Bartholomew Fayre returns this year on September 18-19 – hosted by The Charterhouse, and supported by Islington Council. In the past the event has run in the City in Cloth Fair and West Smithfield. It was started in 1133 to support Barts Hospital. Charterhouse Square The move shows the potential for new cross-boundary collaborations between … Continue reading “Bartholomew Fayre crosses the border in 2026”
The opening of the new London Museum in November will attract a host of visitors, and many may be interested in exploring the history and current attractions of Smithfield and Clerkenwell. A new walks hub and visitor centre could complement the existing City Information Centre near St Paul’s. Currently the top visitor attractions in the … Continue reading “Why Smithfield deserves its own visitor centre”
Earlier this month the London Museum announced that it will be opening in West Smithfield on November 28, and as a local resident I was keen to take up the membership offer and “ join the Flock.” The Museum’s icon is a pigeon … The first edition of the Flock and Key newsletter is now … Continue reading “London Museum welcomes its Flock”
I wondered why Tesco in West Smithfield closed last week when it was just across the road from the London Museum, due to open on November 28. Nearby a souvenir shop full of Paddington Bears and Harry Potter is already waiting for the crowds, estimated at 2-3 million a year. The explanation is that the … Continue reading “New office scheme planned near London Museum. What’s next?”
On July 16 1546 Anne Askew was burnt at the stake outside the gatehouse of St Bartholomew the Great in West Smithfield. West Smithfield today In a modest ceremony just 480 years on, the Reverend Taylor Wilton-Morgan blessed a memorial to a woman who refused to compromise her beliefs despite being tortured on the rack … Continue reading “A memorial to Anne Askew in West Smithfield”
The City Corporation has announced plans for redevelopment of The Annex buildings in West Smithfield, originally part of the Victorian-era market. As I wrote earlier, at one point the buildings were to be incorporated in the new London Museum which is due to open later this year. In the photo The Annex is on the … Continue reading “Food hall and hotel planned for West Smithfield Annex buildings”
Kensington and Chelsea council has shared first designs for an exhibition space providing access to the Social Justice Archive that is being develop by the library service, with local groups and residents. The public space is one element in the £1 million project that will tell stories of campaigns including those for housing, playspace, anti-racism, … Continue reading “Social Justice Archive takes shape in North Kensington”
The London Society staged an excellent discussion last Saturday about housing in the City of London, which has only 8600 residents while hosting 650,000 workers. The main function of the City will remain economic, but is there also scope for more homes? In 1801 the City population was some 130,000, dropping below 5000 after the … Continue reading “The case for more housing in the Square Mile – including Smithfield?”
Bartholomew Fair is being re-staged on September 19th and 20th as a family-friendly neighbourhood festival that is part of Open House Festival 2025. It promises to be great fun – but the original Fair provided rather different entertainments that wouldn’t play well today. Bartholomew Fayre 2025 London Museum promotes this year’s Fayre: “Across two jam-packed … Continue reading “Bartholomew Fayre re-staged as a community festival”
Consultants working in a new cultural strategy for the City of London offer a refreshing take on what appeals to visitors, workers and residents. They emphasise that the Square Mile is a lot more than a home for renowned institutions and attractions like the Barbican Centre, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London Museum (re-opening … Continue reading “The Square Mile’s attractions are “hidden in plain sight””