Another great photo from Peter Denton who shared this lovely photo of picturesque pubs in Twickenham flying flags before the England v. Wales rugby match at Twickenham Rugby Stadium last weekend.

If you’re a fan of rugby, check out our guide to rugby venues in London and find out about our local teams and the World Rugby Museum.

And don’t forget to add your photos of London looking lovely to the Visit London Flickr group.

This morning I donned some unstylish “over shoes” for a tour of the soon-to-be-re-opened Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham.

The grand building is almost at the end of the first phase of its refurbishment, and will be open to the public from 2 October 2010.

There’s something strange about a gothic-style building which smells strongly of paint! And we were reminded of the building’s fragile state – hence the overshoes and strictly no touching, leaning or “seeing with your fingers” (as Horace Walpole once put it) policy.

Strawberry Hill House started life as a modest residence in 1698. But it was transformed by Walpole (politician, art historian and writer) into a “Gothic castle” in the 1700s.

After an £8.9m refurbishment project, Strawberry Hill has been restored to its appearance at the time of Walpole’s death.

Strawberry Hill House is a must-see for architecture enthusiasts who will marvel at the way Walpole played with Gothic styles. Sadly, most of the rooms are empty as much of Walpole’s great art and furniture collection were sold in 1842. However, the Strawberry Hill Trust is working on tracking the pieces down.

When the house re-opens, there will be audio guides and more information in the rooms to give visitors an idea of what was once there.

Strawberry Hill House opens 2 October 2010. Not open Thursdays or Fridays. Advance booking recommended.

The rugby museum joins the British Museum and Tate Modern on a list of around 100 accredited attractions.

“The award is recognition that the museum plays an important role in preserving rugby’s worldwide heritage,” said curator Michael Rowe.

The World Rugby Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of rugby memorabilia, including early match programmes, photos, letters and rugby equipment.

An exhibition about women’s rugby opens on 12 August to coincide with the Women’s Rugby World Cup. The cup will be on display alongside posters, objects and images from the early days of the game.

England 2010: The Women’s Rugby World Cup runs from 12 August 2010 to 6 April 2011

This week’s photo from the Visit London Flickr Pool features the grotto at Marble Hill House.

You can go and see the grotto any time you like, but if you fancy a facinating guided tour which also includes the ice house and the entire grounds, you’ll need to book at least two weeks in advance, so start planning your trip now! www.english-heritage.org.uk.

(Twickehnam is clearly grotto potty, there’s also Alexander Pope’s Grotto nearby!)

London adds a new landmark sporting competition to its calendar today, with the announcement that the 2015 Rugby World Cup will be played in England.

Non-fans of the funny shaped ball may be surprised to learn the Rugby World Cup is the world’s third biggest sporting event. (Only the Olympics and FIFA World Cup beat it!)

The 2015 World Cup will run from 4 September to 17 October, and the final will be played at Twickenham.

Other London venues taking part include Wembley and the Emirates Stadium.

During the tournament, matches will be played in 10 cities at 12 grounds across the country, including Old Trafford in Manchester; Anfield in Liverpool; and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, the only non-English venue.

The Rugby Football Union beat competitive bids from South Africa and Italy to win the tournament.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson is thrilled that England won the bid: “Rugby has a passionate and loyal following in England.

“With the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2010, the men’s tournament in 2015 is another feather in the cap for the sport and adds to London’s outstanding calendar of international sporting events – from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, and the NFL at Wembley to the Tour de France Grand Depart.

“London has some of the finest sporting venues in the world – Twickenham, of course, as well as Wembley and the Emirates Stadium. But from 2012 there will be another, excellent new venue, the Olympic Stadium. We will discuss … it providing another base with the RFU and work with them to ensure the 2015 Rugby World Cup is the best ever tournament.

“And it goes without saying that rugby fans heading to the capital from across the world in 2015 will also enjoy a hearty welcome, as well as an unbeatable range of other activities and attractions.”