Secret Sights

Visit secret spaces, from the hospital that performed the world’s first successful Caesarean to the city’s only Roman baths

Admiralty Arch. During a royal coronation, wedding or funeral, you will often see a procession pass under Admiralty Arch. The Grade l-listed building, completed in 1912, is at the opposite end of Buckingham Palace. Look closely at the inside of the northernmost arch and you will see a curious thing: a nose poking out of the wall. Rumour had it that it was put there in honour of the Duke of Wellington, who was known to have a large nose. In fact, it was created by artist Rick Buckley to complain about the country becoming a nosy, CCTV-reliant society.

‘Nazi Dog’ Burial Place. There is only one memorial to a Nazi in the country: Giro the dog’s grave. German ambassador Leopold von Hoesch lived in Carlton House, just off The Mall. In 1934, his dog, an Alsatian, was accidentally electrocuted. Hoesch buried his beloved pet in the back garden, and the grave can be peered at by visitors. The epitaph reads: ‘A faithful companion.’

A Speakeasy Bar.

Once you have found the discreet door, you descend down some dark stairs into what appears to be a 1920s office before being interrogated by a detective. He finally pulls a lever, a bookcase rotates and a bar is revealed. Welcome to Evans & Peel Detective Agency, part of the speakeasy trend that has gripped the capital. In this haunt, savvy visitors can discover the illicit thrill of Prohibition bars – without the risk of being raided by police.

Kyoto Garden. Central London is full of still, small oases of calm, if you know where to look. Visit the Kyoto Garden in Holland Park, which boasts a waterfall, koi carp, a stone bridge and roaming peacocks. The garden was donated by the Chamber of Commerce of Kyoto in 1991, and is a much-loved gem.

Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret. Climb a winding staircase into the Old Operating Theatre, which was built in 1822 as part of St Thomas’ Hospital as a surgery for women. The theatre was a gruesome place to visit: students would watch procedures taking place where no anaesthesia or antiseptic were used. They included amputations that would be over in a minute, and one of the world’s first Caesarean sections in which the mother and child survived. The latter was performed by Dr James Barry, a woman who hid her gender in order to work. When you visit, you’ll find instruments used to carry out operations, such as an amputation set with a saw. It is not for the faint-hearted!

Savoy Museum. The Savoy, which opened in 1889, is one of London’s most luxurious hotels – and you don’t even have to stay here for a glimpse of its fascinating history. Loved by actors, inside you will see the guest cards of Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner and Charlie Chaplin. Marlene Dietrich’s guest card reveals her request for 12 pink roses and a bottle of Dom Perignon. There is also Noel Coward’s lighter and cigarette, and the first bottle of Champagne the hotel poured when it opened.

Viktor Wynd Museum Of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History. Extinct bird feathers, a giant anteater’s skeleton and dodo bones – this little shop of horrors is one of the most unusual museums you’ll find in London. This tiny space in Hackney holds exhibitions and talks, from a petting zoo evening where you can get close to pythons, frogs and tarantulas, to taxidermy classes. It was founded by artist Viktor Wynd, who also runs fairytale-like balls which involve dressing up in masks and dancing the Charleston.

Ancient Roman Baths. London’s only Roman baths, which appear to be a plunge pool, are close to Embankment Station. The baths were first written about in 1784 by John Pinkerton as a ‘fine antique bath’, and in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, the protagonist uses the old Roman Bath ‘at the bottom of one of the streets out of the Strand’. The baths are free to visit on Wednesday afternoons, but you must book ahead.