Stories

Irina Porter London tour guide and historian

I love all things British — British history, British culture, British art, British way of life. Having lived here for over 30 years, I never stop admiring how great everything is about this country! This blog with reflect my adventures in everything around me that I love — from the Royal Family to local history, that I want to share with my friends — old and new.

Three Hares Dancing Tinners Rabbits

Three Hares Dancing

Three hares sharing three ears,Yet every one of them has two (Ancient German riddle) Before the three hares made their way onto my new T-Shirt,T-which I bought at the Hastings Jack in the Green Festival, May 2022, they had a very long and curious journey through history. The earliest motif of

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Creative force of the River Wandle

Creative force of the River Wandle

We wandered along the River Wandle in Merton and came across the site of the ancient Merton Priory, which is not a shopping centre. What remains of the priory is underground – the excavated remains of a great monastic establishment is now a little museum underground. Only a few original

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Natural History Museum pterodactyls

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’ Lost World

Do you remember the famous Steven Spielberg’s thrillers of the 1990s – Jurassic Park and The Lost World? Do you know who was the first to think of dinosaurs being alive? This was over 100 years before Michael Crighton’s Jurassic book, which became the basis for the film. This idea

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Empire Pool Wembley

The Beatles at the Empire Pool, Wembley

“John stood astride in the familiar Lennon style, shoved on a pair of brown sunglasses with familiar Lennon panache, and belted straight into the vocal of ‘I Feel Fine’. The screaming seemed to reach the kind of level that only dogs and A&R men could hear.” – NME’s Alan Smith

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River Lea

The River Lea

The River Lee Country Park is a maze of lakes, water courses, streams, inlets and marshland, created by the River Lee as it approaches the north eastern edge of London. The name Lee – also known as Lea, both spellings are used interchangeably – comes from the old English word

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Morden Hall Park

Morden Hall Park and Snuff Mills

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. Now a National Trust property, the Morden Hall Park occupies the land, which in the middle ages

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Epping Forest pollard

Epping Forest

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. Epping Forest was a royal hunting forest since the times of Henry II in the 12th century.

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Coronation of Elizabeth II

Coronation of Elizabeth II

2 June 1953 was the coronation day of Elizabeth II. The 26 year old Elizabeth became Queen on the day her father, George VI died, on 6 February 1952, but it was required to have a period of mourning and also lengthy preparations were needed for the coronation ceremony. By

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Frank Matcham and His Theatres - A Flair for Magic

Frank Matcham and His Theatres — A Flair for Magic

If you’ve ever been to the London’s Coliseum, the home of English National Opera, you will always remember the special feeling when you saw its interior for the first time – a kind of intimacy combined with baroque-like opulence, when the Victorian era met the Edwardian one. This was the

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The Girl I Left Behind Me (Brighton Camp)

The Girl I Left Behind Me (Brighton Camp)

What is the song about? The Girl I Left Behind Me (Brighton Camp) is sung by a soldier going to war, who remembers the beautiful girl whom he left back home, hoping to return to her soon. Where did it start? As with many folk songs, no one knows for

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VE Day, 8 May 2020

VE Day, 8 May 2020

Today we hang out the Union Jack, dress up and sing patriotic songs – it VE Day! Unlike Russia, which celebrates Victory Day on 9th May, here it is commemorated on the 8th. It was on this day 75 years ago that Winston Churchill officially announced on the radio that

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The Paul McCartney Rose

The Paul McCartney Rose

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. We have a Paul McCartney in our garden – it’s the lovely rose created by French rose

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May Day

May Day

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. With the sun shining brightly, today is the day to welcome the summer! People have been celebrating

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Bay windows remaining from the mansion

Haughmond Abbey

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. Today, it is only me, sheep and cows at Haughmond Abbey. However, in Medieval times this was

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Battlefield

Battle of Shrewsbury

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. A famous savage battle took place on these picturesque fields on 21 July 1403, — the Battle

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Mummers' Play

Mummers’ Play

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. We were very lucky yesterday to see a performance by Croxley Mummers. A Mummers’ play is a long

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Admiral Benbow

Admiral Benbow

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. As Lilia and I wondered around the Shrewsbury museum, we heard a song playing from a little

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Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. Shrewsbury is an ancient market town in Shropshire, about 3 hours drive from London. Its streets were

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Book Review: Maximum Volume: The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, the Early Years, 1926-1966 by Kenneth Womack

Book Review: Maximum Volume: The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, the Early Years, 1926-1966 by Kenneth Womack

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. George Martin is an enigmatic figure for Beatles fans. Our favourite group’s meteoric rise to the heights

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Nothe Fort, Weymouth

Nothe Fort, Weymouth

Извините, этот техт доступен только в “Американский Английский”. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language. Nothe Fort crowns the little Nothe Peninsular, guarding Weymouth and Portland Harbours. It was built in the

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