Changing the Guard - for a display of British pomp and ceremony, watch the Changing the
Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace at 11am. This is where one member of
the Queen's Guards exchanges duty with the previous guard. Both guards are
dressed in traditional red tunics and bearskin hats, and the ceremony is set to
music.
Nearest tube station: Green Park, Victoria and St James Park. For further information
visit: www.changing-the-guard.com
The ceremony of the keys - a tradition for the past 700 years, this ceremony takes place every
evening at the Tower of London. The Chief Yeoman Warder, wearing a long red
tunic, Tudor bonnet and carrying a candle, locks up the main gate and delivers
the keys to the Resident Governor of the Tower. Tickets are free, but need to
be booked up to two months in advance by written application. (There is
a fee to visit the Tower of London)
Nearest tube station: Tower Hill For further information visit:
www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/keys/index.htm
Big Ben is one of
London's best-known landmarks, and looks most spectacular at night when the
clock faces are illuminated. You even know when parliament is in session,
because a light shines above the clock face. It is located at the north-eastern
end of the Palace of Westminster in London and is often extended to refer to
the clock or the clock tower as well. Big Ben is the largest four-faced chiming
clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. It
celebrated its 150th anniversary in May 2009.
Nearest tube station: Westminster For further information visit:
www.parliament.uk/visiting/visitingandtours/bigben
The Albert Bridge is one of London's most ornate bridges. It is a Grade II listed road
bridge over the River Thames in West London, connecting Chelsea on the north
bank to Battersea on the south bank. Designed and built by Rowland Mason Ordish
in 1873. It has featured in films such as Absolute Beginners, Sliding Doors and
Stanley Kubrick's much studied film, A Clockwork Orange.
Nearest tube station: South Kensington. For further information visit: www.touruk.co.uk/london_bridges/albert_bridge1.htm
Kings Cross station may be well known to Harry Potter fans as it is where the Hogwarts
Express supposedly departs - from platform 9 3/4. There is a sign on the arched
wall between Platforms 4 and 5 indicating its location.
Nearest tube station: Kings Cross For further information visit: www.kingscrossstation.com
Hogarth was a celebrated artist and satirist,
whose works, such as A Harlot's Progress, A Rake's Progress and
Marriage-a-la-Mode, mocked 18th century society. As the name suggests, Hogarth's
House is where he lived before he died in 1764, and it's here that you'll
find the most extensive collection of his prints on public display.
Nearest tube station: Turnham Green For further information visit: www.hounslow.info/arts/hogarthshouse/visit.html
Kenwood House is set
in tranquil parkland with panoramic views over London. The house boasts
sumptuous interiors and important paintings by many great artists - such as
Rembrandt, Turner, Reynolds, Gainsborough and Vermeer. Admire the Suffolk
Collection, with its magnificent full-length Elizabethan portraits and stunning
costume details. Or take a turn outside, in parkland influenced by the great
English landscape gardener, Humphry Repton. There are also lakeside walks and
meandering woodland paths to explore and enjoy.
Nearest tube station: Archway and Golders Green, For further information visit: www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.12783
MUSEUMS
The British Museum's collection of seven million objects representing the rich history of
human cultures mirrors the city of London's global variety. In no other museum
can the visitor see so clearly the history of what it is to be human.
Nearest tube station: Tottenham Court Road and Goodge Street Opening Times: 10am to
5pm (Late nights Thurs and Fri)
For further information visit:
www.britishmuseum.org
The Museum of London offers an unforgettable journey through the capital's turbulent past. The Museum is currently undergoing a major redevelopment, transforming the way it tells London's story from 1666 to the present day. The new modern London galleries will open in early 2010 but until then you can enjoy the prehistoric Roman and medieval London galleries, as well as events and exhibitions for all ages including London's Burning, a special exhibition which explores the Great Fire of London. Nearest tube station: Barbican and St Pauls Opening Times: Mon to Sun: 10am to 6pm
For further information visit:
www.museumoflondon.org.uk
For further information visit: www.vam.ac.uk
For further information visit: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
The Natural History Museum opened in 1881. It contains over 70 million items within 5 main
collections: Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Palaeontology and Zoology. The
most popular exhibits are the dinosaur skeletons. Many of the items were collected
by Darwin himself on his various expeditions. (The new Darwin Centre is
scheduled to open on the 15th September 2009) Nearest tube station: South Kensington Opening
Times: 10am to 5.50pm every day
For further information visit: www.nhm.ac.uk
Nearest tube station: Bank
Opening Times: Mon to Fri 10am to 5pm
For further information visit:
www.bankofengland.co.uk
The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the United Kingdom's central bank. Interactive displays, audio-visuals and artifacts help explain its many and varied roles. Nearest tube station: Bank Opening Times: Mon to Fri 10am to 5pm
For further information visit:
www.bankofengland.co.uk
For further information visit: www.nmm.ac.uk
For further information visit: www.nmm.ac.uk
For further information visit:
www.geffrye-museum.org.uk
Nearest tube station: Holborn
Opening times: Tues to
Sat 10am to5pm
For further information visit: www.soane.org
ART GALLERIES
Tate Modern is the
national gallery of international modern art. It’s one of the f family of four
Tate galleries which display selections from the Tate Collection. Created in
the year 2000 from a disused power station in the heart of London, Tate Modern
displays the national collection of international modern art.
Nearest tube station: Southwark, Mansion House and St Pauls Opening Times: Sun /
Thurs 10am to 6pm & Fri / Sat 10am to 10pm For Further information
visit: www.tate.org.uk/modern
Nearest tube station: Pimlico, Vauxhall and Westminster Opening times: 10am to 5.50pm
For further information visit: www.tate.org.uk/britain
Nearest tube station: Charing Cross, Embankment and Leicester Square Opening Times: Daily
10am to 6pm, Fridays 10am to 9pm For further information visit: www.nationalgallery.org.uk
The
National Portrait Gallery houses around 10,000
portraits of famous British people throughout history and still living. It
opened to the public in 1856. Famous portraits include one of the best known
paintings of William Shakespeare, a self portrait of William Hogarth and
Branwell Bronte's famous painting of his three sisters, Charlotte, Emily and
Anne Bronte.
Nearest tube stations: Charing Cross, Embankment and Leicester Square Opening times: Daily
10am to 6pm & 9pm Thurs and Fri For further information visit: www.npg.org.uk
The Photographers' Gallery was the first independent gallery in Britain devoted to photography.
It was established in 1971 and its photos are displayed in a series of themed
galleries.
Nearest tube station: Leicester Square Opening times: Mon closed, Tues, Wed & Sat
11am to 6pm, Thurs, Fri 11am to 8pm & Sun 12:00 noon to 6pm For further
information visit: www.photonet.org.uk
Green Park offers
a convenient cut through from Buckingham Palace to St James and Piccadilly.
Unlike many of the other royal parks in central London, Green Park has no lakes
- rather, it is a number of meadows. It was established as an enclosed park by
Henry VIII in the sixteenth century.
Nearest tube station: Green Park For further information visit: www.royalparks.org.uk
Hyde Park - one of
London's finest historic landscapes covering 142 hectares (350 acres). There is
something for everyone in Hyde Park. With over 4,000 trees, a lake, a meadow,
horse rides and more it is easy to forget you're in the middle of London.
Nearest tube station: Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, Queensway and Marble Arch For
further information visit: www.royalparks.org.uk
Regents Park was
designed by John Nash in 1818 as part of a wider plan for the area, and was
opened to the general public in 1845. It is not only used for general
relaxation but is also the venue for many organised amateur sports such as
tennis, cricket and hockey, and there is boating on the and there is boating on
the lake. Nearest tube station: Regents Park, Baker Street, Great
Portland Street For further information visit: www.royalparks.org.uk
Greenwich Park is the
oldest enclosed royal park and a former hunting park for royalty. It is also
home of the Royal Observatory, from where time is measured. The annual London
marathon commences from the common at the top of the park each April. There is
a large grassland enclosure, covering almost 13 acres which serves as a
sanctuary for deer, foxes and birds. Nearest tube station: Greenwich
(BR), Cutty Sark (DLR) For further information visit: www.royalparks.org.uk
Kensington Gardens is planted with formal avenues
of magnificent trees and ornamental flower beds. It is a perfect setting for
Kensington Palace, peaceful Italian Gardens, the Albert Memorial, Peter Pan
statue and the Serpentine Gallery. The park is the setting of J M Barrie's
book, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, and more recently is known for being the
home of Diana, Princess of Wales prior to her death. Nearest tube station: South
Kensington For further information visit: www.royalparks.org.uk
Hampstead Heath is only four miles from Trafalgar Square and has about 800 acres of
lovely countryside. It is rich in flora and fauna. The landscape has woodland,
meadows, heathland and many ponds along its valleys and features such as
hedgerows and ancient trees provide links with the past. Kingfishers, reed
warblers and all three species of British woodpecker breed, over 300 species of
fungi have grown here and many species of bats are here. The area is composed
of East Heath, Kenwood House, Golders Hill Heath Extension, Sandy Heath, the
Hill Garden and Pergola and West Heath
Nearest tube station: Hampstead, Belsize Park For further information visit: www.hampsteadheath.net
THE ROYAL WALK
This is a circular walk, starting and ending at
Westminster tube station.
On arrival at Westminster tube station, walk
towards Westminster Bridge, stopping at the first traffic lights on the corner
(at the junction of Victoria Embankment and Bridge Street). Behind you is
Portcullis House, and in front of you, Victoria Embankment.
Portcullis House and Victoria Embankment - The building on the corner of Bridge Street and Victoria Embankment
is Portcullis House. Opened in 2000, it hosts the offices for British
Members of Parliament. There is an underground walkway leading from the
building through to the Palace of Westminster. Victoria Embankment, the road
running alongside the Thames from Westminster to Blackfriars, was completed in
1870 and is a classic example of Victorian construction and design. It was the
first electrically illuminated street in London. One of three main embankments
in London, it involved reclaiming much of the river bank as a form of flood
defence. However, the idea of building embankments wasn't unique to the
Victorians - everyone from the Romans through to Christopher Wren had earlier
proposed them. Facing the Thames, cross Victoria Embankment. Go down the
steps directly after the statue of Boadicea (another example of Victorian
England, unveiled in 1902) on the opposite corner. Stop next to the green
turret at the bottom of the steps, overlooking the Thames. 
The Westminster Tide Recorder - The turret in front of you is called the Westminster tide recorder. It
measures the depth of the Thames at this point. You can climb up the rails on
the side of the turret and look inside to see the computerised depth reading.
The Thames is the second oldest place name in England. For 400 years, it was
the busiest road in England, like the Grand Canal in Venice, as the easiest way
to cross London was by boat. In fact, until the 1750's, there was only one
bridge across the Thames within central London: London Bridge. Look across the
river to the wall on the opposite side. You will see a number of lions' heads
facing the river, with mooring rings hanging from their mouths. They are part
of London's flood warning system and every policeman on duty near the river
keeps an eye on them.
Although the Thames Barrier has reduced the risk, the phrase
"When the lions drink, London's in danger" is still true. If the
water reaches the lions' mouths, the Thames is at danger level and the tube
system and all Thames tunnels would be closed.
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament - The correct name for the Houses of Parliament is the Palace of
Westminster, which was built in 1040 by Edward the Confessor and was the main
Royal residence in London until Henry VIII moved to Whitehall. The present
building dates from the 1800's and took 20 years to complete. It was built by Charles
Barry, who is buried in Westminster Abbey. It is the largest Gothic building in
the world - there are over 1,000 rooms and two miles of corridors in it. In the
centre stands Westminster Hall, the only part of the original building that
survives. Many great treason trials have taken place in Westminster. In 1305,
Braveheart was sentenced to death here and in 1606 Guy Fawkes, the man who
tried to blow up Parliament, met a similar fate. It is possible to visit the
public gallery of the Houses of Parliament for free (although you will have to
pass security checks and may have to queue a while). Though many people think Big Ben is the name of the tower with the
famous clock face, it is actually the name of the bell within it. Big Ben is
named after the Commissioner of Works, Sir Benjamin Hall, who was in charge of
construction of the clock. He was heavily criticised by politicians over the
problems he had in building it. The bell's familiar ring is caused by a crack
which appeared in 1859, within a few months of the bell being installed. The
bell was re-cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry Company but soon cracked
again. It has never been repaired. When the light above Big Ben is illuminated,
Parliament is sitting. With your back to Big Ben, stop and face the square.
Parliament Square was built in 1868, and rebuilt in the 1940's. Diagonally opposite you,
on the corner of the square on the opposite side of the road, you will see a
statue of Sir Winston Churchill. He was Britain's prime minister during
World War 2 and the London Blitz, when many parts of London were destroyed by
bombing. He led Britain's war effort from the Cabinet War Rooms, which are
nearby and open to the public. They are now also home to the Churchill Museum
(admission charge.)
Continue past the gates to the Houses of
Parliament and turn right at the next traffic lights, crossing St Margaret
Street. After crossing the road, you may wish to instead turn left to visit the
Jewel Tower, a few yards down St Margaret Street. The Jewel Tower was built by
Edward III in 1365 to house his personal treasure, and is one of only two
remaining buildings from the original Palace of Westminster. It now contains an
exhibition on Parliament Past and Present, for which there is an admission
charge.
Otherwise, walk along Victoria Street to the entrance to
Westminster Abbey, passing St Margaret's Church on your left. Stop, facing the
entrance to Westminster Abbey, in a small car park area next to the Abbey
Bookshop.
Westminster Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor, and William the Conqueror was
crowned in it on Christmas Day 1066. Thousands of people are buried, or have
their ashes interred, in it. Many others have plaques. Those buried in the
Abbey include: Royalty - Henry III, Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, James I,
Charles II Politicians - Pitt the Younger, Pitt the Elder, Chamberlain,
Gladstone. * Poets and Writers - Chaucer, Jonson, Browning, Tennyson In 1997,
the funeral service for Diana, Princess of Wales was held at the Abbey (Though
she is not buried in the Abbey.)
One person buried in the Abbey has three separate
monuments. He was John Broughton, a famous eighteenth century boxer who
invented boxing gloves. He also became a Yeoman of the Guard and a verger of
the Abbey. The last burial in the Abbey was in 1906; since then, only ashes
have been accepted. Ben Jonson, the poet, is buried upright. (There is an
admission charge to visit the Abbey unless you are attending a service there).
With your back to Westminster Abbey, continue a
short distance along Broad Sanctuary and cross the first traffic lights on your
right. Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing on Tothill Street and continue
along Storey's Gate, passing the Methodist Central Hall on your left and the
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on your right. Cross Matthew Parker Street
and, soon after, Lewisham Street (passing the UK's European Commission offices
on your left) and continue to the next road on your left, which is Old Queen
Street. Turn left at Old Queen Street and walk to the end of it. At the end of
Old Queen Street, turn left and then almost immediately turn right, down Queen
Anne's Gate. As you walk along this road, admire the many buildings on either
side, dating from the 1700’s. The old headquarters of the Secret Service, where
James Bond would have worked, used to be at no 21 and the buildings on either
side of it. At the junction on Queen Anne's Gate, just after no. 34a, turn
right to Birdcage Walk. Cross the road to enter St James's park and follow the
path in front of you through the park until you come to a footbridge. Cross the
footbridge and turn left, following another path, with the pond on your left.
Near the end of this path, you will come to a concession stand at the junction
with another path. Turn right at the concession stand and continue along this
path a short distance to the road. At the road, turn left and walk towards
Buckingham Palace, stopping in front of it.
Buckingham Palace - The home of the Queen, Buckingham
Palace was built in 1703. The present building is the third on the site. Around
300 people work there. Look at the flag pole on top of the Palace. When the
Queen is in residence, the Royal Standard flag is raised. A soldier is
responsible for taking it down the moment the Queen leaves. Though the Palace
is generally not open to the public, during summer you can visit its State
Apartments (admission charge) and see the Queen's large garden and collection
of artwork. You can however see the Changing of the Guard for free at 11.30 am
every morning during summer and every second morning during winter. (To get a
less crowded view of the guards as they march past you, stand anywhere along
the Mall between the Palace and Horse Guards.) The large memorial in front of
Buckingham Palace is called the Queen Victoria Memorial. Unveiled in 1911, the
statue of the seated Victoria is 13 feet tall, yet was made from a single block
of marble. Next to Buckingham Palace, on your left as you face the Memorial, is
Green Park, made into a royal park by Charles II. It is likely to have been a
burial site for lepers from the hospital of St James, which is supposedly why
there are few flowers in the park. The park was a popular place for duels
during the eighteenth century. Did You Know? Right beside Green Park tube
station at the top of the park, there is a sunken area. This was once a
reservoir in which Benjamin Franklin demonstrated to the Royal Navy the
technique of pouring oil on troubled waters. The Navy went on to use this
technique with great success on the Channel waters. The first cup of tea drunk
in England was drunk in the Palace gardens in 1663. The balcony from which the
Royal family waves to the crowds is actually at the back of the building.
With your back to Buckingham Palace, walk around
the left hand side of the Queen Victoria Memorial, the large monument in front
of you. Directly on the other side of the monument you will see a pink road
leading down to Admiralty Arch, a set of arches crossing the road at the other
end. This road is called The Mall. The reason it is pink is due to the material
used to make the surface safer for the horses of the Household Cavalry, not to
indicate that it leads to the palace. Walk along it a short distance until you
reach Queen's Walk, a path running off to your left along the edge of the park,
beside a building (Lancaster House). Follow Queen's Walk, where Charlie Chaplin
made his first appearance on film (back in 1896 as a seven year old boy), until
you see a small alleyway on your right. Turn right and follow this alleyway
around to Cleveland Row. Walk along Cleveland Row and stop in front of St
James' Palace on your right. This is where the London apartments of Princes
Charles, William and Harry are.
St James' Palace was built by Henry VIII and though
it is no longer used for official royal purposes, it has had a long association
with royalty throughout its history. Queen Elizabeth and her successor, James
I, both held court here. Charles I also spent his last night here before his
execution in Whitehall. And Queen Victoria was married here. The only surviving
part of the original building is the gatehouse. As you commence your walk along
St James Street, look for a small archway on your right, at the side of the
Berry Bros and Rudd wine store (No. 3). This archway leads into Pickering
Place, which was the location of the Texan Republic's embassy until the state
joined the US union in 1845. It was also where the last duel in England was
fought. Also in this area are ‘grace and favour’ houses and flats. They belong
to the Crown and are leased to the Queen’s upper servants, the lord
chamberlain, private secretary and ladies in waiting at very low rents while
they are working for her.
Walk up the hill along St James Street until you
reach Jermyn Street on your right. Turn down Jermyn Street and walk along it
until you reach Duke Street. Stop at the corner, looking along Jermyn Street.
Jermyn Street was
named after Henry Jermyn, courtier to the mother of King Charles II. The street
was completed in the 1680's but nothing now remains of the original buildings
except for St James' Church at the far end towards Regent Street. However,
there are some delightful arcades and stores in this street including Piccadilly
Arcade, an elegant arcade filled with traditional old stores Davidoff,
the London store for the famous cigar makers from Russia Turnbull and Asser,
the famous shirt makers, who have had a shop in this street since 1885 Wiltons,
the famous fish and game restaurant that has been in St James since 1742 Floris,
established in 1730 and selling fine old-fashioned scent and lotions Paxton
& Whitfield, established in 1797, and selling fine cheeses, hams, pates
and chutneys Bates, the gentlemen's hatter Herbie Frogg, a store
for men's clothing
Geo.F.Trumper, a barber and royal hairdresser,
established in 1875 Piccadilly market (Open from 10am, Thursday to
Saturday and FREE). Set in the grounds of St James' Church, the market includes
a peaceful garden with park benches for resting on or perhaps eating your lunch
Either turn left at Duke Street or cut through Piccadilly
Arcade if it is open and walk up to Piccadilly. Turn right and stop in front of
Fortnum and Mason's department store. Piccadilly also marks the half-way point
in this walk, and is therefore a good place to stop for a rest in one of the
many coffee shops in the area. You might also wish to extend your walk slightly
and cross Piccadilly, then turn left and visit Burlington Arcade (not open on
Sundays). The arcade was built in 1819 and typifies Mayfair tradition and luxury.
Look for the beadles in their top hats. Their duty is to ensure the dignity of
the Arcade is not disturbed by people whistling, running or singing. After
visiting Burlington Arcade, return to the entrance to Fortnum and Mason, to
continue your walk. Piccadilly, and Fortnum and Mason
Piccadilly is
named after a draper named Robert Baker who became wealthy during the reign of
Charles I by selling stiff ruffled collars called pickadils. He used his money
to build a big house in the area. Londoners, who didn't like his act of
flamboyance, called his house Piccadilly Hall. As you wander along Piccadilly,
you will pass some wonderful British hotels and stores, many of which have been
granted royal warrants. One such store is Fortnum and Mason. Established
in 1705, this wonderful store has been on Piccadilly since 1756, and the store
staff still wear tailcoats. Go inside and wander around, especially on the
ground floor. The store sells excellent tea and chocolates, and has an elegant
cafe. Also above the entrance to the store, you will see a clock. The two
founders of Fortnum and Mason are represented by the figures beside the clock,
who come out and bow to each other on the hour. Mr Fortnum wears the red coat
that indicates he was a footman in the Royal Household. He went into
partnership with Mr Mason, a grocer.
Either go through Fortnum and Mason and exit back
onto Jermyn Street, or go back down Duke Street, retracing your steps. Continue
along Jermyn Street, passing St James' Church on your left, until you reach the
junction with Regent Street. At Regent Street, turn left and walk up the hill
towards Piccadilly Circus. At the first traffic lights, cross Regent Street and
stop in front of Eros, the statue in the centre of the circus.
Piccadilly Circus originally a crossroad of Piccadilly and Regent Street, the circus
took on its present appearance in the late 1800's when Shaftesbury Avenue was
connected to it. One of central London's busiest traffic junctions, it features
the Statue of Eros (erected in 1893) in the centre and the enormous illuminated
advertising signs overlooking it. The famous English chef, Marco Pierre White,
has his restaurant inside the Criterion Hotel, which is behind Eros.
(The statue of Eros has pointed in three
different directions since being erected, but never in the direction to which
it was intended: facing Shaftesbury Avenue). Walk past the Criterion Hotel and
Theatre (behind Eros), then turn right at Haymarket. Walk along Haymarket,
passing Burberrys on your left, and turn left at the end, along Cockspur
Street. Walk along Cockspur Street, past the National Gallery Sainsbury wing,
and stop in front of the National Gallery, the large white building on your
left overlooking Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square commemorates England's victory over France in 1805. In the centre of
the square stands Nelson's Column, at 170 feet tall. Buildings surrounding the
Square include South Africa House, Canada House, the National Gallery and the
National Portrait Gallery (both FREE admission) and St Martin-in-the-Fields
church. Pigeon-feeding is a popular pass-time for tourists to the Square even
though it is no longer permitted. Even back in the eleventh century, the square
was a traffic junction. And until 2000, the square had never been completed.
While on the right hand side of it (in front of the National Gallery) there was
a statue of George IV on horseback, until recently no statue had been placed on
the corresponding plinth on the opposite corner. In front of Nelson's Column,
on a traffic island at the top of Whitehall, which also marks the site of the
old Charing Cross, stands a statue of Charles I on horseback. It was
deliberately positioned here by his son, Charles II, to look down Whitehall to
the spot where his father had been executed (in front of Banqueting House.)
Walk across Trafalgar Square, passing around the
left hand side of Nelson's Column. Cross the first pedestrian lights, then turn
right and cross again at the next lights, which lead to the island in the
centre of the road. Pause next to the statue of Charles I on horseback. The
road directly in front of you, in the direction the statue faces, is Whitehall.
Walk along Whitehall, passing Banqueting House on your left, until you reach
Horse Guards on your right. Stop at Horse Guards, then continue to the gates of
Downing Street, a short distance further along Whitehall, on the right, and
stop again.
Whitehall and Number Ten Downing Street - The first main building on this walk along Whitehall is Banqueting
House, on your left. It was built in 1622 and is the only remaining part of the
Palace of Whitehall. The Palace of Whitehall was originally built as York Place
in 1245, and renamed as Whitehall by Henry VIII in 1529, when it was
confiscated from Cardinal Wolsey. Charles I was beheaded on a stage in front of
it in 1649. The majority of buildings along Whitehall belong to Government
departments. They include, on your left just after Banqueting House, the
Ministry of Defence, which is the only Government office with its own chapel.
On your right, just after Horse Guards, you will pass both the Foreign Office
and Treasury. Horse Guards, on your right just after Banqueting House,
is Whitehall's biggest tourist attraction. The Life Guards (in red) and the
Blues and Royals (in blue) have been here since Tudor times. Through the
courtyard you will see Horse Guards Parade. A great tournament was held here in
1540 by Henry VIII and knights from all over Europe attended. The Trooping of
the Colour, where the Queen inspects her troops just as monarchs before her
have done for hundreds of years, is held here every year on the Queen’s
official birthday, which is the 3rd Saturday in June (her real birthday is
April 21). Downing Street is named after Sir George Downing, the second
graduate of Harvard College, who bought the land and built the houses in 1680.
Number 10 has been the official residence of the Prime Minister since 1732.
There is no general public access to it. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
traditionally lives next door, in number eleven. However, when Labour came to
power in 1997, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Chancellor, Gordon Brown
(who became Prime Minister in 2007) swapped residences to enable the Blair
family to have more room. This had never happened before. You have now
completed this walk .Continue along Whitehall to Parliament Square and turn
left. Walk along Bridge Street, back to your starting point outside Westminster
tube station.
From this point, you could cross Westminster
Bridge and turn left to begin the cultural walk from in front of the London
Eye.
THE CULTURAL WALK
The walk starts from Waterloo station and ends at
London Bridge station
On arrival at Waterloo station, go upstairs to
the main station concourse. In the northern corner, take exit 6 – towards the
London Eye. Follow the footbridge, passing through an archway marked “Shell
Centre” and continue to the end of the footbridge. You should see the London
Eye ahead of you on your left. At the end of the footbridge, walk across the
park to the London Eye. Continue past it and stop, overlooking the river. Look
to your left towards Westminster Bridge. Waterloo Station, Westminster
Bridge and the London Eye
Waterloo station was opened in 1848. Little of the original station survives except the
roof over platforms 18 - 21, which date from 1885. The current buildings date
from 1922. The main pedestrian entrance arch serves as a memorial to staff
killed during world war one and during the blitz the station was hit 50 times
yet it still remained operational throughout. It was the terminal for London's
Eurostar service to the continent until 2008, when the terminal moved to St
Pancras in north London. The current
Westminster Bridge was opened in 1862 to replace an earlier bridge which dated from 1750.
There had been a ford at low tide here since Roman times and many historians
believe that the Romans used to wade cross the river near this point. They
think the actual crossing point was on the other side of Westminster Bridge, in
front of St Thomas' Hospital. In 1909, the remains of a Roman boat were
discovered nearby. A popular tourist attraction in London, the London Eye is
a ferris wheel with large pods, allowing riders to see great views of London. County
Hall, the large "Edwardian style" building overlooking the Thames
near the London Eye, was opened in 1922. Though now housing a hotel, a Dali
museum (Dali Universe), the Saatchi Gallery and the London Aquarium, it was the
home of London government until 1986. Walk away from Westminster Bridge, past
the London Eye and along the riverfront towards Waterloo Bridge. Just before
Waterloo Bridge, stop and face the Royal Festival Hall.
The South Bank Centre was built between 1951 and 1976 by the London County Council for the
Festival of Britain in an attempt to revitalise the area. It comprises a number
of buildings linked by overhead walkways. These buildings include the Royal
Festival Hall (built on the site of the Red Lion brewery), Queen Elizabeth
Hall, the Hayward Gallery and the National Film Theatre. The Royal Festival
Hall was the first post-war building to receive a Grade I Listing. The world
renowned National Theatre is also based here. Although many performances
charge admission, there are often free exhibitions and events happening in the
foyers of the various buildings within the centre. This part of the walk
follows the Silver Jubilee walkway, which is a circular walking trail extending
from Buckingham Palace in the west to the British Library in the north, St
Katherine's Dock (near the Tower of London) in the east and along the south
bank. It was originally created in 1977 to commemorate the Queen's Silver
Jubilee. Continue past the Royal Festival Hall and under Waterloo Bridge,
passing the National Film Theatre and National Theatre. Walk along the
riverside until you reach Gabriel's Wharf, just before the OXO Tower. Waterloo
Bridge, Gabriels Wharf and the OXO Tower
The original bridge on this site was
opened in 1817 and was named to commemorate the Duke of Wellington's famous
victory over Bonaparte. The bridge fell into ruin and was closed in 1923 before
being re-built, mostly by women (as many men were fighting in Europe), during
the war years. It was re-opened in 1945.
London Television Centre, the tall white building
you will pass just before Gabriel's Wharf, is home to London Weekend Television
and London Studios, where a number of programmes are filmed. Gabriel's Wharf
is a crafts market, converted from a number of old garages. It is part of
the Coin Street community area. The OXO Tower was originally built as a
power station in the 1900's to supply electricity to the Post Office, and in
the 1920's it was converted into a meat packing factory. The factory's most
famous products were OXO stock cubes and powder, which you can still buy today.
If you look to the top of the tower you will see the letters O-X-O made out of
glass bricks. This was because during the Second World War, there was a
night-time ban on advertising and the only way the designers could avoid the
ban was by including the advertising within the building's design. (This area
is called Lambeth. Before the nineteenth century, it was mainly a marshland but
during that century it became one of the worst slum areas of London as many of
the city’s factory workers took up residence there). Continue past the OXO
Tower. You will eventually pass Doggett's pub and go through the Blackfriars
Underpass. At the other side of the underpass, go through the metal gates and
continue along the narrow path, passing through a large Victorian archway
tunnel. Walk along the other side of the tunnel and stop just after the
Founders Arms pub on your left.
Doggett's Pub and Blackfriars Bridge
The Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge and Southwark The Tate Modern opened in May 2000 in the old Bankside Power
Station, which was built in 1963 and generated power until 1981. Gas and
electricity had actually been generated on or near the site for over a century
- it provided the first public supply of electricity for the City of London, It
is the UK's largest museum of modern art and its permanent collection includes
works by Picasso, Warhol and Dali. Admission is free except to special
exhibitions. You can also catch a boat from here to visit its sister gallery,
Tate Britain, on Millbank. The Millennium Bridge, the first new
footbridge to be built across the Thames for over 100 years, crosses the river
in front of the Tate Modern. This footbridge became known locally as the
"Wobbly Bridge" when it was first opened in May 2000 as it was closed
again a few weeks later due to its instability. It finally opened again in
March 2002.
From this point on, you are now in the oldest
borough of London, Southwark. Southwark was settled by the Romans on the south side
of London Bridge and from the Middle Ages it attracted the
"undesirables", those who were not welcome in the City (across the
river). The area along the riverfront is known as Bankside, which was London's
"Red Light District" during medieval times. It was the location for
medieval brothels, tanning shops, Elizabethan and Jacobean bear and bull rings
and theatres, notably Shakespeare's Globe. During these times, the area stank
of open sewers and outbreaks of plague were very common. Southwark was the home
of many people whose names you are likely to recognise from history including
Dickens, Chaucer, Keats, Thomas Beckett, Charles Babbage and Michael Faraday. Continue
past the Tate Modern and soon you will see an alleyway on your right called
Cardinal Cap Alley. Continue past the alleyway to the Globe Theatre and
Exhibition Centre, stopping in front of the iron gates.
Cardinal Cap Alley and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Cardinal
Cap Alley dates from 1360 and marks the beginning of the area where most of
Bankside's medieval brothels were. The alley once led to an inn and brothel
named the Cardinal's Hat. No. 49, known as Cardinal Wharf, is the oldest house
on Bankside. Though there is a plaque on the building proclaiming the fact that
Wren lived here when rebuilding St Pauls, this seems unlikely as the building
dates from the 18th century. Largely thanks to the efforts of the American
filmmaker, Sam Wanamaker, the new Globe theatre was opened to the public
in 1997. It has been re-built as close as possible to the original theatre's
design, from the thatched roof to the wooden bench seating. The original Globe
Theatre was built not far from this site, in 1598. Shakespeare and his fellow
actors brought it over from the other side of the Thames (Shoreditch) in pieces
and reassembled it on bankside since land rent was cheaper. Many of
Shakespeare's most famous plays were performed in the original theatre on
bankside, including Julius Caesar (believed to be the first play performed
here), Henry V, Hamlet and Macbeth. The plays attracted lively audiences and
Elizabeth I was often amongst them. In 1613, during a performance of Henry
VIII, the theatre's thatch caught fire during the firing of a real cannon. The
theatre burnt down within half an hour and was re-built the following year. In
the 1640's it was finally closed down and demolished by the Puritans. The iron
gates which lead into the new theatre's grounds contain sculptures of many
animals from Shakespeare's various plays. Continue past the Globe Theatre
until you reach the second turning on your right, called Bear Gardens. It is a
small alleyway between two restaurants. Stop at the corner, facing the peculiar
looking seat embedded into the wall of the restaurant opposite you.
Ferryman's Seat and Bear Gardens
The stone seat embedded into the wall of the Riverside
House offices in Bear Gardens is called a wherryman's seat. These seats
were once common sights along the Thames and were the resting places for the
Thames boatmen, who waited to ferry theatregoer’s home in their passenger boats
or "wherries". This one is believed to be the only remaining example.
About half way down Bear Gardens, on the left, stood the Davies
Amphitheatre, the last bear-baiting pit on Bankside. Bear-baiting was popular
in Tudor times and was a more profitable occupation than running a theatre.
This bear-baiting pit was banned in 1642 and sadly all the bears were
destroyed. Walk along Bear Gardens to the junction of Park Street. At Park
Street, turn left, passing the site of the Rose Theatre on your left. Continue
along Park street, passing under Southwark Bridge, and almost immediately you
should see the Financial Times building on your left. Stop in front of the
apartments directly opposite the Financial Times building. Sites of The
Original Rose and Globe Theatres Southwark
Bridge was originally built in 1819 and re-built in
1921.
The Rose Theatre, the first of the
Bankside theatres, was built in 1587 above an old rose garden. From 1592, the
Rose became very popular and many acting companies performed on its stage,
including Lord Strange’s Men (probably including Shakespeare as an actor) from
1592 to 1593. The theatre's leading actor was Edward Alleyn, the founder of
Dulwich College in south London. During the plague of 1593 in which nearly
11,000 Londoners died, the Rose closed down for a time and the theatre was
finally abandoned in 1605 when its lease ran out. However, in 1989 the remains
of the building were discovered and you are able to see them as part of a small
exhibition on the site. The foundations of the Original Globe Theatre are
preserved under a small block of apartments called Old Theatre Court, opposite
the Financial Times building. They were only discovered in 1989 and although
you can't see them, you can read about what life was like in the area during
Shakespeare's day and about his theatre. Continue along Park Street. Turn
left at the end and stop at the raised seating area overlooking the river in
front of the Anchor Tavern.
The
Anchor Tavern Park Street was originally called Maiden Lane
because it was a red light area at the time it was created. The Anchor
Tavern was built in 1775 on the site of a much older inn from which Samuel
Pepys watched the Great Fire of London across the river. The first of the
Bishop's licensed brothels, Le Castell upon the Hoop, also stood on this site
and the four iron posts in front of the tavern mark the medieval boundary of
the Bishop's domain. One of the final scenes in Mission Impossible (the movie
with Tom Cruise) was filmed here. Cannon Street railway bridge was built
in 1863 to carry the South Eastern Railway across the river. Vinopolis,
opened in 1999 opposite the Anchor Tavern, is dedicated to the world's major
wine producing regions. It is located only 100 metres from the remains of a
Roman wine store that was created over 2,000 years ago. The Southwark
Tourist Centre, situated in Vinopolis, is worth a visit as they have lots
of maps and information on the surrounding area. Six of London's bridges can be
seen from the Anchor Tavern. Between Southwark Bridge and the Cannon Street
railway bridge, the riverboat "Marchioness" was hit by a dredger in
August, 1989. The boat sank within 2 minutes and 51 people drowned. There is a
memorial in Southwark Cathedral to those who died. Continue past Vinopolis
along Clink Street, passing the Clink Prison exhibition, and stop in front of
the remains of Winchester Palace on your right Winchester Palace and the
Clink Prison
Winchester Palace was the London home of the bishops of Winchester from the 1140s until
1626. The Bishop owned most of the land in Bankside and licensed the area's
brothels in 1161 as the area was outside the control of the City of London (the
prostitutes were known as Winchester Geese.) The only remaining part of the
palace is the Rose Window. First mentioned in 1509, the Clink prison began
as a small prison attached to the palace and was used merely to maintain order
in the Bishop's brothels. It existed as a prison until 1745 and was destroyed
in 1780, to be replaced by Victorian warehouses. However, it soon became useful
for other purposes. During the early years, religious prisoners were held in it
prior to being burnt at the stake or hanged and during later years it became a
debtor's prison. Prisoners were not fed by the wardens while in jail: they had
to beg passers-by for food.
The prison lay partly below the level of the
Thames and between the river and a sewer, and conditions were therefore
particularly bad, especially during high tide. You can tour the Clink museum
and see examples of crime and punishment, though nothing of the original prison
remains.
St Mary
Overie Wharf, a small creek which commemorates the earlier
name of the nearby Cathedral, is possibly the tideway mentioned in the Domesday
Book, where ships moored. At Pickford's Wharf, the ship you see ahead of
you in dry dock is a replica of the Golden Hinde, Sir Francis Drake's famous
ship that took him on his voyage around the world in 1577 - 1580. Continue
to the end of Clink Street, passing the Golden Hinde on your left. At the small
junction turn right and follow the path to the left, leading into the grounds
of Southwark Cathedral.
Southwark Cathedral and London Bridge
There has been a church on the site of Southwark
Cathedral for over one thousand years and the current building is the
oldest building in Southwark. The original church was founded by St Swithun in
860 and in the twelfth century it was known as the Church of St Mary Overie
("Overie" meaning "over the water"). Inside the church there
are two rounded Norman arches that survived the fire of 1213. In 1616, when
most of London's theatres were in its vicinity, the then chaplain denounced
those who "dishonour God by penning and acting in plays". Ironically,
William Shakespeare's brother, Edmund, who was an actor, is buried in the
church. And there is a statue of Shakespeare alongside a tablet dedicated to
Sam Wanamaker, founder of the present Globe theatre. The church became a
Cathedral in 1905. Until 1750, London Bridge (next to the Cathedral) was
the only bridge over the river. The original bridge was built by the Romans as
a bridge of boats and this was replaced by various wooden bridges that were in
use until 1176, when a stone bridge was built on the site. The stone bridge was
in use for over 600 years and became one of the wonders of the medieval world
as it spanned what was at the time a fierce tidal river. The bridge had houses
(up to seven floors high), shops and a church on it, similar to the Ponte
Vecchio in Florence. The stone bridge was replaced in 1831 by a granite bridge
as it was becoming a hazard to boats navigating the river. This bridge was in
turn replaced by the present, less spectacular bridge which was opened in 1973,
and the granite bridge was reconstructed in Arizona, USA. (Legend has it that
the Americans who bought it thought it was Tower Bridge.) During medieval
times, the decapitated heads of "traitors", including in 1305, the
head of Braveheart (William Wallace) were displayed on spikes on the gates at
either end of London Bridge. And John Harvard (after whom Harvard College in
Boston, America, was founded) was christened in Southwark Cathedral in 1607 and
lived in Southwark until he emigrated to America in 1637. His father was a
butcher in Borough High Street.
Exit the grounds of Southwark Cathedral. You
should see the area of Borough market directly in front of you.
Borough market was
established on its current site in 1754 by an Act of Parliament, but historians
believe that there has been a market in this area since pre-Roman times.
Records from 1014 list the market as selling fish, grain and cattle, as well as
fruit and vegetables, and attracting traders from all over Europe. These days
the market still focuses on the sale of wholesale fruit and vegetables and is
busiest between 2am and 9am each morning as hoteliers and greengrocers buy
their goods from traders. However, there is now also a popular gourmet food
market open to the public, selling fresh produce including fish, meats,
vegetables, ciders, cheeses, breads, coffees, cakes and patisseries. The public
market is open Thursday - Saturday from morning to mid afternoon. Continue
through the market area to Borough High Street. At Borough High Street, turn
right and stop at the traffic lights at the junction with Southwark Street. Borough
High Street and the Hop Exchange
Borough High Street lies on the site of a Roman road, dissecting an area which became an
important medieval borough. This area has the longest known history of any part
of London apart from the City (on the other side of the river). As you wander
along it, look for the typically medieval alleys running off the high street
between narrow houses. For centuries, this area was the last resting point for
travellers heading across London Bridge to the City and so, as you might
expect, it was lined with inns. "The Borough", as it is traditionally
known, was the first borough in London, apart from the City, to send
representatives to Parliament. They sent their first member there in 1295. Look
down Southwark Street on your right, to the blue-fronted building just after
the Southwark Tavern. This is the Hop Exchange, one of London's few
surviving Victorian exchanges. It was established in Southwark in 1866. The
building had a glass roof so that hops could be examined under natural light.
Southwark Fair was held every September from 1462 in and around Borough High
Street near St George's Church. It was a colourful occasion filled with dancing
monkeys, weight lifters, street artists and circus performers. However, as no
large open spaces existed, booths and shows were held in the surrounding
streets, courts and inn-yards, leading to complaints from local shopkeepers.
These complaints, together with the rising levels of petty crime and
prostitution, eventually caused the fair to be closed in 1763.Cross twice at
the traffic lights, firstly across Southwark Street and again across Borough
High Street. Turn right and walk along Borough High Street, passing the George
Inn on your left. Cross Borough High Street again at the next set of traffic
lights then continue on for a few metres, turning left along Union Street.
Continue along Union Street to the junction with Redcross Way.
The George Inn and Cross Bones Graveyard
The George Inn, in George Inn Yard just to
your left off Borough High Street, is London's only surviving galleried
coaching inn. The present building, though only a section of the original,
dates from 1676. Before the Globe opened in 1599, plays were performed in the
courtyard and it is believed that Shakespeare himself performed from the back
of a cart here. It was re-built after a fire in 1676. Talbot Yard was
the location of one of the most famous inns on Borough High Street, called the
Tabard Inn, which stood here until destroyed by fire in 1676. This was the inn
where Chaucer's pilgrims gathered at the beginning of the Canterbury Tales and
it was the inn keeper who suggested that each pilgrim told a story in order to
pass the time on their journey. In the seventeenth century, the name of the inn
was changed to the Talbot. Cross Bones graveyard was the final resting
place for many of Bankside's medieval prostitutes, commonly known as
"Winchester Geese". The site itself has now become a shrine to the
nameless poor of London. Stow, in his Survey of London in 1603, describes the
burial site as being appointed to single women forbidden the rites of the
church so long as they continued a sinful life. However, by Victorian times,
when the area was stricken by poverty and disease, the site was used as a
pauper’s burial ground. Recent archaeological digs for the Jubilee Line
extension have uncovered evidence of a highly overcrowded graveyard where
bodies are piled up on top of each other and tests have shown that many of the
bodies are women and children with diseases ranging from smallpox and TB to
vitamin D deficiency. The graveyard was finally closed in 1853 on the grounds
that it was ‘completely overcharged with dead’ and that further burials were
‘inconsistent with a due regard for the public health and public decency’.
There are over 140 burial grounds in London.
These include the "Magnificent Seven": Nunhead, Brompton, Kensal
Green, West Norwood, Tower Hamlets, Highgate and Abney Park. Read more about
them. Retrace your route back to Borough High Street, turn right and continue
until you reach St George the Martyr Church, opposite Borough station
"Little Dorritt's" Church - St George the Martyr Church, built in 1122 and re-built in 1736, is
known locally as "Little Dorritt's Church" as it features in Charles
Dickens' novel, Little Dorritt. Born in nearby Marshalsea Prison, the fictional
Little Dorritt sleeps in the church when she is locked out of it one night. It
is also where she is married at the end of the novel.
In addition to
the Clink prison on Bankside, there were once three other prisons on Borough
High Street, located in the area on your left between Newcomen Street and St
George's church. The original site of Marshalsea prison, which opened in the
fourteenth century and closed in 1849, is on Mermaid Court, immediately on your
left after you cross Newcomen Street. Marshalsea is probably the best known of
the three as it was where Dickens' father was imprisoned for 3 months in 1824
for debt. While he was in prison, his wife and Dickens' younger siblings also
lived with him. Dickens himself lived in nearby Lant Street and so was able to
join them for meals. Today, nothing remains of the King's Bench and White Lion
prisons and only one wall of Marshalsea prison can still be seen (in the
grounds of St George the Martyr Church.) Turn left along Tabard Street, the
road just before the church, and take a short diversion into the grounds of the
church, through the gates on the left, to see the remains of Marshalsea prison.
Exiting the grounds, turn left and shortly, turn left again along Long Lane.
Turn left at Crosby Row, and at the end, walk through the grounds of Guys’
Hospital, directly in front of you. As you exit the grounds on the other side,
turn left along St Thomas Street. Stop in front of the Old Operating Theatre,
on your right.
Guys' Hospital and the Old Operating Theatre Two of London's major hospitals, St Thomas' and Guy's, originated in
St Thomas Street. St Thomas' Hospital was founded here in the thirteenth
century, before being moved to its present location opposite the Houses of
Parliament at Westminster in 1865 to make room for the railway station at
London Bridge. Nothing remains of the old hospital except a Georgian doorway
(opposite Keats House and between two small courtyards fronting onto the road) and
the old operating theatre, at 9a St Thomas Street. Visit the old operating
theatre and you will see one of London's most bizarre secrets: the only
surviving 19th century surgical theatre (in use from 1821 to 1862), complete
with wooden operating table, blood box and tiered stands where spectators
watched surgery being performed without anaesthetic. Guys' Hospital was
built here in 1721. It is named after Thomas Guy, a wealthy publisher and
printer who left a large endowment to help establish it. Its famous medical
students include John Keats, the poet, who lived at 28 St Thomas Street, and
Richard Bright and Thomas Addison, both remembered for the diseases they
diagnosed. The first complete English Bible produced in England has on its
title page "Imprinted in Southwark at St Thomas' Hospital". It was
printed in 1537 and was dedicated to Henry VIII.
You have now completed this walk. Continue to the end of St Thomas Street and turn left to London Bridge
tube station. From this point, you could turn right at St Thomas Street, cross
London Bridge and turn right at Monument Street to begin the city walk
from Monument tube station.
THE CITY WALK
Starts from Monument station and ends at Tower
Hill station (or at St Pauls station)
On arrival at Monument station, take the exit
marked Fish Street Hill and The Monument and at street level, turn right. Stop
in front of the large "monument" ahead of you. Monument and the
Great Fire of London
The Monument stands as a memorial to the
Great Fire of London. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in
1677. It is the tallest single stone column in the world and contains a spiral
staircase leading to a viewing platform from which you can see some remarkable
views of the city. Sadly, until 1842 (when the viewing platform was railed in)
the monument was a favourite place for suicides. The Great Fire of London started
at 2am on September 2nd 1666 in a bakery in Pudding Lane, the distance
in height eastward from the Monument (202 feet.) The fire burned for three days
and spread over almost 500 acres, northeast as far as St Bart's hospital. The
final toll was 9 lives lost (officially) and 87 churches and 13,200 houses
destroyed. As the fire started in Pudding Lane and ended at Pie Corner, some
Londoners considered the fire to be divine retribution for their gluttony. The
plinth used to have an inscription in Latin blaming the fire on the Roman
Catholics but this was removed in 1830. Continue along Monument Street,
passing the Monument on your right, until you reach the junction with Pudding
Lane. Turn right and walk down Pudding Lane, then right again at the end into
Lower Thames Street. Cross the road at the lights in front of St Magnus the
Martyr church and walk left along Lower Thames Street until you reach a pathway
just after a building marked St Magnus House / No 3 Lower Thames Street. Follow
this path to the riverfront and turn left. Stop in front of the glass fronted
building with gold-coloured fish ornaments on its roof (Old Billingsgate Fish
Market).
Old Billingsgate Fish Market, Custom House and St
Magnus the Martyr Church
In front of you is the site of the old
Billingsgate Fish Market, which existed here in the Middle Ages. The market
moved to a new site on the Isle of Dogs in 1982 and today the building is used
as a stock market. To the right of it is Custom House. In 979, King
Ethelred levied the first known customs duty in England, but it wasn't until
1275 that the first custom house was built, just east of the present site.
Since then, Custom House has been responsible for collecting taxes on all goods
imported into London. The church you passed is St Magnus the Martyr church.
This church was founded around 1067 and stood at the foot of the old London
Bridge. (In the churchyard lie some of the old stones from the bridge). As
such, it was an important meeting place in medieval times. The original church
burnt down during the Great Fire and was re-built by Wren in 1676. Just
after the old Fish Market building, turn left along Old Billingsgate Walk then
left again at the end, along Lower Thames Street. Walk back to the pedestrian
crossing in front of the church and cross the road, then turn left and walk up
Fish Street Hill, passing Monument on your right. At the top of Fish Street
Hill, turn left along Eastcheap and follow it until you see a pedestrian
underpass (also marked Underground). Take the first set of stairs and at the
bottom turn right, then go straight ahead, following the signs to Cannon
Street. Take the Cannon Street exit, and at street level turn left along Cannon
Street until you reach Laurence Pountney Hill (the third turning on your left).
Turn down Laurence Pountney Hill and just after Suffolk Lane, see the two
merchants' houses at number 1 and 2 (on your right), which were built in 1703.
Return to Cannon Street, cross the road, turn right then shortly turn left
along Abchurch Lane to the junction with King William Street. At King William
Street turn left and continue until you reach Mansion House Place, just after
traffic lights. Follow this lane straight ahead then veer right, opposite a
small churchyard. Stop at the end of the lane, where it joins Walbrook Street,
in front of the church.
Mansion House and St Stephen Walbrook Church
As you walked along Mansion House Place, you
passed along the side of Mansion House, which is a combination of
palace, town hall and law court complete with its own lock-up. Its prime role
is as the official residence of the City's Lord Mayor, who holds office for a
one year term. The building was designed in the 1700's. The church in front of
you is St Stephen Walbrook, another church founded in the eleventh
century, which was burnt down in the Great Fire and re-built by Wren. This
church was also the birthplace of the Samaritans, in 1953.
The City is the oldest part of London and was
already 1,000 years old when the Tower of London was built. It is uniquely
independent from both Westminster and the Crown, has its own local government,
the Corporation of London, and today is mainly a financial centre. It also has
its own police force which is independent of the Metropolitan police, whose
jurisdiction nevertheless surrounds the City. Turn left down Walbrook
Street. Follow it across Cannon Street (where it leads into Dowgate Hill) and
take the second turning on your right, along College Street. Shortly after,
turn right again and walk up College Hill, passing the sites where Dick
Whittington was buried (now a church) and where he lived (now buildings at
numbers 19-20.) Just after the junction with Cloak Lane, turn left along Cannon
Street, cross the road, continue left and turn right along Bow Lane, which is a
small laneway just after a large junction. Follow Bow Lane and turn left at the
junction with Cheapside. Soon after, you will see St Mary-le-Bow Church on your
left.
Dick Whittington, Cockneys and Roman Roads
St Paul's Cathedral
Watling Street is one
of the oldest roads in London. It marks the path of the original Roman road
from Dover to Kent and the border with Wales.
Bread Street was
where (in Norman times) one of the few brothels in the city existed. There was
also a prison here. Famous people born in this area include John Milton and
Governor Arthur Philip, the first governor of Australia. St Paul's was
founded in 604. However, the present building, the fifth on the site, dates
from 1675. It is the second largest cathedral in the world, after St Peter's in
Rome. Construction did not start until 10 years after the Great Fire, which
destroyed the previous structure. This earlier building, begun in 1087, took
200 years to build and was even bigger than the present building, which took 35
years to complete. The cathedral is the most famous work from London's greatest
architect, Sir Christopher Wren (who is buried in it.) However, the building is
not exactly to the Royal-approved design. Wren submitted 3 different designs
for it before his 4th version was eventually agreed. He then assembled large
screens around the construction site to hide development, and proceeded to
build the cathedral to a design different again from that which had been
approved. In 1981, the wedding of Charles and Diana took place here. Other
famous people who are buried in St Paul's include Lord Nelson and the Duke of
Wellington, whose monument took 56 years to complete. In front of the cathedral
there are some wooden posts representing the last City toll gate, built in the
thirteenth century. They mark the old route to Cheapside. The "gate"
is now opened only during ceremonial occasions. Until 1911, St Paul's
Churchyard was the centre of the London book trade, and had been so since
before printing arrived in England in 1476. All new books had to be registered
at the nearby Stationer's Hall, the livery hall of the Stationer's and
Newspaper Maker's Company, which controlled the printing and publishing trades.
St Pauls marks the halfway point on this walk and
you can end it here at nearby St Pauls station. To do so, continue past the
front of the cathedral and turn right, following the signs. To continue the
walk, go past the front of the cathedral then turn up Ava Maria Lane (which
becomes Warwick Lane), passing through Paternoster Square, where the London
Stock Exchange is located. At the end of Warwick Lane, turn left along Newgate
Street, then right at the junction with Giltspur Street. (On your left at this
junction is Old Bailey and the site of Newgate prison, on the corner.)Walk
along Giltspur Street and stop at the junction with Cock Lane, on the left.
Newgate Prison, Old Bailey, the Fat Boy and St
Bart's Hospital
Newgate Prison had
stood on the corner of Old Bailey and Newgate Street since the 12th century. It
was destroyed during the Great Fire of London and re-built only to be finally
demolished in 1902. It was not a pleasant place to be imprisoned within: there
was no ventilation and little water and it was ruled by highly corrupt prison
guards (who made fortunes charging prisoners for "privileges" such as
being freed from shackles.) One of the gates from Newgate prison is on display
at the Museum of London. Old Bailey is the name by which most people
know the Central Criminal Court, which is just down from the corner with
Newgate Street. The first court house on this site was built in 1539 and the
current buildings, which include at their base, stones from Newgate prison,
date from 1907. The buildings were badly damaged during the Blitz in 1942 and
bombed by the IRA in 1973. The court is reserved for trying the most serious
crimes such as murder, and famous trials that have been held here include those
of Oscar Wilde (1895), Dr Crippen (1910) and the Yorkshire Ripper (1981). You
can view details of all criminal trials held at the Old Bailey between 1674 and
1834 on their web site. The church you passed on the corner with Giltspur
Street is St Sepulchure's. Prisoners from Newgate Prison used to pray
here around their open coffins on the morning of their execution. Anatomy
teachers used to buy bodies stolen from here to use in training their students.
Embedded in the side of the building on the
corner of Cock Lane is the famous statue of the Golden Boy of Pye
Corner, commonly known as "the fat boy". This statue marks the
spot where the Great Fire of London ended. In 1241, Cock Lane (owned by St
Paul's Cathedral) became the place where City prostitutes were exiled. Next
door to this building is the headquarters of City and Guilds, an educational
institute established through funding from a group of livery companies, which
initially started as guilds. Across the road and along to your left, you will
see St Bart's Hospital. Bart's (as it is commonly known) was founded in
1123 by an Augustinian monk and was repaired in 1421 by Whittington. It is the
oldest hospital in London and the oldest charitable organisation in London
still on its original site. For those familiar with the Doctor in the House
films and novels, the hospital was used as the model for St Swithin's.
The City is home to 94 different livery
companies, some with names of trades hardly heard of these days, such as
Girdlers, Scriveners, Cutlers, Coopers, Salters, Apothecaries, Cordwainers, Bowyers,
Carmen, Fishmongers and Skinners. These companies were established as trade
guilds in the 12th century
and grew rapidly during medieval times to help manage the business of the city. Originally, each guild fulfilled a range of needs for its members such as ensuring "fair value" through controlling who could work in its trade, setting the prices and wages to be paid to members and ensuring decent working conditions, welfare rights and burials. Today, guilds are still being established to support newer trades and professions, such as marketing. However these days they mainly serve as private educational and charitable organisations, often giving awards and grants to help train people in the industries from which they originally emerged. The wealthier guilds have even funded the creation of university departments and entire colleges. Guild members eventually became known as liverymen because they wore a distinctive livery or uniform. All liverymen still receive the Freedom of the City. Continue along Giltspur Street, then around a roundabout, until you reach Smithfield Street, to your left. Across the road you will see Smithfield Central Market. Continue past it and walk down a road called Little Britain. Follow it to the junction with Montague Street and at the junction, turn right. Cross another road called Little Britain and walk along King Edward Street a short distance until you reach a set of gates on your left, leading into a small park. Enter the park. Smithfield Market and Postman’s Park
Smithfield market is London's largest meat market, employing over 3,000 people. It has
its own police force and early opening pub. During the Middle Ages, it traded
in live horses, pigs and cattle. As a convenient open space near the city
walls, the area was also used in medieval times for tournaments, fairs and, for
over 400 years, executions. Wat Tyler, leader of the Peasant's Revolt of 1381,
was executed nearby, along with many witches and heretics, who were burned,
roasted or boiled alive. William Wallace, also known as Braveheart, was hung,
drawn and quartered at this site (his head being displayed on a spike on London
Bridge.)
Postmans Park is
famous for its hero’s wall. The wall contains plaques to those Londoners,
mostly ordinary citizens and sometimes children, who died while performing acts
of bravery in the 1800's. The park sits beside the church of St Botolph
-without-Aldersgate, where John Wesley converted to Methodism. For
centuries, the main means of trade in London was through markets. In the Middle
Ages, when there were few permanent shops, the rights to hold markets were so
valuable that the king, Edward III, granted the City an exclusive charter to do
so within a seven-mile radius. London's original market was in Cheapside and
its oldest surviving market is Borough market, on the southern side of London
Bridge. Other early London markets include Smithfield and Leadenhall.Continue
through the park, exiting beside the church. Turn left and cross the road, then
turn left again. Soon you will see signs pointing to the Museum of London, and
some escalators on your right. Go up the escalators and follow the signs to the
Museum of London, along the walkway. Pass the entrance to the museum and
continue right, along Bastion Highwalk, until you see part of the old City wall
and the Barbican area on your left. Stop, overlooking part of the London Wall.
London Wall, Barbican Centre and St Giles Church
Turn right, down Wood Street and then left along
Love Lane. After a short distance, turn right along Aldermanbury and follow it
to the end. At the end of the road, on the left hand corner, there is a
building with vehicle barriers leading into a courtyard. Next to the barriers
is a pedestrian passageway. Follow the passageway between the building and the
back of a church (on your right) into the courtyard. Guildhall and St Lawrence Jewry Church
Guildhall is home to the
Corporation of London, the body responsible for governing the City. It has been
the "centre" of local government for the City for over 800 years.
Every year the Lord Mayor hosts an annual dinner here, attended by politicians
and leaders of industry, at which the Prime Minister normally makes a
state-of-the-nation speech. In Roman times, there was an amphitheatre on this
site. It is indicated by a black circle set into the courtyard floor. The
fifteenth century Great Hall was one of the few buildings in the City not to
have been totally destroyed during either the Great Fire or the Blitz, though
it did suffer substantial damage and has been twice restored. The stained glass
windows of the Great Hall show all the mayors of London, including Whittington
(several times.) You can visit Guildhall and see the Great Hall. It is partly
concealed from the road by other Corporation of London offices which
collectively are known as the Guildhall offices. (Love Lane was a medieval red
light area). St Lawrence Jewry Church, which backs onto the Guildhall
courtyard, is so named because during medieval times it stood in the Jewish
quarter of the City. It is now the official church of the Corporation of
London. (Lots of City place names provide clues about the types of
"business" conducted in the city in days of old.) These include
Garlick Hill (where garlic was once sold), Bread Street (where bread was
baked), Milk Street (where milk was sold), Love Lane and Cock Lane (where the
city's brothels were) and Poultry (where those who sold chickens used to live).
Exit the courtyard via the path beside the church (not the path you entered
by), and turn left along Gresham Street. Cross the main junction with Moorgate
and continue ahead along Lothbury, passing Tokenhouse Yard on your left. Turn
right at Bartholomew Lane and stop at the junction with Threadneedle Street.
Bank of England
The building on the corner of Threadneedle Street
is the Bank of England. The bank was established in 1694 to raise money
for war and moved to its present location in 1734. It is commonly known as
"the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street". The underground vaults still
hold Britain's gold reserves. Having had a number of different roles throughout
history, it now acts as the Government's and banker's bank and as the issuer of
British currency. In the 1990's, it was assigned responsibility for setting
interest rates for Britain: a role previously reserved for the Chancellor of
the Exchequer. In 1836 a man found a route from the sewer into the Bullion room
of the Bank. Instead of using this to his advantage, he alerted authorities and
was later rewarded for his honesty. From the late 17th to the 19th century the
Bank issued lottery tickets as a way of raising money to meet state
expenditure. Now, the Government runs a National Lottery to help fund the Arts
and community projects. Tokenhouse Yard, which you passed, is where in the
1600's, tokens were minted and issued whenever coins were in short supply.
Until a few decades ago, the City's pre-eminence as a world financial centre
derived almost entirely from its position as the capital of a great trading
nation whose empire spanned the world. Sterling, backed by gold, was the main
trading currency in the nineteenth century and accounted for a quarter of world
trade as recently as 1939. After the two world wars, the strength of the empire
started to fade. However, despite this, the City continues to be home to
various financial markets including euromarkets, and more than 500 foreign
banks have offices here. It is also one of the world's leading insurance
centres and the leader of the international gold market: "the London gold
fixing" is still a pricing benchmark used throughout the world. Turn
left along Threadneedle Street and follow it to the end. Turn right along
Bishopsgate and immediately cross the road. Continue right and cross the
junction with Leadenhall Street, then soon after, turn left into Leadenhall
Market. Walk straight ahead through the market, exiting to another public road,
and after a short distance, turn left along Lime Street. Stop at the end where
it meets Leadenhall Street.
Leadenhall Market, Lloyd's of London and
"the Gherkin"
Leadenhall market was the most important medieval market in London. It began by selling
poultry and grain. The current market buildings date from 1881 though there has
been a food market on this site since 1300. The location was originally the
site of the Roman forum. Lloyd's business was originally started in
Edward Lloyd's coffee house in Tower Street in the 1680's, where ship owners
would meet wealthy merchants to negotiate insurance cover for their ships.
Because no individual merchant would be willing to cover all the risk of a ship
on their own, brokers established themselves as intermediaries, organising
groups of underwriters to spread the risk. In the 1770's, Lloyd's expanded to
take on other risks in addition to shipping. The company is now a world famous
insurance market. The current Lloyds of London building was built between 1978
and 1986 and is one of the most significant buildings of post-war Britain. The
most striking feature is that all its services (plumbing, heating, lift shafts)
are exposed on the outside of the building, which is particularly remarkable to
observe at night. One traditional feature of the building is the Lutine Bell,
rescued from a ship that sank in 1800 with a cargo of gold. The bell is sounded
to indicate significant events, such as when the Titanic sank. Diagonally
opposite the Lloyd’s Building and behind a church you will see a new building
that because of its design, is known by Londoners as “the gherkin”. It
was designed by Norman Foster and sits on the site of the old Baltic Exchange,
which was destroyed by the IRA in the 1990’s.
Turn right along Leadenhall Street, which becomes
Aldgate. Continue along Aldgate, which in turn becomes Aldgate High Street,
until you reach the Hoop and Grapes pub, on your right.
Hoop and Grapes Pub The oldest surviving pub in London is the Hoop and Grapes pub in
Aldgate High Street, whose foundations date from the 13th century. The present
building was built in the 1600s and it was one of the few to survive the Great
Fire. The cellar supposedly has a tunnel, now sealed off, leading to the Tower
of London.
Before 1830, London's pubs looked like ordinary
houses, usually identified only by signs hanging in front of them. Most had a
series of small rooms with fireplaces and wooden benches and customers were
served at tables. However, after beer duty was abolished in 1830 (to encourage
people to reduce their gin intake), many new pubs opened and they became more
like the taverns around today, with bars and elaborate furnishings.Re-trace
your steps back along Aldgate High Street, which becomes Aldgate, and continue
ahead along Fenchurch Street. Follow Fenchurch Street and turn left down
Fenchurch Place. Just after passing Fenchurch Street station on your left, go
down some steps marked New London Street. Stop at the end of this short road,
facing a church. St Olave's The church in front of you is St
Olave’s. It dates from the fifteenth century, and survived the Great Fire
mainly due to the efforts of the writer Samuel Pepys, who lived and worked
nearby. He had the surrounding wooden buildings destroyed before the fire could
reach them. Pepys is buried in the nave of the church beside his wife. Other
burials include Mother Goose, who was interred in 1586, and Mary Ramsey, the
woman who it is claimed brought the plague to London in 1665. The church was
named St Ghastly Grim by Dickens in his story, The Uncommercial Traveller,
because of the spikes and stone skulls overlooking its churchyard. The
churchyard also has a watch house from which bodysnatchers were chased away. Turn
left along Hart Street then right, down Seething Lane and shortly left along
Pepys Street. Turn right along Savage Gardens and follow it to the end,
emerging opposite a small park (Trinity Square Gardens). Walk through the
gardens to the raised area in front of the exit to Tower Hill tube station and
stop, facing the Tower of London.
Tower of London and Tower Bridge
Pepys lived in Seething Lane, where he
wrote most of his famous diary. It provides the best record known of life in
17th century London. The Tower of London is the most popular tourist attraction
in London and one of the greatest examples of Norman architecture anywhere in
the world. It is steeped in both history and scandal. It was begun by William I
around 1066 and built deliberately just outside the City boundary to warn
potential troublemakers. It was then extended by a number of monarchs until
Edward I, and has been a palace, prison, menagerie, place of execution and
stronghold for the crown jewels. Famous occupants have included Sir Francis
Drake, Anne Boleyn (executed by sword), Sir Walter Raleigh and Rudolph Hess
during the Second World War.
The tower is protected by forty Yeoman Warders
(Beefeaters) and eight flightless ravens, whose departure, legend claims, would
indicate the downfall of England. The Beefeaters live on site and their dogs
and cats are buried in a pet cemetery within the moat of the Tower. The small
"exits" at the bottom of the tower are medieval drainage outlets.
There is an admission
charge and often a long queue to visit the Tower. But you can see parts of it for
free at night by getting tickets in advance to the ancient Ceremony of the
Keys. Tower Bridge was built in 1894 and needs to be raised to enable
tall ships to pass under it. Until 1976, this was performed by steam-driven
Victorian hydraulic machines. It is often mistakenly thought to be London
Bridge by tourists. You can travel to the top of Tower Bridge and also see the
Victorian engine room. (Admission charge). You have now completed this walk
- follow the signs to Tower Hill tube station.
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