Madeline Gowers
Spotter since 2023
About me
<strong>About me</strong>
When I moved to London after graduating in 2020, I didn’t plan to stay for long. My dream was to travel the world and moving to the Big Smoke just felt like a way to bide my time until the pandemic ended and international borders reopened. I found a simple job in a frozen yoghurt shop and spent my days off exploring the local sights.
The longer I stayed in London, however, the more attached I became to the people, places and the chaotic but exhilarating way of life. At times, making ends meet was challenging, but I knew this was where I wanted to be and so I persevered. A few years later, I feel truly settled here. I work four days a week in my local deli and spend the rest of my time seeking out new bookshops, cafés and art galleries. In May 2022, I started documenting these outings on TikTok and I now post daily videos in the hope of encouraging other Londoners to get out there and make the most of all that their city has to offer. After all, while I still dream of travelling to distant lands, I know that I won’t be running out of things to do here any time soon.
<strong>Why London?</strong>
I love that there is always something to do in London: always a new neighbourhood to explore, a new exhibition to attend or a new restaurant to try out. I love that you can be anonymous here – a small fish in a big pond – but also that there are so many ways to connect with like-minded people should you be in search of a community. There are little pockets of green, even in the most built-up areas. It's amazing how culturally diverse this city is and how there is space for everyone to be themselves here. Most of all, though, I love that every person and every building has a story to tell. I love knowing that London has touched so many people’s lives and that, in return, so many people have left a little piece of themselves behind.
<strong>Where can you find me online?</strong>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lesser.known.london/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lesserknownlondon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>
My spots (20)
Barnsbury Wood
London’s smallest nature reserve
Barnsbury Wood is enjoyed by Londoners all year round, but it is at its most glorious in the summer months when the trees are drenched in golden sunlight.
by
Madeline
Gowers
Sutton House
Hackney’s hidden Tudor gem
Inside, the rooms have distinctly different decorative styles. This is to give an idea of how the house would have looked at each stage in its history.
by
Madeline
Gowers
Dalston Eastern Curve Garden
A tiny urban jungle
Built back in 2010 on the site of a disused railway line, it’s a local secret: a quiet, forest-like space to retreat to when city life becomes overwhelming.
by
Madeline
Gowers
Leighton House
An architectural masterpiece
The domed Arab Hall – a glittering chamber inspired by the inside of the Castello della Zisa in Palermo – is what most visitors come for.
by
Madeline
Gowers
The Cosmic House
A postmodernist masterpiece
Features of particular interest include the Architectural Library, the Solar Stair, a central spiral staircase with 52 steps for each week of the year...
by
Madeline
Gowers
Morocco Bound
Bermondsey’s secret cultural hub
Tucked away in Bermondsey, Morocco Bound does it all, it is at once a bookshop, café, co-working space, beer bar and intimate events venue.
by
Madeline
Gowers
Eel Pie Island
An artists’ colony in the Thames
It was once the site of the Eel Pie Hotel, a 19th-century guesthouse turned jazz venue and now it’s been transformed into a hippie artists’ colony...
by
Madeline
Gowers
Where to find me
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