NOVEMBER WALK

Have you ever been to ROTHERHITHE? If the answer is no then now is your chance to put that right. The first of the winter walks is to this area South of the river and takes in some of new development in Dockland as well as some of the old riverside area that has links going back to the Mayflower and the Pilgim fathers.

Make a note of the date for this walk. It's FRIDAY, 28TH NOVEMBER 2009 and starts from Canada Water Station (Jubilee Line) at 11.00 am. If you want to come along then let me know. david@londonfootsteps.co.uk

THINK OF THE ROMANS WHEN VISITING STRATFORD!

There's less than four years to go. By the Spring of 2012, London will be one of the most-talked about cities in the world and when the Olympic Games finally get underway, the global media coverage will be extraordinary. I'm wondering though. What are we actually doing to make sure that London is ready to show off its full historical and traditional potential.

I recently went on an an organised trip to the Stratford site. If you get a buzz from seeing construction sites, trucks with huge wheels, men in hard hats - then this was just the place to go. I was more interested to see how much the area had changed since my last visit three years ago.

It was a total transformation. There was not an inch of greenery on the site whereas my the photographs I took back in 2005 pictured the place as a wild-life haven - and a graveyard for smashed and burned-out cars. Can't expect much else really - but we have lost a slice of East London that was fascinating in a grotty sort of way.

Come 2012 it will be bristling with gleaming, modern buildings and sports facilities. The change will be far greater than Barack Obama is currently promising for the United States. What happens to the site afterwards is another story - but it will certainly not be anything like it was in 2005. There is one doubt, however; back then there were signs everywhere of dereliction and vandalism. We can't be sure - but it's not unusal to see Olympic venues drifting into decay and becoming eyesores and a drain on the finances of local authorities.

Remember what happened to London - Londinium - after the Roman Empire collapsed at the start of the 5th century AD. London was abandoned and over the next 100 years the City became deserted; buildings collapsed; the streets were overgrown and only occasional nomadic tribes inhabited the place. Let's hope we won't be recalling this story in the years following the 2012 Olympics!

Twenty years ago, no-one would have metioned Stratford and the Olympic Games in the same conversation. It just wasn't a talking point. Now it's a regular feature acoss the media and by the time the Games open it will be the major event of the decade for this country. Will we be ready to cope with all the hype, organisation and millions of visitors? Of course we will - but I just wonder how many people still believe that "it will all come right on the day". Complacency may prove to be disastrous.

VISITORS FROM BELGIUM

It's always a pleasure to show friends from other countries around the City of London - especially when they want to discover some of the hidden secrets of the Square Mile. Too often we concentrate on the major tourist attractions - Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London - so a walk round the alleyways and passages of the City sometimes seems less exciting.

Tony, Ann, Yves and Thomas Doutreligne came from Ghent in Belgium recently and had a special request - to see some of the modern buildings in the City. We had a great walk ... and I hope they come back sometime to see and learn more about the City of London.

WHERE WILL THEY DIG UP THE MISSING LETTER?

Just a quickie. Anyone who comes to London to improve their English - and there are millions who do - may be puzzled by some of the strange spelling mistakes that appear on signs and notices around the capital. Take this one which was displayed on the Thames Path by the Tower of London. Oh dear! Off with their head!

PROGRAMME OF GUIDED WALKS

AUGUST-OCTOBER 2008

Join DAVID WILLIAMS, your official City of London guide, on the new season of walks. Some of the old favourites are included and there are walks to some unusual yet fascinating parts of London.

Have a look at the programme and book your place now. Group numbers vary between 10 and 25 people. You can meet us at Leigh-on-Sea Station or it may be more convenient for you to join the group in London.

The cost is just £5 for the walk, pay on the day.


Friday 1st August 2008

STROLLING AROUND SOUTHWARK

It’s not all about William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre. As we move through the narrow streets and passage-ways you will hear stories about Charles Dickens, the Marshalsea Prison, Thomas Guy, founder of Guy’s Hospital and the grimy industrial conditions of the 19th century before finishing up on the riverside and learning more about saucy Southwark and ‘Winchester Geese’.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.15 am or outside W.H.Smith the newsagents on the concourse of London Bridge Station at 11 am

Friday, 15th August 2008

WAPPING AND THE THAMES RIVER POLICE MUSEUM

This ever-popular walk around Wapping never fails to amaze those who think of this area as a forgotten, uninteresting part of the capital. You won’t be disappointed. The old docks are now housing estates but this is where you hear about the exploits of Captain Bligh, the painter J.M.W. Turner and Captain Kidd the pirate. The visit to the Police Museum takes you back to an age when Wapping was notorious for crime, poverty and disease. Now it costs over £1 million to buy a penthouse with a river view.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.15 a.m. or 10.45 a.m. or outside Tower Hill underground station.


Monday 8th September 2008

INK SPOTS

Fleet Street will always be remembered for printing empires and great writers But the newspapers have moved to gleaming temples of technology in Docklands and we are left with memories. This walk is about the men and women who have appeared in print over centuries – and a visit to the journalists’ church, St Brides – is the highlight of the walk.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.30 am or in the booking hall of Blackfriars Underground Station at 11 a.m.




Saturday, 20th September 2008

INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY

The City – or Square Mile - has been the financial heart of Britain since the Romans established Londinium nearly 2,000 years ago. Today, it is in the grip of the biggest construction boom since the War - so finding the hidden history down alley-ways and narrow streets is a challenging aspect of this walk. At the weekend, when the streets are quiet, it’s a chance to re-discover some of that history.

Meet at 9.30 a.m. at Leigh-on-Sea Station or outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station at 10.30 a.m.


Friday 3rd October 2008

‘ORRIBLE HOLBORN

It is hard to imagine that Holborn, on the western edge of the City, was an overcrowded, squalid area with a reputation for hard-drinking, prostitution and crime. Today, it is closely associated with publishing and the legal profession but behind the modern office blocks are some intriguing stories.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.15 a.m. or in the booking-hall of Chancery Lane Station (Central Line) at 11 am.

Monday, 13th October 2008

ROTHERHITHE AND DOCKLANDS

This area south of the river is now re-named Surrey Quays. The transformation since the Surrey Commercial Docks were closed in the 1980s is startling yet the maritime traditions live on. It was from here that the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for America and the first underwater tunnel was built by the Brunels. It was badly bombed in the Second World War but the heritage was not destroyed.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.15 a.m. Those joining at Rotherhithe should meet at Canada Water Station (Jubilee Line) at 11 a.m.

Friday, 31st October 2008

MURDER, MEAT AND MEDICINE

The walk starts near Smithfield meat market and you won’t be surprised to learn that this was also a place of hangings, riots and bawdy entertainment. The surgeons and doctors at nearby St Bart’s Hospital, founded in the 12th century, were always busy but their skill has saved many lives over the past 900 years. There’s also a chance to visit the Hospital museum with its famous Hogarth wall murals.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.15 a.m. or outside the Barbican Station (Circle and Metropolitan Line) at 11 a.m.

LONDON FOOTSTEPS:

Email: info@londonfootsteps.co.uk

David Williams: Tel: 01702 710232 Mobile: 07831 857382

TRADITION LIVES ON - AND WHY NOT!

The Lord Mayor of the City of London meets the Master of the Carmen's Company

As the City of London faces up to the credit crunch, stagflation and a falling Stock Market, take a moment to think about some of the strange and fascinating ceremonies that have origins that go back over centuries. This week there have been two or them - the Knollys Rose Ceremony in Seething Lane and Cart Marking in Guildhall Yard.

What relevance do they have with life in 21st century London? I believe the answer is everything. They demonstrate that the City has a rich and varied history based on traditions and values that are just as important as they were back in the days when the City was, as it is now, the world's leading financial and mercantile centre.

To find out more about the ceremonies themselves have a look at the web sites of All Hallows by the Tower http://www.allhallowsbythetower.org.uk/ and the Carmen's Livery company http://www.thecarmen.co.uk/ They rarely make the pages of the tourist brochures but can add a touch of intrigue and colour to the City streets.

Sir Robert Knollys went off to fight with John of Gaunt in the 14th century leaving his wife to live in a City that was over-crowded and dirty. It wasn't much fun - but she purchased a house in Seething Lane and had a bridge built across the road to the open ground opposite and so avoided meeting the 'great unwashed' passing outside her front door.

The bridge didn't have ' planning permission', but Sir Robert was a loyal servant of the crown so his wife was asked for a nominal rent to keep the bridge - one red rose annually.

The bridge has long since gone but the garden became associated with Samuel Pepys who lived and worked in the area in the 17th century. Today the Watermen and Lightermen Company organise the annual Knollys Rose event to remember a man and his wife who showed respect and devotion to the monarch.

The cart making ceremony is a reminder of the time when all wheeled vehicles on the streets of the City had to be licensed by the Carmen's Company...an early version of the congestion charge! It is a parade of vehicles, old and new, some horse-drawn, and each is honoured with a special 'branded mark' on a special plate fitted to the vehicle. This time it was carried out by the Lord Mayor, David Lewis.

EARLY SUMMER WALKS IN THE CITY

The programme of walks for May-July is now available - a mix of old favourites and something new. There are visits to the SANDYS ROW SYNAGOGUE and DRAPERS HALL, a chance to see the old CART-MARKING CEREMONY at Guildhall and a new walk, HOW ABOUT HOLBORN?

If you want to know more about how you can book a place on these walks then just contact DAVID WILLIAMS. Don't waste a minute. Numbers are limited and it works on a pre-booking first come-first served principle.

Thursday, 22nd May 2008

SECRET CITY GARDENS
London in late Spring is when the colours of nature transform the streets, squares and alleyways. The window boxes are in bloom and the Corporation Parks Department work overtime to maintain the 150 green spaces and churchyards that are so important in a City that is continually changing and growing. Come and see for yourself!

Meet at 9.15 a.m. at Leigh-on-Sea Station or 11 am at the ticket barrier of Platform 11 at Liverpool Street Station.

Tuesday, 27th May 2008

THE JEWS AND THE CITY
A visit to the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in England, Sandys Row, will start this visit to the Spitalfields area. Since coming to Britain with the Norman invaders, the Jews have been an integral part of London’s financial and commercial life and their history is a feature of this walk on the fringes of the City. This walk will cost £7.

Meet at 9.00 a.m. at Leigh-on-Sea Station or 10.30 am at the ticket barrier of Platform 11 at Liverpool Street Station.

Wednesday, 4th June 2008

MURDER, MEAT AND MEDICINE
The walk starts near Smithfield meat market and you won’t be surprised to learn that this was also a place of hangings, riots and bawdy entertainment. The surgeons and doctors at nearby St Bart’s Hospital, founded in the 12th century, were always busy but their skill has saved many lives over the past 900 years. There’s also a chance to visit the Hospital museum with its famous Hogarth wall murals.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station 9.15 a.m. or outside the entrance to
Barbican Station at 11 am.

Monday, 9th June 2008

VISIT TO DRAPERS HALL
The history and role of the Livery companies are little-known to outsiders but have played a significant part in the development of the City of London since the 13th century. The Drapers are one of the 108 companies that still flourish and you will not be disappointed by seeing the grandeur and opulence of their building in the heart of the City. This visit and short walk will cost £8

Meet at 9.00 a.m. at Leigh-on-Sea Station or 10.15 am at the ticket barrier of the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station.

Wednesday, 18th June 2008

CART-MARKING CEREMONY (Guildhall Yard)
Some of the ceremonies and traditions of the City seem like a throwback to another age – and this is one of them. Cart-marking began in 1681 when carts and ‘carrs’ required a licence – or mark - from the Common Council and the ancient ceremony, held annually by the Worshipful Company of Carmen - survives as another curious reminder of the City’s long and eventful history.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.00 a.m. or 10.00 a.m. outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station.

Thursday, 3rd July 2008

ROTHERHITHE AND DOCKLANDS
This area south of the river is now re-named Surrey Quays. The transformation since the Surrey Commercial Docks were closed in the 1980s is startling yet the maritime traditions live on. The Pilgrim Fathers set sail for America and the first underwater tunnel in the worldwas built by the Marc Brunel and his son. We also visit a Norwegian church for coffee and waffles!

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.15 a.m. Those who want to join at Rotherhithe should meet at Canada Water Station (Jubilee Line) at 11 a.m.

Wednesday, 9th July 2008

HOW ABOUT HOLBORN?
It is hard to imagine that Holborn, on the western edge of the City, was an overcrowded, squalid area with a reputation for hard-drinking, prostitution and crime. Charles Dickens lived in the area and was shocked by what he saw happening on his doorstep. Today, it is closely associated with publishing and the legal profession but behind the modern office blocks are some intriguing stories.
Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station 9.15 a.m. or in the booking-hall of Chancery Lane Station (Central Line) at 11 am

SECRETS OF ROTHERHITHE

If you ever wanted to be convinced about the fascination of London then go and explore those areas of the capital that rarely get a mention in the guide books. Take Rotherhithe for example, just a mile down from Tower Bridge, along Tooley Street and Jamaica Road, and there you find an area that was once alive with ship-building and repairing, cargoes being loaded and unloaded and all the activity associated with a riverside community.

Before the second World War, the area was a maze of docks. When they finally closed in the 1970s and became derelict, Rotherhithe faced a grim future. But the transformation has been remarkable; most of the docks have been filled in and replaced with houses and shops. Surrey Quays is a paradise for shopaholics.



But massive redevelopment has not obliterated all the memories. The streets and some of the buildings around St Mary's Church have survived; so too has the old school built in the early 18th century and somewhere in the nearby churchyard - now a small garden - is the resting place of Captain Christopher Jones, skipper of the Mayflower which took the Pilgrims to America early in the 17th century.



The Sands Film Studio and Photo Archive is worth a visit; so too is the Brunel Museum in the recently renovated pumping house which was part of the remarkable 19th century project to build the World's first underwater tunnel. There are surprises too; the Norwegian and Finnish communities, established in Rotherhithe when timber from the Baltic countries was a major import, still have churches in area offering a friendly welcome to visitors.



If you want to discover more about Rotherhithe then join a LONDON FOOTSTEPS walking tour of the area. They start at Canada Water station on the Jubilee Line. Get in touch and I can give you more details. info@londonfootsteps.co.uk

VISITING THE LIVERY COMPANY HALLS

The Livery Companies of London are an integral part of the city's history. They exist today - 107 of them - although they no longer have the same role and responsibilities as they did over 500 years ago.

In those times they were strict guardians of the city trades and crafts...the Mercers, the Goldsmiths, the Butchers, the Armourers and Brasiers, the Bakers and, yes, the candlemakers....the Tallow Chandlers and the Wax Chandlers....and so it goes on. They all have a wealth of fascinating stories to tell.

There are no equivalent organisations in today's business and commercial world but the Livery Companies survive, promoting modern industries by financing education and training in schools and colleges.

Take, for example, the Coachmakers and Coach Harnessmakers who once had complete control over this craft; their original Livery Hall was lost in the Great Fire of 1666 and the replacement was destroyed, like many others during a bombing raid on 29th December 1940. Now they share some space with the Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers who have a hall in Dowsett Hill which still retains many of the features from the period of restoration in 1672.

The first LONDON FOOTSTEPS outing of 2008 was to the Apothecaries' Hall in Blackfriars Lane. This fine hall, rebuilt in 1670 after the Great Fire, is an architectural gem and one which is always worth a visit. The Beadle, John Williams, is an excellent host. No wonder it is one of the most popular outings on the LONDON FOOTSTEPS programme.

If you want to find out what walks and visits are coming up in the next few weeks -including a tour of Fishmongers' Hall - then get in touch with us by emailing info@londonfootsteps.co.uk You can reserve a place on any of the future outings.