City of London Self Guided Walk

Stage 1 Tower of London To The Bank Of England

Tower Bridge

City Of London Self Guided Walk Stages

 1 - TOWER OF LONDON
TO BANK OF ENGLAND
 2 - BANK TO
ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL
 3 - GLOBE THEATRE
TO TOWER BRIDGE

The walk is a circular walk so it doesn't matter really where you start. We have chosen to start at
Tower Hill Underground Station, opposite the Tower of London, so you could start here after a
morning visit.
Much of this walk is within the old City of London, the original conurbation when it had a city
wall. In the City itself the place is a ghost town at weekends, so you may choose to do this
section of the walk during a working day.

The London Icons

Walk
City Of London Walk
The Kensington Walk
The Shopping Walk

Starting Out From Tower Hill

Simply follow the signs over to the Tower of London, descending on the western side of the
Tower to the main entrance. There are well maintained public toilets here too.

We have a dedicated page for the Tower of London.

The Tower of London marked the south eastern point of the city wall, where it met the river that
formed London's southern boundary. The Tower of London is strategically placed to guard
against possible enemies, most liable to approach London coming up the River Thames from the
sea.

The Romans, about 2,000 years ago were the first to establish London as a city as we would
know it today. As now, London then was built on trading and commerce.

Descending to the riverfront, the patch of the River Thames in front of you between Tower
Bridge and London Bridge, (the next bridge westwards) is known as the Pool of London. This
was the original port of London. At that time the river was much wider than it is now and the
opposite bank was just marshland.

London Bridge was the original bridge that forded the River Thames, the first crossing point
from the sea. For a long time until 1750, London Bridge was the only bridge across the Thames,
partly because of the vested interest opposition of the ferrymen that earned a living plying from
bank to bank.

The London Bridge in front of you is only about 30 years old, its predecessor was sold and
shipped as a tourist attraction to Lake Havusa, Arizona.

If you are not doing the full walk you might want to go and explore Tower Bridge more closely.
Tower Bridge is a relative newcomer, only opened in 1894. Otherwise turn away from Tower
Bridge and follow the river path of the north bank westwards. Follow the river path, until you
approach London Bridge.

The Monument
 The Monument

Turn right just before London Bridge. Take care to cross the busy road that parallels the river,
then climb up Fish Street Hill on the opposite side of the road. Fish Street Hill is the first road
northwards for traffic coming East from Westminster after crossing under London Bridge. Keep
to the right hand side of the road the short way until the road bends left. On this bend to your
right is the Monument.

In 1666 there was the Great Fire of London, destroying much of London. The Monument is a
memorial to that event, its height 205 feet, is the same as the distance to the bakers shop in
neighbouring Pudding Lane where the fire started. The Monument is the tallest stone column in
the world, topped by a vase of flames. It was designed by Christopher Wren who also was
responsible for St Paul's Cathedral which we visit later in the walk.

If you're fit enough you can walk up inside the column for a great view from the top and a well
earned certificate.

Head east, (back in the direction of the Tower of London) along Monument Street. In a few
yards the first road crossing on Monument Street is Pudding Lane itself. Turn left, up Pudding
Lane. The fire that started here destroyed 15,000 homes and 87 churches, much of the city area
in 5 days.
 The Gherkin

Lloyds of London

At the top of Pudding Lane, turn right along Eastcheap, then first left up Philpot Lane. In a short
while you encounter Fenchurch Street, go straight over. Philpot Lane has become Lime Street.

Follow Lime Street as it bends right and then left. The unmistakable Lloyds of London building
now dominates your attention.

Looking a bit like the Pompidou Centre in Paris, this 1986 building has all its pipes, ducts and
lifts on the outside of the building. Originating from a coffee house in the 1860's, Lloyds is now
the world's leading insurance market, covering the most complex and specialist risks, from
celebrities body parts to oil rigs.

The Gherkin (Swiss RE Building)

After continuing past the Lloyds building, the main road crossing is Leadenhall Street. Almost
opposite is St Mary Axe Street. From the corner of St Mary Axe opposite the church you have a
grandstand view of the 'Erotic Gherkin' or the Swiss Re building.

This is a new building completed in 2004 for Swiss Re, the second largest insurance company in
the world. It is now one of the icons of the London skyline. It is not the tallest building, but its 41
floors has captured the imagination of the public.

Now retrace your steps, back along Leadenhall Street and turn left into the next road after the
Lloyds building, Whittington Avenue.

Leadenhall Market

Whittington Avenue leads into the Leadenhall Market complex, a visually very impressive
Victorian Market dating from 1881.

The market stands on the site of a Roman basilica. The original market was burnt down in the
Fire of London and was then expanded to sell poultry, dairy goods, leather, wool and meat.

Leadenhall Market

It now contains a wide variety of shops and bars. Wander around, a nice place to browse the
specialist shops and perhaps take a coffee break.
Make your exit on the western side of the market in Gracechurch Street, the opposite side to your
entrance into the market. Turn right up Gracechurch Street to the first main crossroad.

Turn left into Cornhill and follow it for 800m to Bank Underground. Along the way your
curiosity will be aroused by the alleys and interesting side lanes. You will be rewarded if you
follow your nose down alleys and into churches in a very atmospheric part of London, the oldest.

Just return to Cornhill from your adventures.

St Peter upon Churchill Church on the south side of Cornhill is the oldest place of Christian
worship in London.

We left stage 1 of our walk from the Tower of London to Bank arriving at Bank along Cornhill.

Royal Exchange

Bank is a major intersection of roads with an underground station, Bank. On the corner by the
eastern side of Cornhill is the most imposing building on this junction, the Royal Exchange,
pictured right.

The current Royal Exchange building with its 8 imposing columns was built in 1842. It is no
longer used for its original purpose, trading, instead it is a luxury shopping centre.

Mansion House

Opposite the Royal Exchange on the other side of the junction is Mansion House, with a similar
grand entrance of columns.

The Mansion House is the home of the Lord Mayor of the City of London, (note as distinct from
the Mayor of London), providing not only living and working space for the Lord Mayor and his
household but also room for large ceremonial entertainment's and banquets.

The audience are the grandees of the City around you, mostly financial. The City of London has
always been very powerful, financing trade on which England prospered and today is one of the
main financial centres of the world. The Finance Minister of the UK will often use use the
banquets of the City of London to make political statements on the economy. The building like
much else around was built soon after the Fire of London, with the Mayor moving in in 1752.
Unfortunately you cannot walk in off the street to look around.

Bank of England
The most important building at Bank is the Bank of England, the building itself is unremarkable
compared with some of its neighbours. The function of the bank today is to design and issue
banknotes, store gold and act as the governments banker. The Bank of England has an interesting
museum, which has free entrance but is only open Monday to Friday.

So go down Threadneedle Street, the street to the left of the Royal Exchange and take the first
turning left, Bartholemew Lane. The museum entrance is on the left hand side down
Bartholemew Lane.

Guildhall

Guildhall

After visiting the Bank of England Museum, continue down to the end of Bartholemew Lane,
then turn left into Lothbury. Follow Lothbury, which quickly becomes Gresham Street.

The fifth turning on your right is Guildhall Yard, the one after Basinghall Street. Guildhall Yard
leads you into an open square.

Guildhall is at the eastern end of the square, pictured right. This is the administrative
headquarters of the City of London, the City's local authority for over 800 years.

Guildhall is also used for the presentation of the Booker Prize, the best known literary prize in
the UK. Guildhall is open free of charge to the public when it is not being used for events.
Adjacent to Guildhall is its art gallery, for which there is an admission charge.
 Lord Mayors Coach
Museum Of London

Museum of London

Exit the square at its western end, opposite the Guildhall itself into Aldermanbury, turning right.
Then turn left into Love Lane, then immediately right into Wood Lane, then left again along a
major road, (London Wall).

Continue to the roundabout about 200m down the road.

The London Museum is one of the most well hidden museums in London. You are now
surrounded by tall modern buildings. The London Museum is physically in an elevated position
up above the north eastern corner of the roundabout.

Best strategy is just to follow the signs to the museum along the maze of walkways.

The museum itself is open 7 days a week and has free entrance. It has over a million exhibits
telling the story of London and is very professionally done. There is also a section of the original
London Wall.
 St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral

On leaving the London Museum you want to descend to the southern exit of the roundabout
below, the road is called St Martin's Le Grand. Follow this road for about 300m until you come
to a major intersection with St Paul's Underground Station.

Cross over to the south western corner of the intersection and then make your way around to St
Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral is the UK's major cathedral and setting for many state occasions including
royal weddings. The dome is the masterpiece of the building, erected after the Fire of London.
We have a dedicated St Paul's Cathedral page.

On leaving St Paul's make your way to the south side of the cathedral, Cannon Street. There is a
tourist office here and close by a wide pedestrian thoroughfare descending down to the River
Thames.

Follow this wide pedestrian way which leads onto the Millenium Footbridge across the River
Thames. The bridge is a pedestrian only suspension bridge built for the year 2000 celebrations. It
become famous due to the fact that the walkway swayed so much it was deemed unsafe and shut
down. The bridge has now reopened and offers a rigid platform to cross the River Thames
without the noise of traffic.

On the other side of the bridge is the Tate Modern Art Gallery and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
We left stage 2 of our walk crossing the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's Cathedral over to the
south bank of the Thames.

Two buildings will have caught your eye on the opposite south bank of the River Thames as you
crossed the bridge. The large square building is the Tate Modern Art Gallery, a former electricity
generating station for London.

Slightly to the left is the medieval building of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

Tate Modern Art Gallery

Tate Modern is the national gallery of international modern art and also houses a collection of
British art from the 1500s. The buildings vast size becomes apparent when you enter via the
dramatic turbine hall which is 152 metres long!

The collection of modern and contemporary art represents all the major movements from
Fauvism. It includes important masterpieces by both Picasso and Matisse and surrealist works by
DalÃ, Ernst, Magritte and Mirò.

Like many of London's largest art galleries, the Tate is free to enter. We have a dedicated page
looking at London's art galleries.

Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in
1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by
fire. The modern reconstruction of the Globe Theatre in front of you was opened in 1997.

The theatre puts on plays in a season that normally runs from May to October and sometimes
over the Christmas period. Just like the original, the cheap seats are standing. Tours of the theatre
and an exhibition are available at all times of the year.

Once you have visited either or both the Globe and Tate follow the river eastward back towards
Tower Bridge along the pedestrian path. A little way after the Globe Theatre is a riverside pub to
refresh you for the final sector of the walk. This whole area up to Tower Bridge was recently just
a district of old warehouses, but in recent years has been rejuvenated into a very attractive
district, very atmospheric in places and full of interest.

The path goes under Southwark Bridge. You may see signs for Vinopolis, a rather out of context
tourist attraction down a side road offering wine tours.

Clink Street

The path then veers a little inland into a very atmospheric, cobbled lane, Clink Street.
The Clink Prison Museum is on the site of the original Clink Prison ("possibly the oldest men's
prison and probably the oldest women's prison in England") which held prisoners from the early
Tudor years until 1780. Shakespeare visited an old school friend here.

Golden Hind

Golden Hind

You soon rejoin the river and come across St Mary Overy's Wharf, in which a replica of the
Golden Hind resides in dry dock.

Drake left Plymouth in 1577, the aim of the voyage was for Drake and his men to be the first
Englishmen to circumnavigate the globe.

Queen Elizabeth I gave Drake a charter granting him permission to attack and loot ships
belonging to England’s enemies – in effect the Spanish.

Due to this charter, Drake and his men regarded themselves as privateers, not pirates –
however, unsurprisingly the Spanish took a different view and regard him as a pirate to this day.
There is a self guided tour of the ship available.

Southwark Cathedral

The path now bends inland again around a building. On turning the corner, Southwark Cathedral
is right in front of you. This historic old cathedral can be visited, there is no admission charge but
donations are urged.

William Shakespeare is commemorated by a window and statue in the South Aisle.

You are now coming across London Bridge, the original bridging point of the Thames from
2,000 years ago, (see first stage of walk).

Cross over the busy approach road to London Bridge and take Tooley Street, parallel to the river.
London Bridge railway station is over on your right, there is a very atmospheric basement with
shops here.

London Dungeon

London Dungeon

On your right is the London Dungeon, consisting of a series of set scenes reproducing chilling
aspects of medieval London aimed at kids.

The London Dungeon is a more gruesome version of Madame Tussaud's. The attraction consists
of a series of set scenes reproducing chilling aspects of medieval London. Expect lots of
darkness, dripping water, skeletons, caged rats, tolling bells etc. to add to the atmosphere.

Naturally there are scenes of torture in all its variations.

All are brought to life with special effects very well done, originally conceived for film and TV.
Actors add life to the displays and among other things may sentence you personally to death.

Now, carry on along Tooley Street past the London Dungeon. Soon after coming to Hay's
Galleria, a modern shopping mall. Walk through the shopping centre to the river on the other
side.

HMS Belfastl

HMS Belfast

Turn right along Queens Walk by the river, Tower Bridge takes your attention. The warship you
would have noticed from the opposite bank in stage 1 of the walk is HMS Belfast.

HMS Belfast is a former Royal Navy cruiser from the 2nd World War. Since 1971, it has been
used as a floating Museum.

GLA Building

Next, the modernistic round glass building just before Tower Bridge is the Greater London
Authority building. Home of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

Members of the public may visit parts of the building Mondays to Fridays.

Tower Bridge

Climb up the steps to Tower Bridge and walk across. The bridge is a visitor attraction which you
can tour inside. The entrance is at the tower at the Tower of London side of the bridge, on the
side facing the Tower of London.

Complete the walk by walking to the end of the bridge and around the Tower of London to
Tower Hill Underground Station.