Make a day out of 'Hamilton' in London

Explore some fascinating Anglo-American ties, including the Benjamin Franklin House, Kew Palace, and two historical churches.

Neither Alexander Hamilton nor Aaron Burr, the protagonists of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical phenomenon, ever came to London. Thomas Jefferson, the Act II antagonist, visited for six weeks in spring 1786. He described the architecture as “in the most wretched stile I ever saw” and "both town and country fell short of my expectations." Ouch. However, Jefferson certainly made the most of the entertainments and shopping the city had to offer.

On the other hand, Benjamin Franklin, who first visited London as a teenage printer in the 1720s, was much more positive, living and working in the city for almost 16 years prior to the American Revolution. He wrote to his son William: “Having lived long in England, and contracted a friendship and affection for many persons here, it could not but be agreeable to me to remain among them some time longer, if not for the rest of my life.”

We hope you will find the city just as congenial. Read on for our guide to attractions and landmarks that will make your experience of the sensational hip-hop musical all the richer.

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Benjamin Franklin House

Drafter and signer of the Declaration of Independence and first Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin was supposed to feature in Hamilton but didn’t make it to the final version – there are quite enough characters to be getting on with! Older than many of his fellow revolutionaries, “Ben Franklin’s Song” depicts a boastful individual who introduces himself as “76-and-I’ll-Still-Kick-Your-Ass F---in’ Franklin”. The number was recorded by The Decembrists.

There’s no doubt that Franklin – a writer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, publisher, and political philosopher – was true polymath, and he’s also the Founding Father with the strongest connection to London, having lived in the city between 1757-75. The Benjamin Franklin House is the only surviving house inhabited by Franklin and has been a museum since 2006. There is an architectural tour on Fridays and a historical experience with costumed guides on weekends. It’s a real historical gem.

Address: 36 Craven Street, London WC2N

Price: £

St Mary’s Church, Battersea

Benedict Arnold, “America’s most notorious traitor”, would make an excellent protagonist of a musical (though such an undertaking would inevitably draw comparisons with Hamilton!). There's high drama in spades. A major-general who was appointed in charge of West Point by George Washington, Arnold defected to the British in 1780 and led troops against the soldiers he had once commanded.

It’s all very complicated but, following an extensive series of (mis)adventures, Arnold ended up in London, where he died in 1801 aged 60. He is buried in the crypt of St Mary’s Church, Battersea, along with his family. Arnold clearly has his fans as a stained glass window was installed in 1976 and a new headstone erected in 2004. St Mary’s is also where poet and artist William Blake was married, and J.M.W. Turner set up his easel in the vestry to paint the Thames. You can then head to the delightful Battersea Park with its children’s zoo, boating lake, and the London Peace Pagoda.

Address: The Moorings, Battersea Church Road, London SW11

Price: Free

All-Hallows-by-the-Tower

Keen historians and church crawlers will also be fascinated by All-Hallows-by-the-Tower, which claims to be the oldest church in the City of London, dating back to AD 675. Naturally, it’s been rebuilt many times, with Norman, 13th-century and 15th-century features still present. Due to its proximity with the Tower of London, several of bodies of executed individuals (including Sir Thomas More) were sent to All Hallows for temporary burial. In 1666, Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire of London from the tower of All Hallows.

That’s all very interesting, but what has this church got to do with American history? Well, William Penn, for whom the state of Pennsylvania was named, was baptised here in 1644. In fact, the church owes its survival in the Great Fire to his father Sir William Penn, who created fire breaks by blowing up the surrounding buildings. Many years later, John Quincey Adams, sixth president of the United States, married his English wife, Louisa, at All Hallows. His father John Adams, the first Vice-President and second President, is referenced in the show rather disparagingly (“He doesn’t have a real job anyway”, says Hamilton in “Take a Break”).

Price: Free

Address: Byward Street, London EC3R

Grosvenor Square

The second-largest square in London and located in the heart of Mayfair, Grosvenor Square was the first garden square of its kind and is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the West End. The aforementioned John Adams established the first American Mission to the Court of James here in 1785 and it was the location of the American Embassy until 2017, before its move to the other side of the Thames at Nine Elms.

It's a lovely spot for a picnic in good weather. You can also see statues of presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower (who established a military headquarters on the square), and Ronald Reagan. It’s a stone’s throw away from world-famous department store Selfridges, as well as the smart shops and commercial galleries of Bond Street.

Address: Grosvenor Square, W1K

Price: Free

Kew Palace

You wouldn’t usually think of a royal palace as “cute”, but that really is exactly what Kew Palace is. Nestled within Kew Gardens (one of London’s loveliest attractions), it’s like a dolls’ house with its terracotta façade and cosy proportions. You can also visit the kitchen block and Queen Charlotte’s Cottage (yes, the Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton), where the first kangaroos to come to Britain in 1796 were kept.

George III is represented a petulant buffoon in the musical but, although he took the loss badly, he was in fact magnanimous when Britain and America met for the first time after the War of Independence. As a young man living at Kew, he received tuition in architecture and commissioned the Chinese-inspired Great Pagoda, which was the tallest building in Europe at the time. He and Charlotte and their children spent many happy summers at Kew before he was entirely debilitated by mental illness.

Note: Kew Palace is open between 1 April – 30 September. Admission is included in your ticket to Kew Gardens.

Address: Richmond, TW9

Price: ££

American Bar at the Savoy Hotel

So much of American culture has always seemed incredibly aspirational to us Britons and the boom in transatlantic travel in the 19th and 20th centuries (for wealthy members of society) led to the opening of many “American Bars”. This kind of bar served mixed drinks, popularly known as cocktails.

The Savoy Hotel’s Art Deco American Bar, established in 1893, is arguably the most glamorous cocktail bar in London. Customers have included Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway. The current menu, Savoy: American Bar Journal, commemorates moments in time logged in liquid form that celebrates the past, present and future of bartending at the Savoy. Heaven!

Address: Strand, London WC2R

Price: £££

Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical is a cultural phenomenon and for good reason. Telling the story of the Founding Fathers through hip-hop, the show-stopping songs include “My Shot”, “The Room Where it Happens”, and “You’ll Be Back”. Alexander Hamilton had quite the life, culminating in a duel with Aaron Burr – but so much else happened along the way.

See why the show won 11 Tony Awards and seven Olivier Awards in the London production that’s been thrilling audiences since 2017. Every musical theatre fan should see this show at least once. It’s as entertaining as it is informative – that’s no mean feat!

Book Hamilton tickets on London Theatre.