London old and new: the London Wall
Did you know there is a Roman wall in the heart of London? It’s just one of many treasures you can stumble upon if you take just a few steps away from the major tourist attractions of the city. Next time you are in London, why not keep your Travelcard in your pocket and take a walk between stations and see what you can find?
We wandered through the city a few days ago and focussed on the area around St Paul’s Cathedral. I was keen to find evidence of the Blitz in the surrounding alleys and buildings, having recently watched an excellent Channel 4 documentary on this topic. On December 29th 1940 the German Luftwaffe bombed this part of London with a terrifying intensity, in an attempt to create a giant firestorm and destroy St Paul’s along with every building in the surrounding area. They very nearly succeeded, and were ultimately thwarted by bad weather and one bombing raid too few (the British learned the lessons from this attempt and perfected the strategy with horrific consequences in Dresden and Berlin).
Tower in London's Wood Street
Now, meandering through the narrow alleys of this part of the city it immediately strikes the observer that the majority of buildings are relatively new. The glass and smooth stone contrast with the old columns and ornate facades of the surviving older buildings, while evidence of restoration and reconstruction is everywhere.
One of the most poignant stories of the Blitz relates to the ferocious fire that swept through Shoe Lane (just off Fleet Street). Here, a fireman was killed when a wall collapsed. His colleague later took up painting as his form of therapy and to provide a visual memory of the horror of that night. Here you can see a copy of his work of art, now housed in the Imperial War Museum Concise Art Collection, alongside the modern day Shoe Lane.
Collapsing Wall, Leonard Rosomer (copyright Imperial War Museum)
The same scene in Shoe Lane today
There are artefacts from long before the war to be found in the same area. On Love Lane for example, you can find a small garden dedicated to Shakespeare, or rather to Heminge and Condell, the two men who chose to first publish his work several years after his death (we learned from the inscription here that Shakespeare had never intended to publish his work at all). The little gardens are only a stone’s throw from the heaving crowds of St Paul’s, their tranquility offering a respite from the chaos of the nearby streets.
Shakespeare memorial, Love Lane
And the wall itself is worth a look. Built in the 2nd century AD, what must be one of London’s oldest surviving structures is surprisingly intact. The wall originally ran for three miles from Blackfriars all the way to the Tower of London, and the section close to St Paul’s offers the best views.
Old Police call box
I’ve only covered a small part of what we saw in one day, and we’ll no doubt return to explore further. So next time you are in London, keep an eye out for the surprises that surround you. There’s something literally around every corner.
I love this post! We were just talking today about walking around London and all there is to see and do without taking the tube!
London is possibly the greatest city in the world to wander around. I am a well travelled Londoner and love it still, after 50 years. Take a look at this book. Suggs and the city, for some great stuff.
At Head to Foot I have just finished writing and recording 2 London audio walks. Full of history and facts. These will be available in the next few weeks at http://www.headtofoot.eu
Great stuff on this blog, Keep it up.
Sean
Top post. 3 wee extra things within a few blocks of Fleet Street…
1. Think you want love Dr Johnsons house Andy – just off Shoe Lane
http://www.drjohnsonshouse.org/
2. Definately worth a climb up to the Whispering Gallery at St Pauls Cathedral – great views
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whispering_gallery
3. Check out the London Stone – it’s just bizarre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Stone
This whole hood is superb when Open House comes along in Spetember – so many buildings normally shut are open http://www.londonopenhouse.org/index.html
Cheers Stu
Walked there yesterday. Great stuff!
Thanks to all for the comments. Good to hear of so many others who enjoy walking through the streets of London. Thanks also for the links, Stuart and Sean. We passed Dr. Johnson’s house, and although it was closed we will visit again, no doubt. The London Stone is added to the list, and I’ve marked the dates of Open House weekend in the calendar. It sounds like an amazing opportunity to see inside the many places we only admire from their facades.
You might enjoy this: http://www.secret-london.co.uk
Great post…makes me want to book a flight right this moment! I love exploring old cities that have new surprises around every corner. One of my future trips is a train journey to European capitals (not sure which ones yet). I can hardly wait. For the time being, I will continue to enjoy my home city of Philadelphia, which has its own litany of surprises.
Thanks for the link Kieran! I could spend hours looking through the stuff on Secret London.
Mary, come over and explore! And you’re right, you’ll find so many surprises not only in European cities but also in US. We lived in NYC and every time we went walking through different neighbourhoods we were surprised by a new discovery. It only requires curiosity!
Great post. London is a real treasure chest. You just need to take your time and discover the various layers of it. This is one of the purposes of our Portrait of a City walk (http://bit.ly/cqv7hi) .
If you are interested in reading more about the Roman walk, take a look at the blog post by our docent/ ancient historian Michael Mulryan : http://bit.ly/axqV6T
Thanks Petulia, and it sounds like a great business. Do you get many clients on your London tours? I enjoyed reading your site, and Michael’s post too. Thanks again.
I love wondering around like that – it’s always surprising the number of Londoners who have no idea what’s lurking on their doorstep! I’m gathering lots of info about unvisited parts of London at the mo and this was a really nice read. Happy to have found you on twitter+here. Thanks!
Thanks for posting Lauren. Hope my London post can help you with your search for information. There’s so much to see in London you could spend a lifetime exploring it.
I’m esp impressed by this old police call box. We don’t have such a box in Austria.
I was surprised to see this too Andreas. And since i saw this one, I’ve now spotted others around the old city of London. It’s full of surprises
hello again. we went on a Shakespeare tour yesterday and I noticed that I have a photo that is almost an exact replica of the one you have taken!! London Wall old and new
how funny.
I have walked this area a number of times and always find something new. How lucky we are to have access to such a fabulous city.
Regards
Cindy
@3days_in_london