The Survey of London is often described as the closest thing to an ‘official’ history of the capital, documenting its buildings past and present, area by area – their development, architecture, history and associations. The resulting scholarly volumes are the most detailed, reliable and illuminating accounts of London’s built environment available – an invaluable resource for planners, historians, architects or anyone with an interest in the capital. This illustrated talk by Colin Thom, the current Director of the Survey of London, looks at its origins in the 1890s under the architect and designer C. R. Ashbee as part of the conservation movement of the late-Victorian period, and goes on to explore how the series has evolved and changed since then, as London itself has expanded and transformed. Some of the Survey’s most recent work will be briefly described and illustrated, as will its plans for the future and the challenges it faces.

Admission: Free to CHS members. Non-members welcome (£2 at the door).