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The 'Death Pyramid' of Primrose Hill
Four times the height of St Paul's Cathedral, and with enough room for 5 million bodies, the Metropolitan Sepulchre was a fascinating curiosity that thankfully never left the drawing board.
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Curious Questions: Why do we still love pirate stories, 300 years on from Blackbeard?
Tales of swashbuckling pirates have entertained audiences for years, inspired by real-life British men and women, says Jack Watkins.
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A pheasant at Charing Cross Hospital and a woodcock at St Pancras: London's rarest birds revealed
The latest London Bird Report has some interesting findings.
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The history of Covent Garden: 500 years of the world's most famous market
It’s half a century since Covent Garden’s eponymous market travelled south of the River Thames, but it did little to dent the area’s appeal. Jack Watkins charts the history of Covent Garden from Tudor times to the present day.
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The terrible truth about the cuckoo, and the 'monstrous outrages' it perpetrates on its foster parents and siblings
The cuckoo is a bird whose behaviour is so horrendous — when judged by human standards, at any rate — that it wasn't until the advent of wildlife film that ornithologists finally acknowledged and accepted the depths that it plunges. Jack Watkins explains.
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A century of Royal Photography is going on show at Buckingham Palace, from Cecil Beaton to Annie Leibovitz
The Royal Collection Trust's summer exhibition at Buckingham Palace brings together some of the most wonderful royal portraits ever taken. Jack Watkins takes a look.
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The woodlark: the British songbird that is the ultimate masked singer
Its melody is sweeter than the nightingale's, yet the elusive woodlark seems destined to delight only a fortunate few.
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The good, the bad and the dilapidated as Historic England release the latest 'At Risk' Register for 2023
A total of 159 sites have been added — and 203 sites removed — in a year that marks the 25th anniversary of Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. Jck Watkins reports on the latest.
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You might think a book about the birds that lived in London 75 years ago would make for gloomy reading. Nothing could be further from the truth.
75 years ago, Richard Fitter published the seminal book 'London’s Birds'. Jack Watkins takes a look inside to see what it tells us about the changing face of the capital’s avian population — and comes away marvelling at how our winged friends have thrived despite the march of metropolitan progress.
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The Flying Scotsman: How the first 100mph locomotive became the most famous train in the world
The first train to officially hit 100mph may not even have been the first, and didn't hold the rail speed record for long; yet a century later its legend is undimmed. Jack Watkins celebrates the Flying Scotsman.
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Curious Questions: Why does Kew Gardens have a giant pagoda?
The Pagoda at Kew Gardens, designed by Sir William Chambers, is one of the most famous, yet most incongruous landmarks at one of the world's most famous gardens. So why is it there? Jack Watkins explains.
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Durham Cathedral and Castle: 'The Normans at their most audacious and expansive'
The view of Durham from the train is epic and defiant: the great central tower of the cathedral rising as if it were its own unconquerable cliff, a symbol of Christian civilisation that has endured centuries of hostile waves to stand triumphant.
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![Henry II', 1935. Henry II, King of England, circa 1860. Henry II (1133-89), the first Plantagenet king of England, ruled from 1154. From Kings & Queens of England - A Series of 50. [John Player & Sons, London, 1935] Artist Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uzWTXTSVJ7fZVeKtDmx8fk-230-80.jpg)
Dover Castle, Kent: England's strongest castle
Jack Watkins looks at the story and impact of The Great Tower at Dover Castle, the imposing creation of Henry II that still stands strong almost 900 years later.
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The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: Thomas Telford's 'ribbon of water in the sky'
The magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is one of the great testaments to Industrial Revolution ingenuity — and as beautiful as it is impressive. Jack Watkins takes a look.
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In Focus: The enduring appeal of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'The Phantom of the Opera'
Jack Watkins tells the tale of one of the West End's most iconic musicals, and how The Phantom of the Opera evolved from an obscure novel and largely forgotten films to become a global sensation.
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The seagrass meadows that lie beneath the waters of Britain are 'one of the most valuable and biodiverse habitats on the planet'
The UK’s seagrass meadows are an important wildlife habitat and fundamental to combating climate change, but they’re disappearing at a rapid rate. Jack Watkins finds out more about the ongoing fight to save them.
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In Focus: The enduring beauty of Thomas Gray's Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard
Jack Watkins considers the timeless brilliance of Thomas Gray's 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.'
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In Focus: Tarka the Otter, Henry Williamson's great masterpiece of Nature writing
Jack Watkins tells the tale of what might have been a simple tale of nature, but which became a phenomenon both on page and on screen.
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The true mark of genius of Jane Austen's Persuasion? Even when its bad, it's still pretty good
Even costume drama fatigue can't rob Jane Austen's Persuasion of its power, says Jack Watkins
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The great houses of The Strand, 'London's Golden Mile' that 'helped shape England’s architectural identity’
A scheme to pedestrianise parts of The Strand is throwing light on the road’s gilded history, finds Jack Watkins.
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Kenwood House: How one of London's most famous landmarks was saved from destruction
It’s almost inconceivable nowadays to think that one of London’s most famous landmarks was once destined for redevelopment. A century on from the fight to save it, Jack Watkins finds out what happened
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In Focus: Mallard, the steam locomotive that's a true British masterpiece
Sir Nigel Gresley's Mallard steam locomotive is one of the great pieces of 20th century engineering. Jack Watkins tells its tale.
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Mind your step: The world's biggest slugs are alive, well and thriving in England
Prowl the wilds of Dartmoor at night and you just might stumble upon Limax cinereoniger, the world's largest land slug. Jack Watkins gets a closer look.
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In Focus: The lions of Trafalgar Square by Sir Edwin Landseer
The famous bronze lions that stand guard at Trafalgar Square are among the world's most famous sculptures. Jack Watkins takes a look and pays tribute to their creator, Sir Edwin Landseer.
![Henry II', 1935. Henry II, King of England, circa 1860. Henry II (1133-89), the first Plantagenet king of England, ruled from 1154. From Kings & Queens of England - A Series of 50. [John Player & Sons, London, 1935] Artist Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uzWTXTSVJ7fZVeKtDmx8fk-800-80.jpg.webp)
