Fantastic Tales of Bloomsbury (4K)

Our walk starts with the incredible story of Oliver Cromwell's body being kept in the cellar of The Red Lion pub in Holborn in 1661 and its possible secret burial. Then in Red Lion Square, we investigate the story that the square is haunted by three ghostly cloaked figures. There's also Conway Hall and the house inhabited by members of the pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
We move on to Queen Square with the Italian Hospital, Mary Ward Centre, Queen Charlotte, The Queen's Larder and the Devil's Dyke. Our Bloomsbury walk passes the Horse Hospital into Russell Square, once the site of a Parliamentarian fortification during the English Civil War. Next we walk along Bedford Way to Gordon Square which is heavily associated with the Bloomsbury Set (Virginia Woolf etc.). The walk ends with a spooky story in Woburn Square.

Music:
Endurance - Aerian
Lamna - Lo Mimieux
Utakata - Sayuri Hayashi Egnell
from Epidemic Sounds

Maps:
Open Street Map “© OpenStreetMap contributors” using data available under the Open Database Licence
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Shot in 4K on a Olympus OM-D EM-1 mark 2 with audio recorded with a Rode Wireless GO

My Walking kit (amazon affiliate link - I earn a small commission on purchases)

[thfccfht]

Russell Square, one of my favourites...would sit there on the grass among those Grande London Planes and down between three to four tins of London's finest, before moving on to another Square, soak in the beers and the History....Love London Love Life.

[justo]

6:24 John Harrison and his invention were the subject of the book 'Longitude', later turned into a Channel 4 mini-series in 2000 with Michael Gambon in the lead role as Harrison. It dramatises the long development of his invention and the struggle for recognition of the effectiveness of the chronometer which was invented to try to solve the problem of finding out the longitude whilst at sea.

[AnthonyKelly-uzjk]

I'm from Waterford City (the oldest city in Ireland) and the more I visit London, the more I'm falling in love with your amazing city. I stumbled across your channel looking for a history of London. What a treasure trove! I love your videos - so interesting, so relaxing! We in Waterford have our own history with Cromwell, as you can imagine. The phrase, "By Hook or by Crooke!" comes from Cromwell himself, insisting that he would take the City of Waterford "By Hook" (Hook Head - on one side of the Waterford Estuary) or "By Crooke" (An old Knights Templar hamlet on the other side of the estuary.) Thank you John - really appreciate your wonderful work!

[Christina-gexr]

Catching up on the videos I missed. This one was lovely. I have read Virginia Woolf and it was nice to see part of the city that influenced her. Thank you 😊

[LONDONIA]

‘Let’s go and look for the head of Oliver Cromwell’. What a phrase. Thanks John. One of my absolute favorite London areas.

[ianharris]

Ah my old stomping ground! I worked at 90 High Holborn for 8 very happy years. I ate many lunches (and assembled for quite a few fire drills) in Red Lion Square, oblivious to who was buried underneath! Thanks for the reminder John!

[sonyahanan]

I MOVED HERE 22 YEARS AGO, I swear I am learning today of history of my area

[alanmarr]

My family owned in1840 most of the property here !

[fleurg]

I did my history of art degree at UCL and SOAS in the 80s and so spent much time wandering around this area and loved all the squares and the interesting buildings. Great memories of that time. Thanks John for another wonderful video

[mariazeeb]

I’m watching this for the first time and was pleasantly surprised when you ran into a couple from Calgary Canada 🇨🇦. This is where I’m from as well and it made me smile. Thanks for the videos. They make me feel like I’m there 😊

[markriley]

My ‘ home’ turf as a student at Central School of Art in the 80s. What a joy to return there with you John

[danieladams]

Love the serenity of Russell Square, compared to the nearby bustle of the Euston Road.

[JTTW]

Thank you John for the lovely walk through the Bloomsbury squares!

[ianmaddams]

The squares are a welcome oasis in a bustling city full of history and legend. Lovely walk as always John 👍🏻

[paularobinson]

From new zealand but my fiancé and i lived in holborn for 3 yrs in 1994-1997. Lived and worked at Calthorpe Arms on grays inn road. Amazing experience. Great memories

[acmehorse]

Whenever I visit London, I stay in Bloomsbury. Beautiful area. Thank you, John.

[BarryAllenMagic]

Absolutely fascinating video John - quite superb. As a Magician, Conway Hall takes me back to being a young lad in the late 1970's/early 80's. It was both the venue/clubhouse of the London Society of Magicians (LSM) - and I've seen many a superb act tread those hallowed boards.

[Fourleafclover]

Thanks for sharing our British History i learn so much.👍🏻

[AliBees]

All of your videos are fascinating and I’m an avid fan. I’m drawn the most to the central London walks, where history meets the modern day. Just has a lovely feel to it. And I do like a ghost story. With the autumnal feel, makes the atmosphere sumptuous. Thank you for another great video John!

[Ineedyoulou]

My area, queen Sq .. Corams fields, lambs conduit st. Lived in Holborn / Bloomsbury from 1973 upto 1996. Best times ever growing up.