london Archives - Books And Travel

London. A Personal History With J.F. Penn

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“It is difficult to speak adequately or justly of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, or cheerful, or easy, or exempt from reproach. It is only magnificent.” Henry James

London can never be contained or defined in one way. Everyone has a different perspective and experience that changes over time, and my relationship with the city has certainly evolved over the years.

My Brooke and Daniel crime thrillers are set there, and my love for the city resonates within those pages through the eyes of Jamie Brooke, but it certainly wasn’t always that way.

In this episode, I’ll talk a bit about the history and highlights of the city and how it’s played a part in my life. I can’t possibly cover it all, but I can give you a glimpse.

1997-2000 Cool Britannia. London in my early twenties
2011-2015 Literary London. A new career in my mid-thirties
2015 onwards. City of inspiration in my forties
Visiting London — places to visit and tips on making the most of it
Recommended walks and books

JFPenn at the Royal College of Surgeons, London. The inspiration for Desecration.

Walk The South Bank Of The Thames From Tower Bridge To Westminster. London, England

Places, Walking

South Bank is one of my favorite walks in London. You pass places of historical importance and architectural beauty, as well as iconic cultural locations, plus great places to eat and drink alongside the River Thames while people-watching in this fantastic city. I set my Brooke & Daniel crime thriller trilogy in this area and I do this walk whenever I’m in London.

If you walk the route from end to end without stopping, it will only take you about an hour or so to do the 5km along the Thames Path. But if you make the most of everything along the way, you could be busy for a week or more. It’s a great way to orientate yourself if you’re new to the city where so many get the Tube or a taxi when it’s easier and often quicker to walk.

London, South Bank Of The Thames on a bright day. Panoramic image taken from the Tower bridge. Photo licensed from BigStockPhoto — London, South Bank Of The Thames on a bright day. Panoramic image taken from the Tower bridge.

Start at London Bridge Station which is a major transport hub for overground and underground trains. There are many different exits but it’s easy enough to find the river!

The Shard is next to the station. You can pay to look out over the city at The View From The Shard, which is worth it on a glorious day.

The Old Operating Theatre is also near the station, Europe’s oldest operating theatre, pre-dating anaesthetic and antibiotics.

Cross Bones Graveyard, Southwark, London

Dark Travel

Southwark is a diverse area, with the upmarket foodie destination of Borough Market, the historic grandeur of Southwark Cathedral, the towering wealth of The Shard, and the memorial garden for the Outcast Dead, Cross Bones.

Crossbones garden London Photo by JFPenn — Crossbones Garden within sight of The Shard, London. Photo by JFPenn

In medieval times, the Bishops of Winchester licensed sex work in Southwark, known then as The Liberty of the Clink. The women were known as Winchester Geese, and even though the church took funds from the sex trade, they didn’t allow the women and their illegitimate children to be buried in consecrated ground.

Instead, they were buried in Cross Bones Graveyard.

Southwark Cathedral, London

Places

Southwark Cathedral is the oldest Gothic church building in London, with over 1000 years of worship within its walls.

It was a convent in 606, a priory in 1106, a parish church in 1540, and a cathedral from 1905. Famous literary figures such as Shakespeare and Chaucer are associated with the church, and The Becket Way pilgrimage starts here on the way to Canterbury. The area has a rich cultural heritage, so if you’re in London, it’s definitely worth a visit. You can find more detail at cathedral.southwark.anglican.org

Southwark Cathedral Exterior, London. Photo by JFPenn

Always look up in a Gothic cathedral! Southwark’s vaulted nave is magnificent. When you enter the building, you can pay a few pounds extra for a photo permit. It’s definitely worth it.

Southwark Cathedral Nave, London. Photo by JFPenn

History As A Fine Art. Victorian London With David Morrell

Unusual Places

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If you look below the surface of an ancient city, you can travel through time and find its deeper layers. In this episode, David Morrell talks about how he researched Victorian London for his historical mysteries about Thomas De Quincey, and how he brought to light the “chasms and sunless abysses” of the first British serial killer.

David Morrell is the multi-award-winning and many times bestselling author of over 30 books, as well as short stories, essays, comics, and collaborations that have sold millions of copies and are available in many different languages. He has a Ph.D. in American literature and was a professor of literature at the University of Iowa. His novel First Blood became the Rambo franchise, but today we’re talking about the Thomas De Quincey historical mysteries set in Victorian London. The first in the series is Murder as a Fine Art.

Show notes

Time travel through book research as a way of dealing with grief
Thomas De Quincy, addiction and the unconscious
How De Quincy invented the true crime genre
Finding inspiration in mid-Victorian London
Famous locations that inspire David’s work

You can find David Morrell at DavidMorrell.net

Header photo: St Pancras Station, finished in 1868 and abandoned by the 1960s. After much lobbying, it was restored to its glorious Victorian self and re-opened in 2007. It is one of my favorite stations in London!

7 Literary Landmarks For Book Lovers In London

Unusual Places

From Great Expectations to Bridget Jones’ Diary, London looms large in world literature. But the city offers book lovers plenty to see beyond location spotting.

Watch plays like a Shakespearean Londoner at the recreated Globe Theatre. Get up close and personal with all things Sherlock at the Sherlock Holmes Museum near Baker Street. Even the Old Bailey has literary associations. Lawyers prosecuted Penguin Books here in 1960 for publishing Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Would you like to explore a wider range of literary landmarks in London? Here are seven ideas to get you started.

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