The City of London - Part 2 - Information, Featured Articles

The City of London - Part 2

Part 2 - Landmarks

Many of the churches in the City are known as 'guild churches' to some of the city's Livery Companies, ancient institutions which are very close to the heart of city government.

The 'Great Twelve' are headed by the Mercer's Company, which has a splendid livery hall on Ironmonger Lane. Other romantically named companies include the Cordwainers, Fan Makers and Scriveners.

A number of livery companies have emerged as the years have passed and there are now such institutions as the Honourable Company of Environmental Cleaners!

The City's major landmarks are of course St. Paul's Cathedral and the grim Tower of London.

The former was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and the sense of space when looking up at the vast dome is awesome enough to make one feel quite dizzy. To an Englishman, the place feels slightly secular, probably due to the fact that all other cathedrals in England are predominantly Gothic in design rather than Classical.

It is a good idea to try and catch Evensong here - it starts at 5pm and only takes 45 minutes. The choir of men and boys produce a phenomenal and heavenly sound. If you arrive before the service begins, you should actually be able to sit in the choir stalls.

The form of service is peculiarly English, and references to the Queen (as Supreme Governor of the Church of England) will probably sound odd to the ear of the visitor. It's well worth a visit though. Just make sure you don't sit at the back of the building - there's a ten second echo! Pity the organist when it comes to keeping a large congregation in time!

The Tower of London of course has an extremely dark and bloody history. Dating from the 11th century, the last prisoner was actually banged up here (Editor: imprisoned!) as late as the Second World War!

No one can deny the morbid fascination of actually seeing the marks on an executioner's axe or the block where Sir Walter Raleigh or two of Henry VIII's wives could well have seen their last minutes.

The tone of the place is cheered by the ever-beaming Yeoman Warders who are also popularly known as Beefeaters. (Yeoman Warders are not to be confused with the Yeoman of the Guard - different creatures who dress in similar Tudor uniforms but accompany The Queen on important occasions alongside the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms as The Queen's Bodyguard).

The Crown Jewels are also housed here - a superb display allows the visitor to come within an inch of the exhibits including the First Star of Africa - the world's largest diamond. A moving platform ensures that would-be Pink Panthers don't get too much time to formulate dastardly plans!

Make sure you don't visit the Jewels on the same day that a big State occasion in taking place: you may be confronted with the note 'In Use' instead of the regalia! On the other hand, on such a day there is a gun salute from the ramparts by the Honourable Artillery Company which makes up for it!

The ravens are also a source of amusement - foul looking things that are thrown raw meat and seem to blend in with the gruesome place only too well.