City gates…. A Wander

[snelly]

With Aldgate behind us, we can wander along, just looking at the buildings:

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All over City there are blue plaques, recording what used to stand on the site. It’s got me wondering whether there is a list of them? If so, I’ll get it and try to see them all.

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If nothing else, a little Google tells you about the livery company that occupied the site:

Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers

The guild was first chartered in 1568. For Tyler, read Tiler not Taylor, and the connection makes sense. The 1666 Great Fire of London initially appeared to be good for the Company due to a Royal Proclamation regarding rebuilding work and requiring the use of bricks and tiles instead of timber...

www.londonremembers.com

Of course buildings today are much less reliant on tylers and bricklayers. This is the redevelopment of the site of the former Commercial Union building. The building encased in white will, when finished, be enormous at 310 metres tall (the same height as The Shard) and - along with The Shard - be the joint tallest building in Western Europe:

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They were busy testing the driverless cars:

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On past the Gherhkin, which now looks small compared with its neighbours:

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I have worked in the City for over half my life. I can remember the Nat West tower being topped off. It used to dominate the City but now, like the Gherkin, it is dwarfed by the new structures:

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But, as it’s the City (and London) the old continues to meet the new. This is St Helen’s church, the site being a church from around the year 1210:

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It also serves as a church for the new influx of Chinese residents:

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St Helen's Bishopsgate

Building, history, VR, 3D

www.st-helens.org.uk

Gate 2 - Bishopsgate

We are now getting close to the site of the Bishops Gate and can stand near enough where it stood:

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Bishopsgate | The History of London

Bishopsgate was the original gate of London on the road heading in the direction of Lincoln and the north-east of England.

www.thehistoryoflondon.co.uk

Then turn westwards to follow the line of the wall, along the modern road (London Wall):

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The St Helens Church site with it's mixtures of building material looks interesting; hard to discribe it as a bodge but it's fair to say there looks a bit of all far flung Britain in it ; your doing London proud again; .

 

[Greg Masters]

Until I saw the map, I had never twigged that there is a New Gate and an Old Gate.

 

[LOLGEOFF]

New Gate

Pronounced as Noogit, as "as black as Noogit's knocker".

 

[LOLGEOFF]

A bit about the City of London’s coat of arms:

Coat of arms of the City of London - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Heraldry in itself is interesting, at least to me. I have always wanted to visit the College of Arms, just south of St Paul’s cathederal.I should make the effort to go:

The College of Arms | The Heraldry Society

www.theheraldrysociety.com

And on the ancient 25 Wards that make up the City’s square mile:

Ward elections and ward lists - City of London

An overview of the Ward voting system

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

It's surprising how far outside the City where the coat of arms can be found. Coal Tax Posts pop up in some of the remotest parts and I used to see quite a few on my travels round the Home Counties.

Coal-tax post - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I have recently found the found this website showing the location of the Coal Tax Posts nicely split up into walking routes. If I still had knees that didn't give up after a couple of miles I would definitely have a crack at Circuit 23 although I have seen most of these.

Here's a challenge for a Wander Richard have a go at all of them. You shouldn't be too far from a pub if it's important, some of them might be a bit rough round the edges though.

Coal Tax Circuit

Travel through the outer areas of London, and you are likely to come across little white cast-iron posts with the City of London shield. These were erected in the 1860s, along with other markers in…

lwalks.london

 

[Wapping]

There used to be quite a nice old sign in Lime Street EC3, recording the site of a coal tax office. Some uncaring redeveloper removed and didn’t replace it. A little bit of history wiped out.

 

[Wapping]

Here's a challenge…..

I’ll certainly take a look. It might be something for my bicycle.

 

[Wapping]

The St Helens Church site with it's mixtures of building material looks interesting; hard to discribe it as a bodge but it's fair to say there looks a bit of all far flung Britain in it ; your doing London proud again; .

It’s the largest surviving parish church in the City and amongst the very few to have survived the Great Fire (1666) and the Blitz (1940) which between them destroyed so many.

As it’s so old, it’s been altered greatly over the years.

It was very badly damaged in the two IRA bomb outrages that hit the City.

 

[The Other PaulG]

Great write up Richard, pls do you have a photo of this with the text legible?

 

[Jockser]

Enjoying this. A Wander is always a great way for us foreigners to learn a bit about London

 

[Wapping]

Great write up Richard, pls do you have a photo of this with the text legible?

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It’s not too clear, as the sun was very bright.

That said, it recognises the fallen of the Great War, that served in the London Brigade Royal Field Artillery.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Fabulous and fascinating. Thank you.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

I was in That London last Saturday, this caught my eye as I was walking along....




An underground tram. Who knew?

 

[Steptoe]

I was in That London last Saturday, this caught my eye as I was walking along....


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An underground tram. Who knew?

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Used by the post office up until quite recently ..

 

[Wapping]

Used by the post office up until quite recently ..

I thought Post Office used a different route / railway system for their trains?

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

I thought Post Office used a different route / railway system for their trains?

There's definitely a Post Office railway tour available.

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/74189-postal-museum-and-mail-rail

 

[Jockser]

There's definitely a Post Office railway tour available.

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/74189-postal-museum-and-mail-rail

That sounds like it could be fun

 

[Wapping]

That sounds like it could be fun

TfL and the associated museums, have a whole bunch of things on offer. The ‘hidden tunnels / lost stations tour’ is good.

 

[ChasMill]

Richard, referencing the memorial plaque on the drinking fountain sited in the now-pedestrianised portion of Houndsditch:

Frederick David Mocatta - Wikipedia https://share.google/wC6i9YhTQ9LvRT5yx

Mocatta's book is still available (for example, on Amazon).

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One of his descendants is also called David Mocatta and was one of my father’s great friends. He founded an insurance broker called Beresford Mocatta and is godfather to my sister.

 

[Steptoe]

I thought Post Office used a different route / railway system for their trains?

I thought they also used part of the Aldwych tunnel.
The main post office underground railway at Mount Pleasant by Roseberry Avenue runs underneath my ex brother-in-laws house near Amwell street, you could hear it in his house

 

[Wapping]

One of his descendants is also called David Mocatta and was one of my father’s great friends. He founded an insurance broker called Beresford Mocatta and is godfather to my sister.

I thought you’d know, Charlie.

Thank you.