 Fred and Scrooge's Isolation22:25 Scrooge's Notorious Statements and Their Implications25:05 Bob Cratchit and Scrooge's Transformation27:17 The Redemption of Scrooge31:25 Dickens' Social Commentary and Final Thoughts33:57 Conclusion and other Christmas-themed Podcast episodesVisit the London History podcast webpage

Episode 142: The Monsters and Myths of London | Halloween Special 🎃Welcome to a spine-chilling Halloween special from the London History Podcast! Join host Hazel Baker from London Guided Walks as we explore the terrifying creatures, urban legends, and supernatural tales that have haunted London for centuries. From Victorian fire-breathing demons to medieval spectral hounds, 1970s vampire hunts to stone devils carved in revenge—these are the monsters that refuse to stay buried.🔥 SPRING-HEELED JACK: The Victorian TerrorIn February 1838, 18-year-old Jane Alsop answered a knock at her gate. A man claiming to be a policeman shouted, "For God's sake, bring me a light—we've caught Spring-heeled Jack!" When she handed him a candle, he threw back his cloak, spat blue fire in her face, and attacked her with metallic claws. Her testimony, published in the Patriot newspaper, convinced skeptics that London faced a real threat. Discover how Spring-heeled Jack terrorised Victorian London, leapt impossibly over rooftops, inspired theatrical productions and penny dreadfuls, and may have influenced modern superheroes like Batman. He was never caught—and some say he's still out there.🐕 THE BLACK DOG OF NEWGATE: Medieval VengeanceStep into medieval London during the devastating famines of Henry III's reign. At Newgate Prison—described by Henry Fielding as "a prototype of hell"—starving inmates committed the ultimate sin: they killed and ate a scholar accused of sorcery. But their crime awakened something worse. A monstrous black dog with burning eyes began stalking the corridors, hunting down each cannibal one by one. Even those who escaped weren't safe—the beast followed them into the streets. First recorded in 1596 by prisoner Luke Hutton, this legend became so powerful it appeared on tavern tokens as currency, inspired Elizabethan plays by John Day in 1602, and is still reported near the Old Bailey today.🧛 THE HIGHGATE VAMPIRE: 1970s Mass HysteriaOn Friday the 13th, March 1970, Thames Television broadcast interviews with witnesses who claimed a vampire haunted Highgate Cemetery. Within two hours, hundreds of Londoners armed with wooden stakes and crucifixes stormed the gates in "the largest vampire hunt of the 20th century." Explore the decades-long feud between occultist Sean Manchester—who arrived at newspaper offices in opera cape and top hat—and investigator David Farrant, who was arrested carrying a stake. One man claimed he tracked the vampire to Crouch End and killed it. Another wrote books declaring it still lurked in ancient tombs. This wasn't medieval superstition—this was 1970s London, and it shows how even in the space age, the city never quite escaped its Gothic past.😈 THE CORNHILL DEVILS: An Architect's RevengeWalk down Cornhill in the City of London and look up at numbers 54-55. Three red terracotta demons have been sneering down since 1893—but most Londoners rush past without ever noticing. Legend says architect Ernest Augustus Runtz placed them there as revenge against the vicar of St Peter's Church, who opposed his building plans. Runtz commissioned artist William James Neatby to create the most grotesque devils possible, positioned to glare eternally at the church. The smallest devil, mouth wide open, was supposedly modelled on the vicar's own face—condemned forever in Doulton terracotta. They're proof that in London, even architecture can weaponise a grudge. More Spooky Episodes:🎃 Episode 122: Haunted Underground Stations👻 Episode 28: The Ghost of Cock LaneHosted by Hazel Baker, London tour guide and historian.Visit londonguidedwalks.co.uk for walking tours and more episodes.

Step into history with Episode 140 of the London Guided Walks Podcast! 🎙️Join London tour guide Hazel Baker as we uncover The Duke of Wellington. Discover his ingenious survival tactics, fascinating gadgets, and the surprising story behind the famous Wellington boot.

This episode reveals London's hidden connections to some of the most remote places on Earth – from the icy fjords of Spitsbergen to the vast Southern Ocean. Discover how whale hunting shaped everything from street lighting to women's fashion, and why this brutal yet economically vital trade ultimately came to define London's position as a global maritime power.Perfect for listeners interested in: Maritime history, London's hidden past, Arctic exploration, industrial history, Victorian society, fashion history, and the complex relationship between commerce and conservation.

🎙️ London's Printing Revolution & the Birth of Children's Literature | The London History PodcastJoin Hazel Baker for a fascinating journey through 1740s London, a city alive with ink, ambition, and innovation. In this episode of The London History Podcast, we uncover how a tiny chapbook, Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book, helped transform childhood reading – and how a widowed woman publisher, Mary Cooper, quietly reshaped literary history from her shop on Paternoster Row.📚 Discover:The buzz of London’s book trade around St Paul’s CathedralThe Statute of Anne and how it revolutionised copyrightMary Cooper and Thomas Longman – trailblazers of modern publishingThe engraving artistry of George Bickham the YoungerWhat was inside Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book – and what was lostWhy only two copies of the book are known to surviveHow nursery rhymes travelled from street cries to storybooksThe hidden role of women in the eighteenth-century print tradeThis episode is packed with rich detail – from political tensions of the Jacobite rising to the changing face of children’s literature, and from the smells of damp paper to the sound of rhymes still sung today.🎧 Whether you are a book lover, historian, educator, or simply curious about the untold stories behind everyday culture, this episode will leave you seeing nursery rhymes – and London itself – in a whole new light.🔔 Subscribe to never miss an episode💬 Share with someone who loves history, literature, or London🌐 Find bonus content at: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/podcast