During the Saxon period, London was an emerging centre of trade and religious activity. Bishop Erkenwald, who served as Bishop of London from 675 to 693 AD, was influential in supporting the development of the city. He instituted a toll of one piece of timber for each cartload passing through a gate in the London Wall, helping to fund the city’s infrastructure. This gate was subsequently named Bishop’s Gate in his honour.

In 1750, Henry Fielding a leading author and judge known for his homorous and satirical writings, established the Bow Street Runners. These are often regarded as London’s first organised group of law enforcement officers and a precursor to the modern police force. Part of their uniform was a distinctive red waistcoat, which led people to nickname them ‘The Robin Redbreasts,’ after the bird known for its bright red chest.

In 1200 AD, the area now known as Covent Garden was originally farmland overseen by the monks of St. Peter’s Convent in Westminster. The monks cultivated the land primarily to provide food for the convent and the surrounding community. The farmland included two notable fields called the short acre and the long acre, the names adopted for nearby streets, Long Acre and Shorts Gardens; ensuring that the memory of the original fields remain.

Cleopatra’s Needle, an ancient Egyptian obelisk, was relocated to London in 1819 as a symbol of Britain’s imperial connections. Beneath its base, a time capsule was buried with the intention of offering future generations a glimpse into Victorian life. The carefully selected artefacts included, period coins, bibles, Bradshaw’s Railway Guide, a baby’s bottle, a smoker’s pipe, and cigars, reflecting both everyday routines and technological progress of the era.

In 18th century London, prisoners sentenced to death were transported fraught with fear from Newgate Prison to Tyburn’s gallows in open carts. The procession drew throngs of onlookers eager for drama, justice, or morbid entertainment. This city spectacle was marked by stops like ‘The Bowl’ public house in Endell Street for the condemns last drink. Newgate was a bleak holding place, while Tyburn became infamous for public executions that blended justice with entertainment.

“Black as Newgate’s Knocker” means dark, dank and sinister—a term derived from Newgate Prison, where prisoners were held before their execution at Tyburn. Tyburn was a well-known site for public executions in London, and Newgate Prison was infamous for its harsh conditions. The prison itself was located on the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey in central London. The phrase is often used in British English to describe something extremely dark or foreboding.

Tyburn,  served as the principal site of public executions where it is estimated thousands were hung from 1571 until 1783. The atmosphere during these events was often likened to a carnival, with a general air of festivity surrounding the proceedings and large crowds able to buy food and drink from local vendors. Death typically resulted from strangulation so to hasten the process, friends and relatives of the condemned would pull on their legs.

Cheapside takes its name from the Saxon word ‘ceap’, meaning to sell or barter, reflecting its origins as a centre for trade in medieval London. From its earliest days, Cheapside served as one of the city’s main market streets. The side street Poultry was so named because it specialised in selling birds and fowl. Over time, Cheapside became a hub for commerce, public gatherings and historical events such as royal processions and civic ceremonies.

The London Wall was built by the Romans as a defensive barrier around what was then called Londinium. Constructed in the late 2nd or early 3rd century AD, the London Wall protected Londinium from invasions. Houndsditch, running outside the wall, became notorious during medieval times for its unsanitary conditions and accumulation of waste, as local historians believe the name derived from a ditch where residents disposed of refuse and dead dogs (hounds).

Camomile Street, east of Bishopsgate,  derives its name from the camomile-covered wasteland that once occupied this area during the Middle Ages. The herb, renowned for its supposed ability to alleviate various health problems, was harvested and sold in local markets, reflecting the street’s historical significance. According to Beatrix Potter it even cured animals as Peter the Rabbit was given camomile tea for a stomach-ache

‘Jack the Ripper’ was an unidentified murderer targeting prostitutes in the East End of London around 1888. At the time it was estimated that there were 62 brothels in Whitechapel engaging some 1,200 women. Catherine Eddows 46 was his, fourth victim and the only one murdered within the City walls. Her mutilated body was found at 1.45am on 30th September 1888 after she was released at 1am from Bishopsgate Police Station for being drunk.

The Carthusian Priory, a monastic community founded in medieval times, was constructed in 1371 on the site where approximately 50,000 victims of the Black Death, a devastating plague that swept across Europe in the 14th century, were buried. During the Reformation, which sought to dissolve Catholic monasteries, the Prior was executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered, nine monks died from starvation while imprisoned in Newgate Prison.

Marshalsea Prison, a well-known debtors’ prison, was located here and is particularly notable for being where Charles Dickens’s father was incarcerated in 1824. This traumatic family experience left a profound mark on Dickens, inspiring him to vividly portray the hardships of debtors and the atmosphere of the prison in his novel Little Dorrit. The connection between Dickens’s personal history and his literary work offers valuable insight into wealth, poverty, corruption, hypocrisy and bureaucracy.

Paris Gardens Manor, originally a private estate, became a prominent entertainment venue when William Baselly converted it into a casino around 1530, featuring cards, dice and a bowling alley. This transformation marked a significant shift in leisure pursuits during the Tudor era, as such venues grew in popularity. In 1536, following the venue’s success, the new owner, Henry VIII, raised the annual rent from £10 to £52—a remarkable 520% increase.

Charles II, King of England in the 17th century, gave the freehold of 79 Pall Mall to his famous mistress Nell Gywnn, a celebrated actress of her era. The act is why 79 Pall Mall remains the only property on the south side of Pall Mall not owned by the Crown, setting it apart from its neighbours. Today, this unique status continues to be recognised, reflecting a fascinating chapter in the history of the area and its royal connections.

Mr & Mrs Kroger, members of a Soviet spy network operating in the UK, were involved in smuggling classified information abroad. In 1961, the Kroger spy-ring was uncovered in an antiquarian bookshop here, where many books were sent overseas containing British secrets hidden in microdots. The Krogers were sentenced to twenty years in prison, but in 1969, they were exchanged for British agent Gerald Brooke, who had been imprisoned in the Soviet Union