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City of London

London's Historic Square Mile London - People and Places


The Mansion House was completed in 1753 and once contained cells - the Lord Mayor is chief magistrate of the City during his time in office.

For centuries the City has ruled itself, for the City is a kingdom to itself in which the Lord Mayor rules with the Mansion House as his home and the Guildhall for public functions. Two areas - Inner Temple and Middle Temple, form part of the City , but are not governed by it - although the Temple lies in the historic Square Mile, it is not of it. Like a kingdom within a kingdom, it owns the land, it stands on and governs itself.

The first Bank of England was set up in 1694.

The Bank of England issues banknotes and holds the nation's gold supply. Known as "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" - figures on its facade and doors include the 'Old Lady'. The Bank's museum has displays illustrating the bank's 300-year-old history.


Prince Henry's Room contains an exhibition about the diarist Samuel Pepys. The half-timbered front next to the Inner temple gateway,is original.

Fleet Street began as the road from the City of London to the City of Westminster. At the east end of the street is where the river Fleet flowed against the medieval walls of London; at the west end is the Temple Bar. Prince Henry's Room was one of the few buildings in the City to survive the Great Fire of London in 1666. The building has a Jacobean ceiling depicting the Prince of Wales feathers.

 A detailed page on this site, dedicated to the Tower of London, can be found in the links below.

The Tower of London, dates from 1097 and is dominated by its White Tower. The Crown Jewels are housed here and are guarded by the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters). The historic Traitors' Gate was used when State prisoners entered the Tower of London.
Legend says if the Tower's ravens leave - the kingdom will fall. The White Tower, Traitor's Gate and Jewel House are amongst the highlights.


The Monument was sited on the approach to old London Bridge and at 62 metre is the tallest, lone stone column in the world.

The Monument to the Great Fire of London was designed by Wren to commemorate the Great Fire of 1666. Crowned by a golden globe rising from the flames, the fluted Doric column contains a spiral staircase - the 311 steps lead to the high balcony, which has views over the City. The story of the fire is recorded around the base of the monument.

 Dr Johnson lived here from 1748 until 1755 and compiled his famous dictionary in the attic of the house, helped by six assistants.

Samuel Johnson [1709 – 1784], simply known as Dr. Johnson, was a critic, lexicographer and one of England's greatest literary figures. He famously compiled the "Dictionary of the English Language" - a first edition of the Dictionary is on display in the house. A bronze monument to Hodge, Dr.Johnson's favourite cat, stands outside the great man's 17th-century, house in Gough Square.


A detail of the frontage of St.Paul's Cathedral.The Dome, Whispering Gallery and West Front Towers are among the highlights.

Sir Christopher Wren was given the task of rebuilding the churches of the city after the Great Fire of London, of which more than 20 still survive. St Pauls Cathedral, Wren's masterpiece, still dominates the city - even if it has to compete with the blight of the ugly tower blocks which surround it. Christopher Wren's epitaph, in Latin, appears beneath the dome: 'Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you.'

A full page on the Old Bailey can be found on this site here

Built on the site of the notorious Newgate prison, where public executions took place, the Old Bailey is the new Central Criminal Court.

Places to see in the City of London:

Fleet Street    The Monument   Museum of London    Bank of England   The Tower of London  The Old Bailey  The Guildhall  Temple Church  St. Paul's Cathedral

 


The City of London has no large parks within its boundary, but it does have a large number of gardens and small open spaces. These range from formal gardens (Finsbury Circus),containing a bowling green and bandstand, to churchyards such as one belonging to the church of St Olave, Hart Street. Water features and artwork can also be found in some of the courtyards and pedestrianised lanes of the City of London


    Gardens include:


  1. Barber-Surgeon's Hall Garden - London Wall
  2. Cleary Garden - Queen Victoria Street
  3. Finsbury Circus - Blomfield Street or London Wall or Moorgate
  4. Jubilee Garden - Houndsditch
  5. Portsoken Street Garden - Portsoken Street or Goodman's Yard
  6. Postman's Park - Aldersgate or King Edward Street
  7. Seething Lane Garden - Seething Lane
  8. St Dunstan-in-the-East - St Dunstan's Hill or Idol Lane
  9. St Mary Aldermanbury - Aldermanbury
  10. the churchyard of St Olave Hart Street - Seething Lane
  11. St Paul's Churchyard - St Paul's Cathedral
  12. West Smithfield Garden - West Smithfield
  13. Whittington Gardens - College Street or Upper Thames Street

    14. Two of the largest private gardens are those of the Inner Temple and Middle Temple Inns of Court, in the far southwest of the City.

The City of London Information Centre


St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8BX
Opening hours are 09:30-17:30, Mon to Sat; 10:00-16:00 Sun
Nearest tube station - St Paul's (Central Line), Mansion House (District & Circle)
Buses to St Paul's Churchyard are 4, 11, 15, 17, 23, 26, 76, 100, 172

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