The Strand

From the time it was built, at the end of the 12th century, The Strand (from the Old English and German word for beach) ran by the Thames. Its grandiose stone houses, built by the nobility, counted as some of the most prestigious places to live, sitting as they did on a street that connected the City and Westminster, the two centres of power; indeed, its appeal lasted for seven centuries, with the 19th-century prime minister Benjamin Disraeli pronouncing it ‘the finest street in Europe’. Buildings included the now-no-more Cecil Hotel, the Savoy hotel, Simpson’s, King’s College and Somerset House. But modern times haven’t treated The Strand with the same sort of respect and awe: the street is now overrun by offices, cheap restaurants and odd souvenir shops, and despite the fact that the Savoy (which is mid-refurbishment at the time of writing), the building formerly Simpson’s and the wonderful Somerset House still grace the street, it is hardly seen as the fine drag it once was. Still, there are some lovely things to see here, such as Twinings at No 216, a teashop opened by Thomas Twining in 1706 and believed to be the oldest company in the capital still trading on the same site and owned by the same family. It’s also the centre of London philatelic life, with stamp- and coin-collector’s mecca Stanley Gibbons at No 339.