London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers

by Jack Chesher, Katharine Fraser (Illustrator)

See London in a completely new light in this guide to the city's hidden secrets, untold stories and special places laden with history which you can discover for yourself!

London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names, to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers, to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks – there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the city's streets, gardens, parks and buildings. This richly detailed and beautifully illustrated  book provides a miscellany of historic features and curiosities to spot as you wander around the capital. Whether you’ve always wondered why there are cattle troughs on your route to work , why bollards often look like upside down cannons or wanted to know what a Victorian stink pipe is – this book will provide the tools to decipher London’s secret code, and introduce you to a treasure trove of hidden spots to explore.

The book comes complete with maps so you can spot these details yourself  on walks through the capital. So, pop on a sturdy pair of shoes and get ready to turn the city into the museum you never knew you had.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, London, History, British Literature, Reference

176 pages, Hardcover

Published May 9, 2023

About the author

I’m Jack Chesher is a London tour guide, explorer and blogger.

Reviews

[Nataliya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exploring cities on foot and finding interesting quirks and details is quite fun. To go beyond standard “big” tourist attractions, to find fascinating little tidbits just hiding in plain sight — it is a great thing for any city explorer.

Jack Chesher’s London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers gives a lot of material for a few themed walks through London, ranging from historical building details to signs and street names to lost rivers of London. Pineapples, Roman wall remnants in a car park, oldest pubs, World War II shelters. torch snuffers, wood blocks road paving, etc. And all this comes with little tidbits of information, just enough to give a little bit of background and inspire a Google search or dozen.

What makes this book stand out are the detailed illustrations by Katharine Fraser instead of expected photos. Although some actual photos to provide a bit more “street” context would have been nice, I suppose that context would be supplied by actual walk to the places Chesher describes.

I had a few hours of fun browsing through this book and making a few mental notes of things to look at if I’m in London.

3.5 stars.

——————

Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion and Frances Lincoln for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Orla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Spent a full afternoon browsing interesting facts, adding points of interest I liked to visit on my Maps app and making plans to visit local ones soon (I live in London). Really enjoyed this and would recommend to visitors and residents alike! The illustrations were lovely and I enjoyed this a LOT more than I expected to initially (I think the cover hides how lovely it is!). I hope there are more books from this author to check out, I’d happily buy some as gifts for family or friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this in return for an unbiased review.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book. It’s equal parts amazing coffee table book and practical guide. It’s full of interesting historical facts about London and contains beautiful illustrations. I wish there were more illustrations!

Unfortunately, I don’t live in London and won’t be travelling there anytime soon so I can’t rate the walks themselves, but they look to be full of sites and mysteries, and I can’t wait to do them someday.

You can tell so much effort was put into this book, and it’s truly a work of art.

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This guidebook is for the person who enjoys architecture mixed with history in London. The book covers four themed walks around the city. One that covers buildings takes you from ancient roman ruins to modern skyscrapers. Along the way you can learn about the architecture of Christopher Wren or find the oldest pub. There are not photographs of sites to see but instead are detailed drawings. The illustrations may show a type of architecture to see or may be small things like symbols of livery companies form the 1500s. I love walking through London and have done many following the maps of Rick Steve’s and others. This is for someone who has time to explore the city after you’ve already seen the major highlights. It is a fun, small guidebook packed with good information. I do wish some photos were included in addition to the drawings.

Thank to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion for the temporary ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers is right up my alley as I adore discovering hidden quirky details in ancient cities which give glimpses into the past and enliven the present. When in London or other ancient cities, especially those I've visited multiple times, I constantly remind myself to look up, as well as all around as I've noticed many gems are underfoot or above my head. Sometimes one can trip over an ancient object, speaking from painful experience!

Author Jack Chesher describes each site/sight in beautiful detail...and details are what this book is all about. The superb meticulous illustrations are easily distinguishable and recognizable. Choose from four appealing themed walks, gawp at the maps at the back of each chapter closely for self-guided walks and lose yourself in adventuring. Check out the Roman city wall ruins at a car park, medieval oriel window in St. Bartholomew the Great Church, overhanging jetties which remarkably survived the Great Fire, the bust of King Charles I over the entranceway of the Banqueting House, learn about sash windows and window tax, spot torch snuffers and sphinx sculptures. Ogle the charming cherubs on telephones at Two Temple Place, Turkish Bath House, deep-level shelters, origins of food and market names. Decipher symbols including the golden leopard head, the Mercers' maiden, pineapples, mysterious seven noses of Soho, Ordnance Survey benchmarks and tiny "Two Mice Eating Cheese" sculpture. Wonder at the wood block paving, war department markers and cattle troughs. But if flora and fauna are your thing, as they are mine, you will be happy to discover old plane trees, ring-necked parakeets and a miniature vineyard, What a pleasure it will be to return with this book to find hidden treasures. Part of the fun is the hunt!

If you're keen to visit London for the first time or live there, you will assuredly be tickled (and rewarded) by these objects.

My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion and NetGalley for the privilege of learning more about this wonderful city from a completely different perspective.

[Evan Ladouceur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This charming guide to the lesser known and often ignored sights of London is clearly a labor of love for expert tour give author Jack Chesher. I think anyone reading this book, no matter how knowledgeable about London history, architecture, or nature, will come away more informed. Charmingly illustrated, well-organized, and including useful walking maps, this book is a wonderful guide for the casual or serious fan of London. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reading copy - I will be both getting and gifting the physical edition.

[Bookshire Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely guide to more obscure things to see in London, in which everyone, even a seasoned London nerd, finds something new. It's obviously a labour of love, detailed but written lightly and entertainingly. The illustrations are amazing as well. I particularly like the maps for self-guided walks after each section - as an introverted traveller, I'll be using those a lot!

Read on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers, by Jack Chesher, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book shows the fine architecture of London. Some of the buildings are amazing. The artists drawings in this book are quite impressive. This is a great read about London for anyone.

[Marjonneke Van Den Dorpel-Guiljam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een heerlijk boek over Londen. Vol met historische fun-facts, prachtige illustraties en de minder-bekende plekken om te bezoeken in Londen. Dit boek daagt je uit om beter te kijken wanneer je door een stad struint. In de lantaarnpalen, straatnaamborden, bomen, brievenbussen en ga zo maar door zitten allerlei verhalen verborgen.

[Brian Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy and interesting read. If you like London you’ll love this book.

[Read Watch Crochet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun guide to the historic city. I’ve visited London a few times and this would be a great guide to those who want to find all the hidden secrets of the city. Not so much a travel guide as much as an informative coffee table book that highlights features dispersed throughout the as far back as the Romans.
Would be ideal for lovers of history and architecture.

It also includes clear maps which display a clear route for explores to find each of the mentioned sites.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for this honest review.

[Amanda Scott]

If you have a bunch of regular travel books about London, this one is great for sort of hidden lore that make you feel like you understand the city on a more personal level. I wouldn’t use this exclusively to plan a vacation, but it certainly provides inside that other books do not.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved learning facts about the places I see everyday.

[Julie Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been wanting this book for a long time. I finally have it. It’s such a joy to read. It’s a guidebook and a history book in one. Excellent

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thinking of traveling to England’s capital? Are you just an armchair traveler? Want to get a unique take on London? Whichever applies, this book is a good guide.

Readers are offered four walks through London. The first goes from Tower Hill Station to Liverpool Street Station. Next is Tottenham Court Road Station to Trafalgar Square. Third is London Bridge Station to Borough Station. Finally, there is a walk from Westminster Station to Berkeley Square.

Each walk has a theme. For example, the first one focuses on London’s buildings. They go from Roman ruins to skyscrapers.

In the introduction, the author states that he wants to show explorers lots of hidden corners. He also want to provide an “ability to read London.” Sounds good.

This book has lovely illustrations, a plethora of sites to see, informative and brief descriptions, and maps to help on the way. Each site’s address is also provided.

Recommended for someone who has the time and inclination to explore an amazing city.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

this guide takes readers through a history of the unbeaten and overlooked parts of London. Many of the places featured are locations where I have been but it points out small details that I have missed. Things like makers marks, old signs, small statues, etc. I love that in addition to listing out places, there are actual designated walks through different parts of London that point out the features. While I enjoyed the beautiful watercolor illustrations, I am a very visual person and wish that there had been photos so I know exactly what to look for when I visit the places. I also wish that every location would have included some type of image. I will be finding several of these things and doing a couple of the walks on my next trip to London.

[C.I. DeMann · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best part of this book is the four walking tours he creates for us. There's a little map with numbers along the path. When you get to a number, you flip to a page in the book and it's like "look for the little stone slab on the ground next to the post. Know what that is? It's a blankity blank put there in 1672 for Lord So and So." Really really loved following the two paths I followed. I'll do the other two walks the next time I go back.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin - guiding curious wanderers - in an absolutely lovely way. Special credit to the illustrator for the beautiful sketches.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love this book. The better plant or bird identification books use drawings rather than photos because they are so much easier to use to gain information. Using high quality illustrations in this book gives a lot more information and clarity to the places of interest. I know London well, but every one of the walks in this book is full of unknown (to me) delights. There is a lot of variety in the places of interest on each of the walks to entertain everyone in a group. The walks are clear and easy to follow. The title of the book is perfect - it is a book for Curious Wanderers. I am now waiting for "A Guide for Curious Wanderers 2"

[Danielle - drops.everything.and.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book!
I love visiting London and hope to get back there in the near future. One of the reasons I love the city so much is because of its rich history, the architecture, and the chaos of the streets.
I will happily take this book with me on my next visit and plan to follow some of the walking guides included.
I love the brief overviews provided in the book: quick snapshots of a building, signs, streets, etc., that provide sufficient information that the reader can understand the importance, but enough detail to make it easier to go and do additional research should the reader want to know more, There was also a lot of puns, which I appreciated.

A delightful book!

Thanks to NetGalley, Frances Lincoln publishing, and the author for an early copy of the book. Opinions are entirely my own.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adore the illustrations and have completed one of the walks..so many gorgeous fascinating finds. I cannot wait to share with my friends.

[spencer wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will definitely be referencing this book the next time I go to London; so many hidden gems and off the path discoveries.

[Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great compilation of interest facts about London and where to find them! Contains great illustrations of them and also suggested walks that cover a load of them at once.

Definitely recommend for any explorers of London or have an interest in history.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers (Jack Chesher - released 2023) | (Illustrated by: Katharine Fraser)
Book Review

✧ Read with me ✧ Instagram ✧ | @haileydianereads

“I firmly believe that London is the world’s greatest playground for the curious wanderer. Walking its streets is a fascinating journey through history with a surprise, unusual tale or hidden historical detail around every corner.” 💂🏛️

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy…
- London
- History told in fascinating landmarks or stories
- Wonderful illustrations
- Unique travel guides
- Architecture and its importance

I am so grateful to have stumbled across this unique take on a travel guide. Jack Chesher does an amazing job at merging the historical and architectural qualities of London into an enjoyable read with walkable tours throughout. Katharine Fraser’s attention to the smallest of details in her illustrations really bring to life the specifics that Chesher highlights throughout the book.

London is my favorite city to visit. No matter your interest, London will provide more than you imagine in all areas. Although I have visited twice, much of the information Chesher presented is new to me. However, I was proud of all the places and historical significance I have previously visited that made it into this book. Not only was this book captivating, but I loved seeing how so many little details in the city are interconnected.

As an American, our architecture and history has such a limited timeline in comparison to cities and countries all over the world. One thing I love about my time abroad is getting to see all of the history crammed between buildings and sidewalks. This book is perfect for the traveler who wants to understand the “why” and enjoys the idiosyncrasies that London has to offer.

I’m thoroughly looking forward to this dynamic duo’s next project coming out in 2025!

Gratitude, always.
- H.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are dozens of books devoted to London's history, I should know I've dozens of them. But I doubt you'll find a better designed one, for if it was larger it could be described as a coffee table art book. Each entry is precisely the right length to create a harmonious balance with the headings and illustrations. For example and probably unnoticed by many readers, Jack and Katharine's biographies occupy exactly the same number of lines. For this graphic design geek it was perfect symmetry for me.
The square format fits perfectly with Jack's bite-sized descriptions detailing discoveries he's found in the capital. Many of the entries are illustrated with delightful watercolours by Katherine Fraser, each positioned perfectly within the text.
As a Licenced London cabbie much was known to me, but that didn't temper the enjoyment of reading, the entries proving Jack's superior knowledge as he's found some, for me, previously unknown gems. Who knew 10 Downing Street had yellow bricks? The building was thought to be black, but London's pollution had discoloured the bricks. When cleaned in the 1950s it was thought not to look prime-ministerial enough so was painted black. Or that Cavendish Square also has a empty plinth once occupied by Prince William, Duke of Cumberland's statue, it was taken down after the public discovered he had mercilessly crushed the Highlanders. In 2012 the Duke's effigy was reproduced in soap and allowed over time to dissolve.
At the end of each section is a short walk taking in much of the features described, the size of the book allows the map and itinerary to be photocopied to fit onto an A4 sheet to put in your pocket, rather than carrying the book around London.
As you would expect all entries have been indexed, but curiously an additional list of postcodes with their locations within the book is also included.
If you wish to own just one reference about London, you could do no better than purchasing this sumptuously produced book.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having seen the creator of this book as someone's guest on youtube I knew it would not be too shoddy, but I didn't expect it to be on the slight and gentle side I at first felt it to be. The first chapter, taking us almost to the one-third mark, concerns a walk through London's architectural history, from the Roman flooring and Norman arches that are so close geographically if not temporally to buildings designed by a chap who passed away as this was readied for publication that could melt cars parked beneath them.

Each chapter has a walk included, only a short one or two hour amble, that includes details from all corners of the book, but I did expect to have more to this than what we got. The entries have a heading and the building address and postcode, but that meant little to me – if it's a church we don't even get the road. We haven't all got the Knowledge, and so some better guide to where these things might be would help us navigate and plan our expeditions.

But this does suitably look up, down and sideways, while encouraging us to do the same. Here are signs still existing to WW2 air raid shelters, ancient statues, and so much more. We get several urban myths dismissed (such as equine feet on statuary, for one), and all told there is enough here to guarantee its worth. (I wish I'd known about the very early Tube map the last time I was around Temple.)

All told this is for the intrigued traveller, and not the person wanting everything fed to them while they grow their waistband on their couch. You need to do the map work to find out where a lot of these entries are, as I say, ie if you need the rarest of the rare post boxes, this tells you what they are and not a jot about where. So this will frustrate many potential fans of this, but being on board with the approach will make you a very much genned up and happier traveller.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fascinating to read! London for the Curious Wanderers is just that - a guide to help you spot all the little gems the city has to offer, that you might just walk by otherwise! This book is here to help you out. It even has a walking tour map, at the end of each section, so you can go and spot quite a few of the curios for yourself.

I feel like I learnt so much about Londons history from these pages, in such an interesting way - like how much building regulations were changed post the great fire of 1666, how the pavements used to be paved in wood, and the history of how some street names came to be (or the unconfirmed folklore tales, in some cases) to highlight only a few.

There are some beautiful illustrations throughout the book, highlighting some of the interesting signs, buildings, and statues, ect, that can be found around the Capital, but I found myself scrambling for my phone to look up every other object that wasn’t given a visual - I just had to know what it looked like! However, I understand that the book would have felt crowded if there were illustrations for each curiosity.

Overall I think this is a brilliant book, and is not only handy if you’re planning on going for a stroll around London, but also if you simply want to learn some interesting facts and know more about the city’s history. I, for one, am about to annoy my friends and family to no-end with all my new knowledge, and would quite like to book a trip down to London, specifically to see the tiny cheese and mice sculpture on Philpot Lane.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the review copy.

[Poppy Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two versions of this book on Goodreads that I cannot combine...hopefully it will be remedied soon by the request that I put through to their librarians.

Synopsis:
*********

See London in a completely new light in this guide to the city's hidden secrets, untold stories and special places laden with history which you can discover for yourself!

London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks – there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the city's streets, gardens, parks and buildings.

This richly detailed and beautifully illustrated book provides a miscellany of historic features and curiosities to spot as you wander around the capital. Whether you’ve always wondered why there are cattle troughs on your route to work, why bollards often look like upside-down cannons or wanted to know what a Victorian stink pipe is – this book will provide the tools to decipher London’s secret code and introduce you to a treasure trove of hidden spots to explore.

The book comes complete with maps so you can spot these details yourself on walks through the capital.

So, pop on a sturdy pair of shoes and get ready to turn the city into the museum you never knew you had.

What a wonderful travel guide to London: a small book but a great book full of ideas on where to wander off the beaten path. I am decidedly an urban traveller (no beaches or resorts for us...we'd die of boredom the second day) and this guide to London was fascinating. Maybe I will never get to see the recycled railings or hidden history but my life is enriched by reading this book...I will drive people crazy with the facts that I have discovered!

[Lisa Ahlstedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

London is my favorite city, so I'm always looking for new or interesting facts to discover. This book is a collection of interesting things that can be found throughout the city. The book is divided four sections: Stepping Through Time (tracing the history of the city); Cracking the Capital's Code (unusual signs and symbols and what they mean); Part of the Street Furniture (things you might walk by without a glance, but which have fascinating backstories); and It's Only Natural (natural features such as bodies of water and parks). Each section ends with a map and a guided walk where you can see items mentioned in the chapters (although each walk contains things mentioned in more than one chapter). The illustrations are all drawings, both color and black and white, which are sprinkled throughout the text. Of course, the book is subjective, being a gathering of facts, sights, and history that the author finds noteworthy. I enjoyed reading through the book and have found a more than a few things to look for on my next trip across the pond!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! As a confirmed Anglophile, I was surprised to find that even though I've visited London some 10 times, I'd only seen a few items he describes. Another title of this book (probably used by someone else) is Hidden London... out of the way items that you might walk by & not notice, but once you see them & know about them, you definitely want to check the vast majority of these sites out. The book itself is lovely, all done with lovely hand painted illustrations (rather than photos). Jack has been very thorough, and for each entry their is a name & address for where you'll find it. About 1/2 of the entries have photos, but for the others, it's very easy to look them up on the Internet & find them. I loved the book so much I tried to book a walking tour with Jack (that's his job), but even though I tried to book him over 1 month in advance, every single tour is SOLD OUT. ( https://livinglondonhistory.com/guide... ). Highly recommend... beautifully written & fascinating. NEXT time I go to London, I will definitely do a walk with him.