The Guild of Freemen of the City of London

Peter Tompkins welcomes the Guild
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Assistant Tony Woodhead and family in Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
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City Walks - 12 and 24 May

24 May 2005

Once again the Guild was delighted to welcome Peter Tompkins to guide members and their guests on this year's two City Walks.

At the appointed hour on two fine but chilly evenings everyone assembled outside St Paul's Cathedral, in front of the entrance to Paternoster Square, in preparation for a walk along Fleet Street and some of the adjacent alleys. During a fascinating hour and a half Peter led us past the site of Blackfriars Monastery and the Bridewell Theatre, stopping to admire the 'wedding cake' spire of Wren's church of St Bride's, then on a detour through the Inner and Middle Temple, passing the church of the Knights' Templar before returning to Fleet Street to admire some of the old newspaper buildings, a Wren pub or two and the statues of King Ludd and his two sons. Then there was another detour to Dr Johnson's house before we finally came to rest - and to enjoy delicious refreshments - in perhaps the most famous pub on Fleet Street, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

After this highly enjoyable evening everyone fully concurred with Charles Lamb's words: "A man must have a rare recipe for melancholy who can be dull in Fleet Street".

To add to the success of these two evenings, Guild members and their guests contributed £750.00 to the Lord Mayor's Charity Appeal.