John Wittich Bücher

Piccadilly, Pall Mall, Old Bailey, Houndsditch and Crutched Friars are some of the unusual London street names that must puzzle those who use them daily as much as they puzzle the tourist. How did they arise, and what do they mean? This book explains these and over seven hundred and fifty other sin London. The origin of a stret name often reveals unsuspected facts about the history of the area. Many names date back to Saxon times. Sraightforward-looking names are not always what they seem.

This book introduces readers to a different side of London than the one they may already know, revealing a city full of curiosities and peculiarities, stories that have largely been left untold, and features that go unnoticed. Objects that are passed everyday without a second glance come alive in this little guide for both the visitor or the most seasoned Londoner; the statue of Charles I at Charing Cross which was melted down by a blacksmith after his execution - or was it? Or the Aldgate Pump with its strange tasting water - where did it come from originally? Around every corner in London there is a history to be told, and John Wittich guides us through hundreds of London curiosities, arranged in chapters which make interesting walks for exploring certain parts of London.