London Curiosities: The Capital's Odd & Obscure, Weird & Wonderful Places

An off-the-beaten-path tour of the city's hidden highlights, and the stories behind them.

London is full of curiosities. Who knew that beneath the Albert Memorial lies a chamber resembling a church crypt? Or that there are catacombs under Camden? Who would expect to find a lighthouse in East London, sphinxes in South London, dummy houses in West London, or a huge bust of film director Alfred Hitchcock in North London?

How many of those who walk past Cleopatra's Needle pause to consider...