If I were to ask you to close your eyes and picture the oldest landmark in London, I imagine the legendary likes of the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey would be among the first spots to pop into your head. I highly doubt that an unassuming piece of stone tucked away inside the front wall of a random building in the City of London would instantly spring to mind. But it turns out that it should.
The London Stone is a landmark that’s truly stood the test of time. Shrouded in mystery (and the cause of much debate over the years); the origins of this rather surreptitious block of stone remain unknown, but what we do know for sure is that it’s old. Supposedly dating all the way back to the Roman times, or perhaps even earlier.
The history of the London Stone
The London Stone in its current form is the remnant of a once much larger object that spent many centuries perched on the south side of medieval Candlewick Street (which would later become known as Cannon Street). As I’ve already mentioned, the date on which it was created and its original purpose remain a mystery, but plenty of people have put their two cents in on the matter over the years.
The type of limestone that the a-stone-ishing landmark is made from (although nobody knows for certian what it is) is thought to be the same as was commonly used in Roman Britain. Some speculate that the stone could have originally served as a central milestone to mark Londinium (the Roman settlement that eventually became the London that we know and love today). Others believe that the stone’s lengthy history stretches back far further, claiming that is could have prehistoric or Druidic connections. There are plenty of myths and legends attached to this puzzling piece of London’s history, but the likelihood of us every knowing for sure is slim, because – well… none of us were there when it was constructed, I suppose.
The London Stone nowadays
Nowadays, the London Stone sits inside a small enclosure on the front wall of 111 Cannon Street. It’s been relocated many times over the years, even having spent a small stint inside the Museum of London. Whilst it may not be as well-known as some of London’s other landmarks; the stone has a rather enchanting mystique about it. And although plenty of Londoners continue to walk straight past it on their way to meetings and manicures; the London Stone continues to be one of the most historic and fascinating sights to see in the city.
You’ll find the London Stone inside 111 Cannon Street, EC4N 5AR.