Among the colonnaded city buildings and halls, a number of ancient gems are concealed in the pockets between parallel streets. Great Swan Alley is one such passage running between Morrgate and Copthall Avenue to the east. It has been marked as a by-way on maps dating back as far as 1270 although its name supposedly comes from The Swans Nest Tavern, which once stood here during the Tudor period. Most historic buildings in the city are neo-classical, though another example of gothic architecture close by is the Guildhall – home to the influential City of London Corporation. Experience this area’s rich history by booking a tour at the Armourer’s Hall, or checking out the publicly displayed Ritual sculpture (1968-69) by Antanas Brazdyz, emblematic of its time.

The Armourers Hall has proven itself a resilient establishment. It has occupied the site since 1322 and initially served the purpose of the social and religious meeting place for the craftsmen. Having received a Royal Charter in 1453, the Guild assumed the role of overseeing and regulating the arms trade. In 1666, when most of the City was reduced to ashes, the Armourers Hall remained largely unscathed. In 1708, Queen Anne extended their charter to the Brasiers (coppersmiths), thus merging them with the Armourers. During the Blitz when once again the surrounding area was devastated, the Hall remained intact. The area was also at the epicentre of the sparks which ignited the First English Civil War of 1642. When King Charles I stormed Parliament in January that year to arrest five members of the House of Commons, the indicted MPs escaped Westminster via a back door and took refuge in the Puritan stronghold of Coleman Street. Lodging overnight with the militant Quaker Isaac Penington, the Five Members would return to Westminster the following day to a cheering house.

In the 1920s a building on the right of the alley was the home of a company called ARCOS which stood for the All Russian Co-operative Society and would become the site of the “The ARCOS Affair”. MI5 had always been suspicious of ARCOS, running surveillance on the building in 1925 when a journalist called Walter Dale was seen leaving the building and followed. He entered the offices of the Federal Press, which was an American news agency with Communist sympathies and suspected links to Soviet Intelligence. In May 1927, both uniformed and plainclothes police officers raided the premises, taking control of the telephones and detaining the staff. In the basement, they found a signals listening station, numerous classified British documents and Army signals training manuals. Breaking through a locked door they found a cypher room with several staff inside attempting to hurriedly burn documents.

Just across Moorgate, 80 Coleman Street was once home to one of the key players in the execution of the King, Augustine Garland. Garland was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He served as a barrister from 1639 and upon the dawn of the civil wars he came to reside at the City dwelling. Garland was one of the signatories of the King’s death warrant of 1649. Following the establishment of the Commonwealth, he was an avid supporter of Cromwell and hence the fall of the Lord Protector spelled the end of Garland’s heyday. When those responsible for the regicide were arrested, Garland was among those condemned to death. Though the sentence was never executed, the fate of Garland remains unknown.

Being at the heart of the city, this area often becomes hectic during rush hour. The 17th century charm of the Old Doctor Butler’s Head gets filled with hoards of suited after-work drinkers making space hard to come by. This is also likely to be true of the eateries along Coleman Street around lunchtime.

The Elizabeth line opened in May 2022 taking passengers west to Heathrow via Paddington, and east to Abbey Wood or Shenfield. Train journeys to Canary Wharf now take only six minutes where they once took twelve. While the new line officially stops at Liverpool street which is a ten minute walk northeast of here, the platform stretches so far west that commuters can gain access through a new entrance at Moorgate. As this area is already well established there is little room for new development. Nonetheless, plans are now in the works for a contemporary mixed-use commercial development between 40–55 Basinghall Street slightly west of Coleman street.