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City
of London Walks:
Fleet
Street
and Literary
London
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Children in an overcrowded court
by Gustav Doré from London: A Pilgrimage (1872)
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Temple Church
Photograph by Sue Gane 2000
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This walk explores the network of hidden medieval alleys,
courtyards and
gardens on either side of Fleet Street, an ancient road linking the commercial City of
London with royal Westminster. William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, John
Galsworthy and, more recently in the Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown lived in or set their work in the Temple, once the 12th century
monastery of the crusader Knights Templar and just south of Fleet Street.
The 18th century literary circle led by Dr Samuel Johnson
met at his house in Gough Square, just to the north of Fleet Street. From
the 15th century until the late 20th century Fleet
Street was the centre of the British publishing industry, and the history of
that industry is celebrated in the area..
This walk starts at
Embankment Underground Station and ends at Blackfriars. It must be arranged
in advance by emailing this
address, and inserting Fleet Street Walk in the
title. The minimum group size is seven people, not including accompanied
children under twelve. The
walk is led by Susan
Gane, will last one and half to two hours and the
cost is £6 per person, £4 concessions, with accompanied children under
twelve free of charge.
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