Ludgate Hill

Cecil Court

Aldgate · 0.1 miles

A pedestrian lane with a line of Victorian shop-fronts connects Charing Cross Road and St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, and forms part of the Jubilee Walkway. The thoroughfare, whose origins trace back to the late 1600s, originally followed a hedgerow and served as a tradesmen’s route. After a fire in 1735, the street was rebuilt, and in 1764 it provided temporary accommodation for the eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who lodged with barber John Couzin and performed for King George III. A plaque at number 9 marks the site of Mozart’s residence, while a second plaque installed in 2012 commemorates the street’s early cinema links. Today the lane is home to roughly a dozen independent antiquarian and second-hand bookshops, offering specialities such as modern first editions, collectible children’s books, early printing, rare maps, antique prints, music and esoterica. Adjacent premises include art galleries, an antiques dealer, and shops dealing in silver, militaria, numismatics, porcelain, jewellery and art-deco items. The area acquired the nickname “Flicker Alley” because, from 1897 onward, it hosted a concentration of film-related businesses, including early offices of Cecil Hepworth, James Williamson and international firms such as Gaumont and Vitagraph. The street remains in the ownership of the Cecil family, with the present buildings laid out around 1894. Access is pedestrian only; the nearest Underground station is Leicester Square, and entry to the shops is free, each setting its own opening hours.

Henry Fawcett Memorial

London · 0.1 miles

The Henry Fawcett Memorial is a memorial fountain commemorating Henry Fawcett, installed during 1886 at the Victoria Embankment Gardens in London, United Kingdom. Mary Grant created the portrait relief and George Frampton produced the ornamental elements. Basil Champneys was the architect for the memorial. The memorial is listed at Grade II.

Cecil Court

Aldgate · 0.1 miles

A pedestrian lane of Victorian shop-fronts runs between Charing Cross Road and St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, forming part of the Jubilee Walkway that was opened in 1977. The thoroughfare, which dates back to the late-17th century, was originally a tradesmen’s route and later acquired the nickname “Flicker Alley” because of the concentration of early film firms that set up there in the late 1890s. Today the street is owned by the Cecil family, and the buildings visible today were laid out around 1894 during the tenure of the third Marquess of Salisbury. The court now hosts roughly a dozen independent bookshops dealing in antiquarian and second-hand titles, ranging from modern first editions and collectible children’s books to rare maps, antique prints and esoteric works. In addition, there are art galleries, an antiques dealer, and shops specialising in silver, militaria, numismatics, porcelain, jewellery and art-deco items. A plaque at number 9 marks the short residence of eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1764, when he performed for King George III and possibly composed his first symphony. The street’s historic link to early British cinema is commemorated by a second plaque unveiled in 2012. Access is straightforward via Leicester Square underground station, and the lane is step-free, providing wheelchair-friendly passage. No admission fee is required, as the area is open to the public at all times.

Cecil Court

Aldgate · 0.1 miles

A pedestrian lane of Victorian shop-fronts runs between Charing Cross Road and St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, forming part of the Jubilee Walkway that links the city’s historic core. The street is fully step-free, offering wheelchair access, and the nearest Underground stop is Leicester Square. It lies close to Aldgate and is situated within the central London street network, making it readily reachable on foot or by public transport. The thoroughfare, whose origins trace back to the late-17th century when maps show a hedgerow along its line, now hosts roughly a dozen independent bookshops dealing in antiquarian and second-hand titles, including modern first editions, rare maps, collectible children’s books and esoteric works. In addition, the lane accommodates art galleries, an antiques dealer, and shops specialising in silver, militaria, numismatics, porcelain, jewellery and art-deco items. Historically, the court was a hub for early British cinema, earning the nickname “Flicker Alley” after more than forty film-related businesses set up there from 1897 onward. It also provided temporary accommodation for the eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1764; a plaque at number 9 marks the site of the barber shop where he lodged and where tickets for his London concerts were sold. The present buildings date from around 1894, were laid out during the tenure of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, and remain in the ownership of the Cecil family. Admission to the street is free, and its pedestrian nature allows visitors to explore the shops and historic ambience at their own pace.

Royal Courts of Justice

St Clement Danes · 0.6 miles

The Royal Courts of Justice, commonly called the Law Courts, is a court building in Westminster which houses the High Court and Court of Appeal of England and Wales. The High Court also sits on circuit and in other major cities. Designed by George Edmund Street, who died before it was completed, it is a large grey stone edifice in the Victorian Gothic Revival style built in the 1870s and opened by Queen Victoria in 1882. It is one of the largest courts in Europe. It is a Grade I listed building.

Temple Bar

St Clement Danes · 0.6 miles

The historic gateway that once marked the main ceremonial approach from Westminster into the City of London lies at the junction where Fleet Street meets The Strand, close to St Clement Danes. Known as Temple Bar, the site originally held a barrier that regulated trade and signalled the boundary of the City’s jurisdiction. From medieval times the route linked the Tower of London, the Palace of Westminster and St Paul’s Cathedral, making the bar a focal point for royal processions; the Lord Mayor traditionally presented the Sword of State to the monarch there. The surrounding built environment includes the 19th-century Royal Courts of Justice to the north and, on the south side, Temple Church together with the Inner and Middle Temple Inns of Court. The present structure is a memorial erected after the 17th-century Wren-designed archway was taken down in 1878. The monument is topped by a dragon symbolising the City and incorporates statues of Queen Victoria and Edward VII. Although the original stone arch was later re-erected in Paternoster Square beside St Paul’s Cathedral, the memorial at Temple Bar remains the focal point for visitors. The site is listed as a heritage monument and offers step-free, wheelchair-accessible access. No admission fee is required, and the open space allows a clear view of the surrounding legal precincts and the historic streetscape.