In this episode, the 17th in Danny Hurst´s fascinating look at the history of the placenames from the London version of Monopoly he tells you all about Trafalgar Square. The home to London´s oldest bronze statue which was hidden in a garden to save it from destruction. Today, it serves an important purpose.

Danny disproves a modern naming myth, explains how the square was cleared of feral pigeons and shares its connection with the Cenotaph. He also shares some fascinating facts about the famous statue of Nelson. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The capital´s oldest bronze statue survived due to the cunning of a metalsmith with a surprising name.
• It is the 3rd largest square in London.
• The square got its modern name in 1830.
• Several embassies are housed in the area, including a couple of surprising ones.
• The famous lions are not anatomically correct, Danny explains why.
• Hitler had plans to take Nelson´s Column to Germany.
• Every year, a menorah is lit for each night of Hanukkah.
• No residential properties have been sold there since 2018.

BEST MOMENTS

‘All distances within and from London are measured from this statue. ´

‘It was always full of worse for wear post club clubbers at all hours of the morning.’

‘The Lions themselves were a running joke for many years.’

EPISODE RESOURCES

Shop for all official versions of Monopoly here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/785DC233-0A69-4DF8-98E9-4F50CC50A59E

Café in the Crypt - https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/visit/cafe-in-the-crypt/

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

CONTACT AND SOCIALS

https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst
facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638

https://twitter.com/dannyhurst 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720

Podcast Description

"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce.

That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know, fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, and the other numerous sides of every story.

We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. 

If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…