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Why Is Downing Street Painted Black?

And 364 Other Fun London Facts
Brief Description
'Jonnie made me see London through new eyes.' James Corden 'A charming and surprising alternative tour of London. We loved this book' Map Men Jonnie 'is a conduit for the city's soul, distilling its chaotic history into digestible, engaging narratives' The Times Have you ever tried... Read More
Format: Hardback
$3999
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Releases 16th January 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "Why Is Downing Street Painted Black?" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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Why Is Downing Street Painted Black?

'Jonnie made me see London through new eyes.' James Corden

'A charming and surprising alternative tour of London. We loved this book' Map Men

Jonnie 'is a conduit for the city's soul, distilling its chaotic history into digestible, engaging narratives' The Times

365 fun, fascinating London facts from one of the city’s most popular tour guides, the perfect 2025 gift for history and trivia fans

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'Jonnie made me see London through new eyes.' James Corden

'A charming and surprising alternative tour of London. We loved this book' Map Men

Jonnie 'is a conduit for the city's soul, distilling its chaotic history into digestible, engaging narratives' The Times

Have you ever tried to find a street named Bond Street? (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t exist!)

Did you know you can’t dine for 13 at the Savoy? At least not without a cat joining you …

And have you heard about the bus that jumped Tower Bridge?

As a walking tour guide for 15 years, Jonnie Fielding has made it his mission to uncover all there is to know about London, from forgotten facts to the history hiding in plain sight.

Packed full of pub-quiz trivia and bespoke illustrations, Why Is Downing Street Painted Black? includes 365 of his favourite quirks, anomalies and eccentricities from all over town.

So whether you live in London, would love to live in London, or just love a great fun fact, Jonnie is guaranteed to reignite your fascination with this weird and wonderful city.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008730185

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 25 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Mudlark

Illustration: 100 b/w, illus

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 27.0mm

Width: 141.0mm

Height: 222.0mm

Weight: 500g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Jonnie Fielding is the Director of the Bowl of Chalk walking tours, which is in the top 0.8% of London's tour companies. He has been featured on Radio 4, The Independent, The Guardian, Time Out and others. Find him on Instagram and TikTok @bowlofchalk

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