Farringdon railway station occupies the centre of this neighbourhood area, along with a densely clustered section of the A201 known as Farringdon Street. The location in the heart of the city has made this area an immensely popular after-work drinks location. A variety of excellent restaurants also line the road, bringing in commuters at all hours of the day. A charming and vibrant site of activity, this area is a great alternative to the well-trodden Soho or Covent Garden area.

Farringdon Road was one of the earliest roads built through the city in the Victorian period as a means to create wider, more spacious highways. It makes a noticeable contrast to the tightly-packed alleys and narrow winding streets that still make up the majority of the city today. The road had an enormous impact on the area, as the new route brought in enormous quantities of wholesale goods, facilitating the growth of Smithfield Market and the expansion of the station. The road also helped to alleviate the typically poor sanitary conditions of the Victorian era, allowing large-scale commercial premises to set up shop, creating the economic and architectural character that makes Farringdon unique to this day. The road gets its name from Sir William de Farringdon. Historical records suggest he was a local sheriff or alderman in the 13th century.

One of the famous inhabitants of this area was Lord Berners, a composer, novelist, painter, and general eccentric who began the custom of dyeing pigeons in the local area. Berner’s legacy remains to this day in a number of stone plaques around Farringdon with comments such as “Please do not throw stones at this notice”, reflecting the character and influence Berners had on the area. Farringdon Arts Festival, started in 2004, often pays tribute to Berner’s influence on the area’s culture, and runs on the first weekend of August every year.

One of the downsides of this neighbourhood area is that it is in a particularly congested traffic zone, leading to a high quantity of air pollution, and continually fails to meet its annual objective of air quality.

The first section of the London Underground ran from Farringdon Street to Paddington. The section is now part of the Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan line. The station has retained its historic importance, now facilitating Crossrail trains and the newly opened Elizabeth Line. This new transport link will bring commuters in from around the Thames Valley and Heathrow faster than ever before, as well as providing new links to South East London and Essex. New private developments are also set to continue in the area. Postmark is currently developing a new neighbourhood in the north west of the area on the site of the old Royal Mail sorting office. The scheme is largely residential, providing luxury accommodation, with prices starting at £980,000 for a one bedroom flat.