The south east of England has been at the centre of British history for two thousand years. There are hundreds of heritage sites within striking distance of London that can be easily visited in a day. Tracking out from the historic Roman heart of the city, here are some of my suggestions
Within 2 Miles of the Centre
Why not start where it all began? London wall was built by the Romans in around 200 AD. It lasted over 1,000 years and helped define the shape of the medieval city. One of the few remaining chunks of wall can be seen on Noble Street, a short walk from St Pauls tube station.
Further south, across the road from Cannon Street Station, is the London Stone. This ancient rock is believed to date from Roman times, although the medieval scribe Geoffrey of Monmouth attributed its origins to the mythical Brutus of Troy. In 1988, archaeologists excavated the remains of Londons Roman amphitheatre. The amphitheatre is now part of the Guildhall Art Gallery, near Bank Station.
A short walk from Bank, off Queen Victoria Street, is the Temple of Mithras. Dating from the 3rd century AD, the temple was dedicated to the Persian god of light and the sun. It was discovered on Walbrook Street in 1954 by construction workers, who moved it to its present site.
Heading west, on the Strand, lie the remains of a Roman bath. It can be viewed through a grille or you can make an appointment with the National Trust to see the interior.
Map of Heritage Sites in and Around London
Within 10 Miles of the Centre
For a breath of fresh air, why not take a stroll through the pleasant environs of Greenwich Park, which boasts not only the famous maritime museum but also Roman remains and an Anglo Saxon burial site.
The leafy suburb of Kingston-upon-Thames is home to the Coronation Stone. Legend has it this ancient stone was used in the coronation of seven different Anglo Saxon kings in the tenth century. It now stands on a plinth outside Kingston guildhall on the high street. Frequent trains run from London Waterloo to Kingston. While in Kingston, its always worth paying a visit to nearby Hampton Court Palace, home of Henry VIII.
Horsenden Hill in the borough of Ealing has a history dating back to the Iron Age. Recent excavations indicate there was hilltop fort on the site. Today the park boasts impressive views of the surrounding area. Sudbury Town tube on the Picadilly Line is the closest stop.
Slightly further north in the borough of Harrow is a lozenge-shaped stone known as the Weald Stone. This sarsen boundary stone lends its name to the local area and station, as well as the Wealdstone Inn opposite. The stone was well known in Tudor times but its exact origins are unknown. A trip to this area can also encompass Harrow Park and the leafy streets of Harrow-on-the-Hill.
Within 50 Miles of the Centre
South of London, near Coulsdon, lie the Farthing Downs. This beautiful chalk grassland includes Anglo Saxon tumuli, an Iron Age field system, abundant wildlife and fine views of the city. The nearest station is Coulsdon South.
The picturesque village of Banstead, near the North Downs, boasts a 12th-century church, a medieval well and Saxon barrows. Regular trains depart from London Victoria.
North of London, the village of Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire is home to Devils Dyke, an ancient ditch built by the Catuvellauni tribe. The town is a short drive from Welwyn Garden City.
The market town of St Albans boasts a number of key heritage sites. Verulamium Museum stands on the site of one of Roman Britains major towns and boasts a wealth of information and displays, as well as open-air excavations. The site includes the mosaic floor of a large house and a Roman theatre dating from 160 AD. Trains run from London St Pancras.
Chelmsford in Essex has a history dating back thousands of years. Chelmsford Museum hosts a special exhibition encompassing the towns history from the Iron Age through to Norman times. Chelmsford is on the train line from Liverpool Street.
Returning full circle to another seat of Roman power, 50 miles from London lies Colchester in Essex, the first Roman capital of Britain. Sites of interest include a Roman wall, built in 60 AD following Boudiccas rebellion, a Norman castle and a Roman circus.
London is a complex delight of cultures and crime, of poverty and wealth, of gang warfare and suburban bliss, of traffic jams and serene parks and gardens. People of all races and religions flock to London always have, always will. Some have come more peacefully than others.
When discussing attacks on London, the idea that comes into your head is of some foreign power invading the city or, in more modern times, attacking from the air. The reality is that the majority of the attacks on the capital have come not from a foreign enemy but from members of the (now) British population or even from Londoners themselves.
The Attack of the Romans
The first attack on the city was actually carried out by the native population of Britain on the foreign founders of the city, the Romans. Although there have been problems with immigration throughout history and up to the present day, thankfully not many of the new arrivals have been as severely treated as those Roman inhabitants of London were by Boudicca in 60 AD.
The attack on London by Boudicca was the most ferocious and devastating attack London ever faced. Not only was almost the entire population slaughtered but the town as it was then was entirely destroyed. London grew again, however, and achieved an even greater level of importance.
The departure of the Romans supposedly led to the almost abandonment of London according to some the invading Saxons had no use for towns. This may have been a slight exaggeration as when areas of Kent were attacked by the Jutes in the fifth century, the native population fled to the stronghold of London, which still had the Roman wall.
There were to be further foreign attacks on the town when the Vikings arrived on their raids in the ninth century. By this time, of course, the Saxons were themselves seen as British.
It may shock some to learn that by the following century, all Jews in Britain over the age of seven years old were forced to wear yellow stars on their clothes
Vikings attacked London in 842 with a resulting slaughter of many of the inhabitants. They returned in 851 and actually destroyed much of the town before occupying it in 871. At this time there were no standing armies, so as in the attack by Boudicca, when the Roman army had departed, the main victims were civilians.
It was the success of the attack by King Alfreds men in 886 that finally took London back into native hands. It is also from this period that London seems to have become more than just another town due to its position.
For the next few centuries the position of London was to become one of uncertainty as the crown of England was disputed between a number of Saxon and Viking rulers whose supporters seemed to have changed sides as often as they changed their clothes. The loyalty of Londoners in the past was also just as questionable. It was finally to be the arrival of William the Conqueror, himself descended from Vikings that put an end to the dispute over the city and it became firmly entrenched in Norman hands. This was especially the cas once he built the Tower of London.
There was to be some time before any foreign enemy was to attack the city again. This is not to say that London was now safe and peaceful: the next few centuries were to see never-ending disputes between the king and the Aldermen of the city, rebels and Parliament. Little seemed to have changed from earlier days when former allies changed sides at the drop of a hat.
A Riotous 12th Century for London
The 12th century was to see a number of disputes over the city, the first being when Matilda, the daughter of Henry l, became queen but was then deposed by her cousin Stephen. The population of London accepted Matilda but preferred Stephen because Matilda had revoked some of the rights of the Aldermen. When Matilda took the Tower, the population revolted against her.
Later in the 12th century, King John had his falling out with the rebel barons who invited the eldest son of the King of France to become king. When he arrived in London he was greeted with pleasure by the population who had by then turned against John.
One royal who held a grudge against the population of London was Edward I. His mother had been attacked by Londoners from the bridge as she tried to sail from the Tower to Windsor. During the battle of Lewes in 1263, he led his father’s cavalry against the rebel infantry, who were mainly Londoners, and committed widespread slaughter.
The 12th century also saw an increase in violence towards the Jewish population of the city. There were a number of violent attacks due on the surface to the difference in religion and the mania prompted by the crusades. An underlying reason was that murdering the Jewish was a way of getting out of paying debts to Jews the main moneylenders. It may shock some to learn that by the following century, all Jews in Britain over the age of seven years old were forced to wear yellow stars on their clothes.
Tax Riots:Thatcher Had It Easy
The Middle Ages saw a number of attacks on London by peasants from various parts of the country. In 1381, Wat Tyler and his men arrived in the original Poll Tax riots. They were more forceful than the poll tax protestors of the Thatcher era, and destroyed a number of large houses in the city; they were helped by a large proportion of the London population, who joined them.
In 1450, Jack Cade arrived with another mob that also wanted to show their displeasure over taxes. They did this by executing a number of government officials and by grabbing as much loot as they could before going home. There were no doubt also a number of looters who did not have far to go to carry their haul home. Attacks on London were not always feared by the local people, who were not averse to joining in if it meant they could pocket some of the loot on offer. This wasnt only the case in the medieval period the danger was greater by the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Religious persecution had not disappeared by this time and the main target of this persecution was Roman Catholics. There had even been a strong belief that it was a Catholic plot that had led to the Great Fire of London; when the monument to the fire was first erected, one of the plaques on it said that Papists had started the fire deliberately.
Religion Becomes an Issue
The proof that violence in the city was not only inspired from outside was shown in the Gordon Riots of the late 18th century. What began as a demonstration against pro-Catholic moves by Parliament led to serious rioting that resulting in widespread damage to several parts of the city, hundreds of deaths and ended with the almost complete control of the city by the army.
The untrustworthy nature of the native population was shown again during the Napoleonic Wars when military forces had to be available in London not only in case of invasion, but also as a means of controlling the huge underclass that had grown around the city. Frequent riots causing widespread damage in London were to carry on until the beginning of the 20th century. There may be problems in London today with knife crime and gang culture, but in comparison with the past, London today is much safer than it ever was.
Boudicca massacred 80,000 people on her way to infamy, as she left Colchester, London and St Albans little more than smouldering husks in 60AD. And it’s no surprise to learn that her appearance matched her bloodthirsty attitude. Boudicca was “a great big busty woman,” says expert Mark Hassall, “with a blonde mass of hair falling down to her shoulders. And she was wearing the torc, a symbol of virility.” (Our very own Boudicca also carries the stunning Battersea Shield – we know it’s a bit late but it’s a great example of Celtic ceremonial attire).
“Suetonius said to the people of Britain, ‘anyone who’d like to come with us…’ but old guys and women and children were abandoned to their fate.”
“But the chap in charge of the financial affairs of the Roman province said, ‘who’s fussed about some tribal chieftain?’ So they went in and took everything.” When Boudicca dissented she was beaten and her daughters raped. Destitute and demonic with rage, the queen rose up with her Celtic hoards to take Colchester, burning everything in sight. Her next stop was London, dishing out much the same treatment.
Britannia’s Roman general Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was already fighting tribesmen in Wales when he caught wind of the rebellion. Yet after having rushed down Watling Street to salvage London, he realised he’d bitten off more than he could chew. “Suetonius realised that there was no way they could hold this undefended city against the rebels, so he would have to retreat back up the line of Watling Street,” says Mark. “He said to the people of Britain, anyone whod like to come with us but old guys and women and children were virtually abandoned to their fate.”
With London demolished, Boudicca turned her sights on Suetonius, a decision which would prove fatal. The Romans picked a dense patch of forest to face off with the Britons: “This meant that the British superiority in numbers couldnt have an effect; they couldnt wheel round and attack the Roman lines from the side.
“It was inevitable that the Romans, with this superior equipment and training, should absolutely annihilate the Britons,” says Mark. Annihilate may be an understatement: in their bloodlust the Romans spared no elderley, women or children who had come to see the battle. Some might say the Celts got what they deserved after having murdered so many Roman citizens.
Now, admittedly, this is a classic case of the experience of the ancient world involving standing in front of one of those blue ceramic plaques imagining what a wild find was made there, since there’s nothing else to see. However, this is pretty inspirational stuff. The site, at 159 Great Dover Street in Southwark, was excavated in 2000 by the British Museum.
The grave sparked some controversy and debate, because it seemed fairly clear from the contents that it was the grave of a great gladiator. And yet it was in Southwark which, I hate to break it to residents of that fine Borough, has never exactly been a salubrious part of the city.
It turns out that women were a rarity in the male world of gladiators – they would go top of the bill at the Colosseum as a special “treat”. So, typically, the female who works in a traditionally male job paid not only with her life (hazard of the job, fair enough) but with her “respectability”. Hence, the speculation is, she rose to greatness in the arenas of Europe, and was honored hugely, but, because she was “just” a woman and shouldn’t have been seen out in leather armour in front of the jeering masses, she was buried somewhere a little bit out of the spotlight.
Women were a rarity in the male world of gladiators – they would go top of the bill at the Colosseum as a special “treat”.
Well, you can chew on the implications of all that as you take a walk over the Thames to the British Museum, where you can view a beautiful relief of two female gladiators fighting, located in Room 69. According to museum scholars, the relief was carved on the occasion of the missio (honourable release) of two women fighters, ‘Amazon’ and ‘Achilia’, who had probably earned their freedom by giving a series of outstanding performances. The carving constitutes one of the key pieces of evidence that, yes, women as well as men fought to the death in front of roaring Roman crowds. As the relief shows, they didn’t wear helmets – presumably to show clearly to the audience that they had long hair and girly features and really were women after all. Apparently, they also often fought by night, raising the dramatic effect to feverishness, no doubt. Stay tuned for the inevitable Hollywood interpretation, starring Angelina Jolie.
Like any major western city, modern London encourages its residents to live a lifestyle focussed upon the secular. On the surface, finance, business, fashion, the career and socialising outwardly seem to be the major concerns of Londoners as they rush around town. However, one does not need to look far to be reminded of the fact London is very much a religious centre, on top of being the hub for so many other preoccupations of British lives.
St. Paul’s Cathedral has been dominant in the city skyline, in one form or another, for nearly a thousand years. Westminster Cathedral and Westminster Abbey both dwell within the city centre, as do literally hundreds of other churches from many offshoots of Christianity.
In contemporary multicultural London we also find the largest Sikh and Hindu temples outside of India, the UK’s primary mosque and places of worship of every other sort, even Shaolin. The sacred sits alongside the temples of finance and commerce, much the same can be said for Roman London (find out all about ‘Londinium’ in this video).
In 1954 a major Roman temple dating back to the third century was discovered in the heart of London’s financial district, the temple belonged to a cult which had spread from as far east as India, all the way west to London and Spain. This set of beliefs had many parallels to what we recognise as Christianity today, and some say this cult, known as Mithraism, heavily influenced the formation of Christianity.
Who was Mithras?
Mithras, or Mithra, is thought to have been the most important god from an Iranian religion first recorded in the sixth century BC, in an era before Zoroastrianism. He was god of many things, the god of contracts and law to whom oaths were sworn; a deity who stood for loyalty to the ruler; the god of good relations between men and thus peace; god of the sun and source of light; he was the God of warriors and so also war; and also a deity who provided justice and demanded it from the actions his devotees. Mithras, in human form, fought and killed a mythical bull, an embodiment of the moon god Soma, which was then sacrificed. The Sacrifice of Soma and shedding of his potent blood brought light to the world and made life possible for mankind.
The Iranian form of the Mithraic religion slowly died over the centuries of Achaemenid imperial hegemony as the emperors’ Zoroastrian faith whittled away and then swallowed-up the followers of Mithras. On the western fringes of the Persian empire however, the Mithraic cult lived on, although it never spread to Greece, which is unsurprising given the Greek animosity to all things Persian. It may have reached Rome at some point, as from 136AD onwards archaeological records begin to record a resurgence in the religion as attested to by the discovery of inscriptions and dedications to the god Mithras. Over generations, much as with Christianity, ownership of this religion from a far off eastern land shifted and it became recognised as Roman. It is a subject of debate amongst historians as to whether the Roman Mithraism was truly born of its Iranian counterpart or can be considered to have a separate identity. The Mithras seen as a bearded figure, set against bright light emanating from behind his head, on Persian relief sculpture morphed into the idealised and cloaked man, with a Phrygian cap on his youthful face, as seen in Hellenistic Roman sculpture. This Mithras appears most commonly astride the bull as he seemingly effortlessly plunges his dagger home in sacrifice at the moment known as the Mithraic epiphany.
Why Did Mithraism Spread so Far?
Given Mithraism’s veneration of loyalty to authority, civil order and the warrior, it is unsurprising that the emperors had no complaints about the growth of this cult and some, such as Diocletian and Lucius adopted it themselves. Combine this reverence for worldly authority and bravery with Mithras’ status as a God of warriors, forged in the ilk of the masculine, Greco-Roman, beast killing heroes such as Hercules and we can see why Mithraism appealed to soldiers in particular. Roman soldiers were likely to find themselves posted right across the empire and so, as they took the adoration of Mithras with them, the religion spread virally to the outer reaches of Roman dominion. Indeed many of the Mithraic dedications and representations known to archaeologists were found on the extremities of the Roman empire, where soldiers were most abundant, with fewer found in peaceful provinces.
Mithraism retained favour amongst emperors until the conversion of Constantine in the early fourth century AD, but prior to that it had comfortably fit into the prevailing religious shift towards monotheism and away from pantheistic religions. Looking back now, it could perhaps have been Mithraism which grew to become the world’s largest religion, had history deviated just a little at this point.
Watch the Ancient World in London Video – Londinium, Basilica Forum, Walbrook and the Temple of Mithras
In the second part of their adventure across Roman London, Ian Smith takes Nicole Favish to the centre of the city to Cornhill. Taking a trip to the basilica forum and St Stephen Walbrook, Ian explains how the Londinium forum was akin to the city centre such as modern day’s Oxford Street and Leicester Square. They attempt to visit the Temple of Mithras but it is currently in the process of being moved.
Ian discusses the importance of the River Walbrook to the development of Londinium in ancient times, before the pair go to the London Guildhall, and see the original site of the Roman Amphitheatre.
Where was the London Mithraeum?
Fast-forward to 1954AD, where workers are excavating the proposed site of the Bucklersbury House skyscraper, on Walbrook Street, in London’s ‘square mile’ financial district, better known as ‘The City’. Inadvertently, they unearth perhaps the capitals greatest Roman treasure. A Mithraic Sanctuary, including many of the original sculptures.
Sanctuaries to Mithras were built into the ground, to mimic the cave in which Mithras killed the cosmic bull, and by spilling this blood life was given and the world made fertile. The subterranean temples created an environment of darkness into which light was cast as if by the presence of the light god alone.
If we imagine descending into London’s Mithraeum, perhaps we would find ourselves amongst other followers masked or dressed in the appropriate masks according to their standing in the cult. Through the flickering candlelight frescoes and reliefs would be visible on the walls depicting Mithras, along with representations of other deities favoured by soldiers. Statues to Minerva, Mercury and Serapis gaze down, sculpted of such fine quality that they must have been imported from Italy. They are placed alongside less artful representations of Venus, combing her long hair. Kneeling or prostrating themselves in worship, the devotees are positioned around a central aisle, at one end of which is the centrepiece of the temple, a relief commemorating the moment Mithras delivered the sacrificial blow into the bulls side. On special ritual occasions perhaps you might see a live bull dragged noisily in, to be sacrificed within the temple. This would followed by a ceremonial meal where initiates ate together as Mithras did with the Sun God after he had killed the beast.
After ascending the stairs to leave the underground temple, with its impressive ground level faade, worshippers would find themselves within the Roman wall and surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Roman London, with its 60,000-plus residents, barracks of soldiers and traders from around the empire. Next to the Mithraeum runs the River Walbrook, which has since been covered over. Later on, the temple was rededicated to Bacchus and the divine statues of the Mithraeum were buried carefully within the site, where they were to remain for centuries.
Today the site can still be visited, although what is left the temple sits above the ground, and is currently not on its original site, but at Temple Court on Queen Victoria Street. It is, however, to be moved back to the original Mithraeum location later this year. The statues found buried at the site of the Temple of Mithras are now on display in the Museum of London, where they have been placed amongst the atmospheric Roman Britain gallery.
What Form Did the Worship of Mithras Take?
Mithraism had a very masculine appeal in its imagery and belief system, which is reflected by the fact that it excluded women from membership. Like other secret society religions or cults, it required initiation ceremonies, seven in total, which protected deeper knowledge or secrets, and lured worshippers into greater dedication.
We do not know what forms the initiation ceremonies took, though it is thought simulations of death and resurrection took place, as well as tests of physical strength in ceremonial combat.
The number seven, significant in many different religious contexts, was also of importance to the Mithraist devotees. This was the number of stages to which initiates could attain membership. Namely: Corax (the Raven), Nymphus (the bridegroom), Miles (the soldier), Leo (the lion), Perses (the Persian), Heliodromus (courier of the sun), pater (the father). Each of the ranks had a corresponding mask to wear in ceremonies, excluding the bridegroom, who wore special items of clothing. The seven ranks were set against the seven steps on a ladder which were climbed and seven gates through which initiates had to pass.
What are the Similarities Between Mithras and Christ?
The parallels between Mithras and Jesus Christ warrant discussion. Without making any suggestions of religious plagiarism, there is at the very least much common ground, such as:
A form of liquid baptism marks entry into both beliefs, although for Mithras it was blood rather than water.
Some Mithraists are said to have believed their god’s virgin birth, though other sources state he was born from the earth itself.
They have a shared supposed birthday, on the 25th of December, followed by a visit from wise men on the 6th of January.
Both are gods of light and truth, called King of Kings by their followers.
Both are creator gods and both brought redemption through blood sacrifice.
Mithras and Christ both took part in symbolically important meals where bread and wine were shared and consumed.
They each lived celibate lives.
Both gods were commemorated on Sundays.
Each of the two ended their worldly existence by an ascension into heaven.
Intriguingly Mithraism’s holiest site, thought to be the cave where Mithras defeated the bull, just happens to share its location with the Vatican basilica; the hierarchy of Mithraism ordained that the highest positioned initiates were to be called ‘Pater’- father.
Because they were subterranean or built in caves, many Mithraea have been much better preserved than their above-ground counterparts. This must also be true for London’s Mithraeum.
It is fantastic for the British capital that the Temple of Mithras was preserved and discovered, and right that it should be on view to the public. The Mithraeum is a physical representation of the capital’s Roman history to be valued as much as the remains of the Roman wall. It was Roman planning and engineering, backed by the presence of the Roman soldiers, which the Mithraeum represents more than anything. This is what started London’s growth, and which culminated in the great capital and world city, with all the resultant heritage, that London is today.
The south east of England has been at the centre of British history for two thousand years. There are hundreds of heritage sites within striking distance of London that can be easily visited in a day. Tracking out from the historic Roman heart of the city, here are some of my suggestions
In 1988, archaeologists excavated the remains of Londons Roman amphitheatre. The amphitheatre is now part of the Guildhall Art Gallery, near Bank Station.
South of London, near Coulsdon, lie the Farthing Downs. This beautiful chalk grassland includes Anglo Saxon tumuli, an Iron Age field system, abundant wildlife and fine views of the city. The nearest station is Coulsdon South.
London is a complex delight of cultures and crime, of poverty and wealth, of gang warfare and suburban bliss, of traffic jams and serene parks and gardens. People of all races and religions flock to London always have, always will. Some have come more peacefully than others. 
The proof that violence in the city was not only inspired from outside was shown in the Gordon Riots of the late 18th century. What began as a demonstration against pro-Catholic moves by Parliament led to serious rioting that resulting in widespread damage to several parts of the city, hundreds of deaths and ended with the almost complete control of the city by the army.
With London demolished, Boudicca turned her sights on Suetonius, a decision which would prove fatal. The Romans 
After ascending the stairs to leave the underground temple, with its impressive ground level faade, worshippers would find themselves within the Roman wall and surrounded by the hustle and bustle of 