Old London in Art, Architecture, Literature ; People

Old London in Art, Architecture, Literature & People: London is one of the richest cities in the world for its fascinating history. On this course we will explore some of the people and events that have helped make that history so rich, using the art, architecture and literature associated with the city as our guide.

Amongst other things, we will discover why England’s greatest architect died alone and forgotten amid the ruins of one of his greatest creations. How poets and novelists have found the river and narrow medieval street pattern of London so inspiring.

The approach in our classroom discussions will be interdisciplinary, using a variety of sources to explore and understand the history of London from a cultural perspective, investigating how many of its key buildings and institutions came into existence, and discovering some of the notable figures that gave life to a city that has been described by Stephen Fry, as ‘proudly barbaric, but deeply civilised’.

This course will comprise ten lunchtime sessions held in the classroom at Imperial College, South Kensington. Each session is based around a specific object or place.