Eastcheap is the main road running through this neighbourhood area, connecting Cannon Street on its western end to Tower Hill at its eastern boundary. Eastcheap is equipped with a standard collection of high street shops, however, the setting in which these shops reside far surpasses the splendour of a typical London high street. Mostly Victorian and neoclassical, the buildings tell a story of an imperial heyday. Above a Maplin at 20 Eastcheap, a stone relief of three camels lead by a merchant are carved onto Peek House of Peek Bros and Co. who were dealers of tea, coffee and spices from 1810. A rare Victorian Gothic oddball can be seen at 33–35 Eastcheap. Designed in 1868 by R. L. Roumieu as a vinegar warehouse, this one has been described by the architectural critic, Ian Nairn, as “an Edgar Allen Poe of a building”. The man who rebuilt London after the Great Fire of London, Sir Christopher Wren, erected the Church of St Margaret Pattens at the corner of Rood Lane; it is notable for being the only church he designed in mediaeval style. Next to it, a strikingly blue-coloured coffee shop is tucked under a classic Georgian building. This cosy locals’ favourite, known as Caffé Espresso, serves complimentary chocolate with its hot drinks – sure to raise one’s spirits with its warm and elegant buzz.

The name Eastcheap derives from the old English word ‘cheap’, for market and East, being the counterpart of Westcheap, presently Cheapside on the other side of Bank station. Butchers’ stalls dotted the street in medieval times before much of the surrounding structures were destroyed in the 17th century fire. A notable building of this period was the Boar’s Head Inn which is known as the meeting place for Shakespeare’s fictional character, Falstaff, from Henry IV. The Inn was, in fact, rebuilt following the fire and then served as a retail outlet until the turn of the 19th century. Though it was demolished in 1831, its significance was cemented by the preservation of the Boar’s Inn sign which is currently held by the Globe Theatre across the river. Note also the analogous boar’s head atop the central window on aforementioned 33–35 Eastcheap, as a nod to this historic-cultural landmark. Finally, one entrance to the infamous Pudding Lane can be found at the west side of the area. This, of course, is the location where the first flames that would engulf the capital in 1666 originated from.

The influential 17th century economist, Thomas Mun (1571-1641), was baptised at the church of St Andrew Hubbard, which stood at the present location of Lovat Lane. Mun was among the first to advocate the importance of the balance of trade. He was born into a wealthy family of the mint who had connections with the East India Company, which was still in its infancy. He became director of this enterprise in 1615, but five years later he would have to account for the oncoming economic depression, much of the blame for which was attributed to the company itself, which began exporting silver to India to pay for luxury goods. Mun argued that in order to restore the country’s finances, Britain would have to export more than imports. Mun was thus a mercantilist – the idea that a country’s prosperity increases as gold is acquired through the export of domestic goods – and his writings would go on to influence later economists.

One of the capital’s smallest sculptures can be seen on the eastern building at the corner of Eastcheap and Philpot Lane. On the wall of the building are two mice, gnawing at a piece of cheese. Though the evidence is scarce, one legend tells of how two construction workers fell from the building in 1861-62, after one accused the other of stealing his lunch, leading the pair to fight over the matter. Peer inside Wren’s Church of St Margaret Pattens to find a ‘punishment box’ with a devil’s head carved alongside it. Sinners would be sent here during services to atone for their offences.

Whilst the architecture here is worth checking out, the selection of drinking and dining options is rather limited. As mentioned previously, a standard array of chain eateries like Pret or Joe and the Juice can be found here, but to sit down for a more substantial meal, one would have to look elsewhere. Luckily, Leadenhall Market is a mere four-minute walk from here.

The most significant development in close proximity to this neighbourhood area is the extension and redevelopment of Bank and Monument stations by TFL. After demand for Bank station has grown steadily over the past decade, many commuters have felt the burden of an overcrowded interchange. A new concourse, and expanded Northern Line platform with step-free access has recently opened and will be joined by a new alternative entrance on Cannon Street. Above this new entrance will sit a contemporary 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.