author
John Stow
d. 1605
Best known for A Survey of London, this self-taught Elizabethan historian and antiquary spent decades collecting stories, records, and local details that helped preserve the memory of old London.
1 Audiobook
The Survey of London
by John Stow
About the author
Born in London around 1524 or 1525, John Stow trained and worked as a tailor before devoting himself more fully to history and antiquarian study. He became known for patiently gathering manuscripts, chronicles, and firsthand details about England's past at a time when many older records and buildings were disappearing.
Stow wrote several historical works, including The Summarie of Englyshe Chronicles, The Chronicles of England, and The Annales of England. His most famous book, A Survey of London (first published in 1598 and expanded in 1603), remains one of the great early portraits of the city, blending topography, local history, custom, and everyday observation.
He died in 1605, but his reputation has lasted because his work preserves a vivid picture of Tudor London and the historical habits of a careful, curious observer. For listeners interested in old cities, archives, and the making of history from lived detail, Stow is an especially rewarding figure.