by Dorothee Schröder
The City of London stands on the site of the former Roman settlement of Londinium.
In Roman times, it was enclosed by a defensive wall with seven gates, one of which was Bishopsgate, located in the eastern part of the City. The surrounding ward, one of the 25 wards that make up the City of London, was also named Bishopsgate, as was the main street running through it.
Today, Bishopsgate (formerly known as Bishopsgate Street) is one of the busiest areas in the City. It stretches from Norton Folgate in the north to Gracechurch Street in the south, crossing two historic roads: Cornhill and Leadenhall Street. At its northern end, just a stone’s throw away, lies Liverpool Street Station, one of London’s busiest transport hubs.
As part of the City’s financial district, Bishopsgate is home to several prominent office buildings, including the Heron Tower (110 Bishopsgate), which rises to 202 metres, and 22 Bishopsgate, a 62-storey skyscraper standing at 278 metres, from which visitors can enjoy sweeping views across London.
Amid the modern high-rises, you’ll also find charming Victorian architecture, such as the Bishopsgate Institute, a cultural and educational centre that houses a historic library and archive collections. Just around the corner from Liverpool Street Station stands St Ethelburga-the-Virgin within Bishopsgate, a Church of England parish church. Surrounded by skyscrapers, it is barely visible, much like many of the other historic churches in the area.
The parishes here are traditionally divided into Bishopsgate Within and Bishopsgate Without, depending on whether they lay inside or outside the old Roman wall. St Botolph without Bishopsgate, for instance, is located just west of Bishopsgate near Liverpool Street Station, roughly 30 metres north of where the old Roman wall once stood.
As you walk along Bishopsgate, you’ll pass sleek modern restaurants and time-worn old pubs, a striking blend of past and present that captures one of London’s most defining characteristics.
Cover picture: St Botolph without Bishopsgate (Photograph: Dorothee Schröder)
