Financial District

THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT EC2 / EC3


Centering on Liverpool Street Station, the old terminus of the Great Eastern Railway, this trail takes you through the historic City of London and incorporates famous Old Spitalfields Market too.

For the best experience download The Nicholson’s app.

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What to look out for on the way

THE GLOBE

Start your trail at The Globe (1) near to Finsbury Circus. This tiny park is the oldest in the City of London. Not far from here, the first hot air balloon flight in England took place. On 15th September 1784, Italian-born Vincenzo Lunardi took off in the afternoon and flew 24 miles across Hertfordshire, making only one stop along the way.

THE LORD ABERCONWAY

Heading out of the The Lord Aberconway(2) you might want to seek out the junction where Wormwood Street meets Camomile Street and Bishopsgate. There, you'll find a Bishop's mitre, made of stone, fixed high on a building, marking the exact spot where the gate once stood.

THE HOOP & GRAPES

En route to The Hoop & Grapes(3), you’ll pass Houndsditch. The lines of the street correspond to where the moat of the old wall once ran. Had you been strolling here 300 years ago, you would have been overpowered by the pervading stench. This is because the area beneath your feet once served as London's main rubbish disposal site. Fortunately, the moat was covered in the late 16th century, turning it into the street it is today.

Beyond the Magpie (4), is the Woodin’s Shades (5)on Bishopsgate. Bishopsgate was one of the original gates in the old defensive wall that once surrounded the city, otherwise known as "London Wall". It was one of the major building projects the Romans undertook before they left in 410 AD. It stood for over 1000 years.

Leaving Woodin’s Shades(5) to get back to your starting point The Globe(1), takes you towards the Old Spitalfields Market which has been a public market here since 1682. It was licensed by Charles II to feed the growing population of London. And if feeding is what you need after your walk, you won't find a better pie and pint than in a Nicholson's pub.

Please check individual pub pages for opening times, as some of our City of London sites are closed over the weekend.