10 things you didn't know about the Square Mile
Ah, the Square Mile. Home to 392,400 employees as well as the historic, cultural institutions of St Paul's, the Barbican and, er, Forge. Speaking of which, next time you're at the bar, you can impress your mates with these facts about our lovely City.
by Aby Dunsby
Crockery is valid rent
Sod a monthly direct debit: from now on try paying your rent in the form of crockery. OK, your landlord might not like it, but it works a treat for the City of London, which pays annual rent to the crown for several plots of land in the form of two knives – one sharp, one blunt. The payment also includes six horse shoes and 61 nails, all of which are presented in a ceremony called the ‘Rendering of the Quit Rents’ at the Royal Courts of Justice.
Don't cheat Old Nick
Next time you’re wandering around Farringdon, look out for Bleeding Heart Yard, supposedly named after an old and gruesome tale about Lady Hatton, second wife of Sir William. After breaking a pact with the devil, Lady Hatton's body was found torn limb from limb in the yard, with her heart still beating. Charming.
Alcoholic nursery rhymes
Like most nursery rhymes ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’ has a darker meaning, and apparently tells the story of a man pawning a suit to pay for drink. 'Up and down the City Road, in and out the Eagle’ refers to the Eagle pub on the corner of City Road and Shepherdess Walk, and the lyrics can be read on its sign outside.
No roads until 1994
Until recently, there were no roads in the City. There were plenty of streets and alleys, but nothing named a ‘road’ until the boundaries were changed in 1994, so that half of Goswell Road now belongs to the City. The other half is still under the borough of Islington
Cock and bull story
Contrary to rumours, Cock Lane near Holborn Viaduct isn’t named as a homage to Chicken Cottage, but because it was the only street to be licensed for prostitution in medieval times. We like the rumour better.
Jailbirds' graveyard
Amen Court was once home to the scribes and minor canons of St Paul's cathedral, but it is more famous now for being what ghost-hunters claim is one of the most haunted parts of the Square Mile. A large wall on the site is now one of the only remnants of the old Newgate jail, and behind the wall is the narrow passage known as Deadman's Walk, along which condemned prisoners were taken to their executions. Many were buried beneath it.
500-year-old pub
For a dose of cinema history, order a pint at the Ye Olde Mitre Pub, which lies tucked down a narrow alleyway in Holborn and has been serving since 1540. If you recognise its interior, that’s because it was the location for scenes in films including Snatch and The Deep Blue Sea.
The hidden park
Behind Bart's Hospital and a short walk from St Paul's is one of London's great hidden contemplative spots: the Postman’s Park. Within it is the Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice, which comprises more than 50 ceramic plaques that remember ordinary people who died committing heroic acts.
Pithy tombstones
One of London’s best – and most laconic – epitaphs can be found in the graveyard of St Leonard's in Shoreditch. Famous Elizabethan actor Richard Burbage’s tombstone simply reads: “Exit Burbage.”
Pineapples on St Paul's
Sir Christopher Wren had originally wanted to put a stone pineapple at the top of the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral. There are pineapples on top of the two western towers. He saw them as “a symbol of peace, prosperity and hospitality”.
