City of London Architecture – Exploring the West Side

From medieval knights to today’s leading architects

They’re like plumes in amongst serried ranks of suits of armour.

Vivid.* A monastery. A medieval gatehouse. A cloistered medieval priory. The oldest inhabited house in the City of London (yes, it’s pre-1666, pre-Fire). Roman constructions (they’re pre-5th century). Remnants of the infamous Newgate gaol. Late 17th century houses. The Old Bailey. The Old Meat Market.

Time honoured mysterious presences, they’re the focus of this walk. Good word, focus. Comes from the Latin word for hearth. Each of these nine ancient structures is a hearth. A hearth that Sam tends. What we get from a well-tended hearth is light, warmth and fellowship. The light they give off – the light that Sam draws out – enchants. Walking with Sam, threading your way through his London – going from hearth to hearth – seeing what he sees** – you fall in love outward. And yes, there’s also a smattering of some new stuff – some of London’s 21st century scimitars. Buildings old and new that “contain multitudes” – multitudes of bygone London, of London today, of London tomorrow. Going to use the a-word now: this is the platonic ideal of a great architecture walk. It’s what an architecture walk should be.

*”Vivid in its old sense: from the Latin vividus, meaning ‘spirited, lively, full of life'” (with thanks to Robert Macfarlane)

**Not forgetting the great artist John Constable’s profound insight: “we don’t truly see until we understand.”

A PAIR OF ACES

This walk pairs brilliantly with Frozen Music – Romans to Rogers, Sam’s other City of London architecture walk. AKA “Sculpture in the Sky.” Basically Frozen Music is Sam’s Fusion of History and Architecture in the eastern half of the City. And this one is the West Side Story.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING