Monday, July 20, 2009

Of Monks and Thieves: A Walk Around Clerkenwell


View Clerkenwell Walk in a larger map


For the past two years, I've been saying that I'm going to do a walk around Clerkenwell, but I haven't gotten to it yet. When I next go to London, I'm bound and determined to work it in. I've read several different walks (in Time Out London Walks and an online walk of Dickens' London), and made my own walk on Google Maps. It starts with the Priory of St John, continues on to Bleeding Heart Yard (mentioned in Little Dorrit) and Clerkenwell Green, passing several locations in Oliver Twist, then goes through Exmouth Market, down a lovely old Georgian street where Dickens' bank was located, and ends up in Whitecross Street. I've worked in several places to stop for food and beverages, including one of the few remaining Italian delis in the area, and Whitecross Market where there are specialty food vendors on Thursday and Friday. Since the walk starts and ends at the Barbican, there's an opportunity to stop in there to see what's on in the art gallery. And if it starts to pour, the Museum of London is a close by place to take shelter.


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1 comment:

  1. I lived on Rosebery Avenue about 30 years ago. It was a very quiet neighborhood. There was a Saturday market with very little variety; I recall asking for Rye bread once in the bakery, and she looked at me like I was a Martian (she was so surprised, she asked if I was Jewish). I'm sure it's changed, but if you're willing to deviate from your Oliver Twist theme, check out the Sadler's Wells theatre or the Marx Museum.

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