Cannon Street is a principal road running through the City of London. The neighbourhood area is bounded by Mansion House underground station on the east side and by Monument station on the west side; both stations are serviced by the Circle and District lines. Although one can walk the length of the street in under ten minutes, Cannon Street underground station sits in between the two aforementioned stations; meanwhile the Southeastern railway line brings commuters into Cannon Street train station. The area covers a number of buildings along the south side of Cannon Street. Directly east of the station, 90 Cannon Street accommodates the Bank of China – the first Chinese financial institution to have set up in London. In 2016, the office block 108 Cannon Street was extended and refurbished by architects Morrow and Lorraine and developer Beltrane, extending capacity significantly. A number of law and recruitment firms are based around the area east of Cannon Street Station until Monument. The Cannick Tapps, opposite the train station, is an underground pub with an excellent selection of ales. Meanwhile, Harry’s Bar is a rustic-style bar and restaurant in the hidden Abchurch Lane also opposite the station.

Cannon Street itself has never had much to do with cannons. Rather, it was the candle makers who inhabited the area in the 12th century that gave the place its name – Candelewrithstret. Over subsequent ages the name underwent a metamorphosis, being influenced along the way by the ‘cockney dialect’, until it reached its present form. The celebrity of the area even since the middle ages has been a piece of rock of debated origin and purpose. Dating back to at least the Roman settlement – they used the rock as a point to measure distances from – some say the boulder has occult meaning as well serving as the symbolic heart of the City. In 1450, Jack Cade led a rebellious group of 5,000 men from Kent. Striking the rock with his sword, Cade proclaimed himself “Lord of the City”.

The train station made an entrance to the scene in 1866 and the towers seen today from the bridge are, in fact, originals. Like most of the surrounding area, the rest of the station was reduced to rubble in WWII. Since then, the station has been redeveloped a number of times, most recently in 2007, after which it won the Major Station of the Year award in 2013.

The Elizabethan poet Edmund Spencer, best known for his work The Faerie Queene, received his earliest education very close to the area. The manor of the area belonged to Sir Pulteney – hence the street Laurence Poutney Hill nearby. This housed the Merchant Taylors’ School in the 16th century and Spencer would be a pupil there around a similar time.

Ten years after graduating from Cambridge University, Spenser published his first poetic work, The Sheapheard’s Calendar. Living during a time of political turmoil in Tudor London, Spenser wrote his masterpiece The Faerie Queen with the aim of entering the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Indeed, the work is a dedication to the monarch. Unfortunately for Spencer, his own politics did not align with those of certain important noblemen and so the poet fled to Ireland to establish his family life there.

In the early 20th century Cannon Street Station had an elaborate glass roof. When war broke out in 1939, the beautiful arched structure was relocated to a factory, away from harm. However, both the station and the factory where the roof was being stored would be obliterated in the Blitz.
The hall of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers in the City used to stand at the current location of the station. To begin construction of the terminus, the hall was therefore demolished. One can spot a statue called Plumber’s Apprentice by Martin Jennings in the station today. It marks the 400th year anniversary of the company.

Construction work seems to be a constant in the City so anyone working in offices nearby is probably familiar with the levels of noise pollution. Bank Station, the node through which hundreds of commuters access the area every morning, has been voted the worst station in London due to its dismal planning and straining capacity. Haley, a commuter passing through the station daily, is fond of its spaciousness: “This one seems to be less busy during peak hours and I’m especially impressed by the way that staff handle incidents and updates to the schedules.”

Four Cannon street is a new development that was recently completed in this neighbourhood area. Its modern façade, designed by PLP Architecture, embodies the classical proportions and rich materials of its neighbours while setting best practices in sustainability. Recent improvements have also been made to Bank Station including a new entrance on Cannon Street, and an expanded Northern Line platform with step free access via a new concourse. Above this new Cannon Street entrance will also sit a new office block. Taller than originally planned, planners recently gave permission for TFL to add an eighth floor to their plans, with work scheduled to start by the end of 2022.