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In
the 13th century there were many monasteries in London, but it was the Dominican
monks who became known as the Blackfriars who captured the hearts of the
people of London. They were the ones who went out to the people of the City to
preach the Gospel and to help them.
We start by looking at Blackfriars Bridge itself and the reason why it has 8 balconies. Here we look at Unilever House and its interesting past. Not far from the bridge we come across the curiously shaped Victorian pub the Blackfriar. In1902 the pub was transformed in the Arts & Crafts style founded by William Morris.
Along
the route we come across the Mermaid Theatre founded in 1959 by actor-producer
Bernard Miles, the first permanent theatre to be built in the City since the
16th century, as theatres were frowned upon by the City authorities.
The
walk continues to The College of Arms with its magnificent entrance gates. Close
by is the little church of St Benet’s at Paul’s Wharf by Christopher Wren where
Inigo Jones is buried. It was also amongst these medieval lanes that a very
important Wardrobe was kept and we shall look at the church of St
Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe. The area was also familiar to Shakespeare and his plays.
Along our route we see the remains or sites of the original Baynards Castle
which was occupied by the Blackfriars.
We stop for lunch at Monument and afterwards make our way down more medieval lanes towards St Katharine’s Docks. On our way we shall see Billingsgate Market and the church of St Dunstan’s in the East.
St Katharine’s Docks has been a historical part of London well before the Victorian Docks were built, and today has been restored into a lovely marina where swans and nests can be seen.
The walk finishes at the Dicken’s Inn for a well deserved cup of tea!