If you love literacy and consider yourself a bookworm, London is one of the best places to visit for inspiration. For centuries, it’s been home to some of the most recognised authors in the world, with spots from the capital popping up in their works.
Staying at the Montcalm London City hotel puts you right at the centre of the literacy loving capital. You might even find some of your own inspiration at these spots linked to iconic, famous writers.
The George Inn
Combine a literacy spot with a refreshing pint and some traditional pub food by visiting the George Inn. The current building is 300 years old and boasts both Shakespeare and Charles Dickens as past patrons, with it even earning a mention in Dickens’ Little Dorrit. With its charming exterior and interior, it can still serve as an inspiration to modern writers. The pub that stood in the same spot in the 1300s is where Chaucer started writing the famous collection of stories The Canterbury Tales.
Senate House Library
Located in the administrative centre of the University of London, the Senate House Library is a great place for booklovers based on the treasures it houses alone. But it’s inspired several writers too. Most notable is George Orwell, who took the experiences of his wife, who worked in the building for the Censorship Department of the Ministry of Information during World War II, and used them as inspiration for the iconic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. You can even picture the novel coming to life as you look at the exterior of the building. From the Montcalm London city hotel, it’s just a 20-minute ride on the Tube.
Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is worth visiting when you’re looking for a quiet, peaceful place in the capital anyway. But when you throw in that it was a meeting place for writers in the 20s and 30s, it becomes even more appealing. If you’re looking for a leisurely stroll it takes 40 minutes from the Montcalm, and you’ll be in the location where the likes of Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, and EM Forster swapped ideas. The British Museum is just a short walk away too and literary giants such as Charles Dickens, TS Eliot, and WB Yeats have all lived close by.
Kings Cross Station
It would be hard to mention British literacy without considering the famous Harry Potter series. One of the most iconic London locations that features in the books and films is Kings Cross Station, which acts as a doorway to the magical world. There’s a perfect photo spot for fans of the series in the station thanks to an installation not far from the main entrance. If that doesn’t fill your need for all things Harry Potter, there are plenty of film locations that can transport you too – Leadenhall Market served as Diagon Alley in the film, while Australia House was the exterior of Gringotts.
Keats House
Located in the City of London, you can uncover the house that celebrated romantic poet John Keats lived in. Today it’s a museum and library centre dedicated to the icon, which holds numerous events throughout the year. The beautiful Regency villa served as inspiration for the young poet, who found love with the girl who lived next door too. He wrote many of his most recognised work in the house and is even said to have written Ode of a Nightingale beneath the plum tree in the garden.
