This neighbourhood area represents the far eastern edge of the City of London, stretching along Minories, with Aldgate High Street to the north and Tower Gateway station to the south. The area is largely modern, post-war office buildings, having been badly bombed during the Second World War. A large amount of hotels also exist in the area, catering to the tourists and taking advantage of its location near to the Tower of London. The Aldgate area to the north is taller than the south, which mainly consists of medium-rises as opposed to the tall residential and commercial buildings around Aldgate. The area is particularly well-connected, with Aldgate station to the north connecting to Tower Hill to the south, and Tower Gateway DLR station (as well as nearby Fenchurch Street station) bringing links to the east and southeast. Of notable interest is the high concentration of tech companies in the area.

Minories has had a long history dating back to the late 13th century, when the house of the Grace of the Blessed Mary was founded by Edmund, the Earl of Lancaster. Also known as the Abbey of the Minoresses (from which the street derived its name), it became hugely influential, to the point where Pope Boniface VIII ordered any sentences of excommunication by bishops or rectors to be meaningless, and that the nuns would be free from all jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The abbey had many patrons throughout the years, including Queen Isabella and King Henry IV, perhaps attracting attention due to its proximity to the Tower of London. The Holy Trinity Minories church, the last of the Minories, was sadly destroyed in the Blitz in 1940.

The Minories was home to a few notable people, such as Margaret Beauchamp, wife of the Earl of Warwick, who was granted leave by the Pope to reside in the house for as long as she wished following her husband’s death. Eleanor Lady Scrope, daughter of Ralph de Neville, similarly resided there after her husband died. They were ladies of the Minories, widows of some of the main players of the War of the Roses.

Though Fenchurch Street station was the first station in the City of London, the Minories, just outside, existed before, opening in 1840. It stood where Tower Gateway DLR station stands today, and is home to ‘The Minories’ pub under the viaduct.

A Roman statue of an eagle was found under Minories in 2013, said to be the finest Romano-British sculpture ever unearthed in London. Standing 65 centimetres-tall with a snake on its beak, it symbolised the powerful position of its owner, who was also influential enough to be buried so close to the City.

While it is within the City of London, the neighbourhood is at its fringe, and those looking for a ‘pure’ City centre living may be disappointed. Nevertheless, residents praise the ease of facilities including access to nearby markets in Whitechapel. The proximity to Aldgate and its Victorian terraces are also a change from the high-rises which define the northern section of the area – though these are rapidly encroaching.

With its prime location, there is never a shortage of development going on in the Aldgate neighbourhood. Sitting at the edge of the City, most of these buildings tend to cater to office based tenants. Yet Aldgate is also a doorway to the more residential neighbourhoods of Whitechapel, Shadwell and Shoreditch meaning many new schemes are incorporating residential accommodation. For example, the second phase of the Aldgate Place neighbourhood development is underway and set to complete in 2024. With 19,000 sqft of offices, 8,000 sqft of retail floorspace, and 159 new homes, this development will push the architecture of the city ever closer to the east end. Meanwhile, looking slightly more centrally, Unite Students has just completed a new private student accommodation building capable of housing upwards of 1,000 young scholars.