theaxeman
3:40 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Off ludgate hill is the old bailey where the notorious newgate prison was sited I think and now obviously central criminal court, well at the top of old bailey is where prisoners were hanged, if cross at the top into Giltspur St thats where they used to joust and earnt their spurs (cunts). Of Giltspur street is cock lane which was notorious for prostitution also there is the boy of glutten statue which is where the great fire ended.
Check these out because im just pulling this stuff from the back of my memory from doing the knowledge
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Gavros
3:40 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Little Britain as mentioned by Chim there (next to Postman's park) is so called because it was the street on which the Embassy of Brittany (Little Britain) stood before it was incorporated back into France.
just north of the roundabout where the museum of London is is where John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had his epiphany.
Just round the corner opposite the entrance to St Bartholomew the Great is the memorial to William Wallace, usually with some divvy teary eyed American visiting it.
St Bartholomew itself is interesting, in existence since the 12th century and reputedly haunted. Benjamin Franklin worked there as a printer before emigrating to America.
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Tony Gubba
3:31 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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When in the city of London, you are never more than 6 feet away from an utter fist.
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Joke Whole
3:19 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese sat today just off Fleet Street is a modern replica. The original took a direct hit during the Blitz.
A department where I used to work (Faraday Buildings on Queen Victoria Street) held their Xmas lunch there every year since the department was formed in the 1930s, and undocumented gems like that get handed down avoiding the tourist industry censors.
Not sure if it's still there, but on Wood Street, there's a church tower without a church - I believe the actual church building is/was about 100 yards further east.
There used to be a couple of pubs with odd opening hours to accommodate the local traders - one on Fleet Street (may have been called "The Juggler" or the Joker") that was open for beers when the printers finished work, and one in Smithfields offered a similar service to the butchers.
The Old King Lud used to be a strip joint, back in the day. The Mitre on Holborn Circus has some history.
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LJC
3:14 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Just read it on an interesting facts about London site
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Toe Rag
3:12 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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The Tipperary in Fleet Street is where the first pint of Guinness was ever served in the UK.
Ironic seeing as stout and porter is first recorded being drunk just up the road by the meat porters in Smithfield.
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chim chim cha boo
3:12 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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If you're walking near the Rotunda (the roundabout the Museum of London stands on at the west end of London Wall, take your guests up Little Britain (yes, really) and into the tiny green space called Postman's Park.
On the wall are lots of plaques dedicated to everyday heroes and the deeds they did, mostly dying in the process. So there's stuff like 'John Smith aged Ten. Died trying to save his sister in a house fire in The Old Kent Rd, his fourth dash into the flames after saving his baby brothers'.
A tiny bit ghoulish (and who doesn't like that?) and a proper little hidden London gem.
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Sarah Ballpalsy
3:11 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Lily - yeah i have a bit of that 'info' around The Old Bank of England pub as that was where the barber shop was.
LJC - is that true? - on what basis is that?
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LJC
3:09 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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The queen is only allowed to enter the city with permission of the mayor.
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Lily Hammer
3:07 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Got to be a bit of Sweeney Todd action going on, if you're on Fleet Street with tourists. Give them some history and then arrange a shave for them.
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Sarah Ballpalsy
3:05 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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That's what i'm talking about Axeman.
I had those already, but that's the sort of thing i'm after.
Like the no roads 'fact' too - I don't even care if it's true, they're unlikely to check.
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theaxeman
3:00 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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The cheshire cheese pub in fleet st is where Samuel Johnson used to drink.
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theaxeman
2:59 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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The steeple of st brides church (fleet st) is why wedding cakes are tiered.
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theaxeman
2:55 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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The seven gates to the city
aldgate
bishopsgate
moorgate
ludgate
Aldesgate
cripplegate
newgate.
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Toe Rag
2:52 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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The Guildhall itself is pretty interesting if you like medieval architecture.
Same as Merchant Tailor's Hall off of Threadneedle street.
Don't think they'd let a load of piss artists in for a gawp though somehow.
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Britannia Pub
2:50 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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This link shows the City of London boundaries which confirms Steady's fact about Goswell Road.
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/maps/Pages/COMPASS.aspx
Now is Romford Essex or London? (Retires to a safe distance)
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Toe Rag
2:48 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Go into Guildhall yard and look at the huge circle on the floor.
Imagine yourself then inside London's Roman amphitheater as that's where it once stood.
Anything else I can bore you with?
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LJC
2:38 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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That pub is known for pickpockets
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Joe C
2:38 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Ag!
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Grumpster
2:33 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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Joe C 2:23 Tue Mar 10
It was, but I got pretty pissed last night and sailed it to where the Golden Hind was!
I look at how small the Golden Hind is and marvel at how Drake got that round the world, as it's not the biggest of galleons.
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Guinness Shandy
2:28 Tue Mar 10
Re: What is your favourite fact about the City of London
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City Road is not in the City of London boundaries.
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