After a 250-year absence, the ‘Dictionary Desk’ of celebrated 18th century writer Samuel Johnson makes a historic return to his former abode, Dr Johnson’s House in the City of London.
Enjoy an evening in Dr Samuel Johnson's 17th-century house and explore his wonderful world of words with a glass of bubbly!
Dr Samuel Johnson, one of England's greatest literary figures, wrote the first proper English Dictionary in 1755. Dr Johnson is also famous for his love of London, not least when he observed, ‘when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life’.
Johnson's House, located just behind Fleet Street at 17 Gough Square, was built in the 1690s soon after the Great Fire. It is the only historic townhouse still standing in the area, having survived the Blitz and developments.
Come along, grab a glass, and soak up the atmosphere of this fascinating historic house. Explore the nooks and crannies and see a very quirky 17th-century anti-burglary device. Make your way upstairs to the Garret and Johnson’s Study, the ‘Cradle of the English Language’. Browse the Dictionary for words that sound strange - and funny - to our ears today, such as Hotcockles and Jiggumbob! Discover witty ‘Johnsonian’ definitions for words such as ‘Oats’: ‘A grain, that which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people’.
£15 Ticket includes drinks and evening viewing of the House and current exhibition.
