London stories
Explore the stories of the world's greatest city and uncover the hidden treasures of our collections.
All stories

The Stone Age skull rescued from the River Thames
Found after 5,000 years in the mud

The surprising diversity of Roman London
A city home to people from Turkey, Germany and Greece


Who was Admiral Nelson?
Nelson's naval victories gave him national hero status and a permanent place in Trafalgar Square



Harrods: A location for luxury
From humble beginnings to one of the biggest emporiums in Europe

London’s public executions
Hung, drawn and quartered. Beheaded, boiled or burned

Pleasure gardens: London’s first music venues
Handel at Vauxhall? Mozart at Ranelagh? For 18th-century music fans, these were the places to be

The Great Stink of 1858
A smell so incredibly awful it demanded a modern sewer solution

The history of the Docklands Light Railway
The DLR was built to transform London’s docklands

What is the Port of London Authority?
Steering the River Thames through changing tides and turbulent times

Barbara Lisicki: A disability rights pioneer
Lisicki led the charge to win civil rights for disabled people in the 1990s

The Walbrook Skulls: A Roman murder mystery
Did these 39 skulls belong to gladiators?

Stanley Green: The protein man of Oxford Street
Protein was the problem for this solo campaigner – a regular London sight for 25 years

St Barbara: Guardian of the Crossrail tunnel
The medieval saint who watched over the Elizabeth Line

Protesting Margaret Thatcher
The Iron Lady’s time as prime minister sparked resistance and protest that filled London’s streets
