Architecture has its political Use; publick Buildings being the Ornament of a Country; it establishes a Nation, draws People and Commerce; makes the People love their native Country …. Architecture aims at Eternity.
Sir Christopher Wren
Today London is a huge metropolis, but it wasn’t always so, of course. It started as a small Roman settlement on the north bank of the River Thames, Londinium. In 200 AD a wall was built, surrounding and protecting the city. Over the centuries it grew and grew, but that Roman town remained at its heart, the original City of London.
Even in 1665, much of London was still held inside those ancient walls, making the spread of the Great Plague all the faster. A year later many of its buildings were destroyed in the Great Fire of London, including an earlier St Paul’s Cathedral. The architect Christopher Wren was responsible for rebuilding it, along with a large number of other churches, many of which still stand today.
[Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]
The Square Mile
As London expanded through the following centuries, way beyond those original walls, the original city they contained remained at its heart. When government and royalty migrated west to Westminster, commerce continued to be centred here. The ‘Square Mile’, as it is known, is even today home to the Bank of England, the London Stock Exchange and other great financial institutions. It is also home to 112 active craft guilds, the first of which, the Weavers’ Company, received its Royal Charter as long ago as 1155. These guilds have a proud history and, in many cases too, a rich one.
The City also retains its own Mayor, an institution dating back to the 12th century whose most famous incumbent perhaps was Dick Whittington. Its government is known as the Corporation and is based at the Guildhall, built on the site of the Romans’ amphitheatre. Today it is one of the 33 local government authorities of Greater London, but only it and Westminster are allowed to be known as the City of … (‘City of London’, ‘City of Westminster’) while the remainder are merely London Boroughs. And when a Londoner talks of ‘The City’, it is this historic Square Mile that they mean.
Recently I was able to join a U3A (University of the Third Age) group visit to one of its most venerable institutions, the Goldsmiths’ Hall, home to one of the oldest guilds, the Goldsmiths’ Company. This is only open to the public on a few occasions each year, so this was a special opportunity. But before our timed entry some of us decided to meet up earlier for a short walk around some of the other sights in the vicinity. It should make for an interesting Monday Walk, I hope.
The Guildhall
We travelled together to Liverpool Street station and made our way to our first stop, the Guildhall. This was, as I mentioned above, built on the site originally occupied by the Roman amphitheatre.
The Guildhall
The main building serves as the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City of London. It isn’t open to the public, but the attached art gallery is, and is free to visit.
On arrival there we split up to spend half an hour or so pursuing our own interests. Most went to look at some of the art on display. Collections focus on the Victorian period and on paintings of London in general and the City in particular. There are also regular special exhibitions.
However I decided to visit the remains of the amphitheatre in the basement. It has to be said that these aren’t extensive, but they are interesting. The amphitheatre was only discovered in 1988 during an archaeological dig ahead of a new building project. You can see the base of part of a stone entrance tunnel, the east gate, and arena walls. But you need to read the information signs and use your imagination to understand how these fitted into the whole structure.
St Lawrence Jewry
It was a lovely day so rather than spend more time inside I popped out to soak up some sun in the Guildhall Yard. I then decided to check out the adjacent church. Its full name is St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall, and it is the official church of the Lord Mayor of London. It is one of the many City churches destroyed in the Great Fire that were rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren.
A stained glass window in the entrance area commemorates Wren. This was installed after WWII when the church underwent extensive restoration to repair bomb damage. Alongside Wren it depicts Grinling Gibbons, the woodcarver responsible for much of the woodwork in Wren’s churches, and Edward Strong, a master stone mason who worked with Wren on many of the City churches.
St Lawrence Jewry
I only had time for a couple of quick photos so will return for a better look around some time. I was particularly taken with the ceiling, its recessed panels elegantly ornamented with gold carvings.
St Mary Aldermary
Meeting up with the rest of the group I joined them for the short walk to another Wren church, St Mary Aldermary. We spent much longer here as there is a pleasant café near the entrance and tables set up at the back of the church where you can enjoy any refreshments purchased. I had an excellent sandwich which I omitted to photograph!
Having eaten we explored the church. The unusual name is thought to relate to its age; there has been a church here for over 900 years. ‘Aldermary’ means ‘Older Mary’, indicating that this was the older St Mary’s in relation to nearby St Mary Le Bow.
Again, the current structure is the work of Sir Christopher Wren. The beautiful ceiling is decorated with elaborate plaster fan vaulting and the church makes understandable claims to being ‘the most important late 17th century Gothic church in England’.
In St Mary Aldermary
Another striking feature is the skewed angle of the east wall, behind the altar, which is apparent iin my photo above right. It was built to follow the line of an old alleyway that pre-dates its 1678 rebuilding. It’s a reminder that many of the City’s streets and passageways still follow the Medieval layout.
The church’s windows were all blown out in the Blitz but have since been replaced. The main east window depicts the Crucifixion above and Annunciation below. The large west window commemorates the defence of London from air attack in World War Two. In my shot of part of it you can see St Michael defeating the dragon, with below him the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral.
St Vedast-Alias-Foster
On our way to our main destination we popped into another unusually named Wren church, St Vedast-Alias-Foster. It is dedicated to a French saint, little known in Britain, who was Bishop of Arras in northern Gaul around the turn of the 6th century. Originally named Vaast in Norman, Vedastus in Latin, his name has evolved in English, while the ‘Alias Foster’ part relates to the narrow lane on which the church sits. Foster is also thought to be another English corruption of the name of Vaast.
St Vedast-Alias-Foster
The layout differs from that of most English churches, with the congregation seated sideways rather than facing the altar. This dates only from the post-WWII reconstruction, reflecting smaller 20th century congregations. The beautiful ceiling, however, was designed to a pattern close that of the Wren original. It is ornamented gold leaf and aluminium, donated by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.
Goldsmiths Hall
Talking of the Goldsmiths, it was by now nearly time for our group’s appointment at the hall, just up the road from this church. We were welcomed by one of the librarians who gave us a very informative and comprehensive tour, covering both the history and the architecture of this stunning building that relatively few get to see.
This is the third Goldsmiths Hall to stand on this site, which has been home to the Goldsmiths Company since 1339. It was completed in July 1835, when it was opened with a grand banquet with guests that included the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel. It has been hosting similarly grand occasions ever since.
But it is also a practical place of work, housing the assay office where the full traditional UK hallmark is applied to items made of gold, silver, platinum or palladium. The process of hallmarking began here 700 years ago. Indeed the name comes from the fact that it was carried out in the Goldsmiths Hall. The five marks tell you when and where an item was tested and marked, which metals it is made from and their purity or fineness, and who submitted it for hallmarking. You can read in detail about this process and the meaning of each mark on the Goldsmiths Company website.
Touring the Goldsmiths Hall
Of course we didn’t get to see the assay office, but tours do include all the grand rooms. We were welcomed at the foot of the staircase, its balustrades ornamented with carvings of cherubs symbolising the four seasons. My photos are of spring, appropriately.
Goldsmiths Hall staircase
Ascending the stairs we entered the grandest room of all, the Livery Hall. This is where all the Company’s big occasions take place, including that opening banquet in 1835. The chandeliers are the originals used at that banquet. Although now electrified they were designed to hold forty-eight candles and still do so for major receptions. At one end of the room an alcove is designed to show off items from the Goldsmiths Company’s vast collection. The piece that caught my eye was a modern one commissioned to celebrate the millennium, with engravings of many of the City’s buildings around the perimeter, the Goldsmiths Hall taking pride of place at the top.
The Livery Hall
Other rooms we saw included the Court Room, where the wardens who lead the company meet, a large Exhibition Room and an elegant Drawing Room. The latter two were designed after the building sustained damage during the WWII Blitz.
Exhibition Room top left, and Drawing Room
You can see a lot of representations of leopards in all the rooms, including on marble fireplaces, woodcarvings and more. As it says on the website, ‘To walk around Goldsmiths’ Hall is to be stalked by leopards.’ This symbol of the Worshipful Company was derived from the lions found in royal heraldry. It has been used as a stamp to guarantee the purity of gold and silverware since King Edward I passed the first hallmarking law in 1300.
This U3A visit was a great opportunity to see inside a London building I had never visited. I hope to do more (and share) such visits in the future.
All these photos were taken in May 2025 apart from two of those in St Vedast-Alias-Foster which were taken in 2018
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in London.
50 Comments
wetanddustyroads
It’s amazing to read how old the City of London is – and how much it has changed since those early years. Love that ceiling at St Mary Aldermary, as well as all the stained-glass windows in all of the churches.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, there’s so much history here, including quite a few remains of the Roman Londinium 🙂
leightontravels
With so many articles to choose from (due to my extended absence from WordPress), it was quite difficult to decide which one to go for today. We have been fortunate enough to spend four days in London recently, so this was the article that most grabbed my attention. I really enjoyed this as a) the history and art are fabulous and b) I haven’t visited any of the spots featured. While in London, Sladja and I literally could not walk past a church without stopping in for a look. I’m sure we would both love to see St Lawrence Jewry, thanks for putting it on our radar. By the way, I love any history to do with Christopher Wren; one of my favourite libraries in the world is The Wren Library in Cambridge.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you for including this in your catch-up session Leighton, and I’m glad you liked it 🙂 All the Wren churches are worth seeking out. St Lawrence Jewry was a new one for me as was St Mary Aldermary which I highly recommend for next time you’re here!
Annie Berger
Enjoyed your Monday walk through London town, Sarah, and the assortment of Wren’s churches.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Annie – I’d be happy to take you on a ‘real’ City tour any time you and Steven make it to London 😀
thehungrytravellers.blog
It is and always will be one of the World’s greatest cities. Like you two, we will never tire of visiting – we speak of London with great pride wherever we travel. And now I’m going to name drop…. years ago as an aspiring businessman I was invited by a well connected associate to one of the grand dinners of one of the ancient livery companies – the Loriners. I felt a bit out of my depth, especially when a rather demure lady was placed at a seat at the same table as me. Dinner with Princess Anne, no less.
Sarah Wilkie
Wow, that is some serious name-dropping 😲
Rose
London has so much beautiful architecture and history. All the stained glass and decorative ceilings were quite impressive. Thank you for taking us on this walk. The U3A sounds like a fun group.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rose, London has so much to offer 😀 And the U3A (University of the Third Age) is an excellent organisation for anyone who wants to keep learning and discovering new things!
Amy
Enjoyed this walk, Sarah! I didn’t know about this place. Such a beautiful photo walk!
Sarah Wilkie
The City of London is full of history! Thanks Amy 😀
kzmcb
Yes, we have it here and it’s wonderful.
Teresa
Love the St Mary Aldermary Architecture and the stained glass windows.
I do enjoy my U3A classes but mine is quite different to yours. Mine is in the crafts and arts side. But just the same… something to occupy our time and minds in retirement.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Teresa 🙂 Our U3A has something for everyone! There are art appreciation and crafting groups but also book clubs, walking groups, discussion, conversational languages, coffee mornings, lectures – lots to choose from!
Teresa
Same, you’d just be silly not to find anything that will interest you. Have a good day, Sarah.
kzmcb
You did see some great ceilings, Sarah, and have made me rethink joining one of the U3A walking groups.
Sarah Wilkie
I only joined U3A this year and I’m enjoying the activities so far 🙂
the eternal traveller
What a wonderful day and a privilege to see such an interesting place too. This is just the sort of day we really enjoy, full of history and architecture.
Sarah Wilkie
It was a really good day out and has made me want to visit more of the Wren churches 🙂
Christie
St Mary Aldermary’s ceiling is a winner! It’s not the usual architectural style you may see in a church, so beautiful!
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, it’s unusual for a parish church, more what you would expect of a cathedral!
margaret21
The Guldhall is a building I haven’t visited, but recently I was made aware of its art gallery. Did I pick up that you were bit underwhelmed by it? Though not with the Guildhall itself, obviously! St. Mary Aldermary is another church I don’t know (yet), though I thought I was reasonably clued up on Wren churches. So much to see ….
Sarah Wilkie
To be honest I didn’t look around enough in the art gallery to form an opinion either way. I wanted to see the amphitheatre (which was interesting but not spectacular) and by the time I’d done that I didn’t think there was time to do any of the art justice so I went across the courtyard to check out the church instead 🙂 St. Mary Aldermary is really worth a visit!
margaret21
👍Noted – thanks!
grandmisadventures
Oh be still my architecture loving heart! These are great pictures from around London showing the beautiful details from the tall to the small. The ceiling of St Mary is stunning!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Meg 😊 I’m glad to have given you your architecture fix! And yes, that ceiling is pretty special!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Really interesting, Sarah – I have visited some City churches but none of these. As for the Guildhall – amazing!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anabel 🙂 There are so many of these interesting and lovely Wren churches to visit!
Egídio
What a great walk and photos! I love visiting churches. Besides their history, the architecture is often very impressive. Excellent photos!
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you Egidio 🙂
Monkey's Tale
Quite a few gorgeous buildings to see in a day Sarah, I still think St. Mary Aldermary’s ceiling is my favourite. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 🙂 That ceiling is pretty special, I agree!
Anne Sandler
What a building! Thanks for taking us along on your tour.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne, I’m always glad to show you around 🙂
Tanja
I love walking around the City. Nice post!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Tanja 🙂
bushboy
A bit of opulence and stained glass wonders Sarah 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Opulence is a good word for the Goldsmiths Hall 😀
Anna
So much to see in London, I didn’t even know of these places!
Sarah Wilkie
The City is packed with sights and curiosities Anna 🙂 Come visit one day and I’ll show you around!
Sue
ooops- post not host!
Sue
Interesting host, Sarah- I didn’t know of some of those Wren churches. You have captured some marvellous stained glass and I have to say Goldsmith’s Hall looks ostentatious!
Sarah Wilkie
A friend of mine made a point of visiting ALL the Wren churches during a six month stay here some years ago – maybe I should do the same, it could make for an interesting series of posts! Yes, Goldsmith’s Hall is ostentatious, but given the history and undoubted wealth of the guild I guess that isn’t surprising 😀
restlessjo
Thanks for this, Sarah! London is a magnificent city with so much history. I will come back for a closer look later as I can’t do this justice this morning xx
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Jo, no rush – it isn’t going anywhere 😘
Leanne Cole
That ceiling is amazing and I love that header photo of it, just beautiful Sarah. When we were in Denmark I remember going underground to see the ruins of a building from about 1000AD, it was amazing.
Sarah Wilkie
The ceiling is even more lovely ‘in real life’ 😀 And I guess 1000 AD is pretty old by Australian standards, indigenous structures excepted, but Roman ruins like this can be seen in quite a few parts of London and are much older still!
satyam rastogi
Nice post 🙏🎸
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks 🙂