It’s no secret that London is home to a lot of history – hey, there’s a whole dedicated museum re-opening in the capital pretty soon. From the Roman settlers nearly 2,000 years ago to the Tudor rule in the 1400-1500s to modern day, there’s been a lot of change in how London looks. However, if you look close enough between the modern buildings and new eateries, there are many hidden spots you may not know existed; here are a few of our favourite oldest spots in London.
Observe London’s oldest residence (which survived the Great Fire of London in 1666)
A stone’s throw from Farringdon and Barbican stations, you’ll find what is widely considered the oldest residential dwelling in the capital. 41-42 Cloth Fair was built between 1597 and 1614, and has remained standing through the Great Fire of London, the Blitz, and a 1929 ‘slum clearance’ programme.
Over the years, this Grade II* listed property has been an alehouse, a tobacconists, an estate agents, and an architectural office. Fun fact: the owners of the architectural office encouraged famous visitors to leave their mark on the timber-framed windows, so you can find etchings from Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother there. Today, it’s a private home once again, so if you’d like to admire it, you can only do so from the pavement outside, or perhaps from across the street at London’s oldest parish church, St Bartholomew the Great (you might recognise this spot from films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sherlock Holmes).
See the city’s – and country’s – oldest door, which is nearly 1,000 years old
Knock, knock. Who’s there? The oldest door in Britain. Okay, that’s an awful joke, but there is this significant slice of history, located at the already-pretty-astounding Westminster Abbey, that you may walk past if you don’t know it’s there.
Tucked away in the passageway leading to Westminster Abbey’s Chapter House is the only surviving Anglo-Saxon door in the country. It was constructed from oak felled in eastern England around 1032, and is uniquely flat on both sides (unlike most medieval doors), suggesting it originally stood between two spaces of equal importance. It’s been chopped down over the centuries from nine feet to six-and-a-half feet tall, but its oak planks still stand strong.
Journey through the world’s oldest civilisations without leaving London
This is a bit of a bonus inclusion: you can actually travel through some of the world’s oldest civilisations, such as Babylon, Ancient Egypt, Maya, and Rapa Nui, without leaving Central London. How? Head to Timewalk Immersive Experience Museum. Located at Immerse LDN by the ExCel, this experience charts humanity’s timeline, and uses spellbinding visuals, atmospheric soundscapes, illuminating sculptures and interactive elements to transport you through 12,000 years of human history.
The journey starts at the hunter-gatherer sanctuary of Göbeklitepe before moving through five distinct immersive rooms. You can gaze up at Babylon’s Ishtar Gate, discover how Pharaohs hunted for immortality in the constellations, and learn how the Mayans used cenotes to plan their farming and rituals. The oldest sites in the world, brought right to your door in London.
Admire artwork at the oldest purpose-built public gallery in the world
Dulwich Picture Gallery set up shop back in 1811 – though officially opened its doors to the public in 1817 – when painter Sir Francis Bourgeois bequeathed his entire collection of Old Masters. It was designed by the architect Sir John Soane, built simply on the idea that art is made to be shared.
Today, the gallery holds Grade II* listed building status, and is run by an independent charity. It houses over 600 artworks, including historic pieces by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Gainsborough, plus a rolling programme of temporary exhibitions. The grounds also feature a mausoleum where Francis Bourgeois and his wife, Margaret, are buried.
Grab a bite at London’s oldest sandwich shop
All this history hunting can be hungry work. The capital’s oldest restaurant is Rules, which has been on the very same site in Covent Garden for a whopping 227 years; but for a lesser-known (and cheaper) bite, why not head to London’s oldest sandwich shop, instead? Paul Rothe & Son is widely considered the oldest sandwich shop in the city, and has been run by the same family for over 120 years.
Alongside its loyal regulars, this Marylebone spot has attracted a few famous faces over the years, including Madonna, Harry Styles, and Anthony Hopkins. The menu today sticks to the classics; their pastrami sandwich continues to reign supreme, but there are plenty of other fillings to tuck into, too.
So, there you have it: some of the capital’s lesser known spots that will cast you back centuries – plus one that uses modern technology to cast you back even further and far afield.
